Denny,
Like Todd and others, I appreciate your candid exposition of how things went. It's important to have clarity about what happened here, and your contributions are very helpful toward that end. Thank you.
However, these words ring hollow:
On Fri, May 6, 2016 at 9:03 AM, Denny Vrandečić vrandecic@gmail.com wrote:
It strengthens my resolution to stay away from Wikimedia politics
You have also told us that you, a community-(s)elected trustee, played a key role in the removal another community-(s)elected trustee:
Denny Vrandečić vrandecic@gmail.com wrote:
I suggested James’ removal.
In so doing, you perpetrated perhaps the most brazen and unjustified *political *act in the history of the Wikimedia Foundation. What could be more political than pursuing the removal of your fellow appointee?
Your claim to want to avoid politics rings hollow. If you want to be a political operative, that's fine -- there is no shame in that. Own it, and do it. Follow your conscience, and act in your political capacity to the best of your ability. But don't then denounce the very tool you used. That's beneath you, and it does nothing to advance the discussion.
I know you are smarter than this. I endorsed your candidacy http://wikistrategies.net/wikimedia-board-candidate-recommendations/ -- for the political position of Trustee -- because I believed in your ability to grasp the values of the Wikimedia community, build consensus, and lead us all in a better direction. You demonstrated your ability to do so through your efforts with Wikidata. But your more recent actions have led to the premature departure of not one, but *two *people (including yourself) entrusted by Wikimedia volunteers to carry this movement forward.
Politics is a tool. It's not good or bad, it just is. When people with varying points of view want to work together, you end up with politics. Politics can be handled in a way that moves things forward smoothly with extensive buy-in, or they can be handled in a way that produces pain and impedes progress.
It is becoming vividly clear that Doc James was working in the best interests of Wikimedia and WMF throughout his short tenure as a Trustee. His efforts may not have been perfect, but they were clearly sincere, well-intentioned, and in fact more reflective of reality than any of his peers, including yourself.
And yet you led an effort to remove him.
I am disappointed.
-Pete [[User:Peteforsyth]]