# Please re-open the DNC thread **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 24, 2024, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129 "2024-08-24T02:38:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/41 "2024-08-24T20:23:33Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Honestly, if more posters would simply post a “hey, this is a hijack, let’s get back on track before mods step in”, it would really help. Instead, people flag it right away and force the mods to jump in. Some of that is going to be because posters are trying to avoid “junior modding”. I will again suggest that we need some sort of generic companion threads for people to make posts that would be considered hijacks in a breaking news thread. > [@Procrustus](#): > > Or we could have a new threat “General Discussion of whatever you want, Hijacks welcome” Something like this. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/42 "2024-08-24T20:27:27Z")
Not that anybody cares about my opinion but the amount of minor digression recently that has got the full HIJACCCK!!! mod stomp is astounding. It would be much better to allow a little onpoint digression, save everybody time and only take action with genuine hijacks. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/43 "2024-08-24T20:33:23Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > …the amount of minor digression recently that has got the full HIJACCCK!!! mod stomp is astounding. I agree. I get finding that balance is not easy and there will always be disagreement but the pendulum has swung too far IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/44 "2024-08-24T20:41:12Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > It kinda wants me to put all things in the BBQ Pit now to avoid that. This is not a bad idea. I tend to have the same instinct. I have opined before that the best place for many threads is in the Pit because it’s the only place were you can be reasonably assured that you can speak freely. More and more I think that the most useful and interesting threads will naturally end up in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/45 "2024-08-24T21:23:51Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > Not that anybody cares about my opinion but the amount of minor digression recently that has got the full HIJACCCK!!! mod stomp is astounding. Again, y’know, it is a handful of threads, nearly all of them in P&E, that have been strongly moderated on hijacking in recent months. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/46 "2024-08-24T21:56:05Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Again, y’know, it is a handful of threads, nearly all of them in P&E There was a recent thread about eating pizza offered from the people at the table next to you. A comment about being a germaphobe was considered a hijack. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/47 "2024-08-24T21:59:11Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > From my personal experience, the mods do _not_ intervene simply because someone has flagged a post or series of posts. Mine also. Sometimes the mods do agree with me; sometimes they don’t, and I get a message back to the effect that they don’t think it’s a problem, or don’t think it’s enough of one to do anything. I don’t know whether I’m relatively quick or relatively slow to flag things in general. I don’t think I often flag hijacks in particular; I think I may be more likely to take part in them (sorry!) than to flag them. > [@Procrustus](#): > > Or we could have a new threat “General Discussion of whatever you want, Hijacks welcome” The late lamented snopes boards had a thread named “Unhijackable.” You could post anything in there, and by definition it wouldn’t be a hijack. It got to be a pretty long thread. > [@Dinsdale](#): > > How was it decided by whom that hijacks are such a problem that (some) mods have to be as active as they feel they need to be? Or that threads need to be kept narrowly focussed, spawning numerous off shoots. There have been threads on this subject before and the consensus has seemed to be that at least some threads do need to stay on topic, or they become useless for their intended purpose. So no it has not seemed to me that you’re in the majority on this. > [@needscoffee](#): > > And then we get mods charging in, in a seeming rage, telling us we should be ashamed of ourselves for not self-regulating I think your threshold for what’s considered “rage” may be a whole lot lower than mine. I’ve seen some of what I’d call mild annoyance. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/48 "2024-08-24T22:00:32Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > A comment about being a germaphobe was considered a hijack. That was the final one in a series of _five_ posts from the poster in that thread, which were increasingly going astray from the OP’s question. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/49 "2024-08-24T22:16:33Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > The late lamented snopes boards had a thread named “Unhijackable.” You could post anything in there, and by definition it wouldn’t be a hijack. So, basically the SDMB BBQ Pit. > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I think your threshold for what’s considered “rage” may be a whole lot lower than mine. I’ve seen some of what I’d call mild annoyance. I’d get the rage when PMing a mod. A few pretty threatening ones. And not like I was pestering them. One or maybe two PMs asking about the moderation. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/50 "2024-08-24T22:22:42Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > > The late lamented snopes boards had a thread named “Unhijackable.” You could post anything in there, and by definition it wouldn’t be a hijack. > > So, basically the SDMB BBQ Pit. Not really. The snopes boards didn’t have anything like the Pit and I was somewhat taken aback by it when I first started lurking here, though I’ve turned into one of its defenders. When I said “you could post anything in there”, I meant on just about any subject. Not in any tone or fashion. