# Why can't we Pit mods? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 14, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229 "2013-01-14T23:30:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/21 "2013-01-15T04:25:39Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > If you were going for levity, you failed. Like I said, read the post as if you didn’t know your own intent. Regardless, you’ve missed the big distinction: the third makes your point without insults and without deriding the other poster. It simply makes the point and suggests the other side is valid but that you prefer one style to the other. Nothing about anybody being a prig or snark about riding so high on the horse you need oxygen. No commentary about the other poster at all, in fact. For the most part that’s what we want here. There are plenty of situations where it doesn’t apply - personal MPSIMS or IMHO threads, debates about an individual experience - but it’s a decent guideline. The question is not if a bit of humor fell flat, or if the point could have been made in a way that a librarian with puckered lips and a too tight bow tie might find permissible. No, the point is that what I wrote was equally fine as far as what people post on these boards (outside the Pit) all the time. It required zero moderation. You do this more than any moderator I can recall. If you were a ref in the NBA there’s be a whistle every 1.3 seconds. You really should employ a much lighter touch. The boards did fine without your overbearing, persnickety, Moderation a la Marley’s Whim. It would be better if you would stop it. Hell, you’ve got people coming to my defense who are certainly not on my side of any debate I can recall. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/22 "2013-01-15T06:01:13Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I mention the date because I’m emphasizing the pointlessness of arguing about this rule at this point. It’s not getting changed. And this is why I love the SDMB administration. For its open-mindedness. ---
**Author:** ![Krav\_Manga](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krav_manga/32/3153_2.png) [@Krav\_Manga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krav_Manga)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/23 "2013-01-15T08:01:44Z")
> [@](#): > > overbearing, persnickety, Heavens to Murgatroid! Now you’ve gone and done it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/24 "2013-01-15T15:12:04Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > The question is not if a bit of humor fell flat It does matter that your “humor” was more insulting than funny, yes. > [@](#): > > or if the point could have been made in a way that a librarian with puckered lips and a too tight bow tie might find permissible. Say, remember that thread where you got modded a bunch of times for saying that other people were uptight and didn’t have a sense of humor instead of addressing the content of their posts? You’re doing that again. > [@](#): > > No, the point is that what I wrote was equally fine as far as what people post on these boards (outside the Pit) all the time. It required zero moderation. Your point has changed a couple of times, and I don’t agree with this version either. I didn’t think your commentary about **Left Hand of Dorkness** was acceptable. ‘You’re up on a high horse’ is far from the worst insult I’ve ever seen in this forum, but it’s insulting and it’s not necessary. It isn’t what we want in this forum. Your post was rude and I expected it was going to get worse from there. I tried to tell you this in a mod note and that could’ve been the end of the entire situation, but you wouldn’t let it go. You felt obliged to post some more insults to explain that your first insult was justified, then say none of the insults were insults, then say you should be able to Pit the mods because you can’t insult them, and now you’re saying none of this should have been modded. > [@](#): > > You really should employ a much lighter touch. Perhaps you should use a lighter touch and not insult people. The point you say you were trying to make - that you disagree with **Left Hand of Dorkness** about the style of moderation you want to see - did not require insults like saying he’s up on a high horse or that he’s priggish. We have a rule that says you can’t insult other posters outside the Pit. We don’t have a rule that says ‘use a light touch.’ > [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > And this is why I love the SDMB administration. For its open-mindedness. I’m not sure what you expected. We’ve had this rule for four years, it was debated extensively at the time, and in general we’re happy with the way it’s worked out. Did you think it was going to get overturned because **magellan01** wasn’t aware of it or wasn’t sure about our reasoning? ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/25 "2013-01-15T15:41:02Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Say, remember that thread where you got modded a bunch of times for saying that other people were uptight and didn’t have a sense of humor instead of addressing the content of their posts? You’re doing that again. Say, remember all those times when you piped in with some moderation when you were not needed and people called you on it and then you wasted everyone’s time by shucking and jiving and not admitting your error and you looked like the kid who got no respect in high school and now he’s a cop and he’s going to make sure people respect him now, BY GOLLY!!!? You’re doing it again. In two threads at the same time, to boot! Marvelous work, Officer. > [@Marley23](#): > > Your point has changed a couple of times, and I don’t agree with this version either. I didn’t think your commentary about **Left Hand of Dorkness** was acceptable. ‘You’re up on a high horse’ is far from the worst insult I’ve ever seen in this forum, but it’s insulting and it’s not necessary. It’s not “insulting” to any normal person. And it was done with a light touch. He even said he wasn’t insulted. And “necessary” is not the metric you should be using. It’s ridiculous. Except as it appliees to moderation: if it’s not necessary, stay out of it. They should tattoo that on your forehead in reverse so you see it every time you you straighten your mod cap in the mirror. People should be able to express themselves. > [@Marley23](#): > > It isn’t what we want in this forum. Your post was rude and I expected it was going to get worse from there. I tried to tell you this in a mod note and that could’ve been the end of the entire situation, but you wouldn’t let it go. You felt obliged to post some more insults to explain that your first insult was justified, then say none of the insults were insults, then say you should be able to Pit the mods because you can’t insult them, and now you’re saying none of this should have been modded. No, I felt obliged to let you know that you were wrong. You were wrong about your initial moderation of “high horse”. And wrong about moderating my explanation that he was being priggish. Add that to your initial error in judgment concerning “gun grabbers” :eek:, and you have yourself a hat trick. Well done! And I’ve always been of the opinion that my comments to LHOD should not have been modded. That’s the whole friggin point. Didn’t know why you think otherwise. > [@Marley23](#): > > Perhaps you should use a lighter touch and not insult people. The point you say you were trying to make - that you disagree with **Left Hand of Dorkness** about the style of moderation you want to see - did not require insults like saying he’s up on a high horse or that he’s priggish. Again, “require” is not a metric you should be concerning yourself with. One could point to any post on these boards and use your, “well, that wasn’t really _necessary_.” Not one word on these boards in _necessary_. This is a ridiculous metric for you or anyone to use. And describing that post of his as “priggish” was not insulting. And it was apt. That’s why the word exists, to describe things like that. > [@Marley23](#): > > PWe have a rule that says you can’t insult other posters outside the Pit. We don’t have a rule that says ‘use a light touch.’ Maybe we should. For all mods called Marley who consistently find themselves in the same arguments. As I’ve seen a hundred times on these boards, including outside the Pit, “Lighten up, Francis.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/26 "2013-01-15T15:46:33Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > As I’ve seen a hundred times on these boards, including outside the Pit, “Lighten up, Francis.” And what percentage of the “hundred times” are from you? You’re claiming this great concensus of posters that agree with you about **Marley23’s** modding, but so far it looks like you, a couple of others, and the mice in your pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/27 "2013-01-15T15:53:18Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Say, remember all those times when you piped in with some moderation when you were not needed and people called you on it and then you wasted everyone’s time by shucking and jiving and not admitting your error and you looked like the kid who got no respect in high school and now he’s a cop and he’s going to make sure people respect him now, BY GOLLY!!!? You know, typically people resort to insults like this when they can’t make an argument. This is a textbook example. > [@](#): > > And it was done with a light touch. Use a lighter touch. > [@](#): > > No, I felt obliged to let you know that you were wrong. Which you did by calling **Left Hand of Dorkness** a prig, then saying “but he IS a prig!” when I told you to stop, then calling me a prig because my decision was “bullshit,” then saying prig was never an insult. You know how the rules work around here: you can tell us if you think we’re wrong, but if we tell you to stop doing