Betreff: Wikipedia e-mail Von: Sydneysider <cwernerhoff(a)yahoo.com> An: Chuck SMITH <msochuck(a)yahoo.com> Datum: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 09:14:22 +0000 (UTC) I am having trouble with my contributions to a Wikipedia article. I have tried to keep my edits intact, but several Administrators keep reverting it to the preceding version. Then after a few efforts I was blocked for alleged vandalism. (By Tannin, who rather too conveniently, does not make his/her email address available for a response.) However, I have read through what the website says about vandalism, and it is clear to me that my material has been reverted, and I have finally been blocked, for political reasons. I am a History Ph.D. with an extensive knowldge of American political history and a seasoned writer. The information I attempted to include in this particular entry may not please particular readers, but it does deserve to be acknowledged. Moreover, I was careful to write it in an objective manner. None of the people who reverted the page have any expertise in American political history and are certainly not fit to judge the merit of the passages I attempted to include. That Administrators seems to have the power to prevent particular revisions taking place - by blocking using for alleged 'vandalism' (including material they object to for political reasons) is clearly in conflict with Wikikpedia 'open publishing' principles and probably constitutes a major flaw of the system. The removal of all material that they object to for political reasons leaves nothing but the bare bones (in this case) of a biography, from which all important material has been excised. I am sure the aim is not to produce something that elementary. Let me quote what it says on the relevant Wikipedia page: "Sysops can block and unblock IP addresses. This is meant to be used solely to deal with persistent vandalism. IP banning is not meant to be used against unpopular opinions, non-persistent vandalism, etc." So what can be done when Administrators are clearly acting for political reasons? (Or who should I contact about this problem?)