Am I the only one that feels the presence of the moderators a bit too heavily?

A statement like '<i>You always make me laugh, Atomic Dog.</i>' was <i>[Edited by Ben for personal slugging.]</i>, while the statement '<i>My god. Do the world a favor and don't respond BS.</i>' went unmoderated.*

Moderators moving threads. I can understand that. Moderators moving posts? Since when...?

And so forth. I'm not necessarily asking for cahnge, and as a non-moderator member, I have no power here anyway. Just opinions. So. Thoughts?

*Any other examples that don't involve me (don't wanna sound bitchy, now) are welcome.

[b. sushi]

I would have edited it too, but it had already been picked up on and quoted in posts further down the thread.

Complaints will always be received with interest.

Still. In the Eugenics thread, citygirl got moderated, but after the unmoderated passage got quoted.

The passage, in no way a direct attack, is still moderated.

[b. sushi]

sushi: but it came across as a direct insult... which is why it got removed.

in the beginning, the monkeys did little editing... and a lot of threads were reduced to displays of "i'm right, cause you are a poopy-head), which got tiresome.

i've been surprised at what gets passed, and what gets cut, but if you don't wanta get moderated, watch your mouth.

You know I'm against censorship anytime, anywhere. Though here, there isn't a pressing need to push the rules.

Not that I'd get anywhere.

'Kindly remove yourself from the gene pool' isn't a direct insult, especially in the context given. 'You're an asshole,' however, is.

[b. sushi]

As the most (assumed) moderated person in this forum, I post things that I know will get cut out. I don't particularly care, however, just cutting the entire point out is rather heavy handed. A simple word substitution would be more appropriate.

Like when I called Peter a "Racist Fuck" It could simply have been changed to "Racist ...." It was part of the point I was making, and necessary to the post, that cahnge would have preserved the point of the post. Another suitable substitution would have been "[moderated]you have been compared to a member of the KKK[moderated]" Again, preserving the point of the line.

Take it as constructive criticism, or take as being offensive beligerence, it is up to you.

Well I think moderators are nessesary, but yes, the fact that they seem to catch the few insignificant insults can be somewhat mind-numbing. Any insult I've read on these forums seem to be nothing but trifle mud-slinging or mere jokes. Offense only seems to come from assumption on a point of view.

the thing is sushi, that while i didn't take it as an insult (becaue it was too lame to hurt) there really was no way for the moderator to decide it wasn't an insult, context or not. it sounded like one.

you are right - sometimes what gets edited seems pretty harmless, but were you around for the fall of a-dog?

not that it was his fault.... but without moderation, those threads got outa hand fast. i've seen sites where no moderation is done... and it gets boring quickly when people spend more time flaming than debating.

However, both MG and BS's points are taken on board.

I think MG's suggestion would be reall useful. If I'm late to look at a topic, sometimes I can miss a turning point in it because someone was completely moderated!

I have to say that I don't knowingly moderate so harshly as to remove the point along with the insult... but insult-heavy posts don't tend to get the benefit of the doubt if I'm unsure whether there's a valid point in there.