when a Buffista expressed discomfort, it was stopped with no rankling

I think that's the key: you can tell when something's offensive to the community when a member of the community says it's offensive.

And I'll repeat my response to Matt. Both Consuela and Betsy made perfectly pitched responses that allowed room to back up, apologize and alter tone. That opportunity was not taken up. It was rude and disrespectful in a basic way. Profoundly inconsiderate of the community itself.

I just read through about a thousand posts to find out what's up with the discussion in here.

The guy is offensive -- and I'm slightly removed from the sitch, because I wasn't following the discussion as it was happening. But he really doesn't seem to comprehend the difference between our style of banter and his outrightly disrespectful comments towards the community and things we enjoy. A number of long time members have warned him, or asked politely for him to be far more careful in how he acts, and he does not seem to have taken those comments into account.

I'm voting for suspension, really, but I think only if he does something again that is blatantly against our rules. Which I honestly don't think will be too long.

I'm voting for suspension, really, but I think only if he does something again that is blatantly against our rules. Which I honestly don't think will be too long.

Also just catching up. I agree, SA. That's also in keeping with our rules. ita (and John H.) gave him a formal warning. Next time he gets suspended for two months.

Also - the Tim Minaer guy? He couldn't have registered if his email was bad. I think he must have changed his email after he confirmed his registration.

He never confirmed his registration, Jon.

I thought we didn't get the "Joe Shmoe is the newest Buffista" email unless they confirmed. Am I incorrect?

I didn't say my warning was formal, but ita did.

The thing I think we have to be wary of is the "cool kids" factor.

A number of long time members have warned him

How would he know they were long-time members, and being devil's advocate, so what if they were?

We know who's been around for a while and who's a respected member of the community, but we don't want to lay ourselves open to the accusation that if the Popular Kids say you're being rude, then you're being rude, and that's sufficient.

The argument that "we're the community, and it's offensive, and we know what's offensive to the community because the community is us" is a rather circular one.

"The community standards are what the community says they are." That's not so much a circular argument as it is an axiom. You have to start somewhere, and we don't really have God's will or Natural Law to build on.

"We don't like this behavior. Nobody's defending you. Therefore it is, not necessarily bad, but not appropriate for this place."

Nope. The registration e-mail and the "is the newest" go out at the same time.

I think the "long time" is superfluous. Honestly, if Kiba was offended by what he had to say, f'rinstance, she would have every right to speak up and say so. If she was alone in her opinion, then it simply wouldn't be "a number".

When as many people chime as did, it's a community response, plain and simple.

There's a side of me that says "It's our board. We built it. We paid for it. We make the rules. If you think they're arbitrary - tough." There may come a time when, through normal turnover, the Stompy Feet and other posters can no longer make that claim. But until that time comes, I do not have any worries about "popular kids" or arguments about circular logic.

t /embracing my inner fascist