# What's up with all the tomndebb haters? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 14, 2007, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839 "2007-03-14T02:53:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/41 "2007-03-14T06:40:09Z")
Personally it seems to me the people that hate him the most are the people I’ve identified as assholes in my own mind. I don’t venture much into Great Debates often anymore but anytime I’ve seen **tomndebb** post in there as a moderator or as a poster he always seems to be detailed factual and only once or twice seemed to lose his temper. I guess that’s too much for pricks that like to argue from hostility and emotion. This is of course admitting that he might have a large volume of posts that I never came across. ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/42 "2007-03-14T06:42:26Z")
**Klaatu** wonders if **Tom** will come into this thread and utter at least a “dangit” or a “heck” ---
**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:** [March 14, 2007, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/43 "2007-03-14T06:56:35Z")
I think being the obvious, unapologetic religious GD mod makes him a tempting target. Silly, really. Me, I hate him for the cutesy name 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/44 "2007-03-14T07:08:04Z")
I just wish he would for once stop the reasonable level-headed crap and tell everybody to fuck off. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/45 "2007-03-14T07:19:39Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] This might be the law, but in practice, we were **NOT** allowed to abstain from the pledge at my public school. When I was in the 3rd grade, even though I believed the pledge was “right”, I often thought of staying seated during it just to see what would happen. I never had the guts to do it but one of my classmates did and got paddled for it. I believe they called it insubordination. The school faculty where I grew up was very adept at brow-beating religion and patriotism into the student body, and I’m quite sure that there was nothing the law could have done to stop them. In other words, the argument that “any student who chooses so may abstain” is 100% bullshit and will never fly with me. The pledge should be banned, and the original manuscript pissed on. [/QUOTE] How old are you? I’m almost 31, and I’ve never met anyone my age who said that these sorts of things happened to them. I’ve only heard such stories from people my parents’ age or older. ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/46 "2007-03-14T07:39:19Z")
[QUOTE=sturmhauke] How old are you? I’m almost 31, and I’ve never met anyone my age who said that these sorts of things happened to them. I’ve only heard such stories from people my parents’ age or older. [/QUOTE] Well, I was in elementary school in the 60’s, and I never heard of any kid wanting to “boycott” the pledge. I grew up in a small town, and religion and the flag were just accepted. JFK had been shot a few years before, and the Korean War (against the Godless Commies) was not that long back, and the “EVIIIL Ruskies” were making Big Bombs. Hell, I am on the tail end of the Cold War, but I remember bomb drills at school. As far as we and our parents were concerned, The Pledge Was Mandatory. Times have changed. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/47 "2007-03-14T07:40:20Z")
[QUOTE=sturmhauke] How old are you? I’m almost 31, and I’ve never met anyone my age who said that these sorts of things happened to them. I’ve only heard such stories from people my parents’ age or older. [/QUOTE] I’m 25. This was at a county school in central NC circa 1990. I wouldn’t imagine anything like this could happen in the Bay Area these days but I have no doubt that it still happens all over the southeast. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/48 "2007-03-14T10:58:34Z")
“All the Tomndebb haters” comprises maybe three people. And one of them, Badchad, has nothing against Tom other than the fact that he’s in obstacle in his obsession over Polycarp. If Tom were horrible in every other way, but allowed Badhad to hijack threads for his Poly-bashing act, Badchad would have nothing negative about him to say. Tom is among the top tier mods on the board. Fair. Reasonable. Doesn’t let his personal views interfere with his duties. Never snipes at members gratuitously, even outside his mod persona. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/49 "2007-03-14T12:07:08Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] “All the Tomndebb haters” comprises maybe three people. And one of them, Badchad, has nothing against Tom other than the fact that he’s in obstacle in his obsession over Polycarp. If Tom were horrible in every other way, but allowed Badhad to hijack threads for his Poly-bashing act, Badchad would have nothing negative about him to say. Tom is among the top tier mods on the board. Fair. Reasonable. Doesn’t let his personal views interfere with his duties. Never snipes at members gratuitously, even outside his mod persona. [/QUOTE] There have been a few mentions of me in this thread, and I don’t know if people are of the opinion that **tomndebb** is someone I hate. So, I thought I’d clarify. I do not hate **tomndebb**. I mostly respect him, as well as his knowledge base, his ability to convey his thoughts lucidly, and his level-headedness. I have had more than a couple experiences in which he has clearly been wrong and seems simply unable to either come to that realization or admit it. I’ve, until last night, never seen him admit error on these boards. He will also bob and weave to the point of almost snapping his own neck. Recently, as like other times, when asked a direct question—repeatedly—that he doesn’t like, he will turn into the King of Weasels. He is also an apologist for Muslims. I’ve seen him go into numerous threads and try to short-circuit the discussion. Many of these is are not ones I’ve participated in. I don’t particularly begrudge him that last action though. It’s more of a Mod philosophy point. Ideally, I wish the Mods were not posters themselves. Although I don’t think that would work, I do think that Mods should be held to a higher level of conduct. I must admit, **tomndebb** , part-time King of Weasels, does usually live up to that. If only he would use his powers for good. That, and hold himself to a higher standard. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/50 "2007-03-14T12:25:15Z")
