I do not say there should be different rules for different people, I say the rules should be changed for everyone if it turns out they do not work.
In truth, I don't think the problem is really with the rules (though some of them are a bit too strict for my taste, which is what a lot of other people seemed to think, too) but with the punishments that are suddenly being given and the way they are implemented: out of any proportion and out of the blue.
True, strict adherence to rules is very important in a government or legal system or something of similair importance. This is just an online community of people who want to have fun, nobody dies if a blind eye is turned once in a while for the good of the site.