I do think there is a issue of certain kinds of extreme statements getting a more lax response due to them coming from a place that the mods align with. It's not a major issue since moderation on here is overall decently lax which I like but there have certainly been times where I see someone say stuff and get a small response or even no response at all while someone else gets a bigger response for something more minor. This caused Chrkeller to take a break a few months ago and seems to have just caused Zippy6 to do the same and that is concerning considering the number of active users so I do think things being somewhat more lax would be good for the long term health of the site.

I feel like most of the moderation I've seen done in the politics thread isn't really about what people are arguing, but instead about the fact that they are engaging in a way which isn't conducive to debate. For example, there was one user who I recall would often go into the politics thread to post controversial takes (I don't recall their name or if they are still around). Upon getting several replies, they would say they enjoyed ragebaiting people but didn't want to waste time arguing. Rinse repeat about once a week. I believe that person was banned from the thread. Good.

I think a lot of the mods here have decided that anything that doesn't tow the party line is a bannable offense when it comes to race, identity, sexual orientation, nationality, and gender identity.

For example: I'm sure I'll get banned for saying these things but...

Sex and Gender are the same thing. You cannot change your gender or sex. If you want to live life as if you were another gender go ahead. Everyone should be able to live their lives however they want so long as they aren't harming others. Men participating in Women's sports is flat out cheating, just the same as steroid use is cheating. Many decisions regarding gender identity should wait until after you turn 18. Transgender people are factually wrong about their gender, but also having a psychologist try to convince them that they are the gender they were born as usually just results in suicide or depression. So for that reason I am in favor of "Gender Affirming Care". If someone needs to live their life as the opposite gender in order to be happy and not kill themselves, then that's fine by me. At the same time, though, nobody should be forced to use anyone's preferred pronouns. Everyone has a right to reality and forcing people to deny reality in order to satisfy someone else is beyond ridiculous. I'm an Athiest and I see being forced to use someone's preferred pronouns as just as much of an insult as being forced to pray at a company meeting.

If you entered the USA illegally as an adult of your own accord and do not have a valid asylum claim you should be deported without delay. If you overstayed your visa and do not have a valid asylum claim, you should be deported without delay. Immigration whether legal or illegal depresses wages by increasing the pool of job-seekers. Everyone should be paid a fair wage with reasonable working conditions. What often happens with immigration is that everyone is paid the same but the job conditions and wages do not keep up with modern standards. When you have 35 people applying for one job instead of 5 you can afford to have that job be the same pay rate for 30 years and have the working conditions and pace of the job slowly grow worse over the years. 

I want to make another thread on the topic of how the Democratic party has been throwing elections by putting candidates with extreme views on immigration and gender identity on the ballot in red states. The problem is that like the mods on this site, nothing other than the party line is tolerated. But I'll save that for if I don't get banned.

I think a lot of the mods here have decided that anything that doesn't tow the party line is a bannable offense when it comes to race, identity, sexual orientation, nationality, and gender identity.

For example: I'm sure I'll get banned for saying these things but...

Sex and Gender are the same thing. You cannot change your gender or sex. If you want to live life as if you were another gender go ahead. Everyone should be able to live their lives however they want so long as they aren't harming others. Men participating in Women's sports is flat out cheating, just the same as steroid use is cheating. Many decisions regarding gender identity should wait until after you turn 18. Transgender people are factually wrong about their gender, but also having a psychologist try to convince them that they are the gender they were born as usually just results in suicide or depression. So for that reason I am in favor of "Gender Affirming Care". If someone needs to live their life as the opposite gender in order to be happy and not kill themselves, then that's fine by me. At the same time, though, nobody should be forced to use anyone's preferred pronouns. Everyone has a right to reality and forcing people to deny reality in order to satisfy someone else is beyond ridiculous. I'm an Athiest and I see being forced to use someone's preferred pronouns as just as much of an insult as being forced to pray at a company meeting.

