How many temporary bans...

[Sanz]

Its not saying 'he could tell' anything. Even if everyone on here 'could tell' what was meant behind each post, they shouldnt. End of day Sanz looked at it and took it on face value, which even I did, and i'm well aware of Sted's character and humour. Doesnt matter what intent was behind the post, it came accross as being inappropriate (not racist or anything, just grossly innapropriate. There is a difference), and it doesnt matter if 99% of us realise that its not serious/racist/anything but a p*ss poor joke in the lame jokes thread, it still shouldnt have been posted, as theres much much more than enough ambiguity in the post to offend someone who's not a good friend of steds.

Like i've said, mebbie a ban was harsh, deletion and a warning fairer, but rules are rules, and as much as i like the fella, i cant find a way to twist the perception to make it fall within the rules.

Quoting the part you quoted Richard, and comparing it to what you've put in the quote from yourself, i disagree.

What Sanz has said is pretty straightforward. He read the post, and to him it didnt resemble humour in any shape or form. He never said anything about Steds being Islamophobic\xenophobic\racist, just he didnt see any humour in it. Considering were talking about the meaning behind Sted's original post being misconstrued, I personally think your misconstruing the meaning behind Sanz's post.

That proves a point IMO, that you can only take whats written on face value, as reading any deeper meaning is a pretty difficult task, which is why theres been a bit of a barney about the original 'joke'



Think the biggest laugh coming from the 'joke' will be from Steds on his return, at seeing all the uproar going on on his behalf.

Thanks for making the point for me. I couldn't have said it better.

 

[Sanz]

I quite agree with you cpr, and whilst I think Richard honestly believes what he says, I feel his judgement has been clouded due to all to obvious animosity with which himself and Sanz view each other.

TBF Heath, I do not have any animosity towards Richard. I very much dislike his way of arguing, posting and his various theories but I wouldn't let that cloud my judgment on other issues(such as this one).

 

[NZTailender]

Really regretting not applying to be a mod. Would sooooo have a power trip.

 

[Dick Rockett]

Wow, My one statement has caused a stir here, Thanks Richard.

Anyways, for the record, I do not know steds personally, I have not had much discussions with him on this forum, I have no reason to like or dislike him. That said I have stayed at CW to form an opinion about him and according to that opinion, he doesn't come across as a racist or islamophobic individual and I never suggested that.

That said, I still standby statement that, to me, his post didn't look like an attempt at humor, I don't know why he made that statement, perhaps he was annoyed at the so called Muslim world for making a fuss over something as trivial as the incident in Sudan or may be he had strong feelings on the subject (which it seems he did). It looked more than a simple attempt at humor and that is my opinion and I am not alone if I believe that.

Not that I usually agree with you, but I thought your original comment was fairly unambiguous and made perfect sense.

On the other hand, I did think a ban was OTT.

 

[Matteh]

That's news to me. From my conversations with him, he has no interest whatsoever to post on this forum again.

Indeed.

 

[Perm]

Really regretting not applying to be a mod. Would sooooo have a power trip.

Regretting not being appointed TBH.

 

[Adamc]

Regretting allowing Murphy to submit a poorly-written application on my behalf.

 

[Matteh]

Was a good read itbt.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Regretting allowing Murphy to submit a poorly-written application on my behalf.

 

[shortpitched713]

This whole Bennett banning saga

Its a wonder what isolated post reports can do.

Personally I think it was harsh.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

TBF Heath, I do not have any animosity towards Richard. I very much dislike his way of arguing, posting and his various theories but I wouldn't let that cloud my judgment on other issues(such as this one).

Sorry Sanz. I haven't really been here long enough to know for sure, and I don't actually have time to read that much on here so I'd based my opinion on the few arguments i've seen between the two of you. Apologies for the assumption.

 

[Sanz]

No worries. Not your fault anyway since our arguments at times do give that impression.

 

[Richard]

I quite agree with you cpr, and whilst I think Richard honestly believes what he says, I feel his judgement has been clouded due to all to obvious animosity with which himself and Sanz view each other.

