@Ivan If you discover the Unification Theory only to shout it at the top of your lungs all the while calling people assholes, you are unlikely to get a positive response. If, on the other hand, you explain yourself quietly and cogently, you might expect to face critique (for such a grand discovery), but at least you would be heard. Effective communication isn’t all about content. In fact, delivery counts as much if not more in all forms of communication.
@daloon When issues come up with specific users, it is usually blatantly obvious what a person’s intent is for joining the site. We usually give people some leeway, and direct warning via PM. Only after that, and discussions amongst the mods, managers and Andrew-Ben is action taken (well, except for spammers). The hard part is when people are pushing the edge of the envelope of appropriate decorum. Clearly, we don’t want to stifle discussions, but when people persist in personal attacks or racist-homophobic-etc. comments, we step in. What might surprise you is that many users aren’t actually banned, but disable their accounts after a brief stint of baiting and trolling. In contrast, some are warned, often repeatedly, before we suspend or ban them. In the end, hard decisions are made as a group, so as to avoid relying on one person’s judgment.