Why aren't you banning severe insults?

Since I haven't received an answer regarding my inquiry about Ban Appeals, I am moving the discussion here. This follows the guidance from the admin and sub-mod, who clarified that the specific appeal thread isn't meant for discussing content issues, but rather for contesting bans that we believe were issued unfairly.

So, I’m opening this thread in the hope that someone will finally address my concerns. When I first brought this up, I was met with total silence, and months upon months have slipped by without a word...

For context, here is my previous post from the Ban Appeals thread:

"To the moderation team, I have a few questions: do you actually receive reports when a user is flagged, and what specific criteria do you use to issue a ban to a forum member? Does a report carry less weight if the person reporting isn't one of your favorites? Furthermore, does a report become invalid if the person being reported happens to be using logical arguments that align with your own political or ideological views—effectively allowing them to get away with insults? Are other users permitted to call someone a "total zero" or similar insults? In the past, people have been banned for much less than blatant verbal abuse, yet this behavior has persisted for days without any action, even though I have submitted multiple reports that have sat unaddressed for well over the standard 48-hour window...

http://www.cnn.com/showpost.php?p=8...postcount=6043

Regardless of how much I might agree with that individual's political stance, or how much I disagree with the person they are attacking, I cannot accept the fact that a member is being brutally insulted and belittled while remaining unpunished. And this isn't an isolated incident. I truly don't understand where the confusion lies, or if the rest of us are now expected to adopt this kind of vocabulary and tell people they are "absolute zeros" too.

If that isn't the case, then please clarify which members have a blank check to insult and disparage others.

To reiterate: I simply do not understand who has the right to call another person a "total zero," and under what circumstances. Is it because they have valid points, or because their opinion happens to mirror the moderators' views? I have reported this specific post at least five times; it is statistically impossible that not a single moderator noticed it.

Additionally, regarding the female user in question, I started a separate thread here: http://www.cnn.com/showthread.php?t=1191025
In that thread, she explicitly claims that women are more intelligent, capable, and resilient than men. I find myself wondering how I would be treated if I were to argue the opposite—that men are stronger, smarter, or better organized, for instance...

Essentially, one post was a direct insult to a fellow member, while the other was outright chauvinism against men.

So, please, enlighten me as to your banning criteria and identify who is granted permission to verbally assault others. I'd like to add those individuals to my ignore list so I can avoid engaging with them and prevent receiving arbitrary bans myself.

☕

That first link isn't working for me; I'm guessing you might have just copied and pasted it from some old message or a previous post instead of grabbing the direct URL.

Alright, I've gone ahead and fixed that; hopefully, everything should be functioning correctly now.

The second link is also working as intended.

Okay Nick, it’s already been four days.

Where did things get stuck? I feel like everything is pretty straightforward at this point...

Will someone finally give me an answer as to why you haven't posted those entries for the filing department? I mean, I don't see how complicated this task is supposed to be; you have all the evidence right there, the questions are perfectly valid, and there isn't even a hint of provocation in them...

Look, Nick,

Since you clearly can't move past whatever is written in red in your signature—given that even after a month you still haven't managed a decent rebuttal—I’m going to pass on discussing politics. I have absolutely no interest in debating anyone who thinks it's acceptable to belittle others or use chauvinistic insults against people based on their gender.

From that specific female user here, to that Katherine from Cleveland who sends people off at 3 PM by calling them idiots and morons, down to bluecyclist64 who insists everyone else is a fascist and acts like some old-fashioned bully.

People like you shouldn't be here; decent folks just don't want anything to do with this kind of behavior...

Jamie Williams6 said:Alright, Nick,

It’s clear that whatever is written in red in your signature is still eating away at you. Even after a full month, you haven't been able to formulate a decent response. Honestly, feel free to move this political discussion to a separate thread. I have absolutely no interest in debating anyone who feels entitled to belittle others or resorts to sexist insults to make a point. I'm opting out.

It’s quite a spectacle, really. You have everything from that one woman who acts like she’s some kind of high-powered executive out of Cleveland—sending people on errands at 3 PM and calling them idiots or morons just because they aren't moving fast enough—to that guy, bluecyclist64, who spends his entire day labeling everyone a fascist and behaving like some outdated, stubborn relic from a bygone era.

People like you don't exactly make it easy for the rest of us to want to engage. Honestly, decent society doesn't have much room for that kind of attitude.

I notice that nobody seems to be calling you out on this, so I figured I’d at least offer a word of caution: it isn't particularly noble to spread falsehoods.
What kind of infantile slander is this, claiming that I label everyone a fascist? Honestly, if I were to call my friends, like Kiss or Katherine, fascists, I might as well just slit my own throat and jump into a canyon. Actually, forget the canyon—I’d probably just crawl into a hole and die of pure, unadulterated shame.🙈
It isn’t polite to insult the drivers, even those bringing up the rear.🙂
I realize it might be difficult to focus on your monitor and keyboard through all those tears, but do me a favor and be a gentleman: tell me exactly when I ever called you a fascist. Can we do that?😒

Jamie Williams6 said:So they’re doubling down on it. I honestly don't get who thinks they have the right to call someone a complete nobody, or under what circumstances that's okay. Is it just because they have actual arguments, or maybe because they happen to agree with whatever the moderator thinks about the topic? I’ve reported that specific user at least five times now, so I find it hard to believe that none of the mods have even noticed.

