Banned from Donegal forum by Muffler

Hi Folks,

This is an issue I feel the need to mention. I don't really use the Donegal forum, but obviously it's topical lately with the Mica issues in the news, and appears on the front page a lot. As I don't particularly use the forum, a ban there doesn't bother me. However, I feel the moderating is a bit questionable, and as a point of principle, feel the need to draw attention to it.

User Muffler is a Moderator on the Donegal forum, and is involved in moderation of the thread on Mica. I'm not sure if Muffler is one of the homeowners affected by Mica, but his moderating of the thread is very poor. One such example has lead to me being banned (I'm open to correction, but i think that'd be my first boards ban, I believe, in 9 years of using the site).

I presume moderators here can access/view mine and Muffler's PM exchange, so I won't post that (unsure if I'm allowed, but Muffler has my permission to post my PMs to him publicly if he wishes to do so).



The gist of the issue is: another user made a post on the thread, which Muffler, in my opinion, completely twisted, changed the context of, and then warned the user for.

I pointed out the very bad moderating, including the suddenly-invented context that Muffler added to this users post (insinuating it was a knock on Donegal people, somehow), I added my interpretation of the other user's post (the interpretation that 99.9% of the population would take from it, that contractors will bleed the govt. dry if given the chance) and pointed out also that even if it was a shot at Donegal people, the entire Mica story has been created by what could well be interpreted as Donegal people swindling other Donegal people.


Muffler banned me for 3 days from the forum, and then in PM, told me he wished he'd banned me for a month and accused me of deliberately trolling the thread (all this time contributing to Boards, and now I'm suddenly a troll).

Muffler is, to me, taking the entire thread far too personally and comes across as having a vested interest or being involved with the issue of Mica in general. His moderating comes off as being very emotively driven, petty and childish. Any view that does not align with his; is trolling.


I also see another thread on here about him banning a different user, who has been on the site for 3 years and amassed a large number of posts (again, not someone likely to be trolling). The other banned person, MrMusician18, also points out a very reasonable issue, in that muffler is regularly contributing to this thread as a user, but then sticks the bold/mod font on when he feels like it, thus killing any counter-argument.


Anyway, enough of my rambling. I am banned from the forum, so I can't give any direct post links or such, and I'm unsure of the rules around posting private messages, so my apologies if this thread comes across as vague. I'm sure Muffler will be along to clarify anything or supply any links that may be required.


Thank you for your time.

Regards
KKV.

Gaspode

As the CMod I'll have a look at this. I am heading away for the weekend though, so it'll be early next week before I get to read the thread in question.
Apologies that I didn't spot this post sooner, you've already been kept waiting.

There's honestly no panic or rush. It's more a point of principle. It taking a little while longer is perfectly fine.

Gaspode

Howdy, sorry for the delays. You were disputing moderation on thread which is not allowed, so the ban was warranted & upheld. I've been reading my way through the thread to see if I've missed something, and I'm not concerned with the moderation tbh.