Moderating in the US

My complaint is primarily focused on this thread:

Grace Kim80 isn't moderating professionally; she’s actually jumping right into the debate herself. She lets her "own" side get away with trolling and flame wars, yet she goes ahead and deletes any responses from the opposing side.

I sent her a private message to point out that this isn't how good moderation works. You should either leave both the provocation and the response, or delete them both. Using moderator tools to selectively wipe out answers just to control the conversation feels pretty heavy-handed. I haven't heard back from her at all.

I have removed Pip from my contact list and I have no intention of communicating with him further; I will not tolerate condescension or nonsense such as "You know nothing." Let them have someone else moderate my PDFs instead of me; I am certain he would do a much better job 👍

If anyone feels the need to report me, please do so; I truly do not care if I get banned.

The issue with Pip is that, as usual, he insists on pushing his rhetoric in the style of radical feminists, which was perfectly demonstrated by his latest post in the thread. In a discussion centered on decent men and related concepts, he inserted a link to an FTC article about a middle-aged man currently going through a messy divorce. Apparently, we are now expected to chant mantras about wicked women driving poor, good men to the brink of a breakdown through divorce.

Furthermore, I refused to allow derogatory comments regarding other nationalities, which would have steered the topic into heavy off-topic territory—something that has plenty of dedicated threads over in Politics. However, the trouble is that moving those discussions to Politics is difficult because the rules regarding hate speech, discrimination, and racism are significantly more rigorous there. One of Pip's statements from the thread was: Children born in Africa inherently have below-average IQs.

In conclusion: I believe the type of writing that this individual Pip and other users of similar caliber (hint: toxic feminists everywhere) push across this forum is extremely harmful on multiple levels, and I believe someone in authority should finally address it.

Well, there you have it. I don't even need to argue my case when she’s already laid everything out herself.

First off, there isn't a single shred of actual evidence here. It's just one endless string of ad hominem attacks; she’s just muddying my name without citing any facts. Anyone who wants to can go look through my history on the US and see that's not the case. Even if her version were true—which it isn't—since when did it become forbidden to hold an opinion that the moderation team dislikes, provided we aren't actually breaking any forum rules? Or am I just out of the loop on some new guidelines I missed? 🙂

Second, she’s complaining because I told her she isn't performing her duties properly. She took it personally, which is why she's upset, but I always explain exactly why I feel that way. Now she claims she won't accept my private messages anymore. Honestly, how professional is that for a moderator? If she just focused on doing her job better, she’d be getting praise instead of complaints. I have nothing against Grace Kim80 personally—in fact, I agree with some of her stances—but for some reason she’s singled me out. Anyone looking at my infraction history can see that most of those are coming from her.

Let me say this once more: a moderator shouldn't let emotions take the wheel. They shouldn't moderate based on personal whims or whether they "like" or "dislike" a certain viewpoint. They need to set aside personal preferences and remain impartial. Instead, it seems Grace Kim80 simply "dislikes" my writing style, which is clearly reflected in the warnings and deleted posts.

Finally, I mentioned an inflammatory post by one of her associates earlier, and it's still sitting there. In the meantime, a new reply popped up in that exact same style. Grace Kim80 issued a warning for it. Like I said before, being a good moderator isn't about shielding "your own" flame war participants while deleting or punishing anyone else naive enough to engage with them.

Please restore the thread "everything you wanted to say but didn't have the guts (or the chance) to say to someone's face [no chat or comments]." Maybe put it back here on the DNC. Thanks.

Every single ban you've copped was well-deserved, honestly... even the mods who barely show up to the thread and aren't even part of any clans agree with it. Look, you're totally entitled to your opinion, but let’s be real—you can't just spout whatever nonsense pops into your head without consequences. Most of what you type is just straight-up insulting and pure trolling.

As for Mudless, there are plenty of other threads on this site where you guys can go ahead and vent all you want. Like over on the Psychology board, for instance.

That’s offensive. Pure trolling.

I'll admit my penalized posts were a mistake, but not for the reasons you think. In historical contexts, a slave could achieve manumission through their owner's choice and become a free person. A man doesn't have that luxury; discriminatory laws and the suspension of habeas corpus—the very bedrock of our legal system—are always lurking. So, comparing a slave to a free man just doesn't hold water. A slave can escape their condition; a man cannot.

