As I was trying to forumulate my answer to this question, my mind kept returning again and again to the most enlightened post I have ever read by a moderator on the subject of moderation. It was posted by AA moderator
JDiver early in October and clearly states, IMHO, the very best plan for making moderation palatable for all, and to go even further and actually use moderation as a tool to enrich and grow the spirit of community.
Here is an excerpt from his most impressive post:
Speaking for myself, I hope any member who feels offended by my language or responses will contact me; I really invite that person to PM me so we can dialog and formulate an action we both own and can change as needed. If I am in error, my way of looking at this is to view communication like this as a gift - it allows me to apologize and make amends. If I do not feel I am, we can communicate and still apply some healing to the issue. My strong opinion is conflict can best be resolved at the lowest level of conflict resolution, and better by "conflict partners" than by others who are neither stakeholders nor very aware of what the conflict partners would prefer as an outcome. (When we kick our conflicts up to others in any hierarchy, we lose our power to resolve, and may not like a resolution imposed on by others.)
The entire post can be found
here.
KUDOS, to
JDiver and every other moderator who approaches their job as a moderator with such wisdom, insight, and sensitivity. This type of attitude is a true gift to FlyerTalk.