On Mon, 29 May 2006, Fred Bauder wrote: [snip]
Our administrators are not police officers.
You're right, it would be overly simplistic and inaccurate to characterise administrators as police. However, we do have duties on the Wiki that could be described as 'enforcement' -- copyright violations, speedy deletions, blocking, enaction of ArbCom rulings.
All of these duties are things that are quite capable of pissing people off however polite the administrator is.
I see no problem with requiring them to be reaffirmed every 2 years or so. If they are unpleasant that is reason enough not to reaffirm them.
I do. One can do things without being unpleasant that nevertheless make you unpopular. Look at the administrators who have been vilified for attempting in all good faith to deal with the userbox problem.
Cheers,
N.