# "taco n\*\*\*\*\*s" - no warning issued, mods? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 22, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079 "2018-08-22T21:44:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/21 "2018-08-22T23:02:11Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I strive to not post in the Pit. I can’t imagine anything productive coming out of such a thread, so I’ll have to decline. > > I have, at times, toyed with the idea of posting in the Pit, for example as an April Fool’s joke or something. Maybe we should do it as some sort of pay-per-view special or something to raise money for the SDMB: “Limited time only, Ditka in the Pit” “He promises to read every post in the thread” “Only $9.99 to participate”. I bet that would get some takers. > > As an aside, if one day you’d like to have a _civil_ discussion on the OKC topic, feel free to start one in another forum, or PM me. [Here you go.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=21163259#post21163259) Please be as in-depth as you can. Thanks. ---
**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:** [August 22, 2018, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/22 "2018-08-22T23:10:10Z")
Did you not get my email? Here’s what I wrote there: I don’t moderate the simple appearance of a racial slur. I moderate it for malicious usage against the group described by the slur.\* Saying, “Nigger is a common slur against black people” is not going to trigger a warning. Saying, “Barrack Obama is a nigger,” almost certainly would. There’s obviously a lot of middle ground there, and some definite grey areas, but generally speaking, I would not moderate someone saying to another poster, “You’re the sort of person who calls people niggers.” That’s an attack on a (perceived) racist, not an attack on a race, and as such, does not trigger the hate speech rule. **snfaulker** ’s post is of a kind with that - he’s not calling Hispanics “taco niggers” himself, he’s ascribing that attitude to you. \*That’s actually a bit simplified - there’s some usages that aren’t directly aimed at a member of the group that would still draw a warning. Calling another poster a faggot, for example, regardless of whether the target is queer or not, or phrases like, “I Jewed the guy down and got a better deal.” They’re still examples of slurs being used to show antipathy towards a group, even if no actual member of the group in question is involved in the exchange. Again, though, in the post you reported, **snfaulker** ’s antipathy is clearly towards you and other people he perceives as racist, and not towards Hispanics. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/23 "2018-08-22T23:12:28Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Post reported for hate speech. > [@I forget, do we have a general HurricaneDitka Pit thread?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-forget-do-we-have-a-general-hurricaneditka-pit-thread/805952/464): > > Or [maybe](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21161489&postcount=113) it was failure of you and your mormon militia white nationalist prepper racist assfucks who weren’t man enough to go to the border with your cum crusted m4’s to protect this great nation of ours from the invasion of taco niggers? You fucking smarmy fucktwat. You are just barely smart enough to sidestep the board’s hate speech rules, but nobody, and I mean NObody is buying your God damn racist concern trollish bullshit. > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > [This post](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=21161487#post21161487) used the phrase “taco niggers”. That seems like about as clear-cut a violation of the rule against hate speech as I have ever read here. I reported it, asking for a response, and have not heard anything back. Mods, a penny for your thoughts? …HurricaneDitka: both you and snfaulkner used the words taco n#$%$$ on these boards. Should context be taken into account? If we ignore context, if we have zero tolerance, then why is your usage of the words materially different from snfaulkner’s? Should you get a warning? (Having said that: there is inconsistency on how the word is moderated: I remember a poster used the word in the same context as snfaulkner a few years ago in Great Debates and got suspended: I suspect the forum and the moderator make a difference, but some clarity would be good.) ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/24 "2018-08-22T23:46:31Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I don’t regularly read the Pit threads either. This one came to my attention because **snfaulkner** linked to it [here](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=21161489#post21161489) in a reply to me. > > This is probably getting off-topic for this thread, but I do wonder: how do you think the experience would be improved by my participation there? I understand why you might not see value in joining the multi-year general Pit thread. The other thread asked you a specific question about recent news. It would be good to have you answer that one. Perhaps a new thread could be started in GD. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/25 "2018-08-22T23:57:06Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I don’t regularly read the Pit threads either. This one came to my attention because **snfaulkner** linked to it [here](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=21161489#post21161489) in a reply to me. > > This is probably getting off-topic for this thread, but I do wonder: how do you think the experience would be improved by my participation there? Only one way to find out! ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/26 "2018-08-23T00:00:40Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Did you not get my email? … No, I didn’t, so I really appreciate you chiming in here with clarification. Thanks. ---
