False Infraction

Notavirus.exe

Hi,

I made a post on a thread which can be found here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=97036766#post97036766

This is my post:

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

I can't decide whether I'm for or against Charlie Hebdo's cartoons. Personally, I don't see why I should be shocked by them.

Boards.ie does allow free speech, just not anything that goes against Liberal views, so I can't explain my views on this.

And moderator note in PM, here:

Moderator Note

Bitch about Boards in the feedback forum. Do t derail threads to take petty swipes here.

Let me explain my post. The thread was about Charlie Hebdo making cartoons of a drowned child. I wasn't really in the discussion, I just said in a post that I couldn't decide whether Charlie Hebdo's jokes were wrong or not.

My next paragraph is what got me the infraction which I believe was misinterpreted by "humanji". I wanted to express my views on the cartoons but I knew I couldn't because I don't have free speech on Boards. I respect that rule. I didn't want anybody asking me why I didn't see anything wrong (or right) about the cartoons so I just stated that Liberal views are tolerated on Boards and some non-Liberal (which are usually controversial) views weren't tolerated.

The second paragraph is just explaining that I respect the no free speech Boards rule and that I wouldn't be entertaining discussion on it. I respect every Boards rule and I understand that I have to follow them if I want to use Boards and I'm completely fine with that. All I did was innocently point out that my views wouldn't be accepted on Boards. I don't have a problem with that, I just wanted to prevent someone asking me what my views are. If you imagine my post without the second paragraph you'd expect somebody to ask me what my views are. But I don't have free speech here and I just stated so in order to prevent people asking me.

I love Boards and respect every rule. I believe that my infraction was harsh and I believe that the moderator misinterpreted what I was talking about. I just stated the true facts, my views on cartoons would count as free speech and that's not allowed here.

Please understand,

Thanks.

The Hill Billy

Hi there:

By stating "Boards.ie does allow free speech, just not anything that goes against Liberal views" you are (a) dragging the thread off-topic & (b) questioning moderator action on-thread - both of which are against the site rules. Your post is clearly having a go at what you perceive to be a 'liberal agenda' on this site.

You dig a deeper hole for yourself in your appeal when you acknowledge that "I don't have free speech on Boards." Therefore, your post in AH was clearly to have a dig at the way in which you think the site is being run.

I uphold the infraction. You may appeal to the Admin if you wish.

tHB

Notavirus.exe

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Hi there:

By stating "Boards.ie does allow free speech, just not anything that goes against Liberal views" you are (a) dragging the thread off-topic & (b) questioning moderator action on-thread - both of which are against the site rules. Your post is clearly having a go at what you perceive to be a 'liberal agenda' on this site.

You dig a deeper hole for yourself in your appeal when you acknowledge that "I don't have free speech on Boards." Therefore, your post in AH was clearly to have a dig at the way in which you think the site is being run.

I uphold the infraction. You may appeal to the Admin if you wish.

tHB

Yes, I would like an admin to review this.

I didn't believe that it would bring the thread off-topic, and it didn't. I was definitely not questioning any moderators action. I just made the statement because what I wanted to say wouldn't be welcomed on Boards because I don't have free speech. I hinted that my opinion wasn't nice because Liberals are kind people, and my opinion wouldn't be as kind.

Let me explain my post. My first paragraph states that I can't make my mind up on whether the cartoons were bad or not.
My second paragraph would have been detailing my view on the cartoons but I thought that I'd get into trouble for saying something anti-liberal (we can all agree that liberal views are fair and liberal views are the main views on Boards).

I was simply not "bitching" about Boards. I made it clear in my second paragraph that I can't post my views because they would have appeared to be nasty. Let me be honest here, I couldn't care less about what happens to migrants and if they're drowning, that's their problem. That's my view on it and I admit that it's sadistic, this is the reason I said what I said in the second paragraph.

(a) I did not bring the thread off-topic. Every post afterwards was on-topic. I made absolutely no change to the discussion. I just said that I can't decide if the cartoons are bad or not and I stated that I'd probably break the rules if I posted my opinion, I was not bitching or anything. I was admitting that I don't have the right to make fun of migrants.

(b) I was not "questioning" any moderator action as there was none. Likewise, I was not questioning anything. I just stated that my opinion would break the rules, as it would appear to be controversial.

I don't know why I'm being accused of bitching/questioning/derailing when I just stated that I can't make up my mind and then stated that my view wouldn't be allowed on Boards. That's not bitching. It's called being aware of the rules.

Note to admin: My statement was not arguing against anything. I didn't want anybody asking me what my opinion on the cartoons was as my opinion would have been controversial. Ever since I've joined I've understood the rules and have stuck by them. I am being 100% truthful when I say that I wasn't complaining about the rules when I made that statement. I'm used to being criticised for not posting things, an example being photos of a friend's lips coming out black in a photo (long story). Anyway, I wanted to make sure that nobody heckled me to tell them my view on the cartoons.

The bottom line is, my post was misinterpreted by a moderator. I just hinted in a statement that my opinion was nasty by saying Boards wouldn't allow it. I was not bitching about or criticising Boards, I was simply saying that I can't post my opinion because it would break the rules. I hinted my opinion wasn't what a Liberal would believe so that people understood that it wouldn't be allowed which was lightly veiled "Don't ask me".