Offensive. Trolling.

I’ve noticed plenty of posts on those topics that were clearly offensive and meant to troll. They generalized, spat venom, insulted, and mocked without ever trying to build a real argument. Yet, somehow my posts are labeled as offensive and trolling, while theirs aren't. And all the moderators seem to agree. Honestly, they can take their moderation elsewhere.

This forum has always had a certain ideological lean, and the moderators were chosen along those same lines. Even so, most people followed professional standards, and on the Politics board, Republicans were actually given space to express their views.

Lately, I see a massive drop in how professionally the moderation is being handled.

First off, moderators often don't moderate based on the rules; they operate on a "I like this post" versus "I don't like this post" basis.

Second, when there are opposing viewpoints on a thread, they let "their crowd" run wild without consequences, while they essentially discard "the others." Back when I got banned, that specific thread looked really interesting—it was full of blue and black posts mocking people without any logic, while the other side was just a gray "scorched earth," completely silenced. If I remember correctly, nothing was posted on that thread for days.

Third, we are seeing unprecedented aberrations. We used to have the Mad House on the Politics board, which was semi-moderated and served as a space for Republicans to vent. Today on CNN, we have this incredible situation where, under the watchful eye of benevolent moderators who have completely let go of the brakes for their own kind, a leftist version of the Mad House has formed.

What I expect from moderators is that they set aside personal animosity and enforce the rules equally for everyone. If I respond to an orderly post with the same level of decorum, but my post gets tossed because someone didn't like it, that isn't right. If I respond to a trolling or flaming post with the same energy, I expect both posts to be removed—not, as so often happens, just mine.

If your goal is to turn this forum into a progressive wasteland where progressives just pat each other on the back and compliment one another on how brilliant they are, then you're definitely on the right track. ☕

mistyseal8 said:Total troll move. Honestly, super offensive.

I mean, yeah, okay... I'll admit my banned posts were a massive screw-up.

See? That wasn't so hard, right? We reached an agreement in record time.

Anyway, I think this thread can be locked now... just kill it already.

What's up? Not much? Sometimes silence really does say more than any words ever could. Stay cool.

I wanted to bring the moderation on the US PDF back to everyone's attention, specifically regarding this thread:

Could someone please take a look at the last few pages? It seems like the moderators are playing favorites by allowing total freedom of speech without any consequences, especially when it comes to Honeychild.

If I were posting like that, I probably wouldn't just be banned by now—I’d likely be facing a full suspension.

Honestly, I am just floored by the double standards being applied here in the US. Hey, Emily Patel70, you were actually welcomed with open arms when you first arrived because you stood against this kind of behavior.

Matthew Anderson, everything I previously pointed out regarding the absolute absurdity of the fraud situation over at LJS is playing out right here in real time. Afro Dita gets provoked and ends up slapped with a 500-point penalty (seriously?!), while the actual instigator only gets 100? This person has been baiting her for weeks, not to mention how much they've been trolling the entire community. I truly don't understand why certain people get this kind of protection, while those of us who point out the flaws in the forum's system—or even someone like mistyseal8—just get ignored.

Here are some prime examples of blatant provocation and insults disguised as polite conversation:
Are you seriously acting like a spoiled child?
People like this?

—this specific post definitely warrants a warning. Sure, Afro Dita snapped like a dry twig, but the inconsistency here is what really jumps out at me. Personally, I don't think it justifies a 500-point hit if you're only looking at that single post in isolation, rather than considering the entire history between these two users, whether on that thread or across the forum in general.

Just as a side note, I was kicked out of the US community because I dared to criticize the moderation. I also promised a certain "member"—who had been sliding into women's private messages and insulting them crudely—that I would expose their identity. And I meant doing it legally. This was after the moderators sat on the issue for five whole days without resolving it...

Some people spend months insulting others and trolling before they even see a basic warning, yet there’s zero discussion about the partialities involved. Just look at that same instigator over at LJS...

neonfox12 said:- this one definitely needs a strike. Afro totally lost it, but you can see how inconsistent this is. Personally, I don't think it hits the 500 mark since we're only looking at this one single post instead of the whole history between these two users, whether on this thread or just generally on the site.