**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 23, 2018, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/27 "2018-08-23T00:11:08Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > No, I didn’t, so I really appreciate you chiming in here with clarification. Thanks. Yeah, I think it’s quite clear that the poster was saying “You, **HD** , are the kind of person who would think of Latinos as ‘taco niggers’”. He was not using that epithet against Latinos. We can argue as to whether he was being accurate or not, but he wasn’t being racist and it was in the Pit, so seems like no rule was broken to me. > [@Banquet Bear](#): > > Having said that: there is inconsistency on how the word is moderated: I remember a poster used the word in the same context as snfaulkner a few years ago in Great Debates and got suspended: I suspect the forum and the moderator make a difference, but some clarity would be good. That’s a hugely horrific insult to be throwing around in GD. Just because you can do it in the Pit doesn’t mean you can do it in GD. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/28 "2018-08-23T00:26:18Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > That’s a hugely horrific insult to be throwing around in GD. Just because you can do it in the Pit doesn’t mean you can do it in GD. …it wasn’t used as an insult. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/29 "2018-08-23T01:30:13Z")
Could the phrase safely be used against me, inasmuch as I am Hispanic? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/30 "2018-08-23T01:37:54Z")
Just wanna say that before today, somehow I’d never before heard the term that is the subject of this thread. So, uh, thanks, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/31 "2018-08-23T01:41:48Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Just wanna say that before today, somehow I’d never before heard the term that is the subject of this thread. So, uh, thanks, I guess. Honestly, I intended to say “taco-eating” but somehow my phone decided against me. I deferred to its judgement on the matter. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/32 "2018-08-23T02:16:25Z")
Wait a darn minute. **I** eat tacos! Hate Speech!!! ---
**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:** [August 23, 2018, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/33 "2018-08-23T02:59:51Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Could the phrase safely be used against me, inasmuch as I am Hispanic? Someone calling you a “taco nigger” would almost certainly draw a warning. Someone suggesting that you view other Hispanics as “taco niggers” would probably not. Was this not clear in my previous post? ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/34 "2018-08-23T03:51:38Z")
I’m sort of torn on this one. It seems that under this rule, I can say, “You seem like the kind of person who would…” and follow it up with hate speech, threats of legal action against the SDMB, threats of violence, etc. basically anything and get by with it. I understand that it was in the Pit, but in these modern times with modern sensibilities, saying something to the effect of “You are the type of person who would call someone a nigger” goes beyond a basic insult to fighting words. Hell, people are losing their jobs by just using that word in reference to another conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/35 "2018-08-23T04:25:58Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > I’m sort of torn on this one. It seems that under this rule, I can say, “You seem like the kind of person who would…” and follow it up with hate speech, threats of legal action against the SDMB, threats of violence, etc. basically anything and get by with it. > > I understand that it was in the Pit, but in these modern times with modern sensibilities, saying something to the effect of “You are the type of person who would call someone a nigger” goes beyond a basic insult to fighting words. Hell, people are losing their jobs by just using that word in reference to another conversation. I echo this question. Where XXXX is a slur, **Miller** , you seem like the kind of person who is XXXX = warning. **Miller** , you seem like the kind of person who thinks **UltraVires** is XXXX = no warning. Is that the substance of this ruling? ---
**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 23, 2018, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/36 "2018-08-23T04:30:22Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I echo this question. Where XXXX is a slur, > > **Miller** , you seem like the kind of person who is XXXX = warning. > **Miller** , you seem like the kind of person who thinks **UltraVires** is XXXX = no warning. > > Is that the substance of this ruling? Is it really _that_ hard to understand what he said? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/37 "2018-08-23T06:17:47Z")
(Nope, this has had far too much attention) ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/38 "2018-08-23T06:30:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Is it really _that_ hard to understand what he said? 😕 It’s **Bricker**. C’mon, it’s not _that_ hard to understand what he’s doing. 😉 ---
**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 23, 2018, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/39 "2018-08-23T07:05:57Z")
> [@Banquet Bear](#): > > I remember a poster used the word in the same context as snfaulkner… > [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …it wasn’t used as an insult. **Snfaulkener** used it as an insult in the Pit, so if the poster used it “in the same context as **snfaulkner** ”, then it was an insult. If it wasn’t an insult, then it wasn’t used in the same context. But maybe I’m missing something. Care to link to the post in question? ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079/40 "2018-08-23T09:23:02Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > **Snfaulkener** used it as an insult in the Pit, so if the poster used it “in the same context as **snfaulkner** ”, then it was an insult. If it wasn’t an insult, then it wasn’t used in the same context. …wrong context. > [@](#): > > But maybe I’m missing something. Care to link to the post in question? [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18420151&postcount=15](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18420151&postcount=15) It wasn’t used as an insult (IMHO of course) but to illustrate a point. [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18424149&postcount=2](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18424149&postcount=2) The (original) ruling: “The one with the repeated use of variations of the word ‘nigger’ would be enough to earn him a suspension in my eyes.” Context important in one ruling but context unimportant in another. That’s all I’m pointing out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-n-s-no-warning-issued-mods/820079.md?page=3)