[WikiEN-l] More abuse from JFW. Please desist.

[Robert]

I am surprised by the recent attacks from JFW. I don't even
understand how they started. Up until two days ago he and I
got along fine; we had a most friendly relationship. His
letter attacking me came out of nowhere.

JFW writes:
> In one day, I've been called dishonest, a fundamentalist
> and a censor by Robert, and dishonest and a censor by an
> antisemitic vandal who decided to change my userpage. 
> For some reason I've stuck my arm in the crate with 
> velociraptors, haven't I?

Calling me a "velociraptor" and lumping me together with
anti-Semites is a hateful thing to do, especially
considering that he and I have worked together in a
friendly fashion. Worse, he knows that he and I are on the
same side against anti-Semites. To see JFW write this is
painful and disappointing.


> I have stated my real concern with Robert's 
> "critical historical" quotes in my original post 
> to this list. However, Robert is in fact turning 
> my views inside out. I do *not* want to eliminate
> or suppress historical interpretations, but I'm 
> annoyed that Robert doens't research the traditional 
> (or Haredi, if you want) take on things.

That is patently false. The only person refusing to do this
is JFW himself. I am very happy to include any such views,
when I come across them.

The real problem is that while JFW is a member of the
ultra-Orthodox Jewish community (i.e. Haredi Judaism), he
absolutely refuses to contribute anything on this point
from the Haredi perspective.  Oddly, he demands that other
people write about his own community's point of view, even
when other people tell him that we are not familiar enough
with their views to do so.  Does this make sense to anyone?

The current subject of contention is [[Maimonides]] and his
ideas on "true beliefs" versus "necessary beliefs", an
important topic both in the philosophy of religion, and in
the philosophy of political systems.  JFW keeps claiming
that there must be Haredi points-of-view on this issue, and
that I am deliberately not including them. That's nonsense.
 JFW can't even tell us where to find Haredi points-of-view
on this specific issue, yet he demands that someone outside
of his community should include them.  

Folks, here is the general rule for Wikipedia: If you want
to include a point-of-view, then write it.  But never
attack others for not writing what you wish you had written
yourself.

Not every person is an expert on every issue. Stop
attributing a lack of knowledge to deceit and malice.  For
instance, I fully admit that I have no knowledge of what
ultra-Orthodox Jews may think of Maimonides' writings on
"true beliefs" versus "necessary beliefs". That is why I
can't contribute anything on this specific point.

If JFW has some info on this issue, he is free to include
them. But he is not free to repeatedly harass me about
including info that I just do not have!  (And I do not have
the time to get this info either, especially since he has
given no specific references!  If he gave me a specific
book and page number, from an English source, I might be
able to find it, but JFW has never done so.)


> I cannot stand by idly to see him overwhelm 
> Judaism-related articles with critical-historical 
> material without making serious mention of the 
> traditional interpretations (which are not all too 
> hard to find in English-language literature).

First off, I have contributed a tremendous amount of such
material. Apparently, you think that it wasn't enough? 
Fine!  Then add more! If you want to include a
point-of-view within an article, then include it.  No one
is stopping you.  You and I fully agree.

But never attack others for not writing your POV for you! 
I am merely a volunteer contributor to Wikipedia, and I am
not anyone's galley slave. Since you are unwilling to do
the work yourself, you certainly have no right to attack
others.


> On [[Talk:Maimonides]] I asked Robert to reproduce a 
> particular quotation from the scholar Ibn Tibbon, 
> something that Robert refused to do despite having 
> photocopies of the article from which the quote could 
> be taken. 

This goes too far. JFW is not honest. Anyone here can go to
the article and see the quotes I added for
themselves...unless someone dishonestly deleted the quote I
added.

Summary: JFW absolutely refuses to add information, berates
me for not doing his own work for him, and then makes false
claims about quotes that I really gave him. That is nothing
less than harassment.


Robert (RK)



	
		
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