# Shagnasty's topic ban? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 30, 2018, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791 "2018-01-30T10:06:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [January 30, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/21 "2018-01-30T17:13:03Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > **Shagnasty** ’s claims and opinions about women are awful. He should be told to stop acting out that way. And if he refuses, a suspension or a banning would be appropriate. > > So, who is next? **Ramira** being banned from speaking on Israel/Palestine? This board and its moderators have a well-attested bias there. Or **Bricker** on right of centre politics? **Broomstick** with regards to aviation? I appreciate your commentary, but your pairing of inquiry with digs at the moderation is not helpful. I think in many cases it’s a difficult balance to strike. Ultimately we came to the conclusion that certain activity leaned more towards trolling than a value add. It’s a judgment call. If we determine that the contributions from others on particular topics are of similar nature, then sure, a topic ban is a tool that is available. But given the relative dearth of topic bans, I don’t think the risk is significant. Seriously, we have a log, and it’s short. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/22 "2018-01-30T17:26:44Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > In this thread, [Spice Weasel](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20754964&postcount=609) says that the mods have decided to ban **Shagnasty** from starting threads on > > . > > I have no particular desire to discuss the merits Shaggy’s output regarding women; my opinion, its juvenile at best, outright misogynistic at worst. > > What I do have a problem with is a blanket ban on one poster on one particular topic. If the guys posts are being disruptive over one post or topic (like **Pjen** on Scottish Indpenedance a few years ago) the remendy is to warn, suspend, ban them. Not restrict debate on one topic. > > As someone who has unpopular opinions on certain topics, I find this discomforting. And consdiering in the decade here, the mods have shown themselves to be fairly parochial and provincial, this strikes me as being pretty open for abuse. In the ~20 years the SDMB has been around, there have been less than ~10 topic bans. At most. We counted them up on the Giraffeboards and I can list them here if anyone wants to see them. Frankly, I don’t see the point–most of the posters who’ve had topic bans ended up getting banned anyway or just disappeared–but it’s not even remotely been “abused”. At max, 1 topic restriction every two years (worst case) is proof that it’s _not_ abused. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/23 "2018-01-30T17:49:41Z")
Yeah, it’s not like we’re banning SOMEone talking about Heinlein or nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/24 "2018-01-30T17:55:33Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Yeah, it’s not like we’re banning SOMEone talking about Heinlein or nothing. As another poster in the troll thread pointed out, this topic ban is proof that God exists. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/25 "2018-01-30T17:57:10Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Yeah, it’s not like we’re banning SOMEone talking about Heinlein or nothing. \< Heinlein Hat ON \> You never DID finish your thread series on the Virginia Editions. You are being officially Warned for having them and not discussing them. Do NOT let this behavior continue. \< /Heinlein hat OFF \> ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/26 "2018-01-30T18:05:10Z")
I’d be more curious why the poster judged by the mods to be flat out trolling was not just banned for trolling? Regardless, I don’t see the point of the OP here. When the choice is topic ban or site ban which do you think the poster in question would prefer? Which would most affect his ability to post? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/27 "2018-01-30T18:29:45Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > I’d be more curious why the poster judged by the mods to be flat out trolling was not just banned for trolling? > > Regardless, I don’t see the point of the OP here. When the choice is topic ban or site ban which do you think the poster in question would prefer? Which would most affect his ability to post? There are one trick pony trolls and there are people who just can’t play nice on one topic. As has been said exhaustively, the latter are very rare. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/28 "2018-01-30T19:01:07Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > There are one trick pony trolls and there are people who just can’t play nice on one topic. As has been said exhaustively, the latter are very rare. There is trolling and there is trolling, and the linked mod posts clearly state that his behaviour was “repeated trolling”. Trolling is not simply a lack of playing nice, it is intentionally dishonest and aggravating behaviour aimed at getting reactions. If the mods all believe a poster is trolling why is that not grounds for a ban? ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/29 "2018-01-30T19:04:25Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > I appreciate your commentary, but your pairing of inquiry with digs at the moderation is not helpful. Yeah, I agree here. My first awareness of a topic ban was - and I may be wrong here - **Reeder** was banned from starting threads about how awful Bush 43 was, or perhaps about the Iraq war. Now, at the time, it was obvious to most people, most posters, and the mods that Reeder was generally right. But the constant harping was still annoying as hell. So he was ordered to knock it off, banned from the topic, and I believe he generally complied. And everyone was happier for it. