# Why did Qin Shi Huangdi get a warning for suggesting Rubio is gay? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 19, 2016, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554 "2016-02-19T14:52:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**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:** [February 26, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/101 "2016-02-26T16:38:33Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Well, thanks for your permission. I’m less interested in the particular term, as the process by which moderators decide to ban certain speech. Based on your post and Jonathan Chance’s, it seems like you have a sort of gauzy concept that it means RINO combined with a sense that it has racial and sexual connotations, but you aren’t entirely clear as to whether and how those racial or sexual connotations are part of the meaning. > > Is it permissible to call a politician an effeminate RINO? Or, by implication, is that also banned speech? Nothing gauzy at all. It is a distasteful term rooted in racism and fetish porn. It adds nothing to a debate or discussion. I don’t know how much more clear you want it to be. I’m sorry if you like the word but there are plenty of other places you can use it and there are plenty of other ways to get your point across. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/102 "2016-02-26T16:38:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Is it permissible to call a politician an effeminate RINO? Or, by implication, is that also banned speech? In the post he was actually warned for it was directed at another poster, rather than a politician. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/103 "2016-02-26T17:11:04Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Nothing gauzy at all. It is a distasteful term rooted in racism and fetish porn. It adds nothing to a debate or discussion. I don’t know how much more clear you want it to be. I’m sorry if you like the word but there are plenty of other places you can use it and there are plenty of other ways to get your point across. You didn’t answer my question. Also, your inference that I must like the term is bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/104 "2016-02-26T17:20:28Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > In the post he was actually warned for it was directed at another poster, rather than a politician. Ok. I’m less troubled by moderating in that context, because the term is clearly insulting. I thought the instruction was that it could not be used as to politicians. That strikes me as more troubling–not because I like the term, as **Loach** infers–but because I think moderating speech about politicians on the basis of vaguely defined connotations is harmful to open and interesting discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/105 "2016-02-26T17:24:28Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > I thought the instruction was that it could not be used as to politicians. Maybe you should have read the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/106 "2016-02-26T17:32:43Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Maybe you should have read the thread. Yes, I shall never ask a question again if there’s a chance I have misinterpreted because I did not read the related thread. Or, at least not in a thread where everyone is so touchy and presumptive about my True Agenda. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/107 "2016-02-26T18:17:42Z")
What is bizarre is thinking that the mods came up with the idea that cuckservative has racial overtones out of thin air, and haven’t read about it or even possibly have googled it. Even more bizarre is assuming this because they told other people to google the term. Why wouldn’t you google it after they suggested it? I mean, the racial implications are right in the [Wikipedia article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuckservative). Especially if you think everyone is being “touchy” (seriously?) and are likely to infer bad motives on your part. Shouldn’t that mean you take more time to get things right the first time? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/108 "2016-02-26T18:25:23Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > What is bizarre is thinking that the mods came up with the idea that cuckservative has racial overtones out of thin air, and haven’t read about it or even possibly have googled it. And if I were claiming that, you’d have a good point. Since, I’m not, you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/109 "2016-02-27T00:43:48Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > And if I were claiming that, you’d have a good point. Since, I’m not, you don’t. Wait, you posted > [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Wait. Is the term “cuck” forbidden because it has a sexual connotation even though people don’t know exactly what it means? Did the moderators figure out what it means before banning it? > [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Well, thanks for your permission. I’m less interested in the particular term, as the process by which moderators decide to ban certain speech. Based on your post and Jonathan Chance’s, it seems like you have a sort of gauzy concept that it means RINO combined with a sense that it has racial and sexual connotations, but you aren’t entirely clear as to whether and how those racial or sexual connotations are part of the meaning. Oops, you just questioned whether the moderators actually understood what it meant before moderating it. That suggests that you don’t think they bothered to look it up. And I don’t know where you got the idea that they didn’t know what it means, or that they only have some vague sense of the meaning, because you didn’t post until _after_ **Jonathan Chance** posted. “ **It’s recent political slang adapted from pornography. Feel free to Google it if you must know more.** ” In other words, “_We know what it means but I don’t feel like spelling it out because it’s distasteful, it’s easily googleable if you need to know._” > [@](#): > > Is it permissible to call a politician an effeminate RINO? Or, by implication, is that also banned speech? I’m not a moderator, but I would say that it’s probably okay depending on context. If you’re using the phrase as a work around for hate speech, then no, but if you’re just using it to deride a politician (who isn’t posting on this board), then you’re probably okay. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/110 "2016-02-27T02:31:48Z")
Goodness, it’s almost as if rulings can be very context sensitive and those desiring bright lines can’t have them. Almost. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/111 "2016-02-27T02:49:41Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Yes, I shall never ask a question again if there’s a chance I have misinterpreted because I did not read the related thread. > > Or, at least not in a thread where everyone is so touchy and presumptive about my True Agenda. Hang on, you’ve been arguing about a ruling for three pages, and you _never actually read the original thread?_ ---
**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:** [February 27, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/112 "2016-02-27T14:05:55Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Hang on, you’ve been arguing about a ruling for three pages, and you _never actually read the original thread?_ That’s fair. I try not to read a thread before I make a ruling. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/113 "2016-02-27T14:10:02Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Hang on, you’ve been arguing about a ruling for three pages, and you _never actually read the original thread?_ I read the thread on the topic I opened this one about. I did not read the thread–twice removed from this one–in which QSH was noted for using cuck before I asked a question about the rule mentioned in this thread. Surprising to me that you’d misunderstand that. Maybe you read too quickly? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/114 "2016-02-27T14:17:18Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Goodness, it’s almost as if rulings can be very context sensitive and those desiring bright lines can’t have them. > > Almost. Very context sensitive, except when the context shows you made a clear mistake, as in the case of Stringbean. Right? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/115 "2016-02-28T15:28:34Z")
Just for the record, the “Rubio is gay” meme, along with “cuck,” is arising from white supremacist websites. [Here](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/28/how-pro-trump-white-nationalists-tried-to-play-smear-the-queer-with-rubio.html) is a brief discussion of it, if anyone is interested. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/116 "2016-02-29T13:26:00Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > That’s fair. I try not to read a thread before I make a ruling. Ah, you use the conservative/liberal criteria then. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/117 "2016-03-19T15:55:28Z")
To answer some questions: First of all, I fully acknowledge that doing things like putting Rubio’s name in pink was a violation at least in spirit of the Mod orders to avoid accusing Rubio of homosexuality. That said, my intention in doing so was not homophobic but essentially to create a running joke about the godawful late (thank God!) candidate no different than the rumours surrounding Lindsey Graham. Certainly, I don’t this forum was filled with demands for respectful acknowledgement when the scandal about Ted Haggard broke out. In such cases, the accusations have power not because the person in question is homosexual himself but because of the contradiction between his sexuality and the policies he espouses. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/118 "2016-03-19T20:38:06Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > That said, my intention in doing so was not homophobic but essentially to create a running joke about the godawful **late** (thank God!) candidate … When did Rubio _die_? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/119 "2016-03-19T20:43:54Z")
The usage of “late” to mean “former(ly)” has fallen into disuse but it is valid. As in “Our new staffer for the healthcare project is JRDelirious, late of MEXAssist Corporation”. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554/120 "2016-03-19T23:14:15Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > The usage of “late” to mean “former(ly)” has fallen into disuse but it is valid. As in “Our new staffer for the healthcare project is JRDelirious, late of MEXAssist Corporation”. I would have said that _late of position/location/group membership_ differs from _adjective/article late Name_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-qin-shi-huangdi-get-a-warning-for-suggesting-rubio-is-gay/746554.md?page=7)