# Reverend Mykeru banned. SDMB Pit vultures rejoice. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 26, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718 "2003-02-26T20:13:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/61 "2003-02-26T21:51:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by super\_head \* > Could be anything - they lack conviction, they just like to read, most of them never post, most of them just nod agreeably no matter what is said, most of them give up when the pile-on hits, most of them don’t give a shit … all sorts of ideas. You’re right. **Reverend Mykeru** was an unjustly persecuted saint. Somebody call the Vatican, it’s time to start the canonization procedures. **Ogre** : I’m tempted to quote Andy Griffith here. When Barney Fife asked him “How do you fight fire?” (expecting to hear “You fight fire with fire”) Andy said “With a hose.” Lord knows I’m not about to crack the top 100,000 in the rankings of the World’s Smartest People. But I think that I would have the intelligence to step back after several days of constant flaming and say to myself “I’m not getting anywhere this way. Maybe I should try a different approach.” His inflexibility did him in. ---
**Author:** ![super\_head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@super\_head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/super_head)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/62 "2003-02-26T22:01:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sauron \* > You’re right. **Reverend Mykeru** was an unjustly persecuted saint. Somebody call the Vatican, it’s time to start the canonization procedures. (checking my own words…) Hmmm, nope, I don’t see where I called him a saint - in fact, some of the things he had to say could have been construed as rather Asshole-ish. I’d fault him for that if he hadn’t been responding to others who first took the esteemed title for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Sassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/63 "2003-02-26T22:01:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\*[hurt voice] I thought that sarcasm was VERY eptly applied.[/hurt voice] \*\* Hey Ike! You had better [watch out!](http://www.cathnews.com/news/302/116.php) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mothchunks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mothchunks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mothchunks)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/64 "2003-02-26T22:11:32Z")
Accusations of trolling are used to enforce the moderator’s political agenda. If you someone has an unpopular opinion, they’re labeled a troll or banned, which is why so many of the threads end up as boring mutual admiration societies. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Fescue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@Hank\_Fescue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Fescue)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/65 "2003-02-26T22:12:45Z")
Yeah, yeah. Same old bullshit here. Newbie, right or wrong, must back down. Old time assholes carry on. The same old shit. I once thought you guys were making an honest, however misguided, attempt at the “fighting ignorance” thing. You aren’t anymore. You aren’t even trying. Your Mods and admin. have forsaken your endeavors. **Monty** , one of the all time assholes and pit dwellers on this board, remains. Doesn’t have half the sense of a fuckin’ head of lettuce. The **Rev** was twice as smart and twice as witty. Just stung the wrong people. **Manhattan** , one of your beloved Mods got away with near criminal slander. Couldn’t shine the good **Revs** shoes. **December.** Need I say more? The list goes on and on. It has been said before. Let me remind you: > [@](#): > > Yeah, I got my problems. So does everyone. So does the board. If you are going to have a board like this you could at least stick to your own rules. Last go round here I was sure to talk with lots of people here about specifics of what was and was not acceptable. I stuck to them. The bottom line is that if you take the wrong people to task here and begin to make them look the least bit fallable, you are outta here. The same old guys are so quick to pick apart the newbies but let a newbie pick them apart and it’s over. And the MODs? Ol’ Manhattan still hanging in there after offending nearly everyone here. It is not about fighting ignorance. If you want the long version I can send you my thesis on the dynamics of web based communities. You guys are the perfect model. > [@](#): > > Perhaps you’d care to link to some examples of instances where you’ve been banned for making the wrong people look fallable. Look no farther than than the **Rev** Mr. **Kumquat.