Good post by Hudson to point out what some feel the double standard is, and one reason I would like to see the warning and lock system handled more systematically. Hudsons right in that a thread gone awry should end with; derailed-locked, and a problem causer would have a post saying; username warned-trolling, or username banned-warnings exceeded. Take your opinions and emotion out of the equation.
I wish we'd been more on top of things to provide proof, but another double standard we hint at, but I'll just say it, is Rom. Rom trolls, baits, and flames as much as the most trolly Crimson troll. A fact that we've always enjoyed and had fun with. He can dish it out and take it in stride. When he succeeded at recruiting his admittedly awesome Dark Angels, he also enjoyed trolling the public areas of chapters he got players from and baiting them by mentioning it.
Now in our view, that's fine. We can banter with him and troll back. But by your standard, he should be temp banned at least. Instead he's got a low warning level.
I'd like to address this claim of double-standard. No promises that you will be satisfied with my answer, but I'll do my best, because this does deserve a response.
During the debate about whether or not Gerhart should be banned, I specifically mentioned that I felt Rom's actions warranted similar consideration, because at the time it appeared they were committing equal offense. In other words, I felt we could not continue to discuss banning Gerhart if we were not prepared to discuss similar repercussions for Rom. I'm not saying that I'm the ONLY person who felt this way, but I believe I was the first to voice this point of view when the council was in session.
The council did debate this point, and ultimately decided that Rom's activity was insufficent to warrant banning, because both parties were acting in response to the flaming/baiting/trolling the other person was doing. By the same token, although Gerhart's activities in this regard were VERY public and even harmful (as were Rom's), those activities alone would not be enough to ban him either... not permanently anyway.
What tipped the scales against Gerhart and ONLY Gerhart was other activities that Rom played no part in: The accusation of cheating against the Night Lords during the July tournament (deemed inappropriate, but not a bannable offense
by itself). The way he refused to respond to any attempts by staff or other faction leaders to engage him diplomatically (his "F** it I do what I want attitude/replies)... etc. NONE of these things warranted banning in and of themselves, but
the sum of his ongoing behavior led the council to the decision that he no longer cared for the well-being of the community outside his chapter, that his actions and attitudes were actually causing damage to the community, and that he had no intention of scaling back or changing, regardless of anyone's attempts to negotiate with him.Rom was far more responsive to the staff's attempts to put the "ego war" to rest, or so they indicated during our debate. I am not a staff member, so I am forced to accept their word on that. By extension, I ask you to accept mine. The consequences may not have been the same for both of these leaders, but that was because their actions were not equal, not because of a double-standard.
Edit: I'd also like to say that the council never intended to slap the Crimson Fists in the face by announcing Gerhart's ban right after your chapter's anniversary. It could be argued that the timing is MY fault, since I caused a delay when I asked that the council give equal consideration to banning Rom. Sorry about that guys.