Speaking of this place becoming over-moderated, stuffy and rigid, I present to you -
your post
Seriously? You think this place is or should be so rigid that in a thread in which the OP asks:
… it is a “hijack” to raise the topic of whether the rules are optimal? If your view is typical, stick a fork in this place it’s done.
So, a real hobby horse rider. Unless the rules change, I don’t really see an option other than a permanent topic ban. Once someone latches onto a topic like this, they generally don’t let it go.
Let me put it this way… Pay attention to ATMB, the vast majority of people think there is not enough moderation, or at least not enough consistency. I was really taken aback by your suggestion that there is too much. That’s very atypical. Not necessarily on a case-by-case basis, but in general. I’d wager this is the only current thread here where that’s even being suggested. And I don’t think I’m that much of a stickler (relatively speaking).
TPTB should be regularly polling the community for their thoughts on changes to the board. Not only does it give the admins a sense of the mood of the community but it gives us posters a feeling that this is a community.
Agreed. 
I like to think that they do.
No, I don’t think this would work unless you could guarantee that every user was sent out a PM with a link to the poll. The number of users that even look at ATMB regularly seems to be pretty small. Polls here are not even close to scientific, so a smaller vocal group that took the time to vote in the poll could easily dominate a poll.
Ranting about a movie because it has a political message is different from ranting about a movie because the acting is poor or the cinematography is boring. The thread in question was a jab at this team because of some perceived political activism (and I assume left leaning, but I don’t really know what these players are alleged o have done). Nothing more.
I totally agree.
I think the board takes itself too seriously. The subject is about an Olympic soccer team that lost its game but it also made the news regarding its conduct during the national anthem. I can see confusion or differences of opinion where that topic belongs. I could see arguments that it should go in MPSIMS or GD or P&E (definitely not the Pit, the OP didn’t have a rant going on) but if someone puts it in the Game Room, which is understandable, and that isn’t the right forum, then just move it.
It is a thing that has been in the news lately and would be a good discussion.
You haven’t met my point.
And your failure to recognise how pedantic it is to complain about someone wanting to discuss, in this thread, whether the rules are optimal isn’t helping your cause.
Frankly it’s not worth engaging with you on this subject. You are being histrionic about the eminent doom of the board because of something pretty minor and it’s a waste of my time to participate in discussion with you on this.
If you want to flail your hands around that I am going to burn this place down because I disagree with you and curse me, feel free. But I’m done talking about it with you.
If you’re not satisfied with that, then tough.
This is getting far too snippy for ATMB, and has also drifted off-topic. We’re done here.