# Question about when or if you can state opinion
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [July 6, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644 "2017-07-06T19:42:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/1 "2017-07-06T19:42:08Z")
In this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20327536#post20327536), I got this note:
> [@Are you a male or a female?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-male-or-a-female/790451/57):
>
> **Now this.** Next time use the report function and not comment in-thread.
My question is are we ever allowed to just tell another poster that we find their post offensive or do we always have to report it, take it to the Pit, or ignore it?
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/2 "2017-07-06T22:01:38Z")
I’ll be interested in the mod’s response on this. Your comment seemed rather innocent, although I can see where **iianyiiii’s** might have bordered on junior mod’ing. You were just telling posters how you felt. He was telling them how they should post.
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### Author:  [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/3 "2017-07-06T22:30:32Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> although I can see where **iianyiiii’s** might have bordered on junior mod’ing.
This was iianyiiii’s post:
> [@Are you a male or a female?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-male-or-a-female/790451/56):
>
> Women aren’t things to be traded or shared – the innapropriateness of such jokes would probably be obvious were the poll in question about the race of Dopers rather than gender. We don’t share or trade women any more than we share or trade black people.
>
> Let’s all try to be better than the society we came from.
This is a mod’s description of what is and what isn’t jr. modding:
> [@What constitutes Junior Modding?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-junior-modding/783056/3):
>
> _“I don’t wish to continue this line of discussion in this thread but will be glad to in a different one that is more subject specific.”_ - No problem, stating personal preference.
>
> \*“You may not discuss this further in this thread on penalty of official sanction.” \*- Junior modding.
>
> Things in between are context dependent. Generally a poster expressing their own desires without hint or implication they are imposing or enforcing some rule on other posters is okay. Even making requests is perfectly acceptable and common,\* “can we keep this thread about red hens, and not yellow or white ones, please?”\*
>
> In the thread in question, it’s fine for \*\*Superdude \*\*to express his desire to not wish to participate in a discussion about certain aspects adjacent to the thread topic. I’d say a better practice if he wished to avoid a certain line of discussion is to mention it once and follow through with that, but it’s not a rule violation in that instance to mention it a few times as he did, based on my reading.
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20093503&postcount=3](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20093503&postcount=3)
Going by Bone’s description, I don’t think iianyiiii even bordered on jr. modding.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/4 "2017-07-06T22:43:52Z")
“Let’s all try to be better than the society we came from.” Sounds at least close to what a mod might say when trying to get posters to be more civil. Not “I wish we could…” or “Wouldn’t it be nice if…” but “Let’s all try…”.
**Bone’s** description was pretty much at the far end of the spectrum. He said things in-between would be context dependent, so I see that is “in between”. YMMV.
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### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/5 "2017-07-06T23:00:16Z")
Posters are not restricted from trying to get others to be more civil; they are restricted from trying to enforce rules.
“You are being very rude”
vs
“You are breaking board rules by being so rude”.
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### Author:  [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/6 "2017-07-06T23:07:39Z")
Any thoughts on whether you can say that you were offended by something that someone else said, or is that always a Pit conversation?
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### Author:  [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/7 "2017-07-06T23:08:47Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> He said things in-between would be context dependent
Followed by this:
> [@](#):
>
> Generally a poster expressing their own desires without hint or implication they are imposing or enforcing some rule on other posters is okay. Even making requests is perfectly acceptable and common, _“can we keep this thread about red hens, and not yellow or white ones, please?”_
“Let’s all try to be better” doesn’t sound like anything like rule enforcement to me.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/8 "2017-07-06T23:16:02Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#):
>
> Followed by this:
>
> “Let’s all try to be better” doesn’t sound like anything like rule enforcement to me.
It’s the difference between a question and a statement. Asking vs. telling. It’s also, like I said “close to” junior mod’ing. The mods often step in before things get to the rule breaking point.
But just to be clear, I’m not interested in debating this. Just telling you how I see it. Obviously **ITD** saw something wrong with those posts, and I guess we’ll see what that was when she comes into this thread and explains.
Can we not debate this, please? 😉
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### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/9 "2017-07-06T23:35:17Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#):
>
> In this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20327536#post20327536), I got this note:
>
> My question is are we ever allowed to just tell another poster that we find their post offensive or do we always have to report it, take it to the Pit, or ignore it?
Hi **Sunny**! As with many mod rulings, context plays a big role. In this case the subject of your opinion was unrelated to the thread topic itself, and my concern was a hijack. In my mod note, I specifically told **kayaker** not to continue the _hijack_, debating whether the jokes about sharing around the females posters was funny.
So, this was not really a Jr Modding case, but a hijack on the funniness/offensiveness of the joke posts. So, in very general terms, I’d be less likely to moderate a post saying something was offensive, if the topic was the actual subject of the thread, rather than tangential. Can’t say I wouldn’t note it, depending on context, but in general.
