General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The latest "banning" (NYC_SKP) is an interesting lesson on REPUTATION. [View all]MH1
(17,537 posts)I think SKP could have been just flagging the absurdity of the troll using that strange "tongue twister" phrase, and if I had seen the entire exchange at first, I'm pretty certain I would have read it that way. (Really, who would even say that phrase in normal discourse? Obviously the troll meant it the way it was taken. I would have assumed SKP's use of it was to draw attention to and mock the troll.) I don't blame people who were witness first hand to the whole exchange for being a bit perturbed about the outcome.
Oh well, I think this goes to the O.P.s point of reputation. I think EarlG probably overreacted in this case but there's no doubt that SKP's previous history influenced EarlG's interpretation of the post and caused that reaction. And, it's their site. They may want to not get a reputation for capriciousness in banning people, but it's still up to them.
Also I'll make a mental note that when playing with a troll, be very careful about how you use any of their words.