[WikiEN-l] Defamation policy hypothetical

[Jimmy Wales]

jahiegel wrote:
> and of the 
> disfavoring by the community of Jimbo's "human dignity" formulation with 
> respect to deletion, 

??? I rather think that my proposal met with overwhelming support from 
the community, after some clarifications were made.

> I cannot abide the suggestion that the community writ 
> large truly believe, legal/publicity concerns aside, that we ever ought to 
> concern ourselves with the external consequences of our editing.

You are in the extreme minority on this issue.  Most of us do care 
passionately about the ethics of what we are doing, and how it affects 
people.  Indeed, for most of us, it is part of the very fabric of the 
reasons we participate.  We are human beings, trying to do something 
good, not automatons puking out soulless "content".

Your position seems to grudgingly admit that we ought not to libel 
people, since it might cost the project money or put it at risk.  Most 
of us take a different view: we ought not to libel people because we are 
good, we are ethical, we are trying to produce something important in 
the world that matters to the world, and we want to do it the right way.

--Jimbo