# Why was MSWAS warned? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 26, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781 "2009-08-26T16:22:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/21 "2009-08-26T16:56:47Z")
Twickster has been a bit heavy on the trigger finger lately. Maybe she’s going through some personal problems or something like that. I know that such things can affect my behavior. There’s almost no other explanation because she is a very bright woman. She knows (or should know) that this was a wrong decision. We’ll see whether she digs in her heels or “mans up” about it, and rightly admits her error. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/22 "2009-08-26T16:57:14Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > So being sad about Mary Jo Kopechne is a delusion now? And people say that _I_ am condescending. > > It’s interesting and very telling to me that caring about Mary Jo Kopechne is ‘stupid’. > > The woman is about to be completely forgotten by history. That’s not sad to you? As i said, i’m not interested in discussing that issue here. Start a thread about it in the Pit or GD or wherever, and i’ll be happy to give you my opinion. My only reason for coming to this forum was to complain about the moderating decisions taken over your thread. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/23 "2009-08-26T16:57:53Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > As i said, i’m not interested in discussing that issue here. Start a thread about it in the Pit or GD or wherever, and i’ll be happy to give you my opinion. I guess you missed the point of this thread. I would get banned if I did it. > [@](#): > > My only reason for coming to this forum was to complain about the moderating decisions taken over your thread. Yes, I see that. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/24 "2009-08-26T17:00:36Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Have you been baiting people in several other unrelated threads in the last week or so? If no, then you _are_ different than **mswas** IMO. I haven’t been baiting people in other threads actually. They have been baiting me. I started a thread making fun of Rush Limbaugh and [this woman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYlZiWK2Iy8) and got piled on. Specifically because **Twickster** overzealously moderated it and sent it to the Pit. Then one thread in GD which originally started as a pit thread of me, I was asked to post elsewhere, and I did only to have the OP start talking trash about me and the specific issue he asked me not to discuss. So sorry, I have not been baiting anyone. They have been baiting me. If you want to refer to my debate with **Rubystreak** on honor killings, well we got heated and then we both pealed off, so that’s HARDLY baiting. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/25 "2009-08-26T17:01:33Z")
Lame warning, lame locking. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/26 "2009-08-26T17:02:21Z")
1. I am removing the warning. It is possible that **mswas** truly thought that what he was posting was appropriate for that forum. **mswas** , note that this leaves you with three other warnings against you and several moderators who are losing patience with your shenanigans. 2. I’m leaving the thread locked. Should I have moved it? Perhaps – but I don’t want **mswas** to get into the habit of starting threads in MPSIMS that he knows will evoke strong reactions from other posters. **mswas** , it might behoove you to review forum descriptions before you start any more threads. 3. If anyone wishes to start a Pit thread on any issues associated with Teddy Kennedy, I hope he or she will feel free to do so. If someone wishes to post in MPSIMS about Teddy Kennedy, he or she should keep it civil. 4. The “you let it go with Falwell” defense won’t fly – I wasn’t a mod then, and if I had been, I wouldn’t have allowed nasty attacks on him in MPSIMS. Hope this addresses all the questions and comments directed at me. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/27 "2009-08-26T17:05:15Z")
Thanks for your response. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/28 "2009-08-26T17:07:31Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > 1. I am removing the warning. It is possible that **mswas** truly thought that what he was posting was appropriate for that forum. **mswas** , note that this leaves you with three other warnings against you and several moderators who are losing patience with your shenanigans. Ahh how sweet. I don’t care if **Tomndebb** is getting tired of my shenanigans. His last warning was totally out of line. If you disagree that’s fine, but I am not going to pretend I believe it was warranted. > [@](#): > > 1. I’m leaving the thread locked. Should I have moved it? Perhaps – but I don’t want **mswas** to get into the habit of starting threads in MPSIMS that he knows will evoke strong reactions from other posters. **mswas** , it