# Question about the Warnings in the "Death Penalty Options" thread **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 23, 2019, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487 "2019-07-23T01:48:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/41 "2019-07-24T17:09:52Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I don’t know if it’s clever enough to be called a pun, but yes. 🙂 I would at least consider it a whimsical statement if not an outright pun. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/42 "2019-07-24T17:31:28Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > GQ too often gets treated like IMHO and good moderation means reining in those who are compelled to share their irrelevant opinions. > But my usual complaint about in-thread rule-making applies. GQ too often gets treated like IMHO even by _those creating threads_. Regularly there are threads asking for advice, suggestions or recommendations (often with the words recommend or recommendations in the titles). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/43 "2019-07-24T19:31:35Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > Look we both know what this is really about… Nice, guys. That was well done. And slightly subtle, even. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/44 "2019-07-24T22:27:22Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > GQ too often gets treated like IMHO even by _those creating threads_. Regularly there are threads asking for advice, suggestions or recommendations (often with the words recommend or recommendations in the titles). I usually try to report those when I see them. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/45 "2019-07-24T22:36:55Z")
I do as well but it’s amazing how often someone, even a long-time poster, will open a GQ thread explicitly seeking recommendations or suggestions. Obvious non-factual questions. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/46 "2019-07-25T10:49:40Z")
I was going to describe the miniature gas chamber used by the vet where my girlfriend took her ailing cat and propose nitrogen asphyxiation as an execution method but then I saw all the red text and reconsidered. I guess I dodged a bullet, there. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/47 "2019-07-25T17:57:03Z")
Certain contentious topics like abortion, gun control and capital punishment are well known to go off the GQ rails pretty easily, and yet it’s possible, and desirable, to have GQ threads about them, so I think strict scrutiny is appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/48 "2019-07-25T22:57:38Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I do as well but it’s amazing how often someone, even a long-time poster, will open a GQ thread explicitly seeking recommendations or suggestions. Obvious non-factual questions. That may be partly due to sub-folder tribalism. Someone who regularly posts in GQ, but rarely posts in IMHO, may anticipate that a thread they make in IMHO wouldn’t receive many looks. And they may be right—even though the wrong-folder posting they’re doing isn’t approved or according to policy. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/49 "2019-07-26T03:56:45Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > That may be partly due to sub-folder tribalism. > > Someone who regularly posts in GQ, but rarely posts in IMHO, may anticipate that a thread they make in IMHO wouldn’t receive many looks. And they may be right—even though the wrong-folder posting they’re doing isn’t approved or according to policy. I’m sorry, but what are folders and sub folders on this board? 😕 ---
**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:** [July 26, 2019, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/50 "2019-07-26T04:22:47Z")
You don’t see them? Good to know the hidden permission only folders are working. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/51 "2019-07-26T12:36:43Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > I’m sorry, but what are folders and sub folders on this board? 😕 We call them forums, like ATMB, GQ, MPSIMS, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/52 "2019-07-26T15:13:30Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > I’m sorry, but what are folders and sub folders on this board? 😕 Synonymous to boards and sub-boards, or forums and sub-forums. He’s thinking of a folder-style hierarchy. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/53 "2019-07-26T17:51:58Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Certain contentious topics like abortion, gun control and capital punishment are well known to go off the GQ rails pretty easily, and yet it’s possible, and desirable, to have GQ threads about them, so I think strict scrutiny is appropriate. I have complained in the past about some mods who rather lazily say, “This is a thread that is likely to turn political, so I’ll just shift it over to GD/IMHO” without even having first given it a real chance in GQ first - often _before anyone has even replied to the OP yet._ If it turns unavoidably political, okay, then maybe move it over. But at least give it a real chance in GQ first. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/54 "2019-07-26T17:58:39Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I have complained in the past about some mods who rather lazily say, “This is a thread that is likely to turn political, so I’ll just shift it over to GD/IMHO” without even having first given it a real chance in GQ first - often _before anyone has even replied to the OP yet._ > > If it turns unavoidably political, okay, then maybe move it over. But at least give it a real chance in GQ first. Do you have a good example of this happening in the way you describe it? ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/55 "2019-07-26T17:59:37Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I have complained in the past about some mods who rather lazily say, “This is a thread that is likely to turn political, so I’ll just shift it over to GD/IMHO” without even having first given it a real chance in GQ first - often _before anyone has even replied to the OP yet._ Maybe it’s because, with all of their experience with posts and posters, they can see it coming from a mile away? ---
**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:** [July 26, 2019, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/56 "2019-07-26T18:26:07Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I have complained in the past about some mods who rather lazily say, “This is a thread that is likely to turn political, so I’ll just shift it over to GD/IMHO” without even having first given it a real chance in GQ first - often _before anyone has even replied to the OP yet._ If a thread is preemptively moved out of GQ, it’s usually because the question is inherently political, or the OP has solicited opinions, or sometimes because they themselves have already poisoned the well. If someone asks a narrow, factual question in GQ, even on a contentious question, I will usually try to keep it in GQ (despite the best efforts of some posters to hijack it into a debate.) ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/57 "2019-07-26T22:48:28Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > That may be partly due to sub-folder tribalism. > > Someone who regularly posts in GQ, but rarely posts in IMHO, may anticipate that a thread they make in IMHO wouldn’t receive many looks. And they may be right—even though the wrong-folder posting they’re doing isn’t approved or according to policy. Okay: forums, not folders. The point remains. Some posting decisions may be based on something other than strict adherence to the content-guidelines of a particular forum; they may be based on ‘who knows me and is likely to respond?’ I’m not saying that’s right; I’m just saying it happens. (my edit of my own post) ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/58 "2019-07-27T05:08:56Z")
I’m not sure what to think about the moderation in the thread. The problem was inherent from the beginning. The question was basically why don’t we execute criminals with the same meds we euthanize pets with, but it was titled “Death Penalty Options” which had nothing at all to do with the question asked and is a topic which lends itself to debate. I find it pretty easy to be in GQ and see a topic which is ripe for debate and then accidentally debate. A mod note would be more appropriate than a warning. However, the people who kept going after several notes should have been warned, not so much with the first people who actually got warnings. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2019, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/59 "2019-07-27T09:47:39Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > I’m not sure what to think about the moderation in the thread. The problem was inherent from the beginning. The question was basically why don’t we execute criminals with the same meds we euthanize pets with, but it was titled “Death Penalty Options” which had nothing at all to do with the question asked and is a topic which lends itself to debate. > > I find it pretty easy to be in GQ and see a topic which is ripe for debate and then accidentally debate. A mod note would be more appropriate than a warning. However, the people who kept going after several notes should have been warned, not so much with the first people who actually got warnings. The first people who got the actual warnings were not \*debating \*anything. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487/60 "2019-07-27T10:14:11Z")
I know that Colibri has been a Mod for many years and knows his stuff, but some of the warnings seemed difficult to understand. I accept that euthanising an animal is different to a convicted murderer but why does the method warrant a warning? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-warnings-in-the-death-penalty-options-thread/837487.md?page=4)