Up until today, The Truth About Guns has only had to ban one tr0ll from our site. At the time, we really thought we’d be able to get through life without banning anyone, but the doggedly-dogmatic and infinitely infantile rantings of JadeGold made that impossible. So we’re a year-and-a-half into a site that’s growing by leaps and bounds, and here we are, having to use the nuclear option again. Sigh… As of this evening MechWolf has joined TTAG’s History Team (JV Squad).
Our (former) pal Mech is a 41-year-old West Virginian who likes Hi-Points, and has a penchant for hyperbole and an unfortunate tendency to spew invectives when angry. Which is apparently all the time, at least as far as TTAG goes. As your sysAdmin, I get to read everything on the site, even the stuff that doesn’t make it past the censors and into prime time.
TTAG is fearless when it comes to posting comments and editorials and letters and news articles from people who disagree with our general pro-gun rights stance. Look at MikeB2000 – I’d venture a guess that “once in a blue moon” is about as often as most of TTAG agrees with what he has to say. Yet we don’t ban him. Magoo? He’s also welcome here. Both commentators are intelligent and respectful: a vital part of the TTAG’s commitment to avoid being an echo chamber.
We have a simple policy regarding comments on this site: no flaming. No flaming the website, its authors or fellow commentators. Commentators are free to disagree with anything written or said by anyone, but they must not make it personal. We will not tolerate personal attacks.
We warned MechWolf repeatedly to reign it in. We invited him to make his points about the Hi-Point review without flaming the writer. We assured him that the gun is getting a a second review and offered to address the issue of editorial bias off-line (RF prefers to keep the comments section focused on the article rather than questions of editorial stance and style, which he will discuss at guntruth@me.com).
MechWolf chose to escalate the situation, moving straight to threats, attempted intimidation, and name-calling. And so from now on, MechWolf is unwelcome on this website. As will anyone else who decides to vent his frustration without an ounce of common decency.
Anyone else is most welcome to join in the ongoing debates, from any perspective, safe in the knowledge that they may do so without being personally attacked for their views.