[Foundation-l] Racism in Commons

[Oldak Quill]

On 05/12/2007, Rob Smith <nobs03 at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 12/5/07, Oldak Quill <oldakquill at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > On 05/12/2007, Durova <nadezhda.durova at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > Why bother? Good old William of Occam would have made a fantastic
> > > > Wikimedian. You've got a simple, quick, and easy solution to a pretty
> > bad
> > > > problem. Why hesitate and go in for something more complicated? Don't
> > > > understand the reason to overcomplicate. Or, alternatively, you could
> > ban
> > > > him from uploading any more politics-related images...
> > > >
> > > > Honestly, though, if we get to the stage where 50 percent of one guy's
> > > > picture gallery labels him as a Neo-Nazi - complete fringe theory -
> > > Commons
> > > > need to learn something from enwiki and toughen up. There's a word for
> > > that
> > > > we use at enwiki: POV-pushing. This is not acceptable and we don't
> > really
> > > > need any more bad press at the moment, not with Durova/!! all over the
> > > > Register.
> > >
> > >
> > > En.wikipedia has a lot more problems and disgruntled users than Commons
> > ever
> > > has, and I don't believe it is purely due to size or reputation. We're
> > more
> > > easy-going at Commons and we try to talk to and help people before
> > clicking
> > > the block button and pissing them off - you'd be surprised how many
> > times
> > > I've explained one point of policy to someone who would otherwise have
> > been
> > > blocked for uploading copyvios or such after repeated warnings, and they
> > > realised a point they hadn't understood before and became decent
> > > contributors. Policy and copyright are hard to understand and blocking
> > is
> > > not the way to educate people.
> > >
> > > en.wp does not do things perfectly; and no, they aren't the perfect
> > older
> > > sibling for the little ones to look up to. En.wp is more like the
> > rebellious
> > > older sibling who became a rock star and wildly famous, but is also
> > slowly
> > > killing itself with drugs and alcohol. Just because it makes a lot of
> > money
> > > and has a lot of fans doesn't mean the little siblings should mimic its
> > > behaviour.
> > > --Ayelie
> > >   (Editor at Large)
> > > ******
> > > Could I ask for a retraction, please?
> > >
> > > I've been keeping my head low for two weeks in the hopes that things
> > would
> > > blow over.  Yes, I'm in the Register now.  And unfortunately in a couple
> > of
> > > more mainstream news sources also.  None of them contacted me for
> > comment
> > > before running the story.  And due to the way dispute resolution
> > progressed
> > > I had no fair opportunity to present my side of events onsite, either.
> > >
> > > I unblocked the editor as soon as I realized I was mistaken, apologized
> > > repeatedly, sought to make amends, invited scrutiny, and pledged
> > > improvements.  What more can I do?
> > >
> > > I'm not Essjay.  I haven't lied about my credentials or misled any
> > > reporters.  I've volunteered for Wikipedia for two years and 20,000
> > edits
> > > and handled some of the site's most difficult disputes.  Please assume
> > good
> > > faith.
> > >
> > > This reads like an implication that I've sought this attention, and that
> > I'm
> > > a substance abuser.  None of that is true.
> >
> > ...at least he didn't harm
> > anyone.
> >
> > --
> > Oldak Quill (oldakquill at gmail.com)
>
>
>
> Lying does not harm anyone.  Interesting.

Outside objective Abrahamic morality, lying doesn't always harm. It
certainly doesn't harm anyone to make an inconsequential lie about
background when nothing depends on that background.

-- 
Oldak Quill (oldakquill at gmail.com)