Insult, Indignity, and Censorship

ducalion

Hello,

I deeply regret having to resort to this but, my very first experience with Bords.ie having found me the brunt of a series of increasingly profound affronts I have no real alternative.

May I now draw your attentions to the last several postings at:

Forum: Languages >Gaelic (Irish) > Caoilfhoinn pronunciation question. (Tags: "censorship", "insects".)

—and my opening (and, as it has so far transpired, sole) contribution to the thread, on 23 November, last.

1. As you can see, my contribution was properly crafted, considerate, and amiable.

2. The initial response came from member, AnLonDubh who, also in posing a properly crafted question, was civil. Thank you, AnLonDubh. I'm sure you are awaiting my reply—which I in turn eagerly await the chance to give at the earliest opportunity. That, however, is providing I can get past the moderator, An File—("The Scolder")—whose signature, by the way is and as you may have noticed: “Lording over insects.” (We'll get to that revolting and panoptic insult in due course. Before that, however....)

3. The second offering came from, as it happens, another of the forum's moderators: Aard. A notch less engaging, this nevertheless remained well within the bounds of reasonable debate. Fair enough, Aard; but where is my opportunity to rebut?

4. What happened immediately after that, however, being quite the opposite, ably managed to throw even AnLonDubh’s engaging contribution into an acrid light. (Sorry, AnLonDubh.) On foot of Aard's post the thought first occurred to me that this forum might have two moderators who delight in colluding to belittle anyone with whom they disagreed.

5. Another forum moderator, you see—An File, "The Scolder," stepped in directly and pronounced my post "officially" "the weirdest first post [he'd] ever seen..." adding that he'd "seen some weird ones in the last eight years." This too, whilst hardly welcome, still lay, in my opinion, within the bounds of reasonable debate. But perhaps not. There remains the question of The Scolder's misappropriation of the word, “officially.” Perhaps Admin itself has thoughts on that. Not a word that should be tossed about willy-nilly, they may consider that, used once too often, "officially" invites another. ("Court.") Notwithstanding even that, I have even yet, up to this point—no complaint. It was what immediately followed that statement, however, in the same posting by The Scolder, in the very next-but-one sentence—the very last, in fact, of the thread—that put what were before mere unpleasantries in an entirely different and corrosive light.

6. The "moderator" who calls himself The Scolder "locked" the thread—thus leaving me and after only a single, reasonable posting, without recourse to rebuttal. Far worse, however, he did so in the simultaneous act of permanently labelling me some sort of imbecile. His sole (given) reason was that the thread was "ancient." I agree, that the thread was old; but I had just revitalized it—to the point, more to the point, where I had stimulated obvious potential for vibrant debate. Indeed, I have much, and much of value, to add there. The forum in question, however, is an Irish language one—and Irish language enthusiasts are somewhat famous for their insularity. My having, or so it seems, the unmitigated audacity to consider an alternative origin for even a single Irish word I was instantly and in no uncertain terms simultaneously shut-up and hung out to dry.

7. Had other forum members only the opportunity to read my reply (which, again, eagerly awaits its opportunity) they would see that my opening post was anything but “a joke.” But I was given no such opportunity. Thus, I submit that, given in particular the brutish way in which it was implemented, The Scolder's ruling is itself in blatant disregard for the Board’s rules; specifically: “Once a thread has been answered to the satisfaction of a forum user, it will be left in the main Helpdesk for around a day or so, as the user has indicated they are happy their query has been resolved. It will then be moved into the Archive.” The meaning there seems abundantly clear: that, barring such things as gross indecencies, a thread should not be closed as long as its contributors are still contributing to it; that it is the contributors who determine when a thread should be closed. No "moderator" should have the right, either to curtail freedom of speech or, indeed, through such means as An File has used, to tailor it to one’s own liking.

8. In private messaging I pointed out—and I grant, in a modestly (but deservedly) sarcastic manner that, Board rules even aside, An File was not “moderating.” He was censoring—and (“dude”) insulting. Far more here being at stake than a web forum, I stood on my right of free speech and demanded my right to a reply. (A couple of frustrating PMs later I was beginning to lose it; but can you really blame me? Imagine a referee stopping a game the very instant he suspects that the team he bet on might lose. His excuse? The game has gone into—legitimate—extra time.) I’m sorry; but such behaviour is absurd.

9. In mitigation of my, granted, at times borderline—but never offensive—language (certainly not as offensive as "The Scolder's" own) have repeatedly asked him what he would do if someone had acted in such a way towards him. He has refused to address that question. On my advising him that I would take the matter up in this, Resolutions, forum, his further insulting reply was, “...dude. I’ve more important things to think about.” Really? A moderator who has no time to devote to his forum’s member’s concerns? A scold, indeed. More important than the right (in the absence of any legitimate reason for its curtailment) to freedom of speech? This now takes me to The Scolder's grossly insulting signature. Even yet, I’m stunned by it.

10. The irony is that had I not the need to send The Scolder private messages of appeal I would never have seen it. Now that I have, however, I am appalled to the point of being sick. I’m no wimp. At nearly seventy years old I’ve been in the worst of combats you can imagine—and this ... (“dude” ) ... who likely has never heard a real scream in his life sees me and those like me as “insects”—and himself as our “Lord.” A phrase comes to mind, which invokes images of not one but two infamous dictators—but forum rules prevent me from citing either. I agree, that the language of resolution has its own demands—but, “Insects?” Seriously? That’s right up there with “****”—and we all know what would happen there, were I Black. Forum rules prevent, as they should, those in my position from posting abusive comments about Board.ie staff—but is there no sauce for the gander?

11. Accordingly and even should you rule against my right to have the relevant thread reopened so that I can defend both my argument and my dignity, I have, in respect of "The scolding lord over insects” thing a second request. Owing to that even outrageously offensive signature I had initially thought to demand The Scolder's removal altogether, as moderator; but I will stop at demanding, on behalf of all those who are “moderated” by him, a blanket and public apology, to be posted, soon, in the forum—that, of course, together the removal of the offending signature.

Looking forward to the next step in the proceedings, I close by suggesting that ("official" aside) Admin further consider that, in time, the compulsive arrogance of "The scolding moderator who lords over insects" is destined to bring all of Boards.ie to an unwelcome level of disrepute.

Regards,
Dan O’Hanlon
(ducalion)

Spear

You didn't receive an infraction or ban, so this isn't related to DRP and is being moved as a result.

BuffyBot

Lots of noise over very little.

My suggestion: develop a much thicker skin, or the Internet is going to distress you greatly. Usernames and signatures etc are not meant to be taken at face value. I am not a vampire killing robot, nor do I tend to kick people in the behind, however tempting it gets at times.

Secondly, familiarise yourself a little with the general operations of this site. You bumped up a thread that was years old, for not apparent reason to post something which was not well received. Threads die for a reason..re-bumping them years later is generally frowned upon.

TL:DR, go have have a breather. You're welcome to come back and join in, but you might want to hang out, silently, to get a feel of things. This OTT rant does nothing to help you out and I'm closing it off for your own good.