I remember Mudcat mods getting their knickers in a twist about a certain poster. There was a general note went round the mods, to delete all posts by that person. Then not long afterwards there was another one to say, "DO NOT TOUCH ANY POSTS BY ******, AS THEY ARE NOW BEING DEALT WITH BY ONE NOMINATED MOD". I was one of those who found this poster a PITA. Then I looked at, and read their posts, and I found them to be witty, and cogent, and since then I have stood up for said poster, in fact I am a fan: now.
That was in the days when I was a mod, but sadly I didn't toe the line in that position, so I was ousted, by someone with more clout than me who said, in effect "It's either him or me"
In retrospect, he may have done me a favour, because I no longer get PM's asking me to delete, or alter posts, made in error, or in anger, and later regretted.
I only closed/deleted one thread, which was in such bad taste, that I would do it again, in similar circumstances.
I agree with the sentiment that deleted posts should have a note inserted in their place, saying why it has been removed. I also think that a mod when responding to a Mudcatter's plea to remove an offensive post, would read all the posts before it, and after, and delete them too, if they provoked, or added to,the offending post