# Why not just ban people you don't like/agree with outright? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 18, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905 "2011-06-18T02:40:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/1 "2011-06-18T02:40:32Z")
In every thread where I have been ‘warned’, the ‘justice’ is applied unequally. I’ve even been warned for being insulting when I haven’t even crossed SD’s insult criteria. So, since I just got a formal warning, why not just suspend my posting privileges? You’re going to do it anyway. The same rules aren’t applied to other people I’m talking to and seem to be heavily applied when I disagree with a mod in a debate. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/2 "2011-06-18T02:44:01Z")
Do you have an example of where you were singled out for behavior other posters were also guilty of? ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/3 "2011-06-18T03:00:28Z")
zoid, I think there were two warnings issued to CitizenPained yesterday in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13925115&postcount=148), but they can’t be what she’s referring to since she called someone a liar and stupid (obvious insults). There is a recent mod note in that thread as well, but I have no idea where her warning today was. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/4 "2011-06-18T03:03:00Z")
> [@Implicit](#): > > zoid, I think there were two warnings issued to CitizenPained yesterday in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13925115&postcount=148), but they can’t be what she’s referring to since she called someone a liar and stupid (obvious insults). There is a recent mod note in that thread as well, but I have no idea where her warning today was. Please cite specifically where I called someone a liar and said they were stupid. Also, cite where other people were moderated for their commentary. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/5 "2011-06-18T03:07:28Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > Please cite specifically where I called someone a liar and said they were stupid. Also, cite where other people were moderated for their commentary. Thanks. > [@Prop 8 trial update: Walker's ruling upheld](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prop-8-trial-update-walkers-ruling-upheld/585500/145): > > Can I call you a liar for misrepresenting me on purpose? Probably not. So don’t pull that bullshit. It makes you look stupid. Well, the liar part is questionable, so I’ll leave that alone, but it’s pretty clear you called someone stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/6 "2011-06-18T03:07:56Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > Please cite specifically where I called someone a liar and said they were stupid. Also, cite where other people were moderated for their commentary. Thanks. I embedded a link, just click the blue underlined part of my post that says “this thread”. You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/7 "2011-06-18T03:11:17Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Well, the liar part is questionable, so I’ll leave that alone, but it’s pretty clear you called someone stupid. The person kept asserting that I was a homophobic jerk who was oppose to same sex marriage and thought gays could be cured. [ol] [li]homophobic: no[/li][li]jerk: sometimes, but rarely on SD[/li][li]opposed to same sex marriage: nope. [/li][li]thought gays could be ‘cured’: nothing to cure.[/li][/ol] All of those things were known and I’d said in that thread…so…this person kept calling me a bigot (against rules, I think, well, its supposed to be) and I said (again) that calling me _homophobic_ because I don’t agree with someone’s argument makes them _look_ stupid, especially considering their other assertions that I was for opposite-sex marriage only and thought gays were an abomination. Was that person moderated? NOPE. I can’t call someone a _racist_ or _xenophobic_ but someone can call me that shit? Wtf? It’s not the first time it’s happened…where I’ve been called a homophobe because I’ve asserted that a particular argument had logic holes. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/8 "2011-06-18T03:11:56Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > So, since I just got a formal warning, why not just suspend my posting privileges? You’re going to do it anyway. Because someone in the Mod loop suggested giving you yet another chance. Some agreed, some didn’t. You got lucky this time. As to “you’re going to do it anyway,” that’s up to you, not us. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/9 "2011-06-18T03:12:24Z")
> [@Implicit](#): > > I embedded a link, just click the blue underlined part of my post that says “this thread”. You’re welcome. But nothing in your link said that I called anyone a liar or said/implied they were inherently stupid. Do you mind giving a better source or is that all you’ve got? ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/10 "2011-06-18T03:15:32Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Because someone in the Mod loop suggested giving you yet another chance. Some agreed, some didn’t. You got lucky this time. > \*\* > As to “you’re going to do it anyway,” that’s up to you, not us.\*\* That only applies if you have ‘rules’ here. I mean, me? I’m hardly the world’s most jerkish poster. I’m not even in the Top 10 when it comes to insults. I lack the passion of **Dio** or **Bricker** (and the hatred they have of each other) and I don’t make accusations on one’s character as a tactic. I disagree with a mod - usually Marley - and rules are bent so that others can attack me while I’m held up to a ridiculous standard. ---
**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:** [June 18, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/11 "2011-06-18T03:17:52Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > The same rules aren’t applied to other people I’m talking to and seem to be heavily applied when I disagree with a mod in a debate. **YogSothoth** , with whom you were arguing, also received a warning in that thread, for doing the same thing you were doing. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/12 "2011-06-18T03:18:05Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > But nothing in your link said that I called anyone a liar or said/implied they were inherently stupid. > > Do you mind giving a better source or is that all you’ve got? Did you click on the link? I don’t think you clicked on the link. I clicked on the link, did you click on the link? You should click on the link. I mean, it’s right there, you said, right in that link, “It makes you look stupid.” ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/13 "2011-06-18T03:19:49Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > In every thread where I have been ‘warned’, the ‘justice’ is applied unequally. I’ve even been warned for being insulting when I haven’t even crossed SD’s insult criteria. You’ve received four warnings, most of them for personal insults, in the fairly short time since you’ve joined. Most posters here have never received even a single warning. Your warnings have been reviewed by the moderators and the consensus is that you have to change your behavior if you wish to continue to post on this site. > [@](#): > > So, since I just got a formal warning, why not just suspend my posting privileges? You’re going to do it anyway. It was seriously considered, but as **samclem** says it was decided to give you one more chance. It’s really entirely up to you whether you choose to take it or not. