4141

Yup, I mentioned this at the time the registration rules were changed. Anyone else agree that we should ask Tom to reinstate a delay between registration and first posting? It would keep out some of the bored individuals that you refer to, as well as encouraging people to lurk a bit before participating. 2 weeks? a month?

On a side note: Just noticed there are 39200 registered users and Tom’s rules have been viewed 35800 times. Hmmm. Does that mean new users aren’t even reading the rules anymore?

4142

I agree enough to have already done that a month ago. He answered he might. More people asking for it might persuade him to do it.

Does that mean new users aren’t even reading the rules anymore?
There’s a lot of banned bots and alts and people who never posted. Why would they read the rules? Also, most members probably have never read the rules. Who reads manuals? Most of the ones who do generally read them probably also assume that they’re just the same here as anywhere else, why read yet another canned vBulletin rule post?

Most importantly, just behaving like you do around other people in real life will serve you just fine here, no rule reading necessary.

Finally, many people have viewed the rules multiple times over the years as e.g. they have changed many times. The views are not counted only once per user as far as I know.

4143

So what you’re saying, Tim, is that you love racists and child beaters! And you seemed like such a nice guy! I certainly hope you never run across a child who’s not white - you’d put a whuppin’ on him so fast…

4144

I agree with this guy.

Because the simple fact of the matter is that it’s just another excuse for these bumbling bees to gleefully swarm somebody like a bunch of cackling jackals.

But Octonoo, that guy deserves it because…

SSSHHHHEEEEYYYYEEEEEET!

There’s a popular thread in this very forum that is primarily about people discussing and admitting to their illegal drug activities.

Any “genuine outrage” there by these goons?

HAW! HAW! HAW!

I wonder what will happen if I go in there and do to those crooks what was done to that Munky Ass character…

I doubt my “diplomatic immunity” would get me anywhere and I would probably be banned.

But do you think any of these chunks will come running to my defense?

HAW! HAW! HAW!

I am pleased Tom put a stop to it by banning motherfuckers and telling people to cool out. That’s why I say that the moderation on these boards is excellent. And I mean it.

Yes, I like his moderation style, too.

Even if the hypocrites win and he caves in and bans me.

Despite all the complaining, bellyaching, Octonoo Love, and “Fee Fi Foe Fum, I smell the crud of a Dungsromun” rhetoric, the simple fact is that it all comes down to this:

THE “VETERAN” TROLLS DO NOT LIKE HAVING THEIR LANDS POACHED…

4145

4146

That’s probably a reference to this post when you used a homophobic slur.

4147

So who writes the rules about which behaviors we, as a whole community, are willing to tolerate and which we aren’t? You admit to smoking up on a very regular basis. What if said group decides that pot smoking is not acceptable. Are you still on board with playing forum morality cop?

4148

Lynch, that poster is completely unacceptable. I would never wear pink pants, especially with a blue shirt. Also, my hair is not that long any more.

4149

I can dig people not being okay with smoking pot. But it’s fucking astounding that there seems to be a group of people who are okay with child abuse and racism.

Blows. My. Fucking. Mind.

What I do to myself is my business. But when it starts involving innocents and random people, then it’s a problem that extends farther than the individual.

4150

Dude, SERIOUSLY. Aren’t you in college? Haven’t you learned about straw men in a rhetoric class or something? NO ONE HERE IS OKAY WITH CHILD ABUSE AND RACISM. Well, Spatzi’s okay with racism, but he’s an exception.

The only issue is how the board and Tom have responded to alleged child abuse and racism. But you know that already. You’re just being intellectually dishonest. And bullshit like your post, and the one accusing Tim of thinking that racists and child abusers are the pillars of society, are why it’s hard to have a productive discussion. You’re just making things worse.

4151

You really can’t make a distinction? Are you high or something?

Seriously, do you think this group is likely to take the same view of pot smoking as it does of racism? Or software piracy to pick a less charged subject?

EDIT: What do I win for a post composed entirely of questions?

4152

And here comes to problem right here; you can’t really split the two from each other. If you’re okay with those people frequenting the board and posting about that, and not okay with people calling them out on it, you’re supporting the initial poster’s problem.

