[Aliantha]

My reasoning is that it's inappropriate to bring someone's spouse into a discussion in a derogatory manner simply for the sake of insult.

My personal opinion is that this type of behaviour is never appropriate regardless of what forum you're on although I do accept that other people have different views. It's just bad form to insult someone who is not in a position to defend themselves.

With regard to the situation between Merc and tw; my opinion is that Merc has been goading tw with his quotes, but (and it's a big but) he's really just been posting what a lot of the posters here see/think when they see another tw post that goes on for ages. I don't condone it and I think it's childish, but it's true that the truth often comes from the mouths of babes. If tw were to respond in kind by doing the same thing to Merc I wouldn't care. I'd say let them both go hard for as long as they like, but what tw said was simply disgusting and rude. There was no humorous intent (which I believe was Mercs intention in the first place but may have gone too far), simply nastiness.

I think this site is well moderated and while I see your point with regard to this issue, I believe a moderator should have licence to make a decision based on his or her assessment of the situation without having to be called to answer for it. Whether others deserve to be banned or not is not in question here. The issue is that Bruce has warned tw that his post was inappropriate and tw can either choose to ignore that warning and proceed to banning for future similar offences, or he can continue to post here.

If Bruce had simply banned him without a warning I think it would have been rough, but he has been warned (and I assume that warning would apply to anyone else thinking of being just as rude). It's up to tw what he chooses to do from here.