On 24/09/2007, Earle Martin wikipedia@downlode.org wrote:
Someone wrote:
No, I consider Wikipaedia an attack site, and do not wish to further Wikipaedia's attacks against individuals.
Sorry, but why is this person still being allowed to post here? It's enough of a firehose already without this kind of nonsense.
-- Earle Martin http://downlode.org/ http://purl.org/net/earlemartin/
So let me get this straight. Wikipaedia has the right to emotionally hurt, emotionally harass, emotionally abuse, paint in a false light, defame, or violate the privacy of any individual it does not like, for whatever reason. These individuals, however, do not have the right to lift a finger in their defence, nor does anyone else have a right to speak on their behalves, nor do the Chinese have a right to say anything at all.
****** This has got to be one of the oddest complaints I've seen. All we're talking about is a template that states one fact: that a user has been sitebanned. That doesn't mean anyone is out to cause them grief or paint them as evil; it usually just means they didn't adapt to site standards.
Individuals in this position most certainly do have options. They can post an unblock request, e-mail ArbCom, contact the Foundation, or (for what it's worth) contact an Eguor Admin like me with their evidence and request an investigation. Occasionally I've unblocked editors on that basis.
I have a standing offer to community banned editors that I'll support their return after six months if they don't violate WP:SOCK, don't bash Wikipedia offsite, and if they pledge not to repeat the behavior that got them banned. If they were banned by ArbCom instead of by the community I'll put in a good word for them in a review request.
I also have a standing offer of two site awards to editors who make a legitimate return from a siteban or who've been sanctioned by ArbCom. I'll hand the Resilient Barnstar to any of them who start a new article that gets highlighted at Template:Did you know? I've also created the Valiant Return Triple Crown for those who satisfy a certain set of content contributions. I've handed out a couple of those barnstars and am waiting to award the first Valiant Return crown.
The window of opportunity usually remains open a crack and it isn't that hard to return. I'm glad when someone does turn around successfully and I'm doing my best to figure out how that happens and what I can do to encourage it. Most banned editors behave in ways that keep themselves banned.
-Durova