So, Boards.ie has a bigot/sectarian Moderator now?

Ghandee

Was shocked and tbh, quite sickened when I read some of the comments posted by a moderator that has been a member of this site for 10+ years.

Judge for yourself.

In a thread about the Union Jack being removed from Belfast's city hall, except from certain, designated days (after a democratic vote by Councillors may I add) the mod in question thought it appropriate to post the following remarks.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056823074

If the ra heads and shinners don't like it they can feck off to the republic. Oh wait they still want to take the Queens money for the free national health. Bunch of self serving hypocrites.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=82075024&postcount=609

I favour the abolition of the free state and a return to the pre 1922 situation.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=82075297&postcount=612

They have a choice, Dundalk and beyond.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=82076012&postcount=620

You might well argue that those posts were of a 'political' nature, rather than of a sectarian one, until you come to this one in particular.

I am not a mod of this forum.

For your information my family ran the catholics from Armagh. My family made good use of their land.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=82078941&postcount=665

Proud of the fact or something?

That post in partiucular was a rather nasty and venomous one, and if anything could be considered clearly very anti-catholic in particular.

How, can a mod of an Irish owned and operated website be expected to ever be taken seriously now by a large number of posters , after such a blatant display of anti-Irish catholicism now?


quite disgusted.

Steve

Mods are regular users outside of their respective forums so report the posts and they'll be dealt with as such.

Insect Overlord

Ghandee wrote: »

How, can a mod of an Irish owned and operated website be expected to ever be taken seriously now by a large number of posters , after such a blatant display of anti-Irish catholicism now?


quite disgusted.

You must visit the Atheism & Agnosticism forum sometime... /joke

Serious answer:

Has it affected the way they've moderated the forums under their name? Probably not. Politics brings out polarities between people. It doesn't dictate whether they're decent mods or not.

In summary - Meh.

Ghandee

Steve wrote: »

Mods are regular users outside of their respective forums so report the posts and they'll be dealt with as such.

I get that Steve.

I'm only glad i do not frequent the motors forum as sadly I would be left with no choice but to disregard this mods authority.

If the rants displayed were against certain races or ethnic minorities their would be uproar (and rightly so)

I think its very important that boards does not come across as being complicit here, just because the rants were anti Irish-catholic ones.

Fratton Fred

Ghandee wrote: »

I get that Steve.

I'm only glad i do not frequent the motors forum as sadly I would be left with no choice but to disregard this mods authority.

If the rants displayed were against certain races or ethnic minorities their would be uproar (and rightly so)

I think its very important that boards does not come across as being complicit here, just because the rants were anti Irish-catholic ones.

The whole thread has descended into a juvenile display of triumphalism and bigotry to be honest and three posters have been told not to post again. Lets face it, the poster in question had plenty of abuse directed at him as well.

MugMugs

Ghandee wrote: »

I get that Steve.

I'm only glad i do not frequent the motors forum as sadly I would be left with no choice but to disregard this mods authority.

If the rants displayed were against certain races or ethnic minorities their would be uproar (and rightly so)

I think its very important that boards does not come across as being complicit here, just because the rants were anti Irish-catholic ones.

Being a mod has nothing to do with it. They're a poster just like you outside their forums. As suggested, use the report post function if you're upset by what's posted and the local mods can deal with it.

repsol

Steve wrote: »

Mods are regular users outside of their respective forums so report the posts and they'll be dealt with as such.

So Mods can be bigots or whatever ,as long as it is not on their own forum. Thats ridiculous.If you are going to have Moderators pontificating to the rest of us about what we can and cannot say,then the Moderators themselves should behave in a proper manner EVERY TIME THEY POST irrespective of the forum.If they want to have extreme views they should not be Mo:mad:derators

Tombi!

Look at from this way: he mods one (or more) forum(s).
Outside of those he's held in the same light as any other member.

Now sure, you can argue the fact he's been here 11 years or he's a mod that he should be more tolerant and careful with how he says things but honestly... he's as equal to me in he rules he'll abide by in other forums so just report them.

GRMA

If you said that stuff in the north to someone you'd end up in court, disgraceful.


When someone is a mod it means the site has chosen them to be one - it looks like a seal of approval on that poster, and that they represent the site.

