I'm sure a lot of us are here because we are dissatisfied with how another site has been handling disagreements lately, but it's an unfortunate truth that anywhere you have a barrel of people, you're going to have a bottom of that barrel.
Given that the site's culture is firmly committed to free speech, AS AM I (just to make that clear before we continue), how do you think we should proceed?
For instance, I recently came across a particularly vitriolic MRA-type individual with very poor behavior, but whose comment was somewhat on point, so it wouldn't be removable under most definitions of reasonable moderation. However, when I replied to him with disagreement, it prompted a series of incredibly crass PMs that would under some other site's definition of harassment.
I don't think this user should be banned, as there's nothing illegal about trying to get people to come chat on a crappy forum, but I do think there should be some way for us voaters as a community to do something about the bad apples among us. I'd suggest a public-shaming subverse, but that would just turn into witch-hunts and popularity contests, so that's out.
So, given that shadowbans, actual bans, and witch-hunting are out, what would be your favored way to handle people with nothing meaningful to contribute and an exceptionally unpleasant manner of expressing themselves in public?
Bonus topic, whether this should be something left to the mods, the mobs, or something else entirely and what the advantages are of your pick.
Edit for example in the wild: https://voat.co/v/ideasforvoat/comments/140317/331534
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[–] myrrlyn [S] 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Can't downvoat don't have the karma to unlock it yet.
I'm in that same boat actually. Pretty okay with the MRM, not willing to go full neckbeard. Jimmies are enjoying a gentle susurration, not up to full-blown rustling. Being a jackass doesn't invalidate the idea of men's rights any more than being a SJW howler invalidates women's rights. All good causes have bad people.