# Question about edited dickeries. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 6, 2008, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656 "2008-10-06T12:50:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/61 "2008-10-07T20:29:10Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I disagree, and so did the rest of the group. No kidding, and I disagree with you. I’m not sure what the “rest of the group” has anything to do with the original discussion between you and I, but apparently you feel the need to let me know that. Also, **Skip’s** announcement about the suspension was in regards to the edited slur, not the “Asian” part of his “ugly” comment, so your interpretation of that being a racist statement seems to have nothing to do with the situation. You were the one who said **Argent** went over the line and then backed down. **You** gave that as a reason when it was inaccurate. Although we disagree about the racist comment, I do not dispute that the suspension was warranted. What I am saying is wrong is that **Argent** , who also went over the line (your description), was let off with nary a dirty look after he continued to rail on (and on and on). Apparently you (and the group, thanks!) feel comfortable with this inaccuracy by saying it was understandable in response to the comment made. Since you are the ones who interpret the rules, you get to make the decision. Fair and fine, but the explanations you’ve given here aren’t entirely true no matter how many times you repeat it or how many other mods and admins you have agree with you. Still, I realize you’ll need the last word so I’ll finish up now so you can again tell me that it doesn’t matter. Have a lovely day! ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/62 "2008-10-07T20:35:11Z")
My thoughts on this topic are: 1. A poster editing out an inflammatory remark is a **good** thing and should be encouraged. 2. Mods could, if they felt it necessary, send message/email pointing out ‘good thing you edited, that would have gotten a warning/etc.’ type thing. 3. Other poster quoting it w/in window of editing isn’t being a jerk, but it should also be acknowledged that the person thought better of it. 4. Other poster quoting it outside window of editing is being an asshole and should get some mod response/consequence. 5. In the instant case, **mshar235** was being an asshole, deserved some consequence, but I’m more disturbed by the (essential) pass given **Argent** He went on and on, and on. over some bullshit insult to his girlfriend. bad call, imho. 6. and in the current **QED** schpiel, I had started a thread about ‘what constitutes junio modding’ and I don’t see anything in this thread that fell into the territory outlined in that thread. I’m no fan of his in general, but it does seem to be mods are quick to view his responses on board policy issues as junior modding. **all of us** have opinions and thoughts about board policy and its implimentation, not just **QED**. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/63 "2008-10-07T20:44:12Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > That would be a great explanation if it were true. > > Argent made threats and alluded to wishes of violence in posts #56, #57 and #65. He was warned by a mod in post #68. > > In post #83 he says the guy deserves a beating. In post #122 he stands by what he said earlier and then in post #148 he wishes death on an entire group of people on another message board. > > The shock and flash of anger is understandable so I can certainly get why the first post or two may contain hostile sentiments and even a threat if you are a person who is emotionally challenged, but he continues after he is warned. This. I think **mshar** should have been disciplined, but I definitely think **AT** should have been also. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/64 "2008-10-07T21:07:52Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Also, **Skip’s** announcement about the suspension was in regards to the edited slur, not the “Asian” part of his “ugly” comment, so your interpretation of that being a racist statement seems to have nothing to do with the situation. Please don’t tell me what factors were considered when I was actually involved in considering them. Speaking for myself, if the guy had made one nasty comment about Asians and removed it, that would have been different. Instead, he made two and removed one. > [@](#): > > What I am saying is wrong is that **Argent** , who also went over the line (your description), was let off with nary a dirty look after he continued to rail on (and on and on). Yup, got it. I disagree is all. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/65 "2008-10-07T21:12:52Z")