Steve

There are two issues here:

1. A boards user's (mod or not, doesn't matter) behaviour on a thread which is for the local forum mods to deal with.

2. The fact that the user is perceived to be a representative of boards because of their status. I agree, that's a tough cookie.

Personally, I feel a bit restricted by point 2 when posting in general but it's never really been an imposed condition of being a mod here. Over to the admins I guess, this it their remit.

Tombi!

GRMA wrote: »

If you said that stuff in the north to someone you'd end up in court, disgraceful.


When someone is a mod it means the site has chosen them to be one - it looks like a seal of approval on that poster, and that they represent the site.

I think they represent the boards they moderate. I think of it as someone working in a job; they're to be nice and pleasant when acting in the roe of a mod, but outside of them doing "mod" things, they're no different than anyone else.

The only argument that I'd even make is that things that are painfully obvious that's breaking the site-wide charter should probably be punished harsher and for the most part, I think I've seen the argument of "well you're a mod so you know you can't flame/troll/harass/etc" been used it at least one dispute against a moderator disputing an infraction or something on another forum that they don't moderate.

GRMA

Brutal Deluxe wrote: »

I think they represent the boards they moderate. I think of it as someone working in a job; they're to be nice and pleasant when acting in the roe of a mod, but outside of them doing "mod" things, they're no different than anyone else.

The only argument that I'd even make is that things that are painfully obvious that's breaking the site-wide charter should probably be punished harsher and for the most part, I think I've seen the argument of "well you're a mod so you know you can't flame/troll/harass/etc" been used it at least one dispute against a moderator disputing an infraction or something on another forum that they don't moderate.

If I made sectarian comments or the like outside of work, even just on facebook, I could expect to be, at the very least, reprimanded by my employers, and probably sacked.

Tombi!

GRMA wrote: »

If I made sectarian comments or the like outside of work, even just on facebook, I could expect to be, at the very least, reprimanded by my employers, and probably sacked.

But mods don't work here. All you can do is report them and hope they warned/infracted/banned. Just think of each forum as having different rules. Not that mods are supposed to be representing the entire site.
If you *really* disagree and the posts aren't deleted, then PM one of the mods to talk about it (the mods of the forum that the posts were posted on). At the end of the day, as much as I hate to say it, it was in After Hours. People are given more leeway there. But just report it and see what happens.

Larianne

Is it not a unspoken rule that if you are a mod you have to toe the line??

Mods do represent the whole site though. If a mod is consistently getting carded or banned, that would be looked into by the Admins. Not familiar with the mod in this case. Could have been in the heat of the moment, and he got carded for his post.

GRMA

I just think that the site would be concerned about being represented by someone making disgraceful bigoted and sectarian comments like that


At the end of the day it doesnt really effect me, but it's an issue the site should look at

El Guapo!

I don't see much of an issue here to be honest.
As has been said, a mod is just a regular poster when outside their own forum. They can post whatever they like and voice their own opinions, however unpopular they may be, as long as they're within the forum guidelines/charter.
If there is a problem, and their post falls outside those guidelines, then the local mod will step in and put a stop to it. Which is exactly what happened in this case. An AH mod took action and threw the poster out of the thread. That was the action the mod saw as applicable in this case.

It'd be a different story if the mod was consistently racist or trolling or whatever. Maybe then would their mod status need to be reconsidered.
The poster in question doesn't seem to have a history of this type of stuff and seems to be generally a good mod and a good contributor to the site. It may be just a subject close to the bone and got a little heated.
I don't think any further action is warranted in this case tbh.

Just my 2c.

Insect Overlord

GRMA wrote: »

If you said that stuff in the north to someone you'd end up in court, disgraceful.

GRMA wrote: »

If I made sectarian comments or the like outside of work, even just on facebook, I could expect to be, at the very least, reprimanded by my employers, and probably sacked.

GRMA wrote: »

I just think that the site would be concerned about being represented by someone making disgraceful bigoted and sectarian comments like that

You should try to find out if there are any job vacancies going at the Daily Mail. Your sensationalist style would fit in nicely there.

Tombi!

Larianne wrote: »

Is it not a unspoken rule that if you are a mod you have to toe the line??

Mods do represent the whole site though. If a mod is consistently getting carded or banned, that would be looked into by the Admins. Not familiar with the mod in this case. Could have been in the heat of the moment, and he got carded for his post.

