I have not been logging on much in recent months and hadn't realised that Mudcat was now a moderated forum. When did that happen? Since it is, a bit of consistency would make sense.

I recently weathered a whole heap of personal abuse from a Mudcat member who followed me from thread to thread (what I believe Joe frowningly calls "stalking") and who was even abusive in a thread I hadn't entered. The abuse included a damaging reference to my mental health and a veiled threat to publish some info he had unearthed on that subject. I was obliged to invite the member to go ahead believing that whatever he was referring to would be less damaging than his inuendo. (He preferred to settle for the inuendo.)

It seems obvious to me that the interference of moderators can never hope to reach an intelligent judgment on every comment ever posted here. They would do far better to stand back and trust the forum itself to deal with the issues, and then we would be spared the sanctimonious and contradictory explanations that follow their inconsistent interventions. Incidentally, I have heard the loss of many freedoms blamed on the increasing level of terrorism in the world (ie it's now reached the US). For Joe to cite it as a defence is absurd.

Another point: for the unrepentent, and plainly errant clone to shelter in anonymity was despicable. Some of us know who at least one or two of the clones are, and a shadow of suspicion now falls on them.
Get a grip. Joe!