Abe Solokov wrote:
The dynamics of the disputes on Wikipedia that arise
over the
Israeli-Palestinian issue mean that neutrality is only going to be
attained when both sides are finished terrorizing and brutalizing each
other, after a zero-sum battle has ended in a stalemate. If RK weren’t
here, that would mean that the other side would consistently win.
RK’s role as the lose cannon on the Israel-related articles - always
suspicious, prickly, and aggressive – bolsters the influence of his side
of the issues. You cannot deny that RK has steered dozens of articles
toward an orientation further from that of his antagonists. He often
starts off adding grotesquely POV content, but that’s toned down after a
fierce battle with his ever-observant opponents. Although his opponents
are more subtle in slanting articles, there are more of them, and other
users usually have no sympathy for RK. Whereas RK can inject hysterical
propaganda in a few articles, many other users can inject subtle biase s
in many articles. However, fear of RK’s tyranny is a check on them; and
when RK mobilizes his energies into a hysterical fit, balance results
from the ensuing struggle.
In short, if Wikipedia is to present both sides, it’s contingent on
letting RK be RK. He generates chaos and a lot of ill-will. He’s often
obnoxious (but he can magnanimously admit that he was wrong – I believe
that he took my advice to stop calling a very well-respected user an
anti-Semite). He even alienates his own supporters, and often attacks
potential allies with great bitterness. But due to the nature of users
who are attracted to the Israeli/Palestinian article, the only way to
get balance is stalemate after stalemate after stalemated zero-sum
conflict between equally powerful and committed groups of antagonists.
Among the non-academic partisans who take the time to write about this
dispute, the fanatical camps on both sides make it impossible for the
two sides to put aside their differences and agree on what a neutral
article is. It’s too idealistic to expect them to have the dexterity to
cooperate and quit wasting time by sniping at each other. RK’s intrans
igence, and often flat out bizarre behavior, but it’s an indispensable
part of a confluence of opposing forces required for Israeli-Palestinian
neutrality.
I won't lie, I'm QUITE HAPPY that RK is banned now. Sure he added a lot
of important information to religious topic and so on, but please! He
has called everyone that has ever been in a dispute with him an
anti-semite. Not only those contributors who debate with him in the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict as I firsth thought, even contributors who
has praised his work and/or are Jews themselves have gotten the stamp
"anti-semite". It is no fun for one who has spent a lot of time and
effort fighting racisim to be called that again and again and again.
Now I know that practically everyone who has been the target of RK's
diatribes have responded with a remarkable calmness and tolerance
(except for me who has written insulting comments back at him), noone
other has responded with insulting and degrading comments. I salute you
for that, Ed Poor, Stevertigo, JTDRL, Anthere, MyRedDice and many
others... Stevertigo even nominated RK to a sysop, his motive for that I
can only guess. My guess is that he thought that if RK became a sysop he
would understand that noone was "out to get him" and that WP wasn't
"infected by anti-semites" and maybe stop calling everyone an
anti-semite. But it didn't work, a month after receiving a sysop
nomination from Stevertigo, the name-calling is back and this time RK
has "outed" Stevertigo as a nazi or someting.
Stevertigo still probably think RK should not be banned (im
speculating). He doesn't get offended, many others doesn't get offended
by RK. But I get offended by RK, a countless number of anons get
offended by RK and many contributors have left WP because of RK's
antics. It's impossible to edit articles in the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict because if you do, RK will be there reverting and calling you
an anti-Semite. It is not fun and is one of the reasons why I don't
spend as much time on WP anymore.
And it isn't like he hasn't been warned. He has been varned many many
times, he got countless more chances than for example EofT did but he
has never listened, not changed the slightest. He has gotten his chances
and he has burnt them all. It is time to say goodbye.
BL