They don't represent it outside of their forums/dispute resolution or whatever.
If they're being a "mod" and acting like a jackass then sure, then it's a problem.

But if they're just being a dick, they're just being a dick.

GRMA wrote: »

I just think that the site would be concerned about being represented by someone making disgraceful bigoted and sectarian comments like that


At the end of the day it doesnt really effect me, but it's an issue the site should look at

What issue? A mod posted bad comments outside of moderation activities? Report them, then. Worse case, nothing happens. Best case, we find out he's been abusing his power and he's removed from being a mod.

GRMA

Insect Overlord wrote: »

You should try to find out if there are any job vacancies going at the Daily Mail. Your sensationalist style would fit in nicely there.

You don't think they were disgraceful comments?


I see.


I'll leave you all to it I guess.

Tombi!

GRMA wrote: »

You don't think they were disgraceful comments?


I see.


I'll leave you all to it I guess.

Okay I'm guessing you're just trying to cause trouble for the sake of trouble.

I'll be very, very blunt about it (and I'm not a mod so don't try pulling that card): Report the fecking posts if you have that much of a problem instead of winging about it.

Steve

GRMA wrote: »

You don't think they were disgraceful comments?

Well seeing as you didn't report anything, are we to take it you didn't have a problem with them and are only stirring now for the sake of it?

Really?

El Weirdo

Steve wrote: »

Well seeing as you didn't report anything, are we to take it you didn't have a problem with them and are only stirring now for the sake of it?

Really?

^This.

Clearly, GRMA was so disgusted that he/she was unable to find the report button.

GRMA

Steve wrote: »

Well seeing as you didn't report anything, are we to take it you didn't have a problem with them and are only stirring now for the sake of it?

Really?

Nice one.

I saw the card, that the post had been actioned, then I saw this thread so decided to post here, hardly an irregular development

Tombi!

El Weirdo wrote: »

^This.

Clearly, GRMA was so disgusted that he/she was unable to find the report button.

You're joking? So none of the posts in that topic he/she's going on about were reported by GRMA?

Tombi!

GRMA wrote: »

Nice one.

I saw the card, that the post had been actioned, then I saw this thread so decided to post here, hardly an irregular development

WTF? SO something WAS done and you're still complaining?

Would you like the mod to be removed from Boards completely?

El Weirdo

GRMA wrote: »

Nice one.

I saw the card, that the post had been actioned, then I saw this thread so decided to post here, hardly an irregular development

So did your disgust appear before or after you responded to the post in question 18 mins before the infraction was issued?

El Guapo!

Zing!

Tombi!

Dean09 wrote: »

Zing!

Off topic but it reminds me in one those films, where the suspect is being questioned and the police officer comes out with "so you were the victim and the man attacked you? Was that before or after you mugged the man" :pac:

El Guapo!

Brutal Deluxe wrote: »

Off topic but it reminds me in one those films, where the suspect is being questioned and the police officer comes out with "so you were the victim and the man attacked you? Was that before or after you mugged the man" :pac:

Like an episode of Murder She Wrote!

Steve

GRMA wrote: »

Nice one.

I saw the card, that the post had been actioned, then I saw this thread so decided to post here, hardly an irregular development

I can see your point but this is the feedback forum - for feedback.

Feedback in this case would be for you (or anyone else) to point out that, perhaps, a moderator decision,or a users action, was not in line with site policy, or indeed, site policy needs to be reviewed in light of what happened.

Are you saying that you think the moderator acted inappropriately in this case?

DEFTLEFTHAND

I don't see why he should be hounded for stating his political opinions, is it a crime to be a Unionist?

In my view the only comment that could be perceived as being bigoted in the true sense of the word was the one about driving Catholics off their land, which I think he said in the heat of the moment. There was plenty of vitriolic abuse flying around the thread by that stage and a lot of people made silly comments.

Ghandee

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

I don't see why he should be hounded for stating his political opinions, is it a crime to be a Unionist?

In my view the only comment that could be perceived as being bigoted in the true sense of the word was the one about driving Catholics off their land, which I think he said in the heat of the moment. There was plenty of vitriolic abuse flying around the thread by that stage and a lot of people made silly comments.

Just to be clear.

I have no issue with anyone nailing their colours to the mast and stating their political persuasions or opinions. (as pointed out in my op)

I do however have a problem with someone (especially a mod) being openly and brazenly bigoted on a public forum.

