[WikiEN-l] User harrassed in real-life at work for admin actions

[Conrad Dunkerson]

Ben McIlwain wrote:

> The short story: Gator1, an admin, blocked a user for 3RR on Phaistos
> Disc.  The user retaliated by posting a message threatening to make life
> miserable for Gator1 and then followed up on it, sending a letter to
> Gator1's employer that caused lots of problems, and also caused him to
> delete his user and talk page and leave the project.

I suspect that it was the indefinite block Gator1 placed, for threats of 
real world retaliation (mail to employer) on another contributor to the 
'Phaistos Disc' article, which really set the person off rather than the 
short term 3RR block.

People who subscribe to disputed scientific theories (the 'Proto-Ionian 
culture' in this case) receive alot of ridicule and can become very 
obsessive, somewhat paranoid, and volatile. It might have helped to note 
that Gator1 really didn't have a choice... Wikipedia policy mandates an 
indefinite block when there are threats of real world retaliation.

That being said, the only things we could 'do' about the situation now are 
try to get the person to retract their actions, respond in kind, or offer 
Gator1 any support he needs and move on. The first likely has small chance 
of success, the second would in my view be wrong and only make things 
worse, and the third is inadequate but likely the best course.