While I think **mshar** _should_ have been warned, I do not think he deserved suspension for one offense, even if it was a(n edited-out) racist remark. I’m indifferent to **AT** ’s discipline status. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/66 "2008-10-07T21:14:48Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Please don’t tell me what factors were considered when I was actually involved in considering them. Speaking for myself, if the guy had made one nasty comment about Asians and removed it, that would have been different. Instead, he made two and removed one. What was the non-removed one, please? You can’t be meaning the first insult he threw. That was a comment about one Asian, not Asians. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/67 "2008-10-07T21:23:20Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Yup, got it. I disagree is all. With which? That he didn’t get a dirty look, or that he continued to rail on and on? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/68 "2008-10-07T21:29:42Z")
> [@wring](#): > > 1. and in the current **QED** schpiel, I had started a thread about ‘what constitutes junio modding’ and I don’t see anything in this thread that fell into the territory outlined in that thread. I’m no fan of his in general, but it does seem to be mods are quick to view his responses on board policy issues as junior modding. **all of us** have opinions and thoughts about board policy and its implimentation, not just **QED**. See, that whole thing started back when I had the SDSAB title and there was some confusion among a few posters that I might be speaking on behalf of the board staff. **Dex** expressed the concern to me in a couple of emails quite a while back that as long as I held the title, people might perceive my opinions as coming from a position of authority; I agreed with this. He also warned me against publicly criticizing the staff and their actions since the perception, once again, was that the title conferred an official status upon me, and one of the aims of the staff was to present a unified front. One of the reasons I allowed the SDSAB title to laps was just because of this. I didn’t want to have to walk on eggshells just to keep a mostly uncompensated title. **Lynn** , and now **Dex** appear to now be carrying this beyond the original boundaries to some vague rule which apparently only applies to me, and is in place for reasons which no longer apply. You go figure, 'cause I sure can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/69 "2008-10-07T21:39:14Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > What was the non-removed one, please? You can’t be meaning the first insult he threw. That was a comment about one Asian, not Asians. I think the phrase in question is “your girlfriend who looks like a retarded Asian”. I’m currently trying to figure out if that is indeed a racial slur or not. The woman in question is indeed Asian; saying she looks Asian is no slur, as far as I know. Saying she looks retarded; that’s a whole 'nother thing. I’m currently leaning towards un-PC as all hell, but not a racial slur. Trying it a different way; someone saying to my husband, “Your wife looks like a retarded Caucasian.” Or another way; “Your girlfriend looks like a retarded Negro.” No, I don’t think there was a racial slur in there. The slur was the “retarded” part, not the “Asian” part. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/70 "2008-10-07T22:34:47Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > No, I don’t think there was a racial slur in there. The slur was the “retarded” part, not the “Asian” part. Of course that was racist. **AT** had it right in [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10275755&postcount=79). AFAIC the mods did right. The provocation of the original slam on the girlfriend was intolerable enough (and was itself completely unprovoked) that I agree with cutting **AT** some slack and letting the attacker cool his heels for a while. I do wish **AT** had known when to quit, however. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/71 "2008-10-07T22:57:35Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > While I think **mshar** _should_ have been warned, I do not think he deserved suspension for one offense, even if it was a(n edited-out) racist remark. It wasn’t the only offense; just a week before he received a warning [here](http://http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10247859&postcount=5) for calling another poster a “dick” in GQ, just because the other poster had used a rolleyes at him. He had already shown a tendency to over-react. ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/72 "2008-10-07T23:08:40Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > It wasn’t the only offense; just a week before he received a warning [here](http://http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10247859&postcount=5) for calling another poster a “dick” in GQ, just because the other poster had used a rolleyes at him. He had already shown a tendency to over-react. I guess we’re not calling **wheresgeorge04** ’s post a provocation? Oh, and fixed link: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10247859&postcount=5](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10247859&postcount=5) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/73 "2008-10-07T23:10:20Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > He had already shown a tendency to over-react. You sure you really want to go with tendency to overreact as the benchmark here? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/74 "2008-10-07T23:37:37Z")