I guess that’s just how things work on internet forums, especially since people aren't using their real names. It might be best to just ignore posts like that.

John Palmer9 said:That’s just how forum communication works when people aren't using their real names. Honestly, you're better off just ignoring posts like that.

That's just not true. If 95% of the people on this board posted that kind of insult, they'd be slapped with a ban for anywhere from a day to a month depending on which moderator caught them.
But apparently, the other 5% get a free pass,
I saw the moderator rustydrifter10 immediately ask for a valid link, but once she realized it was about Me, she basically ghosted this thread for two months. It's like she either doesn't want to hand out a penalty or she just can't figure out how to justify letting such blatant insults slide.

gentlestag15 said:that’s just not true; I think if 95% of the people on this forum acted like that, they'd probably get slapped with a ban lasting anywhere from a day to a month, depending on which moderator was on duty for those insults left above.
And then there's that other 5% who seem to get away with pretty much anything.
I guess you can see how the moderator rustydrifter10 immediately asked for a valid link, but once she realized it was about Me, she basically ghosted this thread for almost two months now—maybe because she doesn't want to, or maybe she just doesn't know how to justify letting such harsh insults slide.

That’s a separate issue, really—why some people get a red card or a ban and have their posts wiped while others don't.

But generally speaking, I suppose you shouldn't let insults get to you too much; it's better to just ignore them. It feels a lot worse when the moderators start handing out red cards or bans unfairly, or when they just decide to delete a post.

Of course she isn't saying anything. There’s simply nothing left to defend when her track record on this forum is a total blank slate—and honestly, 99% of the other users here would be in the exact same position. It was pretty transparent, too: she asks for the link, realizes exactly who she's dealing with, and then suddenly pulls a disappearing act.

Sugar and the rest of the crew—including the admins—are keeping their mouths shut, too.

If everyone is ignoring you, it’s because they all think you're just being dramatic for no reason.
Reporting a post doesn't mean an automatic penalty for the person being reported.

bluecyclist64 said:It seems like nobody’s calling you out on this—which, frankly, is a bit much—so I figured I’d at least step in and give you a heads-up: lying just isn't a good look...
What kind of infantile slander is this—claiming that I go around calling everyone a fascist? For crying out loud, if I actually called my friends Kiss or Katherine fascists... well, I might as well just slit my own throat and jump off a bridge... To hell with the Fords—honestly, I’d be so incredibly embarrassed I’d probably go hide out in a deep canyon in the middle of nowhere...🙈
It’s just plain bad manners to insult the driver—even if they're the very last one left on the road...🙂
Look, I know it’s probably hard to focus on the screen or even find your keyboard through all those tears, but do me a favor—just be a decent human being for once and tell me exactly when I ever called you a fascist. Can we just do that? ...😒

Can you seriously not just step away from the political outrage cycle for five minutes and stop making light of the victims of anti-fascist and communist terror? Honestly...

Or maybe what you’re actually trying to say is that Hades is just some fairy tale cooked up by a bunch of ultra-nationalist fanatics?...

Of course nobody says a word when they’re making a complete mess of things on the other side—or, to put it more bluntly, as Joe Biden so colorfully put it, they aren't looking out for us, they're just looking out for themselves...

Is there some unwritten rule I missed, or is this whole "us versus them" mentality actually the fundamental operating principle for this forum and its moderators?

Casey Bennett said:If everyone is just brushing you off, it means they all think you're just being dramatic for no reason.
Reporting a post doesn't mean an automatic penalty for the person being reported.

Now, that rule only applies when you aren't reporting one of "your own."

In reality, any post reported by someone on "their side" gets sanctioned 99.9% of the time.

I’m speaking from direct, firsthand experience here—as a victim who is constantly ignored and dismissed... someone whose threads are being shut down without any valid explanation (or with explanations that make absolutely zero sense) because of the relentless bullying I have to endure from one specific "loyal" moderator.

Honestly, coming back to this forum feels like being transported straight back to the days of the Soviet Union and its communist dictatorship.

rustydrifter10 said:The first link isn't working for me—you probably just copy-pasted it from some old message or post instead of grabbing the direct URL.

Look, my links were all perfectly fine, but you clearly weren't interested in actually reading what they said.

You’re still digging your heels in on these wrong decisions and explanations that just don't hold any water...

My apologies for having to reach out indirectly just to get a word in, but since you locked my complaints so I can't even reply to you properly...

Jeffrey Adams said:All my links were working fine, though I guess you weren't really interested in what they actually said anyway.

I guess you're still doubling down on those wrong calls and explanations that just don't really hold up.

