Okay - I understand that the “don’t be a jerk” rule has always been vague, and it’s been vague for a reason. It’s served us well over the years as a sufficiently vague rule, vaguely ruling sufficiently all over the place. But “you’re a real class act, Tom / you’re a special, special fella” is being a jerk? It’s jerk-y, sure. But is it “we’re removing you from this board” jerky? It’s not even close! It’s snarky sarcasm, period. It’s unfortunate that Tom gets worked up over it - to the point of expressing how tired of moderating he is - but anyone that gets worked up over a little patronizing needs to either grow much thicker skin or head to the ER to get wrapped in that special gauze they cover severe burn victims with.
I hate to invoke his name, but if Der Tris said what he says on these boards in public, he’d incite a riot. It would at least fall under a legal “fighting words” defense and receive serious consideration for whoever punched him in the face to get off scot-free. If he was out in the public square with a “death to American troops” sandwich board, he’d get assaulted!
But he doesn’t get a mention while you want to quickly nip “you’re a special, special fella” right in the bud. C’mon.
So let’s draw a line. CK Dex’s guidelines are great. It’s always been “attack the post, not the poster”. Tom didn’t get attacked - he got dismissed. Can we not all recognize that?
I thought that Sleeps was meaning to be confrontational and inflammatory. Since I wouldn’t want every tenth post here to be similar in tone, I think that it probably was jerkish to the point of breaking the rules.
That said, I agree that it wasn’t “remove you from the board” jerkish. I think that something should have been said, but that an official Warning was too severe.
Well, there’s certainly no imperative to do so, but I’d love to see what the defense of “‘you’re a special special fella’ is an attack” is. If it’s egregious enough for a warning, I think it could withstand a fair amount of scrutiny.
I didn’t say “fucking” in the apology, which was in the thread in which the warning was issued, then rescinded. In the announcement I made in the ATMB thread pointing to the apology, I was, apparently too obliquely, referring to the various demands for “what’s taking her so fucking long?” to respond to the demands that I Do Something.
A sadly misfired attempt at irony, nothing more – but not, please note, in the apology itself.
I don’t doubt that either. Given the poster’s history, I can understand the staff’s short fuse. But that makes issuing a clear, concise and pointed warning all the more important.
First I would like to thank Ed Zotti for chiming on the twickster situation in what I thought was a very pleasant and well handled manner.
To the issue at hand with the warning to Jeff from Colibri. The problem with this warning is this, Jeff was poking fun at Twickster’s poorly placed “fucking” in her apology. That fucking had no good reason to be there what so ever. As has already been pointed a fucking apology just doesn’t seem like an apology. Now Jeff then gratuitously used the f-bomb back in jest. This wasn’t a personal attack but like Twickster’s original use it just wasn’t needed. The problem is Jeff gets a warning for perhaps an error in poor judgment and Twickster gets? I also submit that it seemed like tensions were high at this point due to the whole snafu going on and I think this played a part in the issuing of the warning to Jeff.
To tell the truth, I hadn’t seen twickster’s use of “fucking” in her post. I’ll take your explanation that you intended it as a joke, rather than as a personal attack. And I agree I haven’t noticed that you are in the habit of taking potshots at other posters.
I hereby officially withdraw the warning. I apologize for having been overly quick on the fucking trigger.
I think both warnings were a direct result of the tensions. Her post and mine were very much “heat of the moment” posts, and the warnings they garnered were doubly so. Stepping back after a period of 24 hours, the reactions to them remain over the top.
I’d still like mine retracted. Frankly I think it would be a gesture of goodwill to retract hers as well. This whole thing turned into a big mess from the moment twickster handed out that first warning. That mess and everything stemming from it deserves to be put to rest and put aside.
ETA: Shit he beat me to it. Be a good man and retract hers too pl0x.
What history is that? I’ve been on this board for a few years without any warnings until Marley got his feelers hurt because I thanked him for the lulz. I fully accept the first warning in the thread about the girl from Precious. I reported my own post. The outright lie that I took the warning badly was completely from the imagination of the mod.
I laughed at Marley so he considered THAT enough to give me a “don’t be a jerk warning.” Before that day I had zero warnings. What history are you referring to that should give them some kind of reason to have a short fuse with me? Because I have criticized some of their decisions in the past? I’ve also participated in threads were mods were praised.
Good one, Colibri. I thought the warning was pretty harsh, and i’m happy that you’ve seen fit to retract it. Tempers were running a bit hot in that thread, and if we can all cool down and take a deep breath, i think this place will be the better for it.
I’m not seeing the distinction, at least in this case. I think that was a pretty clear instance of being a jerk, and it was the same kind of being a jerk that Sleeps With Butterflies got warned and suspended for a couple of weeks ago. She didn’t get suspended or banned for that warning but at some point the message needs to sink in.
Of course Marley you also think that I threatened you and attempted to keep you from doing your job so I’m not sure your perspective on this is really clear.
