I made my thoughts known privately on this, but since this is an open dialogue, I'll say them here. I say them with some bitterness (which I will explain) but I'm trying to make it constructive.
In John's last post he has a bolded area which was not previously in the rules and only later did I realize was added after I received a one week ban. For one, this bolded area is an incredibly gray/vague set of standards. I liked what John had told me at one point, "If you think it's probably the wrong thing to say, then don't say it". I think, vague though it is, it's at least understandable.
However, I was warned for telling someone that their argument was "not making sense" and another poster that their line of argument was "obtuse". Given the above standard, I'm totally confused how I was banned. In fact, as I pointed out privately, John Bonnes had recently referred to Reusse as "unhinged" (a much more clear violation according to posted policy) and yet this was apparently ok.
My issue is not necessarily over-moderation - it's unclear, seemingly personal moderation. If the moderators are operating from the same page and the expectations are clear, then I can either choose to live by those rules or not. But this moderation group doesn't appear to have a clear standard nor has it enforced it clearly or fairly. I have a much bigger concern with that.
Also, in fairness, I certainly have been antagonistic in the past. Won't deny that. I had it out with Nick N. in private, I believe we had an understanding and I would think anyone that has looked over my posts for the last few weeks would see that I've been following the policy as closely as I can. That I would receive a one week ban for (as this board has suggested in the past is ok) attacking arguments rather than people - is baffling to me. I called an argument "clownish" and "not making sense" and I was warned. I called another one "obtuse" and received a ban. Not once did I attack the person in any of those posts. Yet I was banned.
I need clarity on what will not get me banned or better clarity on what is the problem. The posted policy does not match current enforcement. So I'm bitter about it being changed mid-stream and then banning me for not following a change that was neither announced nor has been clarified. I have asked (numerous times to numerous moderators) to please illuminate what I should be doing differently. The best I have gotten was to say "not makes sense to me" rather than "not makes sense". Which, not to be glib, does not make sense to me.
I await some actual clarification and hope to god something in here was not considered worthy of a ban. At this point I feel like I need to have eyes in the back of my head.
