I generally like your moderation, but I really think you missed the ball here. Sure, it’s fine to clarify why @AHunter’s GD post was closed, but I see no reason to assume he’s being disingenuous in claiming he didn’t understand or to call “his post” clueless.
@AHunter is far from the only poster who has said they didn’t understand the rules of GD and why their post didn’t qualify, so I don’t see any reason for the more personal response. I definitely don’t see any reason to discuss your opinion of his posts in general. That seems personal.
And saying stuff like “I should have Warned you” kinda comes off as a threat, saying “Don’t disagree with our moderation on this topic, or else.” But he’s in ATMB, and that’s the forum where you can disagree on a Warning. He’s not remotely unique in saying that he disagrees with a Warning, and doesn’t understand. It seems far better to explain rather than assume maliciousness.
One problem I’ve had with other mods is their assumption that someone is being disingenuous simply because they disagree with the moderation. But, nine times out of ten, the person really does just disagree or doesn’t think the same way you do about it. I don’t think the incrimination does any good. I actually think it often escalates situations. And the fact you had not done so is part of why I think highly of you. You actually revisit moderation, rather than assuming the other person is stupid. You explain why you disagree. Hence why I say you dropped the ball here.
Finally, since you did comment on @AHunter’s posts, I do feel the need to defend them somewhat. I don’t read them all, but I do glance at them. And I have to give him props for being a trans person who is willing to stick around and plug away at explaining the trans experience, even if through his own lens as nonbinary. I’ve learned from him. I think those who have little experience with trans issues would do well to skim his posts every once in a while.
Heck, I always assumed the allowance of his “blog” posts was specifically because of the trans topic, or his mental health topics. He’s not just doing the boring blog thing of talking about his boring life, but talking about important issues. He is verbose, which is why I only recommend skimming for the good bits, but he’s not unwelcome in my book.
Again, nothing wrong with telling him why his thread was closed. But he didn’t do anything several other posters haven’t done, and he’s not some hateful poster who I think deserves the harshness.
And I think the best moderation, from you or from anyone else, avoids that sort of personalizing things.