Does that make sense?
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### Author:  [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/10 "2017-07-06T23:41:04Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> It’s the difference between a question and a statement. Asking vs. telling. It’s also, like I said “close to” junior mod’ing. The mods often step in before things get to the rule breaking point.
Yet at no point did a mod say this was close to jr modding. You did. I don’t see any relevance whether or not one asks a question or makes a statement. Not the way iianyiiii did it.
> [@](#):
>
> But just to be clear, I’m not interested in debating this. Just telling you how I see it. Obviously **ITD** saw something wrong with those posts, and I guess we’ll see what that was when she comes into this thread and explains.
>
> Can we not debate this, please? 😉
IOW, can i just let you get the last word in, because you can’t help yourself?
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2017, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/11 "2017-07-07T00:02:52Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#):
>
> Yet at no point did a mod say this was close to jr modding. You did.
Yep, I sure did. I said it. Which is also why I said “I said…”. But maybe I should have added something like “Obviously **ITD** saw something wrong with those posts, and I guess we’ll see what that was when she comes into this thread and explains.”
> [@](#):
>
> IOW, can i just let you get the last word in, because you can’t help yourself?
I don’t even know what that means. But don’t worry. No need to explain.
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### Author:  [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2017, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/12 "2017-07-07T00:28:38Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#):
>
> Hi **Sunny**! As with many mod rulings, context plays a big role. In this case the subject of your opinion was unrelated to the thread topic itself, and my concern was a hijack. In my mod note, I specifically told **kayaker** not to continue the _hijack_, debating whether the jokes about sharing around the females posters was funny.
>
> So, this was not really a Jr Modding case, but a hijack on the funniness/offensiveness of the joke posts. So, in very general terms, I’d be less likely to moderate a post saying something was offensive, if the topic was the actual subject of the thread, rather than tangential. Can’t say I wouldn’t note it, depending on context, but in general.
>
> Does that make sense?
Thanks **ITD**. Makes sense.
It seems to me that in most situations the options are really report, ignore, or start another thread (likely in the Pit). On the one hand, it “feels” more correct to have the discussion grouped where it started. OTOH, you are right that it is not likely to be directly related to the original topic.
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### Author:  [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2017, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/13 "2017-07-07T00:42:50Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Yep, I sure did. I said it. Which is also why I said “I said…”. But maybe I should have added something like “Obviously **ITD** saw something wrong with those posts, and I guess we’ll see what that was when she comes into this thread and explains.”
Nah, if you added that it would have sounded like you wanted to debate.
> [@](#):
>
> I don’t even know what that means. But don’t worry. No need to explain.
Okay. Thanks for letting me know.
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### Author:  [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2017, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/14 "2017-07-07T01:21:55Z")
Considering that reporting offensive posts almost never seems to achieve anything, I’m not a fan of the “report it or STFU” advice, to be honest.
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### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2017, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/15 "2017-07-07T01:43:02Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#):
>
> Considering that reporting offensive posts almost never seems to achieve anything, I’m not a fan of the “report it or STFU” advice, to be honest.
Considering it was a reported post that led to my action, which led to this thread, ok.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2017, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/16 "2017-07-07T02:33:21Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#):
>
> Considering that reporting offensive posts almost never seems to achieve anything, I’m not a fan of the “report it or STFU” advice, to be honest.
No need to STFU since there’s always The Pit if reporting ain’t getting you no satisfaction.
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### Author:  [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2017, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/17 "2017-07-07T04:27:00Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> No need to STFU since there’s always The Pit if reporting ain’t getting you no satisfaction.
Sometimes the things people say require a “Out of line, don’t do it again!” from the people in charge rather than a “Boo, we don’t like your opinion” from other posters.
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### Author:  [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2017, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/18 "2017-07-07T14:58:22Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#):
>
> Considering that reporting offensive posts almost never seems to achieve anything, I’m not a fan of the “report it or STFU” advice, to be honest.
I wasn’t aware offensive posts weren’t allowed … we have _ **rules** _ here and if we report rules violations then matters are promptly dealt with … it’s going to be impossible to ban offense in **Great Debates** , every debate position is offensive to someone, but there’s a difference between offensive posts and being a jerk …
It all in how we word the offensive post …
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2017, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/19 "2017-07-07T16:04:51Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#):
>
> Sometimes the things people say require a “Out of line, don’t do it again!” from the people in charge rather than a “Boo, we don’t like your opinion” from other posters.
FYI, that’s an entirely different argument than you put forth before. But since we’re going to get a whole slew of different ideas about when that “sometime” is, without reference to anything specific, it’s hard to argue one way or the other.
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-when-or-if-you-can-state-opinion/790644/20 "2017-07-07T16:22:02Z")
Let’s all try to remember that there’s a “d” in my screen name.
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