# Where did the "restricted language in the Pit" rules come from? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 6, 2012, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-restricted-language-in-the-pit-rules-come-from/624246 "2012-06-06T05:24:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-restricted-language-in-the-pit-rules-come-from/624246/141 "2012-06-12T07:27:30Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Just how long has it been since you’ve actually _read_ Cecil’s columns? The good, early ones? Before Ed took over being Cecil? > [@Una\_Persson](#): > > Well…I’m more familiar with Cecil’s work than almost anyone on this message board, and that is **not** his overall philosophy as you state it. Cecil’s a member here. Maybe he should speak for himself. > [@Una\_Persson](#): > > For _years_ people have acted like this is THE WORST TRAGEDY EVER! It probably was the worst thing to happen on this message board. > [@Una\_Persson](#): > > - The rule has inconsequential impacts. Except for a bunch of good posters who left these boards. It’s still surprising the same lame justifications for this completely idiotic rule are being trotted out. That might be more offensive then the actual rule itself (a rule that failed miserably). ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-restricted-language-in-the-pit-rules-come-from/624246/142 "2012-06-12T08:46:44Z")
To the defenders of this “rule” I want to quote **Ed’s** sticky to illustrate how ridiculous the language restrictions are: > [@ed](#): > > Expressions not referred to above but which are normally considered vulgar (e.g., asshole, dick, prick, bitch, kiss my ass) are subject to the following limitations: > > - occasional use only > - no posts consisting solely or mainly of vulgarities. **Ed** considers “kiss my ass” to be vulgar. The sticky says that that awful, awful phrase is only tolerated when used occasionally. Meditate on that for a second. **Ed** used the phrase “kiss my ass” as an example of vulgar language. “kiss my ass” is probably the mildest thing that has ever been said in the pit. I have no problem with banning the word “cunt”, but c’mon, **Ed’s** rules make no sense. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-restricted-language-in-the-pit-rules-come-from/624246/143 "2012-06-12T09:54:26Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > I have no problem with banning the word “cunt”, but c’mon, **Ed’s** rules make no sense. Well, they do have the unintended benefit of making people need to be more creative. Instead of saying: “Fuck off cunt” you have to say “Rot in hell you cum guzzling trollop” Less insulting? I don’t know. But certainly a better read, in my book. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-restricted-language-in-the-pit-rules-come-from/624246/144 "2012-06-12T10:09:57Z")
Kiss my ass. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-restricted-language-in-the-pit-rules-come-from/624246/145 "2012-06-12T12:13:30Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Honestly I think Ed didn’t go far enough. I see no reason at all for personal insults _poster to poster_ anywhere, using any language. Generally such threads are lame anyway. Those that run the board felt that having a place like the Pit worked as a place to air grievances. It allows for the other forums to be kept free from diputes. I guess you could instead ban everyone who gets into personal disputes and do away with the Pit but I don’t think I would like the result. There is nothing making you go into the Pit. I have gone for months at times without even checking it. ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-restricted-language-in-the-pit-rules-come-from/624246/146 "2012-06-12T12:36:50Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Those that run the board felt that having a place like the Pit worked as a place to air grievances. It allows for the other forums to be kept free from diputes. I guess you could instead ban everyone who gets into personal disputes and do away with the Pit but I don’t think I would like the result. There is nothing making you go into the Pit. I have gone for months at times without even checking it. I’ve gone on record several times saying I think the pit is stupid, but since the powers that be want it to exist, it does. Fine. But making up arbitrary rules on what is 'bad" and what is “OK” is even more stupid than the forum’s existence in the first place, and I’m sure others feel this way as well (IOW, I agree with both Loach and DrDeth). ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-restricted-language-in-the-pit-rules-come-from/624246/147 "2012-06-12T12:40:14Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Those that run the board felt that having a place like the Pit worked as a place to air grievances. Isn’t that what Festivus is for? ---
**Author:** ![splatterpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@splatterpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/splatterpunk)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-restricted-language-in-the-pit-rules-come-from/624246/148 "2012-06-13T04:15:41Z")
> [@srzss05](#): > > I’ve gone on record several times saying I think the pit is stupid, but since the powers that be want it to exist, it does. And I’ll go on record as saying that MPSIMS is stupid, and that The Game Room is even moreso by several orders of magnitude. But the last thing I would do is advocate abolishing these retarded forums just because I don’t like them. It’s a piece of cake for me to completely ignore them. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-restricted-language-in-the-pit-rules-come-from/624246/149 "2012-06-13T13:53:14Z")
Keep whining and one day we’re gonna log in to find only the Barn House. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-restricted-language-in-the-pit-rules-come-from/624246.md?page=7)