This is not about breaking specific rules and never has been. As I quoted already in this thread: Rules are for the guidance of wise-men* and the obedience of fools. Or as Semp said more directly: 'Don't be a dick'. Natrually rule infringements are tolerated throughout all societal interaction. We are only human and often wrong or angry or passionate and have different experiences and coping mechanisms. I'm frequently a dick myself. It is the intention which is the pertinent part and here the intent has been infered and then evidenced. There is no wriggling out of evidence. - there, even the thinking-impaired members of the Five Stooges can focus on that. Imagine you were in court for example...
Maybe Dale has foresaken the whole of AH and this forum. Nevertheless, this is not a job opportunity to shape this place according to the tastes of a minority by what amounts to an exploitation by co-ordinated mass reporting with an over-arching goal. All of which was trivially substantiated herein and potentially even further should people choose to go to your forum. There you can completely shape the interaction and even maybe not end up alone if you get the balance right. I myself shall choose not.
This one is not my forum, nor Arlos nor any 'boring old fart who wants to talk about aeroplanes' or however you view them. The point is it is undoubtedly NOT YOUR FORUM. Stay, by all means. Break rules and occassionally, be a dick, have a laugh as the sun sets on this whole game and forum. That's fine. Stop having threads locked that you don't like because they don't match your agenda, especially obvious political agenda. That is decidedly unfine I suggest.
*I last heard that in 1942, you can replace 'men' with whatever comfortable, less toxic term you see fit in your own time.