it, you can’t repeat the thing we just told you to stop doing to prove your point. > [@](#): > > Didn’t know why you think otherwise. I’ve explained it exhaustively. > [@](#): > > Not one word on these boards in _necessary_. I am discussing the necessity of the comment _in context of the conversation_. If you don’t agree with the way **Left Hand of Dorkness** wants the board to be modded, it’s not necessary to say he’s up on his high horse and being a prig. You can explain why you don’t want the same type of moderation he wants - which you did after I told you half a dozen times to stop calling him a prig, so it’s clear you know how to do it. The issue is the type of moderation that’s desired, not **Left Hand of Dorkness** as an individual. > [@](#): > > And describing that post of his as “priggish” was not insulting. And it was apt. That’s why the word exists, to describe things like that. Words like “idiot” and “fuckwit” also exist to describe particular things. They’re still insults. Prig is a mild insult, but the definition I showed you makes it obvious it is an insult. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/28 "2013-01-15T16:11:40Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And what percentage of the “hundred times” are from you? You’re claiming this great concensus of posters that agree with you about **Marley23’s** modding, but so far it looks like you, a couple of others, and the mice in your pocket. 0.57%. And you are incorrect, possibly lying, in claiming that I’ve claimed some great consensus who agree with me about Officer Marley’s moderation. I have no idea if they do. I’ll go as far as to say they’d probably vote with the shiny badge. What I _did_ say was that he even got posters that I can’t recall agreeing with me on anything (and that’s putting things mildly for one poster in particular) to voice support for my position over his. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/29 "2013-01-15T16:31:34Z")
Yeah, but you know. Might’ve been \*Rioja \*goggles. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/30 "2013-01-15T16:35:21Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > You know, typically people resort to insults like this when they can’t make an argument. This is a textbook example. If you find that type of description insulting, maybe there is hope. Now all you have to do is stop the type of conduct described. > [@Marley23](#): > > Use a lighter touch. How light? I can’t read your mind. I don’t know what is going to satisfy your whim. I gave you a list of words to judge, but no, that would be too helpful. Or more accurately, it would deprive you of putting your finger on the scale whenever it strikes your fancy. The person who needs to use a lighter touch is _you_. “High horse”, “priggish”, “gun grabbers”… :rolleyes: You’re turning moderation into a bad joke. Here’s a list of words that I might have used to describe LHOD’s post in lieu of “priggish”. PLease, pray tell, which of these would you have blessed and which would have caused you to wield your moderator’s machete? [ul] [li]pedantic[/li]didactic preachy punctilious doctrinaire dogmatic overbearing pompous fussy captious persnickety overly-delicate genteel finicky fastidious [/ul] Please, which words would have been fine with you. And please explain how they would have been better. I mean all of them can be taken as to point to a negative aspect. > [@Marley23](#): > > I am discussing the necessity of the comment _in context of the conversation_. If you don’t agree with the way **Left Hand of Dorkness** wants the board to be modded, it’s not necessary to say he’s up on his high horse and being a prig. God, you’re being dense. NO COMMENT ON THESE BOARDS IS NECESSARY. No word. No phrasing. I disagreed with him and made the point in a very light way. I broke no rule. EXCEPT the READ MARLEY"S MIND RULE before you post. And then as soon as your judgement is questioned—again—you scramble to build a wall around yourself. When I explain that I though his comment was—cover your ears—priggish, you find some violation in that. Amazing. > [@Marley23](#): > > Words like “idiot” and “fuckwit” also exist to describe particular things. They’re still insults. Prig is a mild insult, but the definition I showed you makes it obvious it is an insult. Bullshit. It _can_ be intended as a mild insult. Go back and look at how I used it. Here. I’ll make it easy for you: [QUOTE=Marley23] You didn’t ‘comment on the proper tone.’ You said Left Hand of Dorkness was up on his high horse, which was insulting. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=magellan01] It’s a way of making the point he was being priggish. Which should have been clear from the “Lighten up.” that immediately followed it. [/QUOTE] Does that sound like I was trying to level an insult? And then you gave me an official Warning: [QUOTE=Marley23] And for some reason you’re not able to understand that you can’t do this in this forum. You are not allowed to insult people here. This is a formal warning. