# Shouldn't a warning for political jabs actually involve politics? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 1, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112 "2013-08-01T21:50:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/41 "2013-08-04T06:14:14Z")
This thread is just about making me cry. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/42 "2013-08-04T06:24:21Z")
I don’t get it, Melon, why? Am I missing the comedy? I hate missing the jokes…explain it. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/43 "2013-08-04T07:23:48Z")
This isn’t a fucking joke, **Nzinga**. Prejudice reduces me to tears every time. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/44 "2013-08-04T07:44:22Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I think a better way to handle it would be to wait and see if an actual hijack develops, and if one does, to issue a general “knock it off” to all participants. Then if someone ignores the instruction to knock it off, you can deal with it as needed, without the partisanship issue coming into it. Exactly. We should cross that bridge when we come to it. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/45 "2013-08-04T08:10:06Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > This isn’t a fucking joke, **Nzinga**. Prejudice reduces me to tears every time. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/46 "2013-08-04T13:32:17Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > Exactly. We should cross that bridge when we come to it. And that’s when it’s decided if the comment sinks or swims? But what if the bridge is only partially crossed? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/47 "2013-08-04T14:16:58Z")
Then we have to blow the bridge up in order to save it. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/48 "2013-08-04T14:22:46Z")
> [@dba\_Fred](#): > > And that’s when it’s decided if the comment sinks or swims? > But what if the bridge is only partially crossed? And then the car plunges off it into the river and a member of a prominent family… ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/49 "2013-08-04T14:32:08Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > And then the car plunges off it into the river and a member of a prominent family… [Hiyoooo!](http://www.hiyoooo.com/) ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/50 "2013-08-04T14:35:15Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > And then the car plunges off it into the river and a member of a prominent family… … quickly slaps up a “Prominent Family Member Memorial Off-Ramp” sign. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/51 "2013-08-04T15:15:30Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Thanks for that, **Saim Sam**. Anyone else? Other than that, Mrs. Kennedy, how did you enjoy Dallas? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/52 "2013-08-04T19:11:34Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > To your credit, you have done that in instances where I’ve reported the offending post. > > I just really hate the “potential hijack” doctrine. In my view, it seems to be applied against conservatives more often than against liberals. I think a better way to handle it would be to wait and see if an actual hijack develops, and if one does, to issue a general “knock it off” to all participants. Then if someone ignores the instruction to knock it off, you can deal with it as needed, without the partisanship issue coming into it. Huh. There’s actually something we agree on. And, of course, my previous post was not saying that it should have been moderated, just why it was considered a political jab. Sorry there’s no Kennedy joke in this. I can’t think of a good one. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/53 "2013-08-04T19:47:53Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Sorry there’s no Kennedy joke in this. I can’t think of a good one. How many Kennedys does it take to screw in a lightbulb? ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/54 "2013-08-04T22:14:08Z")
Fah be it from me to hijack this, eh, thread, as doing so would run contrahy to owa values as a messasge boahd, and as a nation. Howevah, it should be noted that both the Senatah and, eh, Miss Kopechne, each lost something neaha and deaha that fateful night on Mathas Vinyad: theya khakis. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/55 "2013-08-04T22:39:04Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > Fah be it from me to hijack this, eh, thread, as doing so would run contrahy to owa values as a messasge boahd, and as a nation. Howevah, it should be noted that both the Senatah and, eh, Miss Kopechne, each lost something neaha and deaha that fateful night on Mathas Vinyad: theya khakis. Sorry, I know that was supposed be a Boston accent be I read it as Foghorn Leghorn… much funnier that way. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/56 "2013-08-05T00:21:21Z")
And, that was correctly the kind of thing where a Note was proper as opposed to a Warning. The poster likely didn’t mean to violate the rules, and it was a marginal case. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/57 "2013-08-05T02:01:27Z")
Making a joke about something that happened over four decades ago is considered a political jab? Seriously? :dubious: Jeesh! ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/58 "2013-08-05T17:50:00Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > How many Kennedys does it take to screw in a lightbulb? They can’t, because there aren’t any left-thread bulbs. ?? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/59 "2013-08-06T16:08:49Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I just really hate the “potential hijack” doctrine. In my view, it seems to be applied against conservatives more often than against liberals. To be fair, the reason the “potential hijack” is applied more to conservatives is that jokes about liberal sacred cows are more likely to lead to hijacks. Potshots at conservatives and Republicans are just part of the background hereabouts, but the liberal majority feel much, much more motivated to argue against anything that makes liberal politicians or ideas look silly. But they simply nod their heads at things aimed at those nasty Republicans. So those things don’t lead to hijacks. Add to that at least one mod has stated that he discounts post reports unless he perceives the reporter as reporting posts equally from both sides of the political divide. Since posts from a conservative point of view are always vastly outnumbered by those from the left, that is a standard that can’t really be reached. Which throws things even more badly out of balance. Regards, Shodan ---
**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:** [August 6, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112/60 "2013-08-06T16:27:29Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > To be fair, the reason the “potential hijack” is applied more to conservatives is that jokes about liberal sacred cows are more likely to lead to hijacks. Potshots at conservatives and Republicans are just part of the background hereabouts, but the liberal majority feel much, much more motivated to argue against anything that makes liberal politicians or ideas look silly. But they simply nod their heads at things aimed at those nasty Republicans. So those things don’t lead to hijacks. > > Add to that at least one mod has stated that he discounts post reports unless he perceives the reporter as reporting posts equally from both sides of the political divide. Since posts from a conservative point of view are always vastly outnumbered by those from the left, that is a standard that can’t really be reached. Which throws things even more badly out of balance. > > Regards, > Shodan Do you happen to have a cite for the opposite case that you claim happens more often, where a non-political thread was hijacked by political jabs from the left, and nothing was done after it was reported? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-warning-for-political-jabs-actually-involve-politics/665112.md?page=4)