Questions about moderation

I’m posting this because of what happened over in the soap-making subforum involving Ben Marshall. There was recently a thread started by another user regarding an argument they had with him, and even though it didn't involve me directly, I felt a bit unsettled by it for some reason. I ended up deciding to correct Ben on one of his posts. I used his own phrasing but kept it much shorter, and I wasn't even correcting his grammar—it was just about the geography he mentioned. He replied to my comment and we ended up going back and forth; it wasn't anything serious, just a little debate. That whole exchange had nothing to do with the actual topic at hand, and I ended up getting two red cards for trolling, which I suppose is fair since I was being a bit of a troll. I did take into account that he was engaging with me the entire time, even though he wasn't sticking to the subject himself, and he never once asked to stop the conversation since we were clearly in an off-topic tangent.
I went through the subforum and general site rules and pulled these out:

Don't respond to provocations or insults in kind; leave the intervention to the moderators.

If I was the one provoking, didn't he make the same mistake by responding in kind?
When you look at our posts, I might have started it, but he responded using the exact same energy, so where is the distinction?

The only thing he actually did to try and end the situation was delete my post, probably just so he could get the last word. And look, I'm aware of this rule:

Posts may be deleted without warning or explanation.
If this happens, it means a rule was definitely broken. Repeatedly reposting deleted content will result in sanctions.

In that specific deleted post, I was actually trying to correct a grammatical error Ben made. I got a strike for trolling, but why wasn't his recent post, where he corrected someone else's grammar, considered trolling?

I couldn't find anything stating that different rules apply to moderators (or that they aren't bound by them at all). Does this mean a moderator can jump right into an argument, but then coldly delete any posts that don't suit them just to ensure the conversation only moves in one direction?

I know you all try to stick together as a moderation team, but I’m hoping—probably in vain—to get at least a straightforward answer to this bolded part.
Thanks in advance.😉

If I was the one provoking, then isn't he just as much in the wrong for responding in kind?
Looking back at our posts—I started it, sure—but he matched my energy, so where is the actual difference?

When I read your post, you made it incredibly obvious that you were intentionally baiting and trolling. It’s easy to conclude that based on those specific phrases/expressions from a complaint filed against me—which you conveniently plucked out and used in your own post.
That complaint has absolutely nothing to do with you, making this move incredibly petty and rude. Honestly, I am deeply disappointed; I truly didn't expect this from you.
And fine, I’ve decided to respond anyway, despite the fact that this post is pure trolling.
Worst of all, you completely misinterpreted me (or rather, US) and assumed I was talking about winter in Mexico. On top of that, you actually wrote to me: Mexico isn't South America, (which I never even said), while simultaneously being the only person who failed to realize I was discussing winter in South America—specifically Brazil. Besides, I provided a link that, if you had bothered to open it, would have made our topic perfectly clear.
Anyway, most of what we were discussing is irrelevant to the main thread now, except for the fact that Mai is in Brazil.

First of all, the post I responded to was in no way intended to be like yours. It was clear, orderly, and entirely free of insults or provocation—simply stating we shouldn't talk about Mexico. 🤷>
Where exactly do you see me trolling?

Then, you repeatedly hit me with more trolling, reusing the exact same words you threw at me in your first post.
You could have at least re-read something you didn't understand; things wouldn't have escalated this far if you had.

If you intended to build on the previous discussion regarding Brazil, then you should have clarified that to avoid confusion and—again, I'll say it—irritating the nervous system.

How am I supposed to know that YOU specifically won't understand what we are talking about? I'm not some psychic named Milan. ☕
Furthermore, you are the only one complaining—and specifically about how it "irritates your nervous system," as you put it.

Fine, I responded to your post with a bit of provocation, just so that next time (just for you) I will explicitly state what we are discussing, so there can be no more of your senseless rebellions.

Naturally, you persist relentlessly with the trolling, veering into aggressive off-topic territory and attempting to correct my grammar.
As for that grammatical misunderstanding, for your information, I already cleared it up with the other user. It has absolutely nothing to do with you.