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/31 "2013-01-15T16:52:44Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > How light? I can’t read your mind. How complicated is “don’t insult other people?” If you are making an argument and it’s not necessary to comment on the other person, don’t make comments about the other person. > [@](#): > > PLease, pray tell, which of these would you have blessed and which would have caused you to wield your moderator’s machete? I am not playing this game. I will not play it no matter how many times you ask. So you can stop asking now. > [@](#): > > God, you’re being dense. Here we go again. > [@](#): > > NO COMMENT ON THESE BOARDS IS NECESSARY. No word. No phrasing. I already explained exactly what “necessary” meant. You can release the shift key. > [@](#): > > I disagreed with him and made the point in a very light way. Why should I rely on your opinion of what’s “light?” You have some very strong opinions on how everybody else should interpret your posts, but you don’t seem to put as much thought into what you are saying yourself. Everything is within the rules according to your interpretation (no matter what the people who enforce the rules say) and all comments are “light” and “humorous,” and the problem is always with everyone else- and in some cases the dictionary. > [@](#): > > Does that sound like I was trying to level an insult? Does this? > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/38): > > Enjoy. And whatever you or any prigs anywhere might possibly do, don’t you dare lighten up. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/32 "2013-01-15T17:17:11Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I am not playing this game. I will not play it no matter how many times you ask. So you can stop asking now. Of course, not. Marley must be able to moderate according to whim. > [@Marley23](#): > > I already explained exactly what “necessary” meant. You can release the shift key. And I explained that your explanation is useless. > [@Marley23](#): > > Why should I rely on your opinion of what’s “light?” You have some very strong opinions on how everybody else should interpret your posts, but you don’t seem to put as much thought into what you are saying yourself. Everything is within the rules according to your interpretation (no matter what the people who enforce the rules say) and all comments are “light” and “humorous,” and the problem is always with everyone else- and in some cases the dictionary. This gets to the point. You should be using a lighter hand. Moderate when it is clearly needed. Otherwise, let things go. Let people express themselves in the manner they see fit. If things get ugly—clearly—then step in. We have three examples being discussed right now where the post wasn’t the problem, your moderation was. It let to more of a problem than if you would have let each of the three instances go. That’s not helpful moderation. [QUOTE=Marley23] Does this? [/QUOTE] Nice try. But you WARNED me _before_ that…after the instance _I_ provided. Here is the exchange again: [QUOTE=Marley23] You didn’t ‘comment on the proper tone.’ You said Left Hand of Dorkness was up on his high horse, which was insulting. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=magellan01] It’s a way of making the point he was being priggish. Which should have been clear from the “Lighten up.” that immediately followed it. [/QUOTE] That resulted in a warning. Does that sound like I was trying to level an insult? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/33 "2013-01-15T17:25:41Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > And I explained that your explanation is useless. You didn’t explain anything. You just ignored it. > [@](#): > > We have three examples being discussed right now where the post wasn’t the problem, your moderation was. I know what you think about the posts already. Can you entertain any other perspective here? > [@](#): > > Nice try. But you WARNED me _before_ that…after the instance _I_ provided. Here is the exchange again: Here’s the full exchange. [I’m adding the first post you responded to and I wanted to note that I had the mod-hat on the entire time]: > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/22): > > Not remotely. Consider the following two descriptions of folks who support the second amendment: > > 1. The gun nuts who have wet dreams about their next purchase are just blithering in this thread. > 2. The folks in this thread who oppose gun control have failed to present compelling statistical arguments. > > Anyone who is unable to predict which of these two posts will receive a mod note isn’t a positive contributor to Great Debates and should feel unwelcome there. > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/26): > > Whoa, that’s a mighty high horse you’re riding on there, chum. Should we send you up some oxygen? > > Lighten