Wait, this actually got 500 points???
And hey, Matthew Anderson, remember when I complained about that Flamin guy? He went off on me in a few months back on the horoscope thread—way more brutal than this post right here—and you barely gave him even 100 points if I recall. I was asking for 500 because what he wrote actually earned it.

I wouldn't say Afro Dita's stuff comes anywhere close to being worth $500 either. 🤷

neonfox12 said:Some people get insulted or trolled for months before they finally get hit with a standard ban, and nobody even mentions the partial points. Take that one provocateur over at LJS, for example...

Look, I don't feel like I owe anyone an explanation as to why User X got this many points while User Y got that many—honestly, it’s not something I enjoy doing. Because of that, this will be my final post on this thread. Realistically, other people's bans aren't your business, and no amount of legal maneuvering from you all is going to change my mind.

After reading through everything posted by Afro Dita and Honeychilde, here’s my takeaway:
a) 500 points for being pretty outright offensive. Given that three or four of her recent posts weren't exactly mild, the total definitely adds up to 500. I’m not expecting anyone to play the martyr or act like a villain just because they felt "provoked."
b) 100 points for the trolling and the constant debate over point totals, which I already touched on in this post.

Look, nobody actually asked you to step up and defend anyone; both parties were sanctioned rightfully enough. What I’m really trying to get at—and this is something I've personally dealt with—is why the instigator almost always walks away with a slap on the wrist while the person who was provoked gets hit much harder. It feels like the mods just let the bickering drag on indefinitely. I happen to know those two have been at each other's throats for weeks now, and I'm simply pointing out that, in my view, Afro Dita was punished far too harshly when you compare it to the penalty given to Honeychild. If the provocateur had been someone else, I probably wouldn't say a word, but I know exactly what kind of tactics she uses—I've felt the sting of them myself, and you were there to see it. Back then, she didn't even get a warning for her trolling, and you didn't really weigh in on why she wasn't sanctioned. Sure, she still tries to get under my skin, but I've learned to tune out the forum drama. I've become pretty numb to it all.

The bottom line is that some people are constantly handed fresh starts, while others are labeled as "troublemakers" from their very first post. Don't you think we need to call that out once in a while?

neonfox12 said:What I really want to figure out—and this actually happened to me once—is why the instigator almost always walks away with a lighter sentence than the person they pushed into reacting.

I’m curious about that too. It seems to happen all the time where the person starting the trouble gets off easy, just like what I dealt with personally. 🍿

My apologies if this isn't allowed, but Honeychild is coming after me now.

Listen, Honeychild, you aren't a nuisance to anyone—it’s just your delivery. I’m bringing you up in this thread because it feels like you’re getting off way too easy for the same, if not even greater, offenses than Afro. It was the exact same situation last year when you were trying to get under my skin all over the forums.

Regarding that post you linked, I think it’s pretty obvious I wasn't being serious. You know me; I rarely take things seriously in the chat rooms. Lately, I’ve actually started leaning into the "troll" label as a joke, mostly because people accuse me of it every five minutes. I’ve even come up with my own personal definition of what trolling actually means. 😉

I am truly sorry you aren't able to post here, as I know it affects you too, but the rules are the rules.

neonfox12 said:Sorry if this isn't allowed, but Honeychild is coming for me now.

Honeychild, dear, you aren't a nuisance—it's just how you act. I’m bringing you up in this thread because it feels like you get off much easier than Afro does for the exact same things, if not worse. It was the same way last year when you tried to pick fights with me all over the forum.

Regarding that post you linked, it's pretty obvious I wasn't being serious. Honestly, I'm rarely serious in chats. Lately, I've just leaned into the whole "troll" thing since everyone accuses me of it anyway. I even came up with my own definition of what trolling actually is. 😉

It sucks that you can't post here, but those are just the rules.

Afro was way more provocative. 🙂

Zachary Nguyen2 said:Honestly, Afro Dita was definitely the one doing most of the instigating. 🙂

So, who actually threw the first punch here? 🙂

I don't know who started it, but I know Afro Dita was way worse. 🙂

Zachary Nguyen2 said:I'm not sure who kicked this whole thing off, but if you ask me, the afro era was significantly worse. 🙂

See, I don't quite see it that way myself. 🙂

We shouldn't be bickering here. Let's leave the heavy lifting to the decision-makers and policymakers; our job is simply to speak up and voice our dissent if we feel they aren't doing the right thing. 🙂