# What if the Dope offered a ban amnesty? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 22, 2023, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371 "2023-07-22T00:22:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/102 "2023-07-24T14:39:34Z")
Most of the “broke bad” ones were given multiple chances to sort themselves out, including suspensions. They didn’t. As already noted, if they’ve subsequently dealt with whatever they were going through enough to return to being constructive posters, they can request to be reinstated. But I see no benefit in reaching out to them proactively. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/103 "2023-07-24T19:25:42Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > It is not my place to speak for a victim of bullying and bigotry. Why do you doubt that some people have left because of maltreatment by others? Thats not what you claimed. You claimed that "They left of their own accord. _Because of_ the banned posters. Women, and minorities, and trans posters who just didn’t stick around because the bigots were allowed to stay way past time. " Sure, some people left as they were bullied- which can be allowed here, as you know I have no doubt one or two did leave due to bigotry, but you make it sound line a mass migration. Oddly when I complain about certain bullying posts, I am just told “well, you just dont have to read them”. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/104 "2023-07-24T19:57:06Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You claimed No, she didn’t. And that’s all I’ll say, given various mod hints and direct instructions. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/105 "2023-07-24T19:58:34Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > No, she didn’t. Sorry. _You_ claimed. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/106 "2023-07-24T21:01:55Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Thats not what you claimed. You claimed that "They left of their own accord. _Because of_ the banned posters. Women, and minorities, and trans posters who just didn’t stick around because the bigots were allowed to stay way past time. " You have put MrDibble’s words in my mouth. Please do scroll up and re-read the relevant posts. Apology accepted and thanks for the correction. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/107 "2023-08-03T04:45:40Z")
Details of the Satan banning are here. Ed Zotti of all people wrote the March 2001 ATMB post. [Satan has been banned](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satan-has-been-banned/57255) Opinions were mixed. From my 2023 perspective, discussants were still unsure about the whole moderation thing. Since then the civility bar here has been raised several times. So, yeah. That said, I never had a bad interaction with the guy and mostly enjoyed his posts. Looking over the thread, I see one unlabeled banned poster. So maybe there have been an partial and inadvertent amnesty already. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2023, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/108 "2023-08-05T13:32:44Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Perhaps if a brain tumor had caused someone to go rogue, so to speak, and subsequent recovery after surgery put them in their right mind. > > Sonofabitch, I just realized I missed a great opportunity to go bull goose looney when I had that aneurism followed by brain surgery. 😁 maybe less dramatic, but probably more frequent IRL: **Substance abuse …** (and Posting under influience) (and managing to get rid of addiction ) … that might probably be the best reason to reconsider … ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2023, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/109 "2023-08-05T19:10:30Z")
Bourbon powers a LOT of Jekyll and Hyde split personalities around here. I’m certainly occasionally if not guilty at least guilty-adjacent. As the wiseT-shirt says: > Instant Asshole > Just add alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2023, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/110 "2023-08-11T23:07:01Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Bourbon powers a LOT of Jekyll and Hyde split personalities around here. > > I’m certainly occasionally if not guilty at least guilty-adjacent. Liquor makes me flirty, rather than asshole-ish. I’m not sure if that’s better or worse. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/111 "2023-08-12T00:41:50Z")
I think you’re kinda cute too. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/112 "2023-08-12T06:05:07Z")
After several beers and a whiskey tonight, I likely should not answer further 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/113 "2023-09-14T06:19:58Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > This has been stated several times, but never with any evidence. I left because of the misogyny and bullying. I dipped a toe in here and there to check the temperature, and eventually felt safe coming back. I’m still nowhere near as involved as I had been though. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/114 "2023-09-14T08:57:29Z")
Well, welcome back. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/115 "2023-09-14T15:14:52Z")
And you’re definitely not the only one who felt uncomfortable before. Many have said so on the splinter boards ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/116 "2023-09-14T15:19:14Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Well, welcome back. > [@hajario](#): > > you’re definitely not the only one who felt uncomfortable before. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/117 "2023-09-14T15:50:03Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > So, _what if_ (really - it’s _just_ an idea) there was an amnesty period, where previously banned posters were allowed to rejoin the boards. From what I’ve observed here, posters are normally suspended, usually several times over, before being banned. In other words, they are given ample opportunities to adjust their behavior. The fact that they didn’t indicates to me, at least, that an amnesty would be a fruitless endeavor. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/118 "2023-09-14T17:18:09Z")
In the early days there were a few cases of amnesty. None of them went well. It takes a lot for a long term poster to finally be banned. This gets suggested all the time. There is no need for it. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/119 "2023-09-14T17:32:27Z")
I agree with @jasmine above, but there are a few exceptions that come to mind. Mostly, I’m thinking of at least one long-term poster, who, while very troublesome (8 warnings in 4 years) was insta-banned for breaking a hard rule. Are those who do so saveable in your opinion @Moriarty? This isn’t an attack, it’s an honest question. And if people don’t remember, it was Madsircool who was banned for socking up, which puzzled several people as to why they bothered in that particular instance. Anyway, back to the agreeing with Jasmine part. Even in the exception I posted above (the [ban notice](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/madsircool-banned-for-socking/953305) mentioned that after the socking confirmation came in that the sheer number of warnings became apparent) the poster was pushing the rules and good behavior for years. Other than some rather obvious trolls and trocks, I haven’t seen plenty of efforts (topic bans, warnings, suspensions) to steer posters away from self-destruction. For better and worse, a lot of people on the boards, especially loooong term members, are incredibly invested in this place, and winning for themselves at apparently all costs. Thus the frequent trocks that just can’t let go. Again, as a longish unsubbed reader who only began posting after the move, I did see the brilliance of the various barely concealed attacks and the free-for-all attitude of some of the older threads. But I freely considered some of those people absolute jerks. Many of them are still _here_, but have learned to moderate their language and invective to controllable levels or the correct forums. The ones that get banned seem to be ones that can’t manage that, or in most cases, _simply don’t want too_. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/120 "2023-09-14T19:40:52Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > (8 warnings in 4 years) I honestly cannot understand how a functional person can simultaneously give a shit about this community while also getting that many warnings. It baffles me. Every poster who racks up warnings like that is like a houseguest merrily whacking away at the foundations of your home and not stopping when asked. Whether or not they succeeded in knocking your house over is kinda beside the point. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371/121 "2023-09-14T19:48:57Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > I’m thinking of at least one long-term poster, who, while very troublesome (8 warnings in 4 years) was insta-banned for breaking a hard rule. Are those who do so saveable in your opinion @Moriarty? Having started the thread, I really liked the idea mentioned of inviting former members in good standing back into the fold, along with a message of _we’ve cleaned house_. Because the genesis of my suggestion is really just nostalgia for bygone days when this place seemed to have a little more pizazz. It may have been snarkier, and some may have been turned off of it (and _undoubtedly_ it had its seedier side), but I liked the increased irreverence, which was accompanied by a greater tolerance for edgier, inappropriate, and even gross content. (I mean, could a question about pan fried semen even survive a mod review today)? So, if welcoming back our better angels spruces up the place (I’m looking at you, @Una_Persson, @Sampiro, and your ilk), then in all in favor of it. My idea, on review, missed the mark on how best to enliven the place. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dope-offered-a-ban-amnesty/987371.md?page=7)