didn't we have a discussion about the ability to lock threads in the elder's forum, a while back? i can't remember the outcome, but then that was about the time the "vote to fart" spree of cal's was going on. 
i say keep it as it is - if people lock threads, it means others will just start another one, and it shows the thread-locker up for the dummy-spitter-outer they are. plenty of scope for piss-ripping then. 
We voted seven to four for members to keep the ability to lock threads that they start. I think that it was Richard who abused the lock topic button that time and the last option, which also got seven votes, was for Richard to be tied to a tree (or a cactus) and anally raped by a kangaroo. Hadron later changed that voting option to a smiley face, so I can't be sure which one it was.
I think that Purposeful Insanity said it best:
I hate locked topics and feel that when someone locks a topic they're impinging on other people's right to free speech. However, I feel that most members use this function responsibly so I'd rather we didn't reduce the individual rights of the members simply because one person abuses this right.