might behoove you to review forum descriptions before you start any more threads. Where else should I have put it? I didn’t want to start a Pit thread. > [@](#): > > 1. If anyone wishes to start a Pit thread on any issues associated with Teddy Kennedy, I hope he or she will feel free to do so. If someone wishes to post in MPSIMS about Teddy Kennedy, he or she should keep it civil. So really there is a special rule for me? Just like Great Debates huh? If I want to have a civil discussion about Mary Jo Kopechne what forum should I post that in? > [@](#): > > 1. The “you let it go with Falwell” defense won’t fly – I wasn’t a mod then, and if I had been, I wouldn’t have allowed nasty attacks on him in MPSIMS. Of course it won’t. Jerry Falwell was an evil bad man, and Ted Kennedy was a benighted saint. > [@](#): > > Hope this addresses all the questions and comments directed at me. Yes, you are removing the warning but still censoring the topic. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/29 "2009-08-26T17:08:57Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > 1. The “you let it go with Falwell” defense won’t fly – I wasn’t a mod then, and if I had been, I wouldn’t have allowed nasty attacks on him in MPSIMS. > > Hope this addresses all the questions and comments directed at me. True, you were not a mod then, but that thread does serve as precedent for MPSIMS threads critical of recently deceased conservatives. If you’re going to unilaterally change the established rules of the forum, you need to announce the changes first before attempting to enforce them. Your position is equivalent to me becoming a Judge and deciding I won’t follow _Miranda v. Arizona_ because I wasn’t a Judge when it was decided. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/30 "2009-08-26T17:09:30Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > 1. I am removing the warning. It is possible that **mswas** truly thought that what he was posting was appropriate for that forum. **mswas** , note that this leaves you with three other warnings against you and several moderators who are losing patience with your shenanigans. > > 2. I’m leaving the thread locked. Should I have moved it? Perhaps – but I don’t want **mswas** to get into the habit of starting threads in MPSIMS that he knows will evoke strong reactions from other posters. **mswas** , it might behoove you to review forum descriptions before you start any more threads. > > 3. If anyone wishes to start a Pit thread on any issues associated with Teddy Kennedy, I hope he or she will feel free to do so. If someone wishes to post in MPSIMS about Teddy Kennedy, he or she should keep it civil. > > 4. The “you let it go with Falwell” defense won’t fly – I wasn’t a mod then, and if I had been, I wouldn’t have allowed nasty attacks on him in MPSIMS. 1. Fair enough. Thankyou. 2. Fair enough. Thankyou. 3. Fair enough. Thankyou. 4. Not good enough. This might not be your fault, in particular, but the membership has a right to expect some level of consistency in the way forums are moderated, and in the way particular types of topics are dealt with on this board. Some people posted “nasty attacks” on Jerry Falwell in MPSIMS when he died, and those were allowed to stand, and the fact that you weren’t a Mod then doesn’t completely absolve you from the need to demonstrate some consistency. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/31 "2009-08-26T17:10:12Z")
Of all the moddings I disagree with. I think this is the most unfair. I’m not satisfied that the thread is still closed. It sucks, it’s partisan bullshit. It sucks. I want to know what forum I can post it in other than The Pit or Great Debates. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/32 "2009-08-26T17:12:52Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Of all the moddings I disagree with. I think this is the most unfair. > > I’m not satisfied that the thread is still closed. > > It sucks, it’s partisan bullshit. It sucks. > > I want to know what forum I can post it in other than The Pit or Great Debates. You’re just making yourself look really bad now. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/33 "2009-08-26T17:17:10Z")
Twickster, seriously. What’s up? Why can’t people post in MPSIMS about mindles pointless shit? I thought that was what that forum was all about? And what forum is it that you moderate anyway? Your tussle with me, where you mistakenly assumed that I disliked Giraffe, was in THIS forum. I would just point out that sometimes it isn’t just the membership who can be “trouble makers”. (Mswas, you should really just log off for a while now. Trust me.) ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/34 "2009-08-26T17:18:03Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > You’re just making yourself look really bad now. What is this obsession with appearances around here? I don’t give a fuck about appearances. I want to know what forum besides the Pit and Great Debates I can post a civil discussion about Mary Jo Kopechne in? If I don’t get a response I am going to post it in IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/35 "2009-08-26T17:21:56Z")