** > [@](#): > > Why do you keep coming back? When fighting ignorance, you have to take the battle to the source. Take my advice, change the logo to: **The Straight Dope: "Kicking around the same old shit since 1973"** (We never get tired of pulling our own chain) ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/66 "2003-02-26T22:17:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by super\_head \* > … in fact, some of the things he had to say could have been construed as rather Asshole-ish. I’d fault him for that if he hadn’t been responding to others who first took the esteemed title for themselves. Really? He only responded in kind? Note what **kabbes** said to him in the “SDMB is run at a loss” thread: > [@](#): > > Yeah, well, don’t presume you’ve seen everything on the internet, Reverend. The world is greater than is dreamed of in your philosophy. Possibly snarky, possibly a facetious use of Shakespeare. Too close to call, really. Here, though, (in part) is how **Reverend Mykeru** responded: > [@](#): > > Presume what, dipshit? … Now, I know some people love to play oneupmanship to the extent that they start treating written text like Rorschach tests, but how in fuck does what I wrote indicate I “presume \*'ve seen everything on the internet”? … > > Well, someone is erroneously presuming they know what they are talking about and I don’t think it is me. > > So, kabbes, if you have a point or a precedent, why not look it up yourself and provide us with the particulars instead of tossing something off the top of your head expecting people to do the work and make your point for you? To my way of thinking, he raised the flame bar several orders of magnitude in that exchange. In fact, one could argue he bellied up to the flame bar all by his lonesome on that one. ---
**Author:** ![super\_head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@super\_head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/super_head)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/67 "2003-02-26T22:20:44Z")
Which is why I said it was possibly misconstrued by the good **Reverend** and was willing to admit he might be at fault in that instance. However, given the treatment he had received over the delicious irony of Pat Robertson’s rush to surgery, I can easily see how he would perceive it as an attack. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/68 "2003-02-26T22:31:59Z")
Sauron > [@](#): > > Did have. Past tense. Ouch. Well played sir, well played! ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/69 "2003-02-26T22:32:38Z")
Strong opinions aren’t welcome that differ from the SDMB norm. That should put that in the rules, wait a minute, it is in the rules, it’s the don’t be a jerk rule. Of course, some people are held to the rules more stringently than others, unfortunately the **Rev** was yet the latest victim. I think the most embarrasing thing for the board is how he predicted he would be banned. Now, I know a few will jump up and say, well he was a jerk or whatever, but when your behavior is that predictable, I think it’s time for one to take a serious look at themselves. The thread he started has plenty examples of him pointing out dumb and just plain wrong stuff people were posting about him or what he said, but in the end he was the villian. Oh and heaven forbid you write something about the SDMB that isn’t favorable on another part of the web, that’s probably what got him banned more than anything else. As usual the fight against ignorance continues… ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/70 "2003-02-26T22:34:42Z")
To my knowledge, that was **Reverend Mykeru** ’s first interaction with **kabbes**. I could be wrong. But if it was indeed their first exchange, and as you say his other experiences were coloring his perception, then he’s guilty of prejudicial behavior. He was looking for an insult or attack where none was intended, simply because other members of this message board had attacked him in the past. The reverend apparently looked for any possible bad interpretation to posts before looking for good. That’s a funny way to try to join a message board. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/71 "2003-02-26T22:35:12Z")
Plus, **kabbes** was definitely condescending. Hell, I’d consider it an insult. Just because it’s cleverly disguised as a rhetorical comment doesn’t mean it’s not insulting. Another character study, if you will: Poster 1: \ Poster 2: Ah, you poor, benighted child. Your experience is incomplete and inferior to mine. Poster 1: Blow it out your ass, pedant! Did poster 1 start the fight? Nope. Was Poster 2 insulting? Hell yes. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/72 "2003-02-26T22:35:22Z")
**super\_head** , you are an _idiot_. Do we have to go through the Robertson thing _again_ with you, too? Are you going to come out with outrageous personal attacks and then retreat to the shelter of arguing that Robertson deserved what he got just like **RM** always did? I agree with **Hamlet** regarding this OP (though I recognize that he may not welcome me in his corner on this matter). ‘Enjoyable reading’ does not make a winning argument. He was completely fucking useless at making an argument that could hold any water at all. He was surely talented at dragging any discussion instantly into personal insult territory. Not only could he not make a decent argument, he was also guilty of nearly every flaw I ever saw him accuse anyone else of (from revisionism and distortion to outright lying; creative parsing; _ad hominem_; strawman argumentation; constructing false dichotomies; the list goes on). I scoff at the idea that he was attacked for his opinions. That is pure, unadulterated bullshit, and I’m terribly disappointed that anybody on the SDMB buys that line of crap. > [@](#): > > insults to one’s humanity, masculinity, family lineage, personal hygeine, and upbringing _What???_ This only confirms my initial suspicion that you haven’t actually read any of the relevant threads. ‘Responding in kind’ is also a load of crap. **RM** was the first to get hostile in _every_ instance except the thread I started, which I still maintain was not a fresh attack but a continuance of the hijack that he started in another thread. