[Mithalwen]

to feel the need to bump this up but it seem there is a need for the reminder.

The reputation system is not for punishing people who have different beliefs or opinions to your own.

Also a reminder that many Downers are not posting in their first language and may not always use the most felicitous form of words. And some words may have different significance in different countries even where English is the first language.

If you have a problem with something someone has said why not try a PM -or at least sign your rep? Often people post something (knowing exactly what they mean) not realising that someone realising that someone can read it with a completely different "tone of voice".

For example, I once was neg repped for posting something on the lines of :
"well at least I got something right" . I had made some factual error in part of a previous post and had posted it meaning "at least I got SOMETHING right" to express relief that I hadn't been completely wrong. Only after the anonymous (of course) neg rep did I realise it could be read as "at least I got something right" and seeming to express superiority over another poster. With that perspective the neg rep was just and to be taken on the chin but if I had known whom I had upset at least I could have explained that I had intended to self-deprecate not to sneer...