> [@arseNal](#): > > I guess we’re not calling **wheresgeorge04** ’s post a provocation? . Well, let’s see. The terribly provocative post which put **mshar** into such a fit was > [@](#): > > Wow… just… wow. > > Joe . Also please note that **Colibri** [responded](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10247872&postcount=6) to this inane post. He just didn’t feel it deserved an official warning. ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/75 "2008-10-07T23:55:37Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > . > > Well, let’s see. The terribly provocative post which put **mshar** into such a fit was . And, the terribly over-reacting reply was to call him a dick. That also hardly compares to repeated off the handle tag-team threats of violence. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/76 "2008-10-08T01:52:21Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > See, that whole thing started back when I had the SDSAB title and there was some confusion among a few posters that I might be speaking on behalf of the board staff. **Dex** expressed the concern to me in a couple of emails quite a while back that as long as I held the title, people might perceive my opinions as coming from a position of authority; I agreed with this. He also warned me against publicly criticizing the staff and their actions since the perception, once again, was that the title conferred an official status upon me, and one of the aims of the staff was to present a unified front. One of the reasons I allowed the SDSAB title to laps was just because of this. I didn’t want to have to walk on eggshells just to keep a mostly uncompensated title. **Lynn** , and now **Dex** appear to now be carrying this beyond the original boundaries to some vague rule which apparently only applies to me, and is in place for reasons which no longer apply. You go figure, 'cause I sure can’t. I agree that, fortunately or unfortunately, the past does exist and is hard to ignore. I read **Q.E.D.** comment about “disagreeing with your boss” as (a) implying that he knows the organizational structure within mods, and (b) insulting to **Marley**. Given the past history, I think my interpretation was not unwarranted. Having heard **Q.E.D.**'s explanation that he assumed Admins were the boss of Just-Regular-Mods, I agree that I might have misinterpreted his comments. If so, I apologize and retract my Warning. I also think that the “explanation” might just be frantic back-pedalling. In which case, my interpretation was correct and the Warning still stands. In either case, I will be happy to discuss this, **Q.E.D.** , in private emails. I’m NOT your enemy. The question of whether you’ve been mistreated or misunderstood by me (or other mods) is not really reasonable to discuss in this thread. Let’s take it offline, OK? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/77 "2008-10-08T02:08:11Z")
Not that I was party to that, this seems quite reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/78 "2008-10-08T03:29:25Z")
> [@arseNal](#): > > I guess we’re not calling **wheresgeorge04** ’s post a provocation? You might have tried reading the whole thread. As **samclem** , **wheresgeorgeo4’s** initial remark was pretty mild; but I did make note that **wheresgeorge04** was out of line in making the comment in the first place. [QUOTE=arseNal] And, the terribly over-reacting reply was to call him a dick. That also hardly compares to repeated off the handle tag-team threats of violence. [/QUOTE] You might also make note of the forum. That exchange was in GQ, not the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/79 "2008-10-08T05:11:14Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Of course that was racist. **AT** had it right in [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10275755&postcount=79).\ That’s your opinion; my opinion differs. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656/80 "2008-10-08T07:27:04Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > It wasn’t the only offense; just a week before he received a warning [here](http://http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10247859&postcount=5) for calling another poster a “dick” in GQ, just because the other poster had used a rolleyes at him. He had already shown a tendency to over-react. That’s an illuminating extra datum. Thanks. Makes me feel less like he got railroaded. [QUOTE=featherlou] I think the phrase in question is “your girlfriend who looks like a retarded Asian”. I’m currently trying to figure out if that is indeed a racial slur or not. The woman in question is indeed Asian; saying she looks Asian is no slur, as far as I know. Saying she looks retarded; that’s a whole 'nother thing. I’m currently leaning towards un-PC as all hell, but not a racial slur. Trying it a different way; someone saying to my husband, “Your wife looks like a retarded Caucasian.” Or another way; “Your girlfriend looks like a retarded Negro.” No, I don’t think there was a racial slur in there. The slur was the “retarded” part, not the “Asian” part. [/QUOTE] I agree with this view. “Asian” was, IMO, more descriptive than a slur. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-edited-dickeries/466656.md?page=5)