hmm, is it worth backing up the word absolutely worth it when we're wrong tho.

tbh, I dunno if we really lose respect for changing our decision. Having dignity is being deserving of respect right? Respect is earned from making the right call imo. People will certainly obey strict moderators, but respect will be minimal if it's not justified.

We followed through with a punishment, and if we're wrong we follow through with admitting it and changing our decision. I'd say we only look weak-willed when we see a time we should and can take action and just don't. That's when people will lose respect.

That said, I do get the point of following through with threats. like say a person gets a warning, and then they do it again, and they just get warned again, and a punishment is never a thing every time, that's bad. It makes the threat empty.

But I'd argue you can follow through with threats and still reverse bad decisions. The threat is for genuinely breaking the rules, so if we're wrong about them breaking the rules, you give the clear reason why they're getting un-deported and make it clear that if it was a bit different this would have stuck.