# Please rescind this warning **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 2, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693 "2017-05-02T02:48:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/1 "2017-05-02T02:48:26Z")
In this [thread,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=825109) **Weisshund** received a warning for this post: > [@Women find male genitals replusive, and most men don't even know it](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-find-male-genitals-replusive-and-most-men-dont-even-know-it/785564/124): > > Hey! > That is not what the lady said, you are putting words in her mouth. > > She said she did not find a penis attractive OR repulsive > So NO not Nuff said > > I dont find fingers attractive, i dont find them repulsive, they simply are a non factor. > And you edited the lady’s other text to make it sound like she was pretty much buying a husband with sex. > > Is this how you manufacture your data? > > Me smells Troll 😕 The thread in question has been moved to the Pit. The OP himself did not receive a warning when he modified text in a quote, which is also a warnable offense. I’d like to suggest that Weisshund receive equal treatment and simply receive a note. The entire thread is a train wreck. I don’t think that Weisshund was more deserving of the warning. The opposite, if anything. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/2 "2017-05-02T03:09:11Z")
To be honest, since he was sticking up for me I felt bad he copped a warning. I wouldn’t mind seeing it rescinded. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/3 "2017-05-02T03:32:29Z")
Without saying whatever I think we can’t say, even in ATMB, I would just say it is always a pity when I see a good poster goaded into making a warnable post in a thread that is probably whatever that thing we can’t say is. With that (not) said, I vote for rescinding the warning. But I also suggest that all involved in the thread think carefully before responding to an inflammatory OP made by someone who just signed up. As an aside to the Mods, I think that we should be able to say that thing we can’t say in ATMB because it makes it kind of difficult to discuss the moderation of a rules violation in this context and almost all other forms of ‘junior modding’ are permissible here for that very reason. e.g. ‘that post was definitely a personal attack’, ‘that post was a hijack’, ‘that post was threadshitting’, but not 'that post was [thing we can’t say]. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/4 "2017-05-02T04:05:04Z")
True, if the OP of that thread was let off without a warning because he’s new, then **Weisshund** should get a mulligan as well, since he’s relatively new, too. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/5 "2017-05-02T04:08:01Z")
I agree. Rescind the warning. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/6 "2017-05-02T04:24:21Z")
I think it should be rescinded, too! I’m not that fond of **Weisshund** , but fair’s fair. \Me too!\ ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/7 "2017-05-02T04:38:14Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > As an aside to the Mods, I think that we should be able to say that thing we can’t say in ATMB because it makes it kind of difficult to discuss the moderation of a rules violation in this context and almost all other forms of ‘junior modding’ are permissible here for that very reason. e.g. ‘that post was definitely a personal attack’, ‘that post was a hijack’, ‘that post was threadshitting’, but not 'that post was [thing we can’t say]. This is specifically addressed[in the FAQ](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7697084&postcount=2): > [@](#): > > 1. General discussion of the rule about trolling is permitted in the About This Message Board forum; accusations of trolling are not. Do not attempt to use a general discussion to insinuate that so-and-so is a troll. If you believe the rule against trolling is being flouted, you’ve gotten no satisfaction via private channels, and you wish to make your case in ATMB, be aware that you face a high burden of proof. The fact that someone persistently makes arguments you consider silly or obnoxious doesn’t in itself constitute trollery, and your assertion to the contrary is likely to earn you a rebuke. > [@voltaire](#): > > True, if the OP of that thread was let off without a warning because he’s new, then **Weisshund** should get a mulligan as well, since he’s relatively new, too. You’re right that the \*\*Faylasouf \*\*didn’t get a warning for changing the text in the quote box largely because they were new. Join date was 1 day old, and 100% of their posts in that thread. Typically I try to give newbies a break for not knowing all the rules when they are super new. \*\*Weisshund \*\*has been around since all of 2017 which after 4 months a person is more expected to know better. * * * I agree the thread was a bit of a trainwreck, and \*\*Tom \*\*did the heavy lifting of moving it. I had drafted a note to close the thread on three separate occasions throughout the day in between meetings at my other job but I ended up not doing so for two reasons. I’d rather avoid closing threads simply because the topic isn’t to my liking. To say it didn’t garner interest would be wrong since it received so many replies so quickly. My hope was that it would simply fall off. 2nd, in my mind I was hesitant to move a thread started by a new poster to the Pit if they were unfamiliar with the different rules there, and weren’t prepared for the type of responses they may get. Based on the later activity of the day I think moving it as Tom did was a good outcome. So with that in the background, onto the matter at hand. I’m reluctant to rescind the warning. [Again back to the FAQ](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=384745): > [@](#): > > **We enforce the rule against accusations of trollery stringently** - more so than for garden-variety insults. Here’s our reasoning: > > 1. Our rule of thumb for insults is that you can disparage the post but not the poster. For example, you can say a post is foolish but, except in the Pit, you can’t call someone a fool. > > 2. The prohibition against accusations of trollery is a special case of this rule. Stubborn defenders of unpopular positions are often denounced as trolls, in many cases unfairly. They’re not primarily trying to provoke, they’re just being obstinate. This isn’t against our rules. Stating or implying that such people are trolls is an attempt to cut them out of the discussion. We’re trying to promote debate, not suppress it. Accordingly, we interpret the no-insults rule broadly when it comes to trolling - **even an indirect accusation that someone is a troll is likely to earn you a rebuke from a moderator.** As indicated above, if you see an example of what you consider trolling, report it privately or take it to the Pit. (my bold) Trolling as an insult is specifically called out as a special case that is verboten. As a result, it is one area that I feel we are compelled to act with less leeway than we would in other areas. Near any other garden variety insult and I would have simply issued a note. That being said, from everything I can see, \*\*Weisshund \*\*appears to be a fine poster and board member, and I don’t think a single warning will be held against him/her. I know this specific instance wouldn’t influence my opinion by itself, and we all do vote on most matters of significance. There’s a mental weighting that goes on. So I’m reluctant to rescind the warning, but I’ll inquire with the mod-loop and get feedback. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/8 "2017-05-02T05:02:03Z")
That’s fair, in my mind. I would also advise that, per her earlier post in this thread, **Ivory Tower Denizen** , seems to feel that his infraction was because he was defending her. Not that she needs it, of course. But I think intent should be considered, as well. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/9 "2017-05-02T05:07:09Z")
I haven’t been here long enough (few months) but I love the place. Weisshund has been extremely helpful and knowledgeable in many aspects, so if not out of place, I too agree with rescinding the warning. I believe the OP to be ignorant in that “Debate” thread, so much to the point that many of us bit our tongue, but strongly suspected the same as Weisshund did. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/10 "2017-05-02T05:09:59Z")
**Bone** , thanks for considering the request. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/11 "2017-05-02T12:53:23Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > I agree the thread was a bit of a train wreck, and \*\*Tom \*\*did the heavy lifting of moving it. Is it that difficult to move a thread? > [@](#): > > I had drafted a note to close the thread on three separate occasions throughout the day in between meetings at my other job but I ended up not doing so for two reasons. I’d rather avoid closing threads simply because the topic isn’t to my liking. To say it didn’t garner interest would be wrong since it received so many replies so quickly. My hope was that it would simply fall off. It’s often the stupidest, most inflammatory OPs that get the most responses, quickly, in GD. > [@](#): > > 2nd, in my mind I was hesitant to move a thread started by a new poster to the Pit if they were unfamiliar with the different rules there, and weren’t prepared for the type of responses they may get. The OP in that thread came out slugging. Seems like he was plenty prepared, but that seems like a very poor reason to leave an inflammatory, nonsense OP in GD. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/12 "2017-05-02T14:32:00Z")
I hear what **Bone** is saying and everything that he says is accurate but surely a reprimand would have sufficed? It’s true that a warning isn’t the mark of Cain but on the other hand it isn’t a pleasant thing to be constantly trailing around after you either. Giving the guy a break wouldn’t bring the whole edifice down. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/13 "2017-05-02T15:37:46Z")
