ORLY?!!?
but is that how it is generally handled in practice (well, pre you having an itchy trigger finger)?
Nope.
Because we have literally had threads on chimps taking over the world, which we're ok, but to say that one goofy topic changing into another goofy topic makes a thread lockable is kinda silly. It's bureaucracy for the sake of bureaucracy. The point of the topic was for laughs.
As far as serious topics, and the frapper, I get keeping it on point. But isn't that what pruning and warnings are for? Locking a serious topic seems self defeating.