Mike,
"I must have missed the previous graphic posts ... not knowing what has become acceptable on Twoplustwo in some of the forums I admit I read rarely."
Yes. What you describe has been the standard in BBV/BBV4L/OOT for a long, long time. Threads of that nature are among the most popular and most highly viewed threads in those forums.
Here's a recent thread.
Let me reiterate. There are threads and trip reports like this all the time in those forums, and have been for a long, long time.
"Our levels of what is acceptable and what isn't are different."
That's fine. It has been accepted that mods all have different standards and will set lines in their forums. But what you did was mod to your standards in a BBV4L thread. That's my problem with your actions. I think posting stuff like that is as sleazy and classless as you do. However, it has been well established on those forums that this is totally acceptable behavior.
"I did so because I thought there was complaint about them from other moderators"
The only complaint I saw was about the use of the word "kidsh-itter" in the title. What other complaints are you referring to?
"I have the perception that you would like to have cast iron rules for a number of things in relation to moderating these forums."
I think things should be consistent when it comes to mod actions, yes. Obviously there are judgement calls to be made, and mods should make them. Yes, Mat has kept rules to a minimum. But one rule he has made is that mods should mod within their forum. I don't agree with you imposing your morality on the BBV4L forum with your mod actions.
"while leaving the door wide open for them to be reposted by a fellow mod at his discretion."
That's not what you did originally, though. nation asked you if it was OK to repost them. You did not say "repost at your discretion." You said "ask her if you may."