I have to echo the sentiment of others. It seems fair to change it to a note. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/14 "2017-05-02T15:43:04Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s often the stupidest, most inflammatory OPs that get the most responses, quickly, in GD. Agreed. It’s very difficult to leave low-hanging fruit on the vine, and a lot of folks don’t even think about it; it’s not recreational outrage so much as recreational mockery. There’s not much that can be done about that, but it does mean mods shouldn’t consider how many responses an OP has gotten when figuring out whether to shunt it to the Pit. Often the most thoughtful OPs don’t get much responses, as responding to them requires too much work. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/15 "2017-05-02T15:47:38Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Agreed. It’s very difficult to leave low-hanging fruit on the vine, and a lot of folks don’t even think about it; it’s not recreational outrage so much as recreational mockery. Exactly. People love to point and laugh. Not just here; pretty much everywhere. > [@](#): > > There’s not much that can be done about that, but it does mean mods shouldn’t consider how many responses an OP has gotten when figuring out whether to shunt it to the Pit. Often the most thoughtful OPs don’t get much responses, as responding to them requires too much work. I don’t know about you, but that’s certainly why I think my OPs often don’t get much traction! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/16 "2017-05-02T15:49:22Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Exactly. People love to point and laugh. Not just here; pretty much everywhere. > I don’t know about you, but that’s certainly why I think my OPs often don’t get much traction! 🙂 I’m not even going to dignify this with a response. because it’s BRILLIANT ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/17 "2017-05-02T15:57:25Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > …I don’t know about you, but that’s certainly why I think my OPs often don’t get much traction! 🙂 Well, there’s a reason that cartoon isn’t about a guy staying up all night to compose a nuanced response to somebody who _might be right_ on the internet. I shall endeavor to withhold any response to your future OPs to maintain your self esteem. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/18 "2017-05-02T16:13:53Z")
I’m dubiously driven to inspect that thread for the first time, wearing disposable gloves. Although **Weisshund** was technically guilty, I agree that he deserves a break. At post #124 he lapsed into mistakenly following the conventions of a Pit thread; and that had long been the level of discourse in that thread in other respects. Am I allowed to say that a hypothetical thread has the characteristics of potential trollery, because I’m talking about the thread rather than the poster? Anyway, it seems to me that if the mods choose to let a thread like _that_ hang around for 3 pages anywhere other than the Pit, there should be some leeway given by way of Notes preceding Warnings if people inadvertently start treating it like it _is_ a Pit thread. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/19 "2017-05-02T17:40:26Z")
Just wanted to point out that this sort of thing has sometimes not gotten a warning in the past. If the thread is like a Pit thread, its moved there, with no one getting a warning for pit-like behavior. Point is, this wouldn’t be unprecedented. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693/20 "2017-05-02T19:22:28Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Is it that difficult to move a thread? Mechanically it’s easy. Whenever I take action as a moderator I consider the potential future implications. Am I setting precedent, is this something that I would be comfortable doing consistently on a go forward basis. If questioned and under scrutiny is the action appropriate and defensible, etc. Hence, in that instance I was on the fence. > [@](#): > > The OP in that thread came out slugging. Seems like he was plenty prepared, but that seems like a very poor reason to leave an inflammatory, nonsense OP in GD. Well, \*\*JC \*\*had already weighed in that there was potential for debate and I agree with that. However wrongheaded a proposition may be, I think the best response is to demonstrate why it is so wrongheaded if possible, not by stifling discussion or by promoting derision. * * * That being said given \*\*Weisshund’s \*\*relative newness and the nature and circumstances of the thread in question and the comment that was being responded to, I’ll rescind the warning. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-rescind-this-warning/785693.md?page=2)