I know nothing about the case that brought on this uncomfortable confusion for you, but I can pretty well guess the process. When a user gets that first moderation, it is often a surprise because the post is essentially like other posts they've been making for quite a while. So, what's changed? Almost always, it is because the post has broken the "radar horizon" of another user's tolerance, and been reported, with a reason why *that* post is offensive and breaks the rules of the TOS in the mind of the reporter. Most of the time the reporter gets an answer along the lines of "I see your point, but that post doesn't really break the TOS," but sometimes there's a clear violation and moderation is required. And sometimes... well, sometimes there's a spirited discussion in the back room on whether moderation should occur or not, and the decision may seem on the surface to be capricious when in fact it's been quite the opposite.
Mods must weigh the intent of the poster against the perception of the reporter and try to divine the mind of the average user - sometimes pretty easy, often quite difficult.
I'll give you a specific example - recently, in the midst of a class up at Auburn, a young lady interrupted me and called me to task for using the term "chicks" to refer to girls. The rest of the class chuckled... I was totally surprised by her complaint! I *had* used the term "chicks" to refer to a Divemaster's group - as in "mother hen and her chicks." The class as a whole understood what I was saying, but this young lady was so keen on the word that the message had flown by her completely. So, moderate or not?
Bottom line... continue to say what you mean, mean what you say, but realize the message received is the message, and that may not be the message sent at all
Rick
is WAY TOO HARSH.
though, so people who find humor in a "joke" that's been repeated thousands of times on this board alone can still reveal themselves for the completely unoriginal (half-) wits that they are.
