Yes North, we still go by the guideline that mods don't mod threads they're intimately involved in. However, that, like everything, has limits and boundaries.
Typically, that means if you and a mod are going at it and you personally attack that mod that mod is to hit report as any other member would and let other mods handle it.
That's not what happened. Posting a general warning in the thread reminding people to please not get personal does not, I my personal opinion, rise to the level of "modding" that thread as that is something anyone is free to do, and I have seen non mods post reminders or what have you to try to keep people from pushing things to far.
I understand you feel the deleted post is a problem. I have read the post and assure you that Ninja did not do wrong here. In fact, the offending poster has already attested to that in this thread.
We have seen your concern, the other mods have all looked in on the posts, as has TNed now, and we've addressed your concern. Thank you for bringing it to town hall as we've asked.