Not complaining about your decisions as a Mod to shut down two threads I started this week–I’m a newbie, and I’m sure I violated some long-established principles of the Straight Dope. But could you give me a little guidance here? Thanks.
In the thread about adults throwing out kids’ possessions. you seemed to be saying that I got too personal in noting that Saint Cad’s attitude in defending doing so seemed a bit, well, “defensive” to me (or maybe your point was that I referred to his defensiveness as confirming my suspicions that my aunts’ defensive attitude towards me fifty years ago was a little loopy?) I get that, but didn’t Saint Cad open that door by referring to his own comfort in throwing his own kids’ stuff? Or maybe it was my refusal to accede to his polite request that I stop referring to his kids at all (after he had raised the subject for his evidence)? Is it standard behavior in that Message Board (I think it was IMHO–was that the right forum?) to raise “I do this with my kids” but be protected from anyone else citing his kids later in the threads as “too personal”? Should I have simply accepted his “evidence” as valid and moved on? Did I cross the line in telling him that I’m glad I wasn’t raised by him if that’s how he treats his kids? And finally (and I’m not seeking to deflect the blame here, jsut looking for info) did I get too personal with him after several other posters (in good standing, I presume) had referred to his acts as “loathsome” (and defended that characterization against his defenses of acting in the way he claimed)? IOW, is “loathsome” fine, but “I think you’re being defensive here” not? If say I had withheld my response to his defensively loopy behavior (or loopily defensive) without comment but chimed in on the “loathsome” tack, would that have been ok? Again, just looking for guidance and clarity, so as not to commit the mistake again in the future, and thanks.