So taking everyone's comments into consideration, I agree it's good to have some sort of rule keeping insults from getting too out of hand, especially when they're personal. However these two rules:
I'd rewrite these rules as such:
Quote:Etiquette...make our attitude toward the subject seem a little draconian when compared to the way such offenses are actually treated by the moderation staff. I also don't like "consider the reasons as to why you're here"...I want everyone here who wants to be here.
If you’re constantly getting into arguments with people, or insulting them, their posts, or anything else about them, you’re doing something wrong. This is a community forum, so if you don’t get along with the community, you really should consider the reasons as to why you’re here. Thus, if you make a post that is meant to provoke or insult someone (This includes stating that they are present on your Ignore List) it will be dealt with.
Be civil. If you can’t say something without being passive aggressive, insulting, sarcastic or just plain rude, please don’t say anything at all.
Discrimination
Racism and discrimination against any group based on their race, sexuality, gender, etc. is prohibited. This includes such things as insults or offensive generalizations based on such factors. The use of slurs is also prohibited. If a video or an image that you didn't make but want to post has slurs, you may still post it but hidden with spoiler tags as it were NSFW content. This rule does not cover hobbies or interests. We try to be a fair community, and everybody should be welcome here regardless of who they are, so discrimination is something that we're strongly against. This is an encompassing rule, so it's not exclusive to minorities.
I'd rewrite these rules as such:
Quote:Etiquette
When you act nice, people will tend to act nice back to you. That said, Minus World facilitates all types of discussions and viewpoints, and we don't try to censor anyone from getting their opinion across - instead, you are at the mercy of the community. Posts on Minus World can't be downvoted, but they can be vandalized by other users through the use of Spells.
If you get very personal with your insults and/or target specific users in a way which makes them feel unwelcome, you're doing something wrong. If you have a problem with someone, keep in mind that you have at least one thing in common: you both want to be on Minus World. Try to work toward a mutual understanding so everyone can learn from each other and grow together.
Insults, callouts, and the like will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Normally, an insulting post will remain visible unless a targeted user decides to report it. Just keep in mind that getting someone warned or banned for throwing shade will likely not change their mind; continuing the discussion as civilly as possible is often the best choice. "Don't go to bed angry", as they say.
Discrimination
Treatment toward marginalized groups is largely covered by the Etiquette rule. No user will receive special treatment based on personal attributes - the only special treatment received by Minus World users will be directly related to achievements they've made within Minus World itself. Apart from that, the staff will treat everybody equally.
Slurs and offensive generalizations are also covered by the Etiquette rule: what is reported will be censored with a spoiler tag. Users are highly encouraged to be courteous and kind toward others by preemptively using a spoiler tag for anything they believe might cause someone undue stress.
We try to be a fair community, and everybody should be welcome here regardless of who they are, so discrimination is something that we're strongly against. As such, if you decide to be a bigoted prick, you'll quickly find that the community doesn't take kindly to such behavior.