Notavirus.exe

The Hill Billy wrote: »

You dig a deeper hole for yourself in your appeal when you acknowledge that "I don't have free speech on Boards." Therefore, your post in AH was clearly to have a dig at the way in which you think the site is being run.

I said that I understand I don't have free speech here on Boards. It's hard to explain but if I was to use my free speech I would complain about the migrants and blame their country for their problems and possibly go on a rant and completely derail the thread.

BTW, I think you're mistaken, The Hill Billy.
There was no incident on the thread. I did not break any rules on the thread. There was no moderator action as you believe there was. I wasn't questioning any moderator action. I can understand your mistake as you weren't there. The post my infraction is tied to is the only post I made on that thread. I had an opinion but I didn't want to post it because I knew that people would think I was sick. I made a statement saying that my free speech wouldn't be allowed and that I wouldn't be saying what I believed. I got a random infraction for stating that my opinion wouldn't be allowed on Boards.

The Hill Billy

This is the bit that there was an issue with...

Notavirus.exe wrote:

Boards.ie does allow free speech, just not anything that goes against Liberal views, so I can't explain my views on this.

And you're saying that the wordy post below is necessary now to explain what you were trying to convey? I don't buy it tbh. You could very well have posted the first paragraph & left it at that. But you didn't.

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

Let me explain my post. My first paragraph states that I can't make my mind up on whether the cartoons were bad or not.
My second paragraph would have been detailing my view on the cartoons but I thought that I'd get into trouble for saying something anti-liberal (we can all agree that liberal views are fair and liberal views are the main views on Boards).

I was simply not "bitching" about Boards. I made it clear in my second paragraph that I can't post my views because they would have appeared to be nasty. Let me be honest here, I couldn't care less about what happens to migrants and if they're drowning, that's their problem. That's my view on it and I admit that it's sadistic, this is the reason I said what I said in the second paragraph.

(a) I did not bring the thread off-topic. Every post afterwards was on-topic. I made absolutely no change to the discussion. I just said that I can't decide if the cartoons are bad or not and I stated that I'd probably break the rules if I posted my opinion, I was not bitching or anything. I was admitting that I don't have the right to make fun of migrants.

(b) I was not "questioning" any moderator action as there was none. Likewise, I was not questioning anything. I just stated that my opinion would break the rules, as it would appear to be controversial.

I don't know why I'm being accused of bitching/questioning/derailing when I just stated that I can't make up my mind and then stated that my view wouldn't be allowed on Boards. That's not bitching. It's called being aware of the rules.

Note to admin: My statement was not arguing against anything. I didn't want anybody asking me what my opinion on the cartoons was as my opinion would have been controversial. Ever since I've joined I've understood the rules and have stuck by them. I am being 100% truthful when I say that I wasn't complaining about the rules when I made that statement. I'm used to being criticised for not posting things, an example being photos of a friend's lips coming out black in a photo (long story). Anyway, I wanted to make sure that nobody heckled me to tell them my view on the cartoons.

The bottom line is, my post was misinterpreted by a moderator. I just hinted in a statement that my opinion was nasty by saying Boards wouldn't allow it. I was not bitching about or criticising Boards, I was simply saying that I can't post my opinion because it would break the rules. I hinted my opinion wasn't what a Liberal would believe so that people understood that it wouldn't be allowed which was lightly veiled "Don't ask me".

An admin review has been requested.

tHB

Notavirus.exe

The Hill Billy wrote: »

This is the bit that there was an issue with...

Yes, it was completely random. It wasn't in response to anything. That was my way of saying "don't ask me for my opinion, I'll get into trouble". I respected the fact that my opinion wouldn't be allowed, I wanted people to know that it's not allowed so that people wouldn't ask me to post my opinion.

The Hill Billy wrote: »

And you're saying that the wordy post below is necessary now to explain what you were trying to convey? I don't buy it tbh. You could very well have posted the first paragraph & left it at that. But you didn't.

Looking back on it now, I could have used a more straightforward sentence such as "I won't post my opinion, it would break the rules".

However, that IS what I meant by my statement. I didn't "dig" at the rules, I just didn't want anyone questioning me. I don't normally return to threads so I wanted people to know in advance that I wouldn't be expressing my beliefs.

Look, I'm very sorry that I made it (to you) look like I was "bitching", but I cannot accept an infraction for this as being fair or justified. I coming forward and being honest by saying that my statement was just that, a statement. This statement in question was informing people that what I believe about the cartoons wouldn't be an acceptable thing to say on Boards (or anywhere else for that matter).

Can you, humanji, explain to me how my statement was, in your words, "bitching". Break it down for me. Then I'll break it down for you as it really is.

Notavirus.exe

I'm aware that the admins have real lives but how long will it take for someone to review this?

Gordon

I'll have a look at this.

Gordon

Notavirus.exe wrote: »

Looking back on it now, I could have used a more straightforward sentence such as "I won't post my opinion, it would break the rules".

I think that, or as THB said - just the first paragraph, wouldn't have seen a similar mod action.

Taken on it's own, I'd not think that a red card would be appropriate, but instead a yellow. Your comment is, to me, either trolling or flamebaiting on a particularly emotive thread.

However, as you've already received a yellow card - a red card is warranted in my opinion.

Just because your post didn't actually drag the thread off topic, doesn't mean that it's ok to post something that is bait, it just means that nobody took the bait. I'm not saying I believe you thought it was bait, but it does appear that way, especially given your posting history - the yellow card.

Card upheld.