up, would? > > As far as “gun grabbers”, I agree with Oakminster, here. No mod commentary would have been the appropriate course of action. > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/27): > > This is an excellent example of the sort of cobbled-together board cliches that are totally unproductive, that barely pass for cleverness even to their writers (and here I’m being charitable; perhaps you genuinely think your post is thoughtful or useful, but I’ll be kind and presume you can see its lack of value), and that I wish would be moderated more heavily. > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/29): > > It’s only unproductive if the person it is intended for doesn’t take the advice. So if the post in question was indeed unproductive, as you claim, you only have yourself to blame. > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/30): > > It wasn’t advice, it was a little bit of sarcastic obnoxiousness. Given the context of this thread I was trying to ignore it, but you’re making that impossible. Stop it now and don’t do it again. And if the two of you have a personal problem with each other, handle it in the Pit. > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/31): > > Wow. > > Tsk, tsk, tsk… > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/32): > > There’s nothing in that note that should surprise you. If you want to offer something useful in this thread, have at it. If you want to take shots at other posters, go to the Pit. > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/34): > > Maybe it _shouldn’t_ surprise me, given who is doing the moderating. > > As far as something to offer, I opined on your ridiculous moderation of **Oakminster** and than let **LHOD** know that I thought he was being to priggish in the tone he was calling for. > > So, perhaps you would benefit from the advice I gave him: lighten up. Sheeze. > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/35): > > > [@magellan01](#): > > > > As far as something to offer, I opined on your ridiculous moderation of Oakminster > > Which you are, of course, allowed to do. > > > [@](#): > > > > and than let LHOD know that I thought he was being to priggish in the tone he was calling for. > > But not this. He’s not a mod. This is pretty simple. > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/36): > > Say what? If one poster describes what he thinks is the proper tone of debate, another poster can’t comment on that? You’ll have to explain that one a little better. > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/37): > > You didn’t ‘comment on the proper tone.’ You said **Left Hand of Dorkness** was up on his high horse, which was insulting. > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/38): > > It’s a way of making the point he was being priggish. Which should have been clear from the “Lighten up.” that immediately followed it. > > Unbelievable. > > But I have better things to do than go through this bullshit. > > Enjoy. And whatever you or any prigs anywhere might possibly do, don’t you dare lighten up. > [@Marley: Gun Grabber is not restricted to the Pit.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marley-gun-grabber-is-not-restricted-to-the-pit/647086/39): > > And for some reason you’re not able to understand that you can’t do this in this forum. You are not allowed to insult people here. This is a formal warning. So here is what actually happened: you made a snide comment about another poster being up on his high horse and needing to lighten up. I explained - after another post from each of you - that you needed to stop, and that if the two of you had a personal problem, it should be handled in the Pit. You said (after the pointless “Wow”) that he was being priggish. I’d already told you that the personal comments weren’t appropriate and that they belonged in the Pit, and I followed up by telling you you could discuss the rules but couldn’t comment about him personally. Then I explained why you couldn’t do that. Then you said he was being priggish _again_, after I’d told you not to do that and explained several times why you couldn’t. Then I gave you a warning. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/34 "2013-01-15T17:57:20Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > It’s not “insulting” to any normal person. And it was done with a light touch. He even said he wasn’t insulted. Woah there: > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Well, of course it is [an insult]. When my toddler, unhappy with going to time-out, hits me, I don’t feel attacked, but she did make an attack on me. That’s the only sense in which I didn’t feel insulted: you certainly made an insult, but it was entirely too feeble to have any effect. Not only did I not say it wasn’t an insult, but you quoted my first response to your post, which was to say it was the sort of post that I wish would receive more moderator attention. The intact nature of my tender feelings, the nonhurtedness of my butt, has nothing to do with your intent. I’m perfectly happy either with you learning not to even try to insult people, or with you flaming out; my Impossible Dream is to have this messageboard have fewer insults, lame or otherwise. Edit: If you want a comparison, look up my pit thread of Sampiro some years back: he insulted me in GD with such vicious cleverness that I totally lost my temper at him. Same intent, but much more effective. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/35 "2013-01-15T22:47:05Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Woah there: Yes, whoa… [QUOTE=magellan01] So, tell me, were you seriously offended by my post? [/QUOTE] **I wasn’t offended,** but if we’re being honest, that’s because I considered the source. [/QUOTE] (emphasis mine) You’re trying to have it both ways. Not a very proper and forthright way to debate, now is it, Mr. Straight & Narrow? > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Edit: If you want a comparison, look up my pit thread of Sampiro some years back: he insulted me in GD with such vicious cleverness that I totally lost my temper at him. Same intent, but much more effective. Has it possibly dawned on out that there was no effort to insult you? Your post sounded a little Little Lord Fauntelroy-ish, and I gently made that point. If your butt wasn’t hurt, I’m not surprised, as it was not my intent. All this talk of it being an insult that you needed to be protected from comes from The Mind of Marley. For heavens sake, we’re talkin a “high horse” reference here. Oh the horrors! But now, you, of course, are quick to talk out of both sides of your face after the fact to ingratiate yourself with the Mod who came to protect you. Nice symbiosis. And, of course, all your backhanded insults to me are just fine. I guess Marley does have his hands full. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/36 "2013-01-15T23:08:07Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > You’re trying to have it both ways. Your comment was a little misleading, and he’s right to point that out. You said he wasn’t offended; he replied that he wasn’t offended but he knew you were trying to insult him. Since you’ve been denying that any insult was intended, that does matter. > [@](#): > > Has it possibly dawned on out that there was no effort to insult you? You said he was up on a high horse, then said it was his fault if your post was unproductive, then called him priggish twice, “quit” the thread by calling him a prig again, then said he wasn’t a human being, didn’t have a sense of humor, and took himself too seriously. That’s a lot of non-effort, particularly considering that the entire time I was telling you that your commentary was inappropriate for this forum. > [@](#): > > Your post sounded a little Little Lord Fauntelroy-ish […] you, of course, are quick to talk out of both sides of your face after the fact to ingratiate yourself with the Mod who came to protect you. And here we are again with more comments about the poster. What is it going to take to get this across to you? If you have a personal problem with him, Pit him. If not, argue the issue without all this crap. At the beginning of this quote you did manage to say you were talking about the _post_ even though you’re continuing on a theme I’ve told you to knock it off - but by the end you’re insulting the poster again. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/37 "2013-01-15T23:59:48Z")
Honestly, I’m a little surprised that, after two warnings for continuing his insults, and he’s continuing his insults, he’s still allowed to post here. He’s pretty blatantly ignoring the warnings and continuing exactly the behavior that got him two warnings; doesn’t that speak pretty loudly? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/38 "2013-01-16T00:27:05Z")
It speaks pretty loudly about **magellan01** ’s understanding what I have been telling him in plain English if nothing else. But this isn’t helpful and I think most posters would be annoyed by speculation about bans and flameouts (as you posted earlier), so let me attempt to explain what’s going on to **magellan01** and try to refrain from that kind of commentary. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229/39 "2013-01-16T01:16:52Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It speaks pretty loudly about **magellan01** ’s understanding what I have been telling him in plain English if nothing else. But this isn’t helpful and I think most posters would be annoyed by speculation about bans and flameouts (as you posted earlier), so let me attempt to explain what’s going on to **magellan01** and try to refrain from that kind of commentary. How dare you, sir–how DARE you! I’m off to start three more threads about how unfair this comment is! Eh, on second thought, you’re probably right; I’ll knock it off. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-pit-mods/647229.md?page=1)