(06-12-2025 11:18 AM)tanqtonic Wrote: (06-12-2025 10:36 AM)Frizzy Owl Wrote: You have a valid point - why is the board moderator, of all people, criticizing the people calling out a poster for ad-hominem more than he's criticizing the one posting ad-hominem? Not that it rises to the level of moderator action required or anything - but, still, the moderator siding with the person posting ad-hominem is not a good look.
It doesnt, but good to point that out.
In Ham's defense (amazing that, coming from me) Ham is private individual. Who posts here. And happens to be moderator.
I think the better issue is if Ham sided with a flagrant ad hom in that manner.
On a light one like this, imo Ham has every right to be in his 'private person' mode. And I think it proper to read his comment there, given the lightness, as that of his private view.
If not, I would hazard a guess that Ham shouldnt respond to a full 15 - 20% of comments at all. Which really doesnt seem equitable. I wouldnt want the above to be normalizing Ham being disallowed to be speaking in his private mode.
Of course, this post might be a violation in the strictest sense of commenting on mod policies. And if so, absolutely glad to take the warning ding.
You are 100% correct that this is technically a violation... really by both of you.... and also perhaps for me to respond in line like this... but rather than delete these comments and warn or reply privately... I am doing it this way... as I have done before.
Tanq... I appreciate and acknowledge your correct observations above.
The reality is that if I actually moderated the commentary on here by ANY strict standard, There MIGHT be two posters on here... and I wouldn't be one of them. The reality is that I have sufficient violations to ban almost everyone on here... and though as an honest person, I'd have to ban myself as well... there is NO requirement that I do so. No other moderators (nor a few of you that I've asked to) will TOUCH this forum... for a number of reasons... among them:
We aren't paid or compensated in any way. Time spent moderating this forum is time NOT spent enjoying it.
Lots of us know each other... and sometimes I've had to moderate 'friends'... and that CAN impact friendships. While some of you may feel unknown on this forum, I do not at all.
Many people like to 'victimize' themselves... they 'attack' moderators as posters and then if we switch from poster to mod, they decry the 'power trip'.... which makes posting not at all enjoyable.
That said... and THIS is important...
Forums like this one have nothing to do with the main focus of this site... for which the owner has limited ways that he monetizes it to fund it. If he sold it like he COULD... you'd see ads galore... so it is greatly appreciated that he doesn't do that. Even so, there are SOME things that become red flags for his sponsors... and we try to keep it down or limited.
If you want to report an ad-hom attack... feel free to... and I will put on my moderator cap and consider it.... but don't do it in a 'post'. That's a LITERAL AND CLEAR violation of the AUP and not what moderators respond to. There is a 'report' button on every post. This doesn't mean you can't accuse someone of engaging in ad hom as part of a post.... just don't do it as an attempt to 'report' it. Also though, I am able to determine without a report that I think someone has violated the rules... or not. I have lots of discretion.
The purpose of moderation on here is to encourage constructive debate.... but because we don't have many posters, I tend not to aggressively discourage 'not' constructive debate. I think that's fair. Not every post and certainly not every word need be constructive for that to be the case.... but I can also get tired of the BS... and of course I am more aware of posts responding to me than I am at others... and I let people get away with clear violations, in part because they were directed at me... and I don't want to be 'reactive' as a mod... but it also means I allow myself to be reactive at a poster.... and I'm not going to investigate or argue about 'who started' something. If I think it's bad enough, I'll just STOP it.
If you feel personally attacked and you want to report it... feel free. Some on here have gotten away with 'racist' supporting comments... but be warned that it is much easier for me to ban people than to 'keep up' with their collective warnings. at well below 100% warning, your posts become where nobody can see them until I personally approve them. I'm not doing that.
So really, I'd just say... pretend you're actually in the quad, and don't say anything on here you wouldn't say to that person's face. Give them the courtesy of suspecting they are a Rice grad... and generally here with constructive intent. It's a MODERATORS job to decide that someone has stepped over that line... and you can impact that by reporting it to me. I don't necessarily read the 'intent' that you might... and I don't read every post... and if you or anyone else responds to that troubling post, I will now have to decide if I am thwarting debate by removing an entire POST AND RESPONSES as opposed to just that one comment.
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Antisemitism grades
