I have definitely noticed that posters who call out rude behavior by another poster are far more likely to be mod-smacked than the people actually having committed the rude act. Any discussion of how the OP's behavior could have been lacking results in the same.
I hope LaciGirl was addressed as well because the active ignoring of her inappropriate post essentially calling any who disagreed with her gluttonous sinners in favor of mod-smacking a much less offensive post by someone tired of the holier-than-though, ignorant attitude often displayed towards her personally and professionally by the same poster smacks like mod approval and favoratism.
I haven't seen the bolded, at all. I actually think that OPs can get piled on too much some of the time-I have also seen some justified calling out of people piling on an OP.
I've seen a lot of people objecting to the actual discussion of why the OP was rude, which is contrary to the purpose of this board. It will go kind of like this:
Poster 1: OP, I'm sorry this happened!
Poster 2: Actually, OP, I think you were kind of rude.
Poster 3: What? How was she rude??
Poster 2: This is why I think she was rude, blah blah blah
Poster 3: I disagree because of this, blah blah blah
Poster 4: I agree she was rude because of blah.
Poster 1: Guys, really this is dogpiling. Leave the OP alone
Posters 1&4:

It's not dogpiling to discuss and I've seen more and more posters having to defend themselves against being called "dogpilers" because evidently the only people allowed to reiterate or discuss ideas are those saything things the OP would want to hear. Then the "dogpilers" get mod-smacked.