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/73 "2003-02-26T22:40:18Z")
**EasyPhil** , come on. Seriously. There aren’t examples of the shit he spouted being constantly wrong? Or did he just overwhelm you with volume? **Sauron** , **Ogre** , actually, the first interaction between **kabbes** and **RM** was when **kabbes** came into my thread and told me I was being a shit and that we should all lay off **RM** for a bit. As has been linked to multiple times. He was ignored, just like **Hamlet** was the three times he was friendly and constructive with **RM**. This joker knew what he was looking for, and he got it. He ignored everything else. Being upset that he was banned is a fucking joke. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/74 "2003-02-26T22:41:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EasyPhil \* > Strong opinions aren’t welcome that differ from the SDMB norm. Really? Pray tell, then, what’s the SDMB’s “norm” position on gun control? Abortion? Christianity vs. other religions? I swear, some of you must be agents of Ignorance, sent here to infiltrate the board and sabotage our efforts. **Ogre** , I’d agree with you had **kabbes** not been quoting (somewhat) a famous Shakespearean line. Hell, **Reverend Mykeru** proved he was familiar with Shakespeare in his response to **kabbes**. He response was waaay out of line with what **kabbes** initially posted. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/75 "2003-02-26T22:45:51Z")
**Anthracite** , you catching all this? ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/76 "2003-02-26T22:46:10Z")
I want to take back calling **super\_head** an idiot. **super\_head** , I apologize. You’re not necessarily an idiot. It bugs me that this is still getting under my skin, but it is. I’m sorry. I don’t want to be coming off this hostile. ---
**Author:** ![super\_head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@super\_head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/super_head)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/77 "2003-02-26T22:53:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > **super\_head** , you are an _idiot_. Do we have to go through the Robertson thing _again_ with you, too? Are you going to come out with outrageous personal attacks and then retreat to the shelter of arguing that Robertson deserved what he got just like **RM** always did? Coming from a dimwit like yourself, I will take that as a compliment - many thanks for your kind words and praise. Anyway, no, you don’t have to go through the Robertson thing again because it was tiresome the first time with the “ooooh, you are so evil for wishing illness on the hypocrite! Don’t you know there are people that love him?” lines. I disagreed with them then, and I’ll disagree with them now. Glad we got that settled, aren’t you? But, as with your kind name calling, thank you for the offer and smooches and whatever to you. > [@](#): > > He was completely fucking useless at making an argument that could hold any water at all. I don’t really recall him being given the chance to engage in extended argumentation before the pile-on nonsense began; if the argument was that you guys are asses that like to attack a newbie, I think you held it up quite well without his assistance (although he did a fine job of giving better than he got). > [@](#): > > That is pure, unadulterated bullshit, and I’m terribly disappointed that anybody on the SDMB buys that line of crap. Apparently some of us not only buy it, we’re coming back for seconds. Thank you, sir, may I have another? I contend - and have supported (go on, look) that he was contributing to other threads without insult, and that it only got ugly when he said \\* deserved what they got. If you’d like me to repeat it for you, I will happily have it written down and stapled to the point on your head so you see it everytime you look in the mirror. - The televangelist whose name I dare not speak, lest I incite our friend to more verbal abuse. Scary, I know. ---
**Author:** ![super\_head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@super\_head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/super_head)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/78 "2003-02-26T22:55:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > I want to take back calling **super\_head** an idiot. **super\_head** , I apologize. You’re not necessarily an idiot. No, I’m not necessarily one. 😃 Apology accepted - same goes for my retort above. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/79 "2003-02-26T23:00:55Z")
> [@](#): > > insults to one’s humanity, masculinity, family lineage, personal hygeine, and upbringing …was a tongue-in-cheek way of saying “personal insults for an espoused unpopular opinion.” and this: > [@](#): > > ‘Responding in kind’ is also a load of crap. RM was the first to get hostile in every instance except the thread I started, which I still maintain was not a fresh attack but a continuance of the hijack that he started in another thread. is extremely disingenuous. At no point _before_ you started your pit thread was **Reverend Mykeru** insulting to any poster in the Pat Robertson thread. His last entry in that thread, before your OP, in which you called him a “fucking tool,” was an innocuous reply to **Nurse Carmen** and a James Randi quote. You began the insults. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718/80 "2003-02-26T23:05:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*super\_head \*\*\* > (although he did a fine job of giving better than he got). Giving what? _Sigh_ Okay, **Ogre** , I’ll go get those links again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverend-mykeru-banned-sdmb-pit-vultures-rejoice/157718.md?page=5)