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/14 "2011-06-18T03:23:08Z")
I’m not a moderator but here’s my personal advise, one poster to another. Debate the argument not the poster. If somebody says something you feel isn’t true, say “that isn’t true” and explain why. You don’t need to say the person who made the post is a liar. If somebody says something you feel is wrong, say “that is wrong” and explain why. You don’t need to say the person who posted it is stupid. Don’t nitpick over trivial differences between saying somebody did something that made them look stupid and somebody is acting stupid and somebody is stupid. Don’t waste time trying to figure out how close you can get to making a personal insult without crossing some line. If you’re close to a personal insult, step back. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/15 "2011-06-18T03:27:13Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > **YogSothoth** , with whom you were arguing, also received a warning in that thread, for doing the same thing you were doing. Right. Finally. That same BS was allowed in the other pride thread, no? Yeaaaah. Some people here never get warnings, even though the shit they fling is pretty blatant. I guess if I had been here for a long time and was a ‘charter’ member and all that, it would be different. _shrug_ If I seriously don’t contribute to SD and I’m that bad, then please _do_ ban me. I’m open to criticism. I’m not open to being flogged constantly…and then expected to shut up and be cute about it. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/16 "2011-06-18T03:32:13Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’m not a moderator but here’s my personal advise, one poster to another. > > Debate the argument not the poster. > > If somebody says something you feel isn’t true, say “that isn’t true” and explain why. You don’t need to say the person who made the post is a liar. > > If somebody says something you feel is wrong, say “that is wrong” and explain why. You don’t need to say the person who posted it is stupid. > > Don’t nitpick over trivial differences between saying somebody did something that made them look stupid and somebody is acting stupid and somebody is stupid. Don’t waste time trying to figure out how close you can get to making a personal insult without crossing some line. If you’re close to a personal insult, step back. I understand, and I’ve tried to not be so in your face about things. I don’t know your gender, but let’s say you’re in a thread about divorce. And you’re arguing something about custody. And someone disagrees with you and starts calling you a woman-hating rapist sympathizer. You wouldn’t be a little wtf over that? I strongly resent anyone labeling me homophobic when I spent a good chunk of my younger years (geez, I’m only 26, now I feel rather old) going against old-school Democrats, right wing Republicans, unions, etc., _just to prevent a constitutional amendment_. I was part of the Stonewall Democrats caucus. edit: That is not the mark of a homophobe or supports-ssm-by-natural rights philosophy-proxy. Yogosoth either conveniently forgot that part or just chose to ignore it to fling an insult. Fuck that. We say things like…“That seems…” or “That is stupid” every day. but if i report people’s BS, rarely does anything happen. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/17 "2011-06-18T03:35:24Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > But nothing in your link said that I called anyone a liar or said/implied they were inherently stupid. > > Do you mind giving a better source or is that all you’ve got? See, that’s not really the way this works. When you start an ATMB thread questioning a mod action, the expectation is that you will link and/or copy/past the relevant posts, and others will weigh in on whether the mod action was warranted, or not. Sometimes mods make mistakes. And sometimes they reverse controversial decisions when persuaded that they have made a mistake. People that argue calmly, with citations to the relevant posts, rules, and sometimes prior instances are generally more successful than those who take an aggressive/insulting stance. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/18 "2011-06-18T03:41:19Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > See, that’s not really the way this works. When you start an ATMB thread questioning a mod action, the expectation is that you will link and/or copy/past the relevant posts, and others will weigh in on whether the mod action was warranted, or not. Sometimes mods make mistakes. And sometimes they reverse controversial decisions when persuaded that they have made a mistake. People that argue calmly, with citations to the relevant posts, rules, and sometimes prior instances are generally more successful than those who take an aggressive/insulting stance. Well, I got a PM from a mod without links, otherwise I’d copy and paste. But since the latest cited infraction was the kicker, the citation posted works as the point of contention. I have asked in ATMB about rules before, and it appeared that rules were at the discretion of the mods. Since mods can’t and don’t recuse themselves or pretend to be impartial, it’s only logical to assume that if I disagree with a mod, I’m more likely to get warned. Once I was chided for inquiring about one’s reading capabilities. I was new. But in every case after where someone _did the exact same thing to me_, it was never checked. Even if I reported it. I haven’t kept a log of every post I’ve reported, though. That would be odd. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/19 "2011-06-18T03:42:49Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > See, that’s not really the way this works. When you start an ATMB thread questioning a mod action, the expectation is that you will link and/or copy/past the relevant posts, and others will weigh in on whether the mod action was warranted, or not. Sometimes mods make mistakes. And sometimes they reverse controversial decisions when persuaded that they have made a mistake. People that argue calmly, with citations to the relevant posts, rules, and sometimes prior instances are generally more successful than those who take an aggressive/insulting stance. Also, with that, when someone answers your question with something along the lines of “well, you called another poster stupid in this thread” with a link to the specific post, you can’t deny that you did it. People will simply stop taking you seriously when you do that and frankly, it’s a bit infuriating. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905/20 "2011-06-18T03:45:01Z")
I like having new blood around and I don’t think I am alone on this. It mixes up what can otherwise be stale discussions. If you are really open to feedback, then **LittleNemo** ’s post is about all you need. You can pretty much say whatever you want as long as it is not directed at a poster. If you can you remember that rule when you’re angry, then you’ll be golden. > [@CitizenPained](#): > > Yogosoth either conveniently forgot that part or just chose to ignore it to fling an insult. **Yogosoth** got a warning. I’m not sure what the problem is here. If you reported the post, the warning might have come even faster. **Marley** is one of the more patient mods this board has had. If you are running afoul of him, then you might need a slight adjustment. I hope this sounds encouraging, because that is how I mean it. It is nice to have some new perspective in GD. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-just-ban-people-you-dont-like-agree-with-outright/585905.md?page=2)