Banned from Atheism & Agnosticism

Jack Kyle

Hi There

I was banned from the Atheism & Agnosticism forum by Jernal a couple of weeks ago for trolling.

I was engaged in some pretty constructive discussion with Jernal since then but for more than a week he/she hasn't responded to my PMs.

I was not trolling. We were engaged in what was (and probably is) an interesting adult discussion. I was providing sources for my points and not engaging in personal attacks with anyone despite serious provocation. I also admitted that the topic was tricky an controversial and that my own views wouldn't be for everyone.

My understanding is that Jernal was only appointed a moderator for that forum on the day that he/she banned me so I don't think that the ban was fair because it was not possible for him/her to know the breadth and history of the discussion.

I'd be grateful if you would reverse this ban. Please feel free to review my PMs with Jernal. I don't believe that his/her non responsiveness is appropriate.

Many thanks.

Jack

Ickle Magoo

Hi there Jack Kyle,

I'll take a look into this for you.

Jack Kyle

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

Hi there Jack Kyle,

I'll take a look into this for you.

Thanks Ickle Magoo.

I accept that it can be difficult to differentiate between trolling and arguing a controversial viewpoint, but I was having absolutely doing the latter. To my mind, trolling is deliberately posting mad stuff just to cause trouble. I genuinely wasn't doing that.

Ickle Magoo

Okay Jack_Kyle,

While you are correct that it can be difficult to differentiate between trolling and arguing a controversial view-point, there a generally a few things that give the game away. A poster's history in both the forum in question and the site in general for instance. Tone can be difficult to read but choice of language, using reasoned, relevant points and reputable sources are excellent indicators of whether a poster is genuine or attempting to deliberately incite.

Here's my issue. Extreme view points such as postulating that any woman who procures an abortion should automatically be given a hysterectomy or advocating medicating suicidal women to make certain they carry pregnancies to term would not just be classed as universally unpopular but are patently absurd suggestions even in most third world countries, far less on a discussion board in Ireland.

The final post that earned you the ban contained none of the sources or constructive discussion you claim to be having. You appear to have signed up initially solely to post on the abortion discussion being had in the Atheist and Agnostic forum and rather than anyone else struggling to differentiate between trolling and controversial view points the 2 warnings, 3 infractions and 2 bans that you have picked up in the two short months since joining the site for similar offences in a variety of forums would indicate that you have not understood what standard of posting is expected of you.

That said, you have no previous infractions or bans in the Atheist and Agnostic forum so I am prepared to reduce the ban by a week on the proviso you use the remainder of your ban (which would be three days given the initial ban was applied on the 31 August) to ensure you are well acquainted with both the Atheist and Agnostic forum charter and Boards general site posting guidelines. Taking the time to read and get to know how the forums operate before posting will give you a good indication of what standard of posting the local moderators expect. I would also recommend specifically that you take note of the pyramid provided in the very first post on the Abortion Discussion thread before you post there again or your re-instatement of posting rights in that forum is likely to be of short duration.

Please indicate if these terms are acceptable or you would prefer an admin to review further.

Jack Kyle

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

Okay Jack_Kyle,

While you are correct that it can be difficult to differentiate between trolling and arguing a controversial view-point, there a generally a few things that give the game away. A poster's history in both the forum in question and the site in general for instance. Tone can be difficult to read but choice of language, using reasoned, relevant points and reputable sources are excellent indicators of whether a poster is genuine or attempting to deliberately incite.

Here's my issue. Extreme view points such as postulating that any woman who procures an abortion should automatically be given a hysterectomy or advocating medicating suicidal women to make certain they carry pregnancies to term would not just be classed as universally unpopular but are patently absurd suggestions even in most third world countries, far less on a discussion board in Ireland.

The final post that earned you the ban contained none of the sources or constructive discussion you claim to be having. You appear to have signed up initially solely to post on the abortion discussion being had in the Atheist and Agnostic forum and rather than anyone else struggling to differentiate between trolling and controversial view points the 2 warnings, 3 infractions and 2 bans that you have picked up in the two short months since joining the site for similar offences in a variety of forums would indicate that you have not understood what standard of posting is expected of you.

That said, you have no previous infractions or bans in the Atheist and Agnostic forum so I am prepared to reduce the ban by a week on the proviso you use the remainder of your ban (which would be three days given the initial ban was applied on the 31 August) to ensure you are well acquainted with both the Atheist and Agnostic forum charter and Boards general site posting guidelines. Taking the time to read and get to know how the forums operate before posting will give you a good indication of what standard of posting the local moderators expect. I would also recommend specifically that you take note of the pyramid provided in the very first post on the Abortion Discussion thread before you post there again or your re-instatement of posting rights in that forum is likely to be of short duration.

Please indicate if these terms are acceptable or you would prefer an admin to review further.

I can live with that. Thanks for taking the time to look at this.

Ickle Magoo

Okay, original ban lifted and three day ban from Atheism and Agnosticism applied.

All the best Jack Kyle.

This thread can be marked as resolved.