Kicked around? Abusive mods? I have never seen these things outside of the famous amir0x incidents, and even then the transgressions were in response to problems that shouldn't have been. I certainly never been subject to any such thing. I definitely have been victim to a hate mob once after an honest mistake, but it was military-related so it was very personal to people, not like gaming stuff. I have also definitely seen a great many twats who seem to only know how to push limits and unconvincingly "not understand" the simple reasoning and extents of various rules around here and how one ought to post in their contexts.
Really, the rules aren't hard to follow. To me they aren't stifling at all and never have been so it makes me greatly question any claims I hear about unfairness. I have never seen a person get in trouble while keeping a cool head and being respectful toward others. Not once. Regardless, when you're talking about a private board, yeah, you can't view it like something you have a right to use as you wish. No matter how you spin it, it is a privilege and you don't need to have power here. This place is what it is precisely because such dynamics with the masses aren't in effect. GAF doesn't have to be slave to punks and dimwits and never should be.