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/51 "2024-08-24T22:32:08Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I think your threshold for what’s considered “rage” may be a whole lot lower than mine. I’ve seen some of what I’d call mild annoyance. Curious if you’d read my post #38 before writing this. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/52 "2024-08-24T22:35:28Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Curious if you’d read my post #38 before writing this Yes, I had; and even clicked on the link. While I’ll grant that’s a bit beyond “mild annoyance”, I still wouldn’t class it as “rage”. And that’s about the strongest I have seen; most mod comments I’ve seen were milder than that. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/53 "2024-08-24T22:50:37Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I’m just curious, you’ve been around long enough to remember **TubaDiva** and **Lynn** were very snarky. They really make us look like kittens trying to growl by comparison. And Twickster as well. I agree you mods are kittens in comparison most of the time. > [@What\_Exit](#): > > If I recall correctly the link was from one of the busiest times in P&E’s history. I know I was overwhelmed by the the series of the Debate, the Ear Wound and Biden stepping aside for Harris combined with the who would be her VP pick. Understood. My point though is that you’re fighting human nature. It’s going to be aggravating. People here say they’re afraid of being accused of junior modding. Maybe let people know that it’s okay to politely point out hijacks in a thread before flagging it? We went through this just a short time ago in the “shame” thread and I still think it’s a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/54 "2024-08-24T22:59:13Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > It seems like _most_ of us appreciate hijacks being kept in check. I just think we should encourage fellow posters to speak up politely in a thread that’s being hijacked before flagging a mod. > > > [@Stratocaster](#): > > > > Yeah, what a bunch of hotheads. 🤨 > > Maybe you missed [this gem](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shame-on-you-moderation-in-is-trump-confused-thread/1005278) (which was concluded to most everyone’s satisfaction). Whew! That’s some white-hot rage, for sure. My eyebrows are scorched. The “please” at the end was especially bloodthirsty. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/55 "2024-08-24T23:08:15Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I’m just curious, you’ve been around long enough to remember **TubaDiva** and **Lynn** were very snarky. They really make us look like kittens trying to growl by comparison. Boy, I know I’m getting old, but hadn’t thought my memory so faulty. Maybe **Tuba** and **Lynn** were snarky, but I never perceived the mat-/paternalism from them that I sense from the current crop. Or the sense that they had some holy mission to uphold the purity of certain threads in certain forums. Or maybe I’ve gotten crankier and more intolerant in my dotage. Or perhaps any number of other explanations. The boards - and the current crop of mods - wish to moderate these forums in a certain way, that pleases some (how many?) posters more than (how many?) others. That’s fine. Each poster has the option of continuing to participate under their rules, or seek a different venue. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/56 "2024-08-24T23:20:16Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Boy, I know I’m getting old, but hadn’t thought my memory so faulty. Maybe **Tuba** and **Lynn** were snarky, but I never perceived the mat-/paternalism from them that I sense from the current crop. Or the sense that they had some holy mission to uphold the purity of certain threads in certain forums. I have a similar memory of them. Less likely to crack the whip but when they did it could hit hard. They left more room for open discussion I think. (I remember **Tuba** more than **Lynn** for some reason so grain-of-salt) ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/57 "2024-08-24T23:29:50Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Boy, I know I’m getting old, but hadn’t thought my memory so faulty. Maybe **Tuba** and **Lynn** were snarky, but I never perceived the mat-/paternalism from them that I sense from the current crop. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I have a similar memory of them. Less likely to crack the whip but when they did it could hit hard. They left more room for open discussion I think. Well, given that Lynn hasn’t been here since 2013 and Tuba Diva since June of 2020, and the revised rules re hijacking didn’t come into existence until 2020, it’s a little unfair to compare, don’t you think? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/58 "2024-08-24T23:33:13Z")
What other comparison is there to make? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/59 "2024-08-24T23:33:53Z")
How hijack rules were moderated by other moderators before the current crop. Bearing in mind that the moderator who wrote them, Jonathan Chance, died in November 2020. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129/60 "2024-08-24T23:59:37Z")
i remember a post from the 90s where a mod who was tired of a thread wandering off that was all “Look I know you all know how to read and can comprehend instructions so why are you dumb assholes still ignoring me? Knock your crap off now” in so many words and had to apologize in a separate thread [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-re-open-the-dnc-thread/1006129.md?page=4)