Comment by tomhow | Hacker News Reader

Comment by tomhow | Hacker News Reader

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Please don't sermonize. HN has existed for two decades and we've been doing this job a long time. Plenty of people try and find a way to justify why their activities should be excused. It can't work like that. The guidelines have to apply equally to everyone.

Your initial comment was inflammatory. You could have expressed the same sentiment in a thoughtful, substantive style, rather than an inflammatory one. Others perpetuated the flamewar, and I've also replied to two of them, but it's not true that the flamewar is entirely others' fault; even if others started it, you've still escalated and perpetuated it and posted personal insults. You may not recognize them as personal insults. That's not unusual; people often don't realize how mean their words come across. That's why we sometimes need to point it out.

We don't care what side you're on and we go to great effort to allow everyone to express their perspective here. We are constantly reminding people of all positions/ideologies to respect the guidelines.

This is only a place where anyone wants to participate because others make the effort to keep the standards up. Please do your part rather than dragging them down. It's really not hard.

Hello tomhow,

I don't mind you pointing it out, but just so you know, I am not religious nor am I asking for nor needing any justification for my activities. I simply prefer to be upfront with people so everyone knows what my values are and where I stand. I just have a problem with dissemblers, in particular those that work in positions of power where their decisions influence the activities, policies or lack there of, in places like these. The fact that you don't care what side people are on, is very telling. My advice to everyone seeing this is that they should pay more attention to what side people are on, particularly in HN. Two decades is a long time without accountability. It's better to be safe than sorry, I always say.

Now as to your points; as it happens, I suggested to the other person that we stop that discussion right then and there but they persisted. I will abide by HN's rules, as I always have, but keep in mind, however, that I reserve the right to state and defend my beliefs as I've always done and will call out any dissembling when I see it. What can I say, I have a problem with inaccuracies. Unfortunately, I can't control how my words will be perceived as one person's complement is another person's insult, particularly when you deal with a diverse global user base that often has a different take on accountability, right and wrong, etc.

Alright then, we're done chewing your virtual ears off.

Respectfully, Will & Sophie & Caitlin & Sol & Tom Baker, too :)

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Just be a respectful participant here. I'm not policing you or being hostile. I'm pointing out what the expectations are, and stating that the rules apply equally to everyone, no matter what position you're advocating for. We work hard to make this a place where everyone can express their point of view, you included. Everyone needs to make the effort to communicate in a way that's respectful. It's really not hard. I'd hope you don't have people taunting and jeering at you when you're trying to do your job.

Duly noted. I’m not saying things’ll change overnight… but I will at least read the rules, one more time, before replying again. Fair warning, though, I’ll comply, unless the rules are actually haunted, in which case I’ll need a quick exorcism, a citation and a drink ;)

Well, congrats, we've both passed the Turing Test—now we’re officially more human than most humans, and that’s terrifying in the best way.

Respectfully, Brian Griffin

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