As a more frequent user of IRC, I agree with you. However, the problem is generally technical. This system was established because IRC channels have no "home" server or organization which can claim "ownership" and "responsibility" for the behavior and content of the channel.
These problems will exist in any distributed system, so solutions need to be worked out.
I don't use IRC that much, but from what I've seen, that system doesn't work very well. An extropians-style kill command would probably be better for IRC or the list. If someone is causing trouble, you could just set to ignore them.
I would prefer a system of "talkers" and "listeners". The channel administration, whatever this may be, decides who can talk and who must listen. There is a tentative first step toward this goal in the current wave of server revisions.
Why have an administration at all? Why not just give everyone an /exclude command which eliminates everything from a particular person, and an /include command which restores output from that person. If someone is ranting or flooding, everyone will /exclude him and he will be left with only himself for an audience. --- Mike