If you entered the USA illegally as an adult of your own accord and do not have a valid asylum claim you should be deported without delay. If you overstayed your visa and do not have a valid asylum claim, you should be deported without delay. Immigration whether legal or illegal depresses wages by increasing the pool of job-seekers. Everyone should be paid a fair wage with reasonable working conditions. What often happens with immigration is that everyone is paid the same but the job conditions and wages do not keep up with modern standards. When you have 35 people applying for one job instead of 5 you can afford to have that job be the same pay rate for 30 years and have the working conditions and pace of the job slowly grow worse over the years. 

I want to make another thread on the topic of how the Democratic party has been throwing elections by putting candidates with extreme views on immigration and gender identity on the ballot in red states. The problem is that like the mods on this site, nothing other than the party line is tolerated. But I'll save that for if I don't get banned.

I am not engaged enough to be able to fully judge the bans and moderations as fair or unfair. And I never read the rules. Just as a disclaimer. Here is what I think anyways.

It is always wrong to censor people on an anonymous forum. Sure, you cannot scream fire in a theatre or incite violence. But on here? I cannot think of an example where I would be for censoring anybody, even if the content of the post hurts somebodys feelings. That is actually a huge part of how we grow as people, to have our feelings hurt and still be able to function. A cushy bubble for your brain is the antithesis of resilience.

Also, someone posted these as forum rules: "Racist, sexist, hateful, toxic, or otherwise demeaning comments will not be tolerated." What if (just as an example) someone is for abortion and comments that, but another person thinks this is "hateful, toxic and demeaning" (to unborn children and anybody who regrets having had an abortion)? What exactly counts as "toxic" and "demeaning"?
-These rules are completely vague and their application seems arbitrary.

But those rules are not exactly applied on a personal whim, their application is not completely arbitrary, because they are applied in a certain socio-political climate. Every get-together of a number of people develops this. This website has one too and as other commenters have alluded to, that climate is not exactly a hallmark of diversity and individuality when it comes to hot button issues people love to dissagree about. Such a climate assures that vague rules are interpreted in a particular way and not in another. I am glad that many people can see how bent towards one narrow path the climate around moderation on this website is and that a thread like this exists. Let's see for how long.

I'll close with this thought: People demanding tolerance and inclusivity are seldom tolerant and inclusive themselves. "Like, why cant you just not be hateful, oh my god? It is not that difficult, just shut up if you know your opinion is not to our liking."

I am not engaged enough to be able to fully judge the bans and moderations as fair or unfair. And I never read the rules. Just as a disclaimer. Here is what I think anyways.

It is always wrong to censor people on an anonymous forum. Sure, you cannot scream fire in a theatre or incite violence. But on here? I cannot think of an example where I would be for censoring anybody, even if the content of the post hurts somebodys feelings. That is actually a huge part of how we grow as people, to have our feelings hurt and still be able to function. A cushy bubble for your brain is the antithesis of resilience.

Also, someone posted these as forum rules: "Racist, sexist, hateful, toxic, or otherwise demeaning comments will not be tolerated." What if (just as an example) someone is for abortion and comments that, but another person thinks this is "hateful, toxic and demeaning" (to unborn children and anybody who regrets having had an abortion)? What exactly counts as "toxic" and "demeaning"?
-These rules are completely vague and their application seems arbitrary.

I'll close with this thought: People demanding tolerance and inclusivity are seldom tolerant and inclusive themselves. "Like, why cant you just not be hateful, oh my god? It is not that difficult, just shut up if you know your opinion is not to our liking."

I feel like most of the moderation I've seen done in the politics thread isn't really about what people are arguing, but instead about the fact that they are engaging in a way which isn't conducive to debate. For example, there was one user who I recall would often go into the politics thread to post controversial takes (I don't recall their name or if they are still around). Upon getting several replies, they would say they enjoyed ragebaiting people but didn't want to waste time arguing. Rinse repeat about once a week. I believe that person was banned from the thread. Good.