Sanctions to dissuade toxic users?

This thread definitely went in a direction I didn't anticipate. I am, and always have been, satisfied with how the website is run. It has more integrity than Facebook groups do. I've worked as a moderator on a very large website, and I know that things are rarely able to be resolved in such a manner that leaves both parties happy.

It is generally my practice to ignore trolls, though once in a while I will get riled up enough to tell them what I really think. But I also try to follow the site rules when I do that.

My main concern here wasn't personal vengeance, just that certain people persist in being disruptive to the reptile community, and I would really like to see them permanently removed from it. There is so much drama, whether I get personally involved or not. And there are so many new owners that are bullied or tricked into responding to trolls without realizing what's happening.

Originally Posted by MCMB-2

I think you need to look up the definition of whining lol, you don't seem to understand what it actually is (in case that's too much work for you, whining = complaining. Feel free to figure out where I'm complaining in any of those quotes )

LOL, your entire presence in this thread has been your whining=complaining about your temporary ban and continually expressing how you "are over it".

One who is "over it" does not continually post same, while continually playing the "victim" card and continually questioning/accusing those in charge ... especially if one seemingly cannot comprehend the very basic rules, regulations and warnings already easily at their disposal, not to mention how to utilize their own UserCP.

Just out of curiosity, I decided to look up on dictionary.com the definition of "whining":

WHINE

[hwahyn, wahyn]

verb (used without object), whined, whining.
1. to utter a low, usually nasal, complaining cry or sound, as from uneasiness, discontent, peevishness, etc.:
The puppies were whining from hunger.
2. to snivel or complain in a peevish, self-pitying way:
He is always whining about his problems.

verb (used with object), whined, whining.
3. to utter with or as if with a whine:
I whined my litany of complaints.

noun
4. a whining utterance, sound, or tone.
5. a feeble, peevish complaint.

Source: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/whining?s=t

I guess everyone can come to their own conclusion about which definition is more accurate.

It seems to me that many people don't think through what real strength is all about.
Sometimes when someone is corrected their immediate response is to dig in their heels and defend themselves. I think someone who is really strong and confident will take the opportunity to take a look at the situation, assess what happened, and realize and admit when they are wrong.

We are all wrong from time to time. None of us is perfect. It is not a show of strength to defend a mistake. It IS a show of strength to realize one was wrong, admit an error and move on.

Sheesh. For someone that was so "over it" he sure had a lot of gripes up his sleeve about what happened to him.

He could have been mature and accepted why he was TEMPORARILY banned, yet instead he comes on the thread and tries to turn it into his own agenda. And tries to convince everyone who reads it that he is indeed "over it."

Here's my take on his indignation of things (and my response, not that it matters):

I'm sorry, but if you can't take responsibility for YOUR actions and see that YOUR actions have consequences as well, then maybe you shouldn't be on a public forum where your actions can; and are put on display for everyone to make their own opinions about. And if you couldn't care less about this site, then maybe you should leave; considering you said you sold more snakes in the last 3 weeks of your ban, (that you didn't keep track of); maybe it was a good thing for you to not be on this site.

You're so caught up with being a "right fighter" that you can't see past the end of your nose at what is being shown to you. Instead you insist on telling everyone how you just don't understand why your actions led to you getting a ban. It's the moderators issues, not yours. Apparently you did nothing wrong, and it's all the moderators fault because they told you to report the post, but didn't explain to you that you only need to report it one time; not every dang post. So because they didn't lay it out to you in such a way that a 2 year old would understand, it's their fault and not yours. Yes we get it; you want no responsibility in getting yourself banned. But you still want the ability to come back to the forum that you feel wronged you and tell everyone that you were wronged, and it's not your fault. We get it.

You say that you're "over it", that you "couldn't care less" and countless others; yet you're not. You're livid that it happened and you are acting so indignant about it that you can't see straight. It's very obvious in every post that you've done in this thread. And I think the smartest thing you've done is to say that you've "Unsubscribed." But you're still not happy, and quite frankly, you're butt-hurt because you couldn't even leave that post alone without having to add a jibe:

Originally Posted by MCMB-2

You'll all be ok

So yes, while we will be ok; I doubt you will be. It's obviously something that you aren't "over" and judging from all your posts, you won't be any time soon. But when you've actually gotten past things, you might just see that you had something to do with your own ban. (Something tells me not, but there's always hope.)

Have a great morning and weekend!

<grumble> This is a somewhat condensed version of the post I had nearly completed when my tablet decided to shut down. </grumble>

Back to the original topic:
Yes, there are sanctions - in the form of infractions, temporary bans, and permanent bans - however, some people simply aren't phased by the process. It isn't really all that difficult to take just enough of the edge of a post to avoid an infraction. Some people enjoy that dance...but, while a handful have a flair for it, many just become annoying. It isn't always as easy as we (or you) would like it to be to deal with those situations because a person can make 10 posts in an exchange, none of which, when viewed singly, merit an infraction; but, when viewed collectively, they are obviously abusive and antagonistic in intent. Typically, infractions are post based - so when the individual posts don't cross that line, there's little to do (at first).
Then, of course, there's the matter of responses...welcome to the internet, people want to get involved. Think about it - the agitators do hit and runs. Stir the pot, then lay low for a while - let other people get worked up and respond. That takes some of the heat off them because there are other people actively engaging...and if those people aren't conscious of the line, so much the better. The waters get muddied; it becomes difficult to say just where that line gets crossed. At that point, from a moderator's perspective, it's better/easier to simply post a warning than to get mired in the mess while trying to sort through the details and justify infractions.
FWIW, we get just as annoyed/frustrated as you do. We can share the collective thought, wishing the person was just banned already; but we still have to be able to justify that action according to the rulebook.