# Tomndebb, you lighten the fuck up **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 13, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347 "2012-08-13T04:21:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/61 "2012-08-16T01:01:15Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > While you could have phrased it more kindly, I wouldn’t consider “I object to…” to be impolite. Direct, but not impolite. Nothing wrong with direct, IMO. The “I object” phrasing is pretty much a reflex for lawyers. I guess according to Tom, phrasing that would pass muster in any Court I’ve ever practiced in is just too harsh to use on his forum. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/62 "2012-08-16T04:37:23Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Right. He is saying that no one gets a “pass in the draft” with an all-volunteer force, because there is no draft. Ah. Gotcha. Thanks. Please, everyone, continue arguing. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/63 "2012-08-16T05:25:24Z")
Not much arguing going on anymore. The overwhelming consensus is that Tom was wrong and apparently isn’t willing to admit it. ---
**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 16, 2012, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/64 "2012-08-16T05:44:15Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > The “I object” phrasing is pretty much a reflex for lawyers. Well, many non-lawyers find lawyerly ways to be… uhm, let’s just say “not endearing”. Sometimes it’s best not to use our professional phraseology in everyday conversation. I’m not claiming to be a paragon of that virtue-- far from it-- but I can at least see where it isn’t always the best call. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/65 "2012-08-16T06:13:39Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Well, many non-lawyers find lawyerly ways to be… uhm, let’s just say “not endearing”. Sometimes it’s best not to use our professional phraseology in everyday conversation. I’m not claiming to be a paragon of that virtue-- far from it-- but I can at least see where it isn’t always the best call. OTOH – I can see a case for appreciating that lawyers reflexively speak lawyer-speak – the sooner the better, so I can run the other way before choosing to deal with them. Once upon a time, I inquired about renting an apartment. A gentleman called me back, identifying himself as the owner, saying he wanted to talk with me – essentially, just to chit-chat and get a sense of what kind of tenant I might be. I guess he didn’t consider that, at the same time, I was checking out what kind of landlord he might be. His speech was littered with lawyerese. By the end of the conversation, I sure didn’t want to be any tenant of his. I’m glad I found out early. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/66 "2012-08-17T09:21:47Z")
So, did Tomndebb lighten the fuck up? Or do I have to read the whole thread to find out? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/67 "2012-08-17T12:14:18Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > So, did Tomndebb lighten the fuck up? Or do I have to read the whole thread to find out? Nope. He has an aversion to light. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Doctor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/68 "2012-08-17T17:36:57Z")
How I picture the [mods](http://i.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/photoshop/1/3/7/106137_slide.jpg?v=1)! ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/69 "2012-08-18T00:43:10Z")
> [@Doctor](#): > > How I picture the [mods](http://i.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/photoshop/1/3/7/106137_slide.jpg?v=1)! I don’t imagine them anywhere _near_ that handsome. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/70 "2012-08-18T01:28:46Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That’s your response to being told to “lighten the fuck up”? And why exactly would your personal feelings have anything to do with doing your job as a moderator? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/71 "2012-08-18T02:22:38Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > And why exactly would your personal feelings have anything to do with doing your job as a moderator? Oh snap! ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347/72 "2012-08-19T02:02:50Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I’d like Tom to respond to this, please. Don’t be waitin’ up nights on this one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-you-lighten-the-fuck-up/631347.md?page=3)