Okay, well now it’s down to two. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/51 "2007-03-14T12:39:08Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] I think **Aeschines** has a hate-on for **tom** , but then, he’s a well-known lunatic. In **badchad** ’s pit thread about **tom** , **magellan** and **ElvisL1ves** both dismissed him in terms that made it clear they had little respect for him as a poster and/or mod. I figure, if he’s pissed both of them off like that, he must be doing something right. [/QUOTE] Hmm, BC, Wildfire and \*\*Aeschines \*\* hate **Tom** , speaks volumes for **Tom**. The other mods must be jealous. [QUOTE=Cisco] This might be the law, but in practice, we were **NOT** allowed to abstain from the pledge at my public school. When I was in the 3rd grade, even though I believed the pledge was “right”, I often thought of staying seated during it just to see what would happen. I never had the guts to do it but one of my classmates did and got paddled for it. I believe they called it insubordination. The school faculty where I grew up was very adept at brow-beating religion and patriotism into the student body, and I’m quite sure that there was nothing the law could have done to stop them. In other words, the argument that “any student who chooses so may abstain” is 100% bullshit and will never fly with me. The pledge should be banned, and the original manuscript pissed on. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Cisco] I’m 25. This was at a county school in central NC circa 1990. I wouldn’t imagine anything like this could happen in the Bay Area these days but I have no doubt that it still happens all over the southeast. [/QUOTE] ☹ In 1990 they could still pull this crap? Please excuse the ignorant North Easterner. I honestly had no clue this was even allowed in Public school that recently. I think the so-called adult that administered the paddling should probably do some time in jail for child abuse and never be allowed near kids again. [QUOTE=Liberal] Okay, well now it’s down to two. [/QUOTE] What? Jim ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/52 "2007-03-14T13:31:36Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] Debb seems to like him. And that’s good enough for me. [/QUOTE] Nitpick: She’s actually ‘Deb’. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/53 "2007-03-14T13:56:23Z")
It’s not _all_ the tomndebb haters. It’s _one_ full time tomndebb hater & a few who chime in when they don’t have better things to do. Like adding fabric softener. (Mom yells the instructions downstairs–hey, they’ve gotta pay the rent somehow!) ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/54 "2007-03-14T14:18:36Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] **tomndebb** is cool by me. Smart guy, good mod. [/QUOTE] As well as being a snappy dresser. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/55 "2007-03-14T14:19:39Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] Nitpick: She’s actually ‘Deb’. [/QUOTE] **TommmNDebbb**? ---
**Author:** ![Anduril](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Anduril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduril)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/56 "2007-03-14T14:33:22Z")
[QUOTE=badchad] If the thread wasn’t at least somewhat related to religion then the dig against creationists shouldn’t have been in there. [/QUOTE] We’re being over-sensitive here. If you are a creationist, I would understand that but I really don’t understand how you cannot see the difference between creationism being taught in schools as fact and myth being taught as myth. As to the OP: I find Tom to be an excellent moderator. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/57 "2007-03-14T16:06:41Z")
[QUOTE=badchad] If the thread wasn’t at least somewhat related to religion then the dig against creationists shouldn’t have been in there. [/QUOTE] Beelzebub loves you. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/58 "2007-03-14T16:09:12Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] This might be the law, but in practice, we were **NOT** allowed to abstain from the pledge at my public school. When I was in the 3rd grade, even though I believed the pledge was “right”, I often thought of staying seated during it just to see what would happen. I never had the guts to do it but one of my classmates did and got paddled for it. I believe they called it insubordination… In other words, the argument that “any student who chooses so may abstain” is 100% bullshit and will never fly with me. The pledge should be banned, and the original manuscript pissed on. [/QUOTE] Right, but that means you were forced to pledge your allegiance to the flag, and the Republic for which it stands. Not to God. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/59 "2007-03-14T16:15:21Z")
\*\*tomndebb \*\*has, to my knowledge, only been wrong twice in his life. Both times were when he disagreed with me. That, in and of it’s elf, is sufficient to brand him a weaselly lying hypocritical motherfucker. Fuck all y’all and your self referential belief systems. Everybody knows this is nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839/60 "2007-03-14T16:18:12Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Tom is among the top tier mods on the board. [/QUOTE] Hmm. And the others in the top tier? How many other tiers? Does being in the top tier mean they get a better view than those in the back row beneath them? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-tomndebb-haters/395839.md?page=4)