GUAC News and Reader Comments: 7/19/14

A few things that have sat in the backlog for a little bit, so let's mention them and record it for future reference.

From 261: cjsdowg wrote a topic asking why a lot of hate Obama gets isn't about race.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/261-politics/69588065

While I disagree with him on the politics, that he was modded for his opinion is problematic. This topic shows he's at least trying to defend his views, putting thought into it, which is something we should be encouraging. But it seems like on 261, the harder you try to make your argument the more you get punished for it (especially when users were once penalized for citing too much of a source to back up their points). cjsdowg graciously responded at a request for comment:

I have been on this site for a while and the one thing that I have noticed is that it is no use trying understand what gets modded or what doesn't . You would pull your hair out trying to understand it. I really have no idea why I was modded.

From CE: A little bit before Venomscarnage was modded, Vindris wrote to complain about a moderation: "Can your sex be changed from an operation?...post-op, pre-op, doesn't matter, they're still a male." Well shucks if that ain't offensive to someone because if I say I'm a girl everyone's supposed to agree, or I am being discriminated against. If I decide I am a mysteriously discovered alternate sex no one knows about, or a walrus, or a three-headed space alien, I have the freedom to say that these days, but you aren't allowed to say I'm full of it. Of course there are contradictions present. If someone's gay we are to assume there's a gay gene without evidence, and we'll mod you if you deviate from this supposed biological truth. But if someone's trans we are to assume that one day they can choose to alter their sex, and we'll mod you if you deviate from their choice and point out the biological truth. Why mods are in the business of taking down these views is strange, along with the logic, which seems to be based not on an actual rule but on whatever a social justice warrior somewhere got upset about.


Vindris wrote:

It was deemed "offensive" ... A truthful statement that wasn't meant to offend anyone was modded as offensive. I'm struck dumb at how ridiculous this is.

I'm beginning to recognize that conservative values are seen as offensive on these forums. Here on the internet, if you hold traditional values, you're considered offensive, and modded off the face of these forums.

I understand these forums are privately ran, and they can mod anyone at any time for any reason... but it's a reflection of what society is becoming. Honest people who have sincere traditional values are squelched. Their ways are no longer accepted. They are considered bigots and offensive, and they are erased.

This issue is honestly very frightening and sad to me...

Noting the double standard, Vindris asked why views that offended him weren't taken down. Suppose someone thought the intricate details of gay sex were gross. "Should they all be modded because they've offended me? Why not?" When it was suggested he could be banned for bringing this up, he responded, "I'd rather get banned than remain silent." Well, he wasn't exactly banned...but he was suspended and the topic was closed. Yes, this was all for saying a man was a man no matter how much he messed with what he had downstairs. Throw those old XY chromosomes out the window while we're at it, they were probably just made up by bigoted 20th century researchers.

Reader comments!

I got a request to talk about climate change, and while at some future point I might be in the mood to rant about it if I get modded over something, I'm not going to make this place all about my political feelings and whatnot. I will say that when I last talked about it on the politics board, the topic was locked. I'm guessing people marked it because someone didn't like that it was getting big and lasting pretty long, why, you can't just bump the same topic and keep the thing going (please ignore those other topics just like this one). No I never just say "bump" and all my entries were responding to people or updating with new articles, doesn't matter. So then when that topic was closed I made another one about some climate issue in the news, and people complained that I did not confine my climate arguments to one topic...which is what I was doing in the first place. Go figure.

Mr_Positivity over at NGS was pleased by my article on how his list of users in a board contest was "harassing" someone. Really man, next time just follow the Error model, find the guy's twitter and keep linking to it from gamefaqs, because that's not considered harassment.

"God I swear this site has the WORST mods...I know this is stating the obvious, but still." -jakisthe

"Tails is awesome." -BeiberBush69

"The mods here have quite a bad reputation." -MegaFlareon

Not everyone was as understanding though, claiming I have an "obsessive hatred" for the mods. Hmmmmmm....not really. I hate mods about as much as they hate my messages, is that fair to say?  I mean you can't have step 2 without step 1. No I don't hate anyone on a personal level, might really disagree with what they do but it's a message board. My account will survive the dreaded karma dings and the debate goes on. I'm just making my case and bringing up the other side of things.

Mr_Positivity himself:

One of the reasons mods get away with so much crap around here is because as a collective, we don't do anything to combat it and instead just let it slide. If more people sided against abuse of the moderation system, something could be accomplished. But instead, lol, that guy gave some commentary on moderator abuse.... loooooooooool get a life dood what a loser, look how cool i am.

Well the interesting thing about this is that some people will either say "TaiIs tries too hard for nothing" or "This is too big and TaiIs can't change it if he tries." It's either so small it's not worth my time, or way above me. I'd say that's a fair mix and it's medium-sized enough to put a little effort into it and make a medium-sized difference.