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/30 "2018-01-30T19:15:10Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > There is trolling and there is trolling, and the linked mod posts clearly state that his behaviour was “repeated trolling”. > > Trolling is not simply a lack of playing nice, it is intentionally dishonest and aggravating behaviour aimed at getting reactions. If the mods all believe a poster is trolling why is that not grounds for a ban? Agreed. So there are people who only post about one topic and troll about that topic. There are people who post about multiple topics and troll on all of them. They should be banned. There are others who post on multiple topics but only troll on one of them. They should, in my opinion, be banned on the one topic. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/31 "2018-01-30T19:18:00Z")
Thank goodness. The point had long passed where this board allowing him to indulge in his gleeful misogyny was making it complicit. He wants to air views like his in the way he did, there are plenty of outlets on the internet happy to indulge him. The SDMB shouldn’t be one. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/32 "2018-01-30T19:28:54Z")
Ooh! Topic ban history trivia. I wanna play. From memory, with no searching or anything. Handy - No medical advice. Libertarian/Liberal - Ontological proof of (G)od. Reeder - Bush 43 Evil Captor - Bondage kinkiness Collounsbury - December and his politics lissener - starship troopers? Or was it the director of ST and Showgirls? Or am I confusing a suspension with a topic ban? And now Shagnasty - his views and interactions with women. That’s all I remember, and it’s been a long 17ish years, so I’m fuzzier than I once was. But those are my final answers. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/33 "2018-01-30T19:41:14Z")
I don’t think Liberal(tarian) ever got topic banned about the Ontological Proof of God, but I think we all wish he was, a little. Reeder was like “One Bush 43 thread on the first page of the Pit at a time” Collunsbury wasn’t (IIRC) topic banned. Peter Morris has something related to The Amazing Randi–no discussing him, or no discussing the challenge, or…something. DrDeth (maybe) has about three of them (No posting in the Game of Thrones “no book” thread, no bitching about using actor’s characters instead of their names, no nitpicking about what “impeachment” means) JohnClay wasn’t allowed to talk about his wife any more. And I’m not sure about lissener–if it was actually a topic ban. But even assuming it was, ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/34 "2018-01-30T19:51:22Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > **Shagnasty** ’s claims and opinions about women are awful. He should be told to stop acting out that way. And if he refuses, a suspension or a banning would be appropriate. > > So, who is next? **Ramira** being banned from speaking on Israel/Palestine? This board and its moderators have a well-attested bias there. Or **Bricker** on right of centre politics? **Broomstick** with regards to aviation? If you’re concerned about moderator bias in general, I’m not sure why the distinction between topic bans and board bans is significant. If there’s a genuine danger that we’d give **Bricker** a topic ban for being a conservative, then isn’t it an equal risk that we’d just ban him outright? ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/35 "2018-01-30T20:10:00Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Reeder was like “One Bush 43 thread on the first page of the Pit at a time” Ah, that sounds familiar. Thanks for the clarification. > [@](#): > > And I’m not sure about lissener–if it was actually a topic ban. But even assuming it was, Were you intending to ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/36 "2018-01-30T20:26:16Z")
Wasn’t **StarvingArtist** topic-banned from UPenn or something? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/37 "2018-01-30T21:01:26Z")
Does any of this really matter? Shags found a loophole to keep talking his nonsense in the pit. Thank goodness for the inactive poster that bumped his thread just hours after his topic ban. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/38 "2018-01-30T21:14:58Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Does any of this really matter? Shags found a loophole to keep talking his nonsense in the pit. Thank goodness for the inactive poster that bumped his thread just hours after his topic ban. Yeah, shouldn’t all of those threads be closed? CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/39 "2018-01-30T21:18:16Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > Thank goodness. The point had long passed where this board allowing him to indulge in his gleeful misogyny was making it complicit. He wants to air views like his in the way he did, there are plenty of outlets on the internet happy to indulge him. The SDMB shouldn’t be one. He can still post about it but he cannot start threads about it iirc. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791/40 "2018-01-30T21:36:28Z")
Given the current climate WRT misogyny, if an employee or CEO or whatever says or does something hateful towards women, it doesn’t matter if they are the most talented, effective person ever. They get the boot. And rightly so. So I don’t buy into the concept of: “Let’s keep Shags on board and just ban him from this one topic because he adds so much “value” to this board in other ways.” Our standards seem to be lower than what is the current norm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shagnastys-topic-ban/807791.md?page=3)