Richard - may I be so bold as to suggest that you take a deep breath, chill out and listen to "The Living Years" by Mike and the Mechanics. I'm sure after listening to this all-too-real moral tale for the 20th Century, you'll be all too willing to clear the air with Sanz. If you don't, I'll make you listen to "The Living Years" by Mike and the Mechanics again and again until you'll be begging to clear the air with Sanz. Likewise, Sanz should listen to "(Don't you) Forget about Me" by Simple Minds to the same effect.

Don't see either of those songs having any effect whatsoever TBH, certainly In The Living Years won't on me. My judgement isn't clouded, at all, more cleared, by my previous "dealings". I'm not standing for him calling my friends racists, frankly. That's as simple as it is.

 

[Richard]

That's news to me. From my conversations with him, he has no interest whatsoever to post on this forum again.

Not long-term, obviously. But he's duplicate-accounted more than once.

And yes, I did wonder whether the new benckmark01 was actually Murphy, and it doesn't particularly surprise me that it's not.

 

[Richard]

Sorry Sanz. I haven't really been here long enough to know for sure, and I don't actually have time to read that much on here so I'd based my opinion on the few arguments i've seen between the two of you. Apologies for the assumption.

Been meaning to add you to my MSN for yonks, really must get around to it. I'm sick of people getting the wrong end of the schtick about myself in this matter.

 

[Matteh]

Once. Jesus.

 

[Richard]

It looked more than a simple attempt at humor and that is my opinion and I am not alone if I believe that.

And anyone who does believe that is wrong, simple as.

 

[BoyBrumby]

That said, I still standby statement that, to me, his post didn't look like an attempt at humor, I don't know why he made that statement, perhaps he was annoyed at the so called Muslim world for making a fuss over something as trivial as the incident in Sudan or may be he had strong feelings on the subject (which it seems he did). It looked more than a simple attempt at humor and that is my opinion and I am not alone if I believe that.

It was for me. It's the kind of viral thing that gets passed round by email and/or text (SMS). I've received similar about the same subject and they're both funnier and infinitely more ban-worthy.

 

[cpr]

I'm not standing for him calling my friends racists, frankly. That's as simple as it is.

He didnt call him racist, he's made that pretty clear in the last few posts (a whole page ago), just he felt the post completely unappropriate. Read what the guys said before forming such a strong opinion Richard, if anything he's done as much as he can to deny he thinks steds is a racist.

And anyone who does believe that is wrong, simple as.

Well mebbie they are wrong, but the post is ambiguous enough for people to form their own opinions on it, so not so simple as i'm afraid. If you managed to find a cunning social commentary in the one line post, well done, but i didnt untill you suggested it, and many others wont have done, and thats the problem. The post, on face value, can be deemed offensive. I'm afraid its not as black and white as that.

 

[Richard]

He didnt call him racist, he's made that pretty clear in the last few posts (a whole page ago), just he felt the post completely unappropriate. Read what the guys said before forming such a strong opinion Richard, if anything he's done as much as he can to deny he thinks steds is a racist.

He's done nothing to deny it IMO - as long as he maintains that Bennett's post was not in jest, which he has, then AFAIC he's accusing him of being a racist. He can't say "I don't think he was being racist but that post wasn't in jest" - that's nought but a contradiction. You either realise that post had absolutely no revelation of V&A whatsoever, or you believe the poster a racist. Simple as. There's no middle-ground.

Well mebbie they are wrong, but the post is ambiguous enough for people to form their own opinions on it, so not so simple as i'm afraid. If you managed to find a cunning social commentary in the one line post, well done, but i didnt untill you suggested it, and many others wont have done, and thats the problem. The post, on face value, can be deemed offensive. I'm afraid its not as black and white as that.

I know it can, I've said that several times. But face-value can be wrong, and would be if in this case it resulted in someone thinking Bennett was a racist. Because he's not. This is not something which can be disputed by someone saying "he made a post in a lame-joke thread therefore he is" against someone saying "I've known the guy for 3 years and more, and spoken to him shedloads of times, and he's not".

Fact is, face value is deceiving in this case. Again I'll say it - I'm not seeking to excuse him for allowing people to wrongly interpret what he said, far from it. I'm seeking to show to be wrong those who claim the face-value is all there is to it.