# The SDMB & a zero tolerance policy (or: Lynn? A word, please?) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 26, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581 "2004-03-26T15:17:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/21 "2004-03-26T16:45:23Z")
> [@](#): > > I had no idea the rule existed, but I don’t have any particular problem with it. It’s implied in the “Don’t be a jerk” rule. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/22 "2004-03-26T16:51:25Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > I apologize if I seem nitpicky on this, but I’m assuming such words can still be used in discussion of the words themselves, right? We may still discuss the fact that “niggardly” isn’t derived from “nigger,” right? It’s just that we can’t use the word to make an anti-racist sarcastic point? I’m wondering the same thing. > [@](#): > > _I had no idea the rule existed, but I don’t have any particular problem with it._ I knew about the no hate speech, as everyone should, but the no slurs _ever_ is a new one on me. And, as you and **gobear** noted, it’s not enforced very well. Is it just those three or what? ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/23 "2004-03-26T16:53:48Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > It’s implied in the “Don’t be a jerk” rule. I have been meaning to bring up that that rule seems discriminatory to us jerks. We are people to. If you prick us do we not bleed? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/24 "2004-03-26T16:56:46Z")
Where is this _Warnings thread_? I can’t find shit. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/25 "2004-03-26T17:02:12Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Where is this **Warnings thread**? I can’t find shit. I think if you could find it, the Mods would be _in_ shit. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![IzzyR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@IzzyR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IzzyR)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/26 "2004-03-26T17:08:09Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > And even in jest, we don’t allow slurs like raghead, nigger, or slope. This is either untrue or is a new policy. The late Collounsbury would frequently use the term “sand niggers” (referring to Arabs) in much the same way that Airman did, i.e. in characterizing someone else’s attitude. He was never admonished for it, the times that I saw. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/27 "2004-03-26T17:16:17Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > It’s implied in the “Don’t be a jerk” rule. Huh. Not at all sure I agree: using racist or homophobic terms sarcastically is a time-honored tradition among anti-racist and anti-homophobic movements. But then, I’m not the admin. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/28 "2004-03-26T17:26:33Z")
> [@Jeff Olsen](#): > > I think if you could find it, the Mods would be _in_ shit. 😉 Oh, gotcha. the type of warnings thread I was thinking of didn’t make much sense anyway. **IzzyR** , are you sticking around? ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/29 "2004-03-26T17:34:30Z")
I can’t help thinking that in this case Lynn Bodoni didn’t quite grasp the drift of Airman’s post. Context is important. This is surprising, given LB’s usual perspicacity. At least I hope that’s the explanation. That kind of censorship seems as limited in vision as simply instating a \*\*\*\* word list on the site. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/30 "2004-03-26T17:59:52Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > I have been meaning to bring up that that rule seems discriminatory to us jerks. We are people to. If you prick us do we not bleed? 😃 Now I’m curious. What _does_ happen if you prick a prick? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/31 "2004-03-26T18:02:58Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > Now I’m curious. What _does_ happen if you prick a prick? 😃 Be vewy careful, we are walking vewy close to the edge of prohibited jokeing (SP?) ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/32 "2004-03-26T18:16:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Now I’m curious. What does happen if you prick a prick? I wrote all about that in the original TMI thread. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/33 "2004-03-26T18:20:03Z")
Can’t a person have a toothache in peace? Let it rest, people. Criminey. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/34 "2004-03-26T19:18:08Z")
I have to concur that within the context of **Door’s** comment, he was clearly _against_ hate speech, and using it as a sarcastic example. Nor was he being a jerk. IMHO, there should have been no warning, and it should not count against him toward a banning. It would be an injustice if he were to say something genuinely (or not genuinely) against the rules, and be banned because he had previously been warned incorrectly. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/35 "2004-03-26T19:27:34Z")
I think I went a little too far with my sarcasm. It isn’t the first time, probably won’t be the last, but at least now I know that I can’t say that. That thread just got me a little worked up. No big deal. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/36 "2004-03-26T19:43:02Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > It’s implied in the “Don’t be a jerk” rule. This is a new one on me, and it’s not immediately obvious that using racial slurs is always jerkish behavior. A couple questions: 1. Would it be acceptable to post a thread in GQ asking about the origins of a racial slur? 2. Can we get a list of some behaviors that are currently considered being a jerk? I appreciate that you can’t give an exhaustive list, but some general guidelines would be nice, especially since anyone banned stands to forfeit their membership fees. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/37 "2004-03-26T19:45:29Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > And even in jest, we don’t allow slurs like raghead, nigger, or slope. Is this something all the mods will be enforcing then? Because [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4677057&postcount=27) post in CS was pretty much ignored, and I found it nasty and unwarrented. I’m not trying to stir up any extra shit, just hoping for a bit of clarification. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/38 "2004-03-26T19:55:49Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > And even in jest, we don’t allow slurs like raghead, nigger, or slope. Slope? What the hell is that? Some sort of slur against Neanderthals? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/39 "2004-03-26T20:05:15Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Slope? What the hell is that? Some sort of slur against Neanderthals? It applies to Asians somehow (I looked it up). ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581/40 "2004-03-26T20:07:52Z")
> [@belladonna](#): > > Is this something all the mods will be enforcing then? Because [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4677057&postcount=27) post in CS was pretty much ignored, and I found it nasty and unwarrented. I’m not trying to stir up any extra shit, just hoping for a bit of clarification. While I agree that comments like the one you linked are ridiculous, and if made here I am sure Lynn would have a few coice words concerning my reply to that type of comment, but I suspect there is a pretty good reason folks down here in the pit have not noticed a comment made in a CS thread about American Idol. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-a-zero-tolerance-policy-or-lynn-a-word-please/236581.md?page=3)