In fact, the exact same situation that Warren outlined can be applied. Warren gives me shit every time he possibly can to make fun of the fact that I smoke pot. He brought it out in almost every other thread for a small stint. Nothing ever happened to him.

Now, smoking pot is obviously not anywhere near the same level of severity of illegal activity as, I don’t know, beating your children, but when someone called him out on the same level Warren or anyone else who harassed others for their pot smoking, shouldn’t the same rules be applied to them? Well they weren’t.

I’m not saying we need to outlaw all discussion of illegal activities, but if it is okay for Warren to rail against those who smoke, it should be fine for others to rail against people who beat their kids.

4153

Chasing people around on a forum is not going to change their behavior. I think most of this is done so that the chasers can feel good about themselves. Some of us don’t feel it necessary to tell someone who may be a child abuser that “hey, guess what? I’m sure you never knew this but abusing children is bad” probably we assume they already know that child abusing is bad.

And other people think they should be rewarded for finding racists. Wow, you found a racist, here’s your achievement “Racist Hunter”. Who the hell cares? I don’t care and I’ve been a victim of racists. There’s no need to keep publicly patting yourself on the back for exposing yet another racist. Like that’s going to do anything about race relations in this world. The overreaction to racism is not resulting in progression in the discussion of racism.

It’s ridiculous. I totally support Tom in this. Had everyone just ignored spazi, the thread would have died a quick death.

4154

Actually, I think Warren made a damn good point. Hell, pick ANY two examples of behavior that might not be universally accepted here. Who DOES get to decide which things are okay to discuss and which ones deserve the full opprobrium of forum police? No two people are going to agree completely on what’s okay and what’s not; I was shocked to learn that the ultimate racial slur apparently is okay around here (oh, wait - in the right “context”). What if someone starts a thread titled “Tell us how you shoot up (that’s interesting)”? It’s still illegal drug use. Will the thread be locked? Will some posters swoop down with righteous fury on the OP? Who the hell knows? Should we care?

4155

I’d prefer that we are able to discuss anything, but in order for that to happen, some people need to get over their hangups.

4156

In the end, it’s Tom’s decisions. And by continuing to post here, we agree that it’s Tom’s decisions. I can’t see any other way of doing this unless and until Tom decides to spread the moderation duties.

4157

Based on track record what you’re really saying is that everyone needs to start thinking the same way that you do. That’s not going to happen. People are different and their opinions on what they will and will not accept will never align in a large group setting. It’s not realistic. And they aren’t “hang ups”. It would be more accurate to call them “beliefs”.

4158

Lorini, can you name someone here who’s arguing that “chasing people around on a forum” will stop them from being child abusers or racists? 'Cause that’s certainly not what I’m arguing, and I don’t think it’s what other people are claiming either.

Instead, I think the issue is really more that they don’t want the community to be accepting of racists and child abusers. I may not be able to change their ways, but that doesn’t mean I have to want to hang out with them.

The message that’s being sent is that if you’re an outspoken racist or child abuser or whatever, you’re apparently a more valued member of the community than someone who’s appalled by your stances.

The biggest crime here is making a fuss about someone else, and that’s just kind of fucked up. Trolling and bad behavior are fine, but responding is right out.

You can dress it up in some noble bullshit about preventing people from ganging up on weaker members, but it’s not really clear to me that we need to be protecting the delicate feelings of racists and trolls who show up solely to rile up other posters and argue in bad faith.

4159

What? Based on what track record? I don’t give a shit what people believe in (Which is pretty obvious), or what they discuss (Because I discuss whatever I want to), but they have to expect that anything they say on here is going to bring out an unfavorable response from someone else on the site, and they need to be prepared for that.

Once we get rid of the white knights who are trying to hold up the standard for the ‘little man’, then we might see some positive progression on this site.

4160

If you really believe that then you must not be paying attention to what you post. You routinely advise people to “lighten up” and/or “get over it” or similar things in that vein. You very much care what people believe, although admittedly you do it selectively and usually only when said person is contradicting or disagreeing with you.

“Because I discuss whatever I want to”

Yeah, we all do that. It’s the internet. There’s no merit badge for bravery to be earned there.