Like I said previously had he made derogatory comments against an ethnic minority, or a certain race their may well have be uproar on the site, in our not so distant past, it just so happens that members of the catholic community living in the north were considered
an 'ethnic minority' and indeed are still regarded as such by some sections of the community in the north.

I'm far from a trouble maker on this site, indeed this is the first time I've ever felt the need to post in feedback, but I was personally offended by the remarks made in tonights thread.

I just felt the need to point it out.

Insect Overlord

Ghandee wrote: »

I'm far from a trouble maker on this site, indeed this is the first time I've ever felt the need to post in feedback, but I was personally offended by the remarks made in tonights thread.

I just felt the need to point it out.

Tombi!

Okay, we get it. You were annoyed/upset/offended/whatever over what you read that was posted by a mod.

Did you report them? If so, are you happy with the outcome? If yes, what's the point of the thread? If no, what outcome would you like?
If you didn't report the, why not?

I get that you're trying to say it's been dealt with less harshly but to me it just seemed like him and the others were getting a bit too emotional in the argument and were told not to post again. I don't see the problem with that resolution. Cards were given when needed and also, more importantly, by telling them not to post again it's preventing them from posting anything else in that thread which'll cause problems.

Ghandee

Brutal Deluxe wrote: »

Okay, we get it. You were annoyed/upset/offended/whatever over what you read that was posted by a mod.

Did you report them? If so, are you happy with the outcome? If yes, what's the point of the thread? If no, what outcome would you like?
If you didn't report the, why not?

I get that you're trying to say it's been dealt with less harshly but to me it just seemed like him and the others were getting a bit too emotional in the argument and were told not to post again. I don't see the problem with that resolution. Cards were given when needed and also, more importantly, by telling them not to post again it's preventing them from posting anything else in that thread which'll cause problems.

Do you condone the comments made?

Tombi!

Ghandee wrote: »

Do you condone the comments made?

That's neither here nor there. I'm just trying to find out what the purpose of the thread is since it really does sound like you're complaining for the sake of saying "I'm annoyed".

Iwannahurl

Insect Overlord wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqPcjm-X5GQ

Doesn't stop Stephen Fry being offended by homophobia.

On the issue of Mods being 'ordinary' posters outside the forums they moderate, my own view is that if they tend to behave like dicks then it's reasonable to question why they are Modding at all. Unless Boards is stuck for volunteers, that is.

The Report Post function is inadequate, IMO. Opaque, unaccountable blah blah etc.

Overheal

Ghandee wrote: »

I'm only glad i do not frequent the motors forum as sadly I would be left with no choice but to disregard this mods authority.

That would be a logical fallacy, argumentum ad hominem. Apropos, note that would not be a valid defense in a moderator/user dispute-resolution, if you chose to ignore a moderator's instruction in any forum, Motors or otherwise.

If you are going to have Moderators pontificating to the rest of us about what we can and cannot say,then the Moderators themselves should behave in a proper manner EVERY TIME THEY POST irrespective of the forum.

Henceforth, Moderators, as any user, adhere to the rules of any forum they post in, and the rules of the website. If the moderator, posting in any capacity, was found to be in violation of the forum's rules that you have selected posts from, they will be dealt with.

When someone is a mod it means the site has chosen them to be one - it looks like a seal of approval on that poster, and that they represent the site.

A Mod of mustard has a seal of approval to moderate all disputes related to the discussion of mustard.

If I made sectarian comments or the like outside of work, even just on facebook, I could expect to be, at the very least, reprimanded by my employers, and probably sacked.

Because most employers stipulate that you don't discuss certain categories in the workplace. Primarily, that would be sexual, racial, political and religious references, but employers may vary in this behavior. As you've guessed, boards doesn't have this same stipulation: you are allowed to talk about LBGT, Womens Rights, Politics, Religion, etc. with given latitude.

If a mod is consistently getting carded or banned, that would be looked into by the Admins.

Correct. Matters of such nature have occurred before.

At the end of the day it doesnt really effect me

Then why are you so offended, if it doesn't affect you? Either you aren't offended and you're raising this issue for the sake of raising an issue, or you're offended. The former is a waste of energy.