I posted it in IMHO. If it gets moved to the Pit or locked again, I guess that just means that this forum’s moderation is purely on partisan terms. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/36 "2009-08-26T17:23:13Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I don’t care if **Tomndebb** is getting tired of my shenanigans. His last warning was totally out of line. If you disagree that’s fine, but I am not going to pretend I believe it was warranted. You don’t have to believe it was warranted, and I don’t want to delve into whatever history you have in Great Debates, but it would be a good idea to keep the mods’ views in mind. **twickster** did not refer only to **tomndebb**. > [@](#): > > Where else should I have put it? I didn’t want to start a Pit thread. We’re fine with some political discussions in MPSIMS, but a topic about Mary Jo Kopechne was bound to get too heated for that forum. (That’s particularly true on the day Kennedy died.) You may not have seen it, but **twickster** had already said attacks on Kennedy should go in the Pit. ([http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11486241#post11486241](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11486241#post11486241)) You may not have wanted to put the thread in the Pit, but if that’s the right place, that’s where it should go. > [@](#): > > So really there is a special rule for me? This is nearly the opposite of what she said. > [@](#): > > Jerry Falwell was an evil bad man, and Ted Kennedy was a benighted saint. You were already asked to drop this in MPSIMS, now I’m asking you to drop it here. You can Pit the man if you want. If you don’t, there is also a thread in Great Debates. There were already two active threads about Kennedy before you posted yours, I point out. > [@](#): > > Yes, you are removing the warning but still censoring the topic. We have different forums for different types of threads. The topic is not out of bounds, it’s just not for MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/37 "2009-08-26T17:25:40Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > True, you were not a mod then, but that thread does serve as precedent for MPSIMS threads critical of recently deceased conservatives. If you’re going to unilaterally change the established rules of the forum, you need to announce the changes first before attempting to enforce them. Your position is equivalent to me becoming a Judge and deciding I won’t follow _Miranda v. Arizona_ because I wasn’t a Judge when it was decided. > [@mhendo](#): > > 1. Not good enough. This might not be your fault, in particular, but the membership has a right to expect some level of consistency in the way forums are moderated, and in the way particular types of topics are dealt with on this board. Some people posted “nasty attacks” on Jerry Falwell in MPSIMS when he died, and those were allowed to stand, and the fact that you weren’t a Mod then doesn’t completely absolve you from the need to demonstrate some consistency. These points are fair. Perhaps while **gfactor** sorts out what’s appropriate in the Pit, the MPSIMS mod should consider the flip side of that issue – how harsh is too harsh. > [@Liberal](#): > > Twickster, seriously. What’s up? Why can’t people post in MPSIMS about mindles pointless shit? I thought that was what that forum was all about? There’s mindless and pointless, and then there’s nasty and extremely pointed. If you wish to bash a public figure, we have a venue for that, the Pit. Take it there. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/38 "2009-08-26T17:26:00Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > 1. If anyone wishes to start a Pit thread on any issues associated with Teddy Kennedy, I hope he or she will feel free to do so. If someone wishes to post in MPSIMS about Teddy Kennedy, he or she should keep it civil. This is a new precedent. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9623213&postcount=38](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9623213&postcount=38) **Dex** said that it is within the rules to be critical in a memorial thread for a celebrity (as opposed to one about a family member or personal friend of the OP.) ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/39 "2009-08-26T17:26:13Z")
Well I put it in IMHO, you can move it. If you move it to the Pit I will ask for it to be closed by **GFactor**. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781/40 "2009-08-26T17:27:00Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > There’s mindless and pointless, and then there’s nasty and extremely pointed. If you wish to bash a public figure, we have a venue for that, the Pit. Take it there. See my post above. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-mswas-warned/507781.md?page=3)