Sorry I have to reach out this way just to get back to you, but since you closed my complaints, I guess I can't really reply directly.

That's true... it’s a shame that free speech feels so restricted on this platform, because I guess it makes it hard to have a calm, objective conversation about some of our own historical events and phenomena. There’s this story about Joco Cvijanovic—an opera singer who was also a priest for the local Orthodox Church—who ended up being executed by the state-run oil company during that era. It’s pretty wild to think about how they managed to wipe out an entire clergy like that; I guess you could say it's the only church in world history to have its entire leadership systematically murdered. I guess there were those cases back in 1945 where Italians from Cleveland were killed simply because they wanted the city to stay part of Italy.

Jeffrey Adams said:Can't you just resist the urge to mock the victims of anti-fascist or communist terror on this platform?

Or are you suggesting that the mass graves from the era of totalitarianism are just some fabrication invented by "fascists"?

Of course, nobody says a word when people are being trashed on the other side of the aisle—or, as Joe Biden might put it, not against our people, but against yours.

Is this "us versus them" mentality actually the fundamental rule governing this forum and its moderators?

And why are you even chiming in? I didn't ask for your opinion.
I’ll wait for a response from someone else who enjoys spinning falsehoods.

Jeffrey Adams said:This rule only seems to apply when the post isn't reported by one of "your" people.

In 99.9% of cases, any post flagged by "them" gets sanctioned immediately.

I'm speaking from personal experience here. I am a victim of being ignored and dismissed; my threads are shut down without valid explanation or under flimsy excuses, all because of the constant harassment I endure from one of "your" moderators.

Coming to this forum has brought me right back to the days of the Soviet Union and its communist dictatorship.

Is there any safe haven for victims of forum-based totalitarianism, particularly those stemming from communist regimes?🤔

John Palmer9 said:Exactly... it's a shame that free speech is so restricted in the History section, making it impossible to have a calm, objective discussion about various historical events and phenomena, such as historical-atrocities-archive.com/2021/02/28/opera-singer-priest-executed-by-communist-regime or the cases of Italians in Cleveland who were murdered in 1945 simply because they wanted the city to remain part of Italy.

Don't be ridiculous—since when were those topics banned?

Casey Bennett said:If everyone is ignoring you, it’s because they all think you're just making a scene for nothing.
Reporting a post doesn't result in an automatic penalty.

Sure. It’s clearly about WHO gets reported. If you don't have status, you get handed a red card immediately. 👍

The only thing I can't wrap my head around is why these shocked onlookers constantly pop up—acting absolutely stunned—asking "why this?" or "why that..." as if they've just walked into a trap.

To me, the real absurdity is the idea that all this constant venting—or what the moderators have labeled as "pointless whining"—is actually going to change anything(?). And honestly, why do they even bother posting on a forum that clearly doesn't align with their views—whether those are ideological, intellectual, or topical in the first place? 🕺

Would anyone here go write a column for Fox News and then run to complain because they were insulted, mocked, or had their comments deleted? Or would the author here go post on CNN and then act surprised when they receive the exact same treatment? I highly doubt it. So, I don't see how this forum is any different from any other platform.

Look, it’s not true to say I don't get it; it took me a few years to finally grasp the reality of the situation myself.

Maybe the solution is for the administration to be more explicit about the rules—the way the former owner used to be—but apparently, that hasn't been enough. Instead, they seem stuck in this policy of ignoring inquiries and letting people figure out the status quo on their own.

Nicole Johnson20 said:The only thing I don't get is why these shocked guests keep showing up out of nowhere, acting all bewildered about why things happen the way they do...

I guess it’s actually weirder that by making these scenes—or what the mods called "pointless drama"—they think they'll actually change anything(?) and I wonder why they even bother posting on a forum that clearly doesn't fit their views, whether that's ideologically, intellectually, or just in terms of topic... 🕺

Would anyone being called out here go write on the New York Times website and then complain because they're being insulted, mocked, or having their comments deleted? Or would the author go write on CNN or somewhere similar and expect the same treatment? I assume not, so I don't really see how this forum is any different from any other online space.

I mean, it isn't true that I don't understand; I suppose it took me a few years to wrap my head around it myself.

Maybe the solution would be for the admins to be a little more explicit about the rules, much like the original owner used to be—but it seems like that hasn't been enough, given the current policy of just ignoring inquiries and letting people figure out the status quo on their own.

If you only saw how brutal people are on forums in Mexico, where they immediately delete and ban you—I've actually had people threaten to settle scores with me over the phone once.

Since I'm a big believer in total freedom of speech, maybe I'd limit the decibel level of live speech, but I find these kinds of restrictions on free speech in history or politics threads on this forum a bit hard to swallow. Personally, I don't think people should even invoke the concept of so-called hate speech. Absolute freedom of speech, I guess.

It might be better if they adopted legislation like this:
reuters.com/poland-wants-to-introduce-law-that-could-punish-social-media-for-deleting-posts-on-ideological-grounds