The comments in question are at best inflammatory to sensitive parties, but I would hardly declare them abhorrent. We regularly entertain sectarian discussions about Israel and Palestine, for instance, with views either which way, which are inflammatory in nature such that they regularly spark heated debate; it just doesn't get messy until one person or another decides to spice the talk up a bit by wishing for the other side to be wiped off the map and such. Saying "I believe Israel should return to the 1967 Borders" would, analogously to a comment you raised as offensive, not really be that offensive at all, but rather a point of view.

Cheers.

Ghandee

Brutal Deluxe wrote: »

That's neither here nor there. I'm just trying to find out what the purpose of the thread is since it really does sound like you're complaining for the sake of saying "I'm annoyed".

I just think a can of worms may have been opened.

Insect Overlord

Ghandee wrote: »

I just think a can of worms may have been opened.

Yes, and you're holding the can-opener. And yet, you still haven't really given a decent reason for letting the worms loose.

desaparecidos

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

I don't see why he should be hounded for stating his political opinions, is it a crime to be a Unionist?

I don't understand how a unionist got the position of a mod. It isn't 1915 anymore.

Iwannahurl

Overheal wrote: »

That would be a logical fallacy, argumentum ad hominem.

Apropos, note that would not be a valid defense in a moderator/user dispute-resolution, if you chose to ignore a moderator's instruction in any forum, Motors or otherwise.

In other words, not a logical fallacy at all but simply an unwise move because of the power differential.

Tombi!

Ghandee wrote: »

I just think a can of worms may have been opened.

I don't get why you're so evasive.
It's not unreasonable to ask why you opened a thread here, most notably when the issue has been dealt with. I'm guessing you might just think it wasn't a harsh enough punishment but if it was that then... okay, just say it?

Overheal

Iwannahurl wrote: »

In other words, not a logical fallacy at all but simply an unwise move because of the power differential.

It would be both.

Ghandee

Brutal Deluxe wrote: »

I don't get why you're so evasive.
It's not unreasonable to ask why you opened a thread here, most notably when the issue has been dealt with. I'm guessing you might just think it wasn't a harsh enough punishment but if it was that then... okay, just say it?

Harsh enough? I don't know, was a red card warranted iyo?

I'm not being evasive, my can of worms reference was made to signify just how many future banned posters from AH may revert to these particular comments tonight.

Food for thought, that's all.

Iwannahurl

Overheal wrote: »

It would be both.

Guess which matters on Boards...

Overheal

As far as I'm concerned, both, since I hold everything I read on here up to argumentum ad hominem quite a lot.

Ghandee wrote: »

Harsh enough? I don't know, was a red card warranted iyo?

I'm not being evasive, my can of worms reference was made to signify just how many future banned posters from AH may revert to these particular comments tonight.

Food for thought, that's all.

Im sure it won't be any worse than that time that thing happened over some soccer match and - what was it again? France's own goal or something. Anyway, that was a doozy. If they can top that, I'd be impressed and somewhat amused.

Tombi!

Ghandee wrote: »

Harsh enough? I don't know, was a red card warranted iyo?

I'm not being evasive, my can of worms reference was made to signify just how many future banned posters from AH may revert to these particular comments tonight.

Food for thought, that's all.

Okay now that you're trying to answer some things I'm asking, can you tell me why you opened this thread in the first place?

Orion

desaparecidos wrote: »

I don't understand how a unionist got the position of a mod. It isn't 1915 anymore.

I absolutely agree. All mods should be true-green republicans. That'll show the fcukers!

...
or alternatively
...

Seriously? You're in favour of discrimination against Unionists but if someone didn't get a job for being a Shinner you'd start a riot ... amirite?

Ghandee

Brutal Deluxe wrote: »

Okay now that you're trying to answer some things I'm asking, can you tell me why you opened this thread in the first place?

This is feedback.

I thought I'd post my distaste at a repulsive, bigoted comment made inn the feedback forum.

can i ask you something now?

Why does the fact, that I offered some feedback in the feedback forum bother you so much?

I was under the impression that's what it existed for no?

Ghandee

Orion wrote: »

I absolutely agree. All mods should be true-green republicans. That'll show the fcukers!

...
or alternatively
...

Seriously? You're in favour of discrimination against Unionists but if someone didn't get a job for being a Shinner you'd start a riot ... amirite?

I think/hope his comment was made in jest.