I deleted the post even though it deserved a ban, just to shut down your trolling—which you openly admit to—only for you to come right back with the exact same post I just deleted.

Why wasn't his recent post, where he corrected a grammar mistake, considered trolling?

That complaint has nothing to do with you; I have no idea why you are fixated on it. 🤦
Besides, that was a simple misunderstanding, and I already apologized to the user involved, who accepted the apology and understood my behavior.

What was the point of all this? How very kind of you. 😉

Look, I was pretty upfront in my opening post about the fact that I was intentionally trying to stir the pot. I’m fine with the warnings I got, and honestly, that first situation had nothing to do with me. You haven't actually addressed any of my questions yet, either. You claimed you were responding to my provocation, even though you're the one who laid down the rule saying we shouldn't engage with stuff like that. So, isn't the answer to my question simply that the matter doesn't involve me?😕 Come on, I know you can do better than this—I know it, and I said as much. I didn't jump into that argument earlier because it wasn't my business, even if it rubbed me the wrong way for some reasons I already mentioned. I just decided to take a little jab at that specific topic, and then things spiraled into a similar debate where I ended up using your own words against you, which led to the warnings. It felt like a really interesting point to make, drawing a line between those two different moments.
But you know, the reason I felt like staying out of it was just how I usually handle things. If you want to have a personal beef with someone, you should just settle it in a private DM. Anything you post here on a public forum—where everyone should be able to share their thoughts—on a public thread that anyone can read and comment on, absolutely affects me if I choose to let it.

That's a really low blow and pretty rude of you. Honestly, I'm disappointed; I really didn't expect that from you.

Sigh...🙄
Are we still talking about the soap discussion and that whole continent provocation thing?
As for that second sentence, you might find the reason why I chose to poke fun at you specifically right there.

Let’s recap this quickly. You intentionally provoked him, which led to those justified warnings, right? You know that, you admit it, and yet you’re still filing an appeal? As for that other complaint regarding BM, it really has nothing to do with you. It’s pretty clear from the discussions on this sub that he apologized for his actions in that instance. The person who complained wasn't banned or anything; they just asked for an apology, which was granted. There’s honestly no reason for you to keep pushing this case.
So, let me ask again: you knowingly provoked him, got deleted, did the exact same thing again, and then got warned? And now you're appealing that?

Look, I think we already established that I was just trying to stir the pot a little bit🙄, but I’m really not sure why you're assuming I'm filing an appeal here😕. If I said the warnings were deserved, then obviously I'm not going to fight them. From what I can tell, this space is meant for feedback and comments, and based on other threads, I thought this was the right subforum to ask the moderators questions when things feel a bit off—not about the warnings themselves, but about how the whole situation is being handled. Honestly, the thread is even titled "Questions regarding moderation," so I genuinely don't get why you think I'm complaining about my cards. If I picked the wrong subforum, my bad.
Regarding that previous appeal, I didn't interfere with it at all, and I think driftingpilot did a great job smoothing everything over. But why am I being told I can't bring it up if I'm pointing out what feels like a double standard? Since we've already gone back and forth on whether this involves me personally, I don't see why this is your business if you aren't planning to help, especially since my questions weren't directed specifically at Ben.

I was just checking to see if you were filing a formal complaint. Since you aren't, no big deal. Look, people can argue about this all day, but my impression is that Ben Marshall said everything he needed to say from his end, so there's really nothing left to discuss. He explained his reasoning and why those penalties were handed out, and pointed out that the debate didn't belong in that specific setting. He made that clear here too. Regardless of who is involved, if a conversation shifts from the actual topic into pure provocation, then Ben Marshall’s explanation stands as final. I’m going to close this thread now; we won't be dragging this out further. That goes for this situation and the last one, too.

To be honest, this doesn't personally affect me—there isn't much here that warrants my interest or involvement. So don't worry, I didn't drop by looking for anything specific. As the moderator of this subforum, I was simply asking for clarification. It seems like everyone has made their position clear, and that's enough for me.

👋