Here is the related HiTech quote. How bizzare am I? The keyword I used to look this quote up was "sand"
That's one call of HiTech's that needs some rethinking, IMO.
There are notorious loudmouths who push the line for months and months and months, get called out and complained about on the BBS for months and months and months, yet still play the game for months and months and months. I don't know why. I'd guess because people generally obey the "playground rules" and don't go crying to HTC. Noble, perhaps, but not much help to the concerned parent.
Then there are several dozen other players that don't violate the TOS yet are completely annoying day in day out that people have to squelch on a daily basis.
Having a perma-squelch feature would only be "Sticking your head in the sand" if HTC all of a sudden decided that the existence of a perma-squelch made further disciplinary action from HTC unnecessary. As long as they don't take that stance, there's no head in the sand.
The bottom line is HTC is a small company doing the best job they can, and a darn good one at that. But in terms of policing and nannying the arenas, they aren't cutting it to some people's standards. If they were, there wouldn't be such a continuous demand for a perma-squelch feature.
Now,
I'm not expecting or asking them to "cut it" to anyone's standards but their own, either... However, considering the fact that a regular one-session squelch is already made available to players, so that they can have a better game play experience according to their standards, HTC's refusal to add a perma-squelch feature just does not make any sense to me. It's basically just making having an enjoyable, safe for kids, time in the game, a complete and total PITA for certain players.