[WikiEN-l] Peodophiles and wikipedia

[Oldak Quill]

On 24/12/2007, Steve Summit <scs at eskimo.com> wrote:
> Andrew Gray wrote:
> > Oh boy. Almost two years exactly since we last blew up over this
> > one... is this some kind of historical re-enactment?
>
> Yeah.
>
> We should probably have an official policy page:
>
>         The policy in a nutshell: pedophiles are banned from
>         editing Wikipedia.
>
>         Justification: there is no rational justification for
>         this policy.  But Wikipedia is no longer small and
>         elite enough that pure rationality can hold full sway.
>         It might be nice if pedophiles could edit Wikipedia
>         noncontentiously,and have their punishment for their
>         pedophilia confined to the real world.  But, sadly, there
>         are now sufficiently many people on Wikipedia who are
>         willing to be blinded by emotion on this issue that it
>         is simply impossible for pedophiles to edit.  Like it or
>         not, they will be blocked and banished.  Even people who
>         speak up for them are presumed to harbor unhealthy
>         pedophilic sympathies and are gravely suspect.  (Indeed,
>         the author of this policy page wonders if he'll be next.)

"[P]aedophiles are banned from editing Wikipedia" is quite
meaningless. Surely something like "those advertising themselves as
paedophiles are banned from editing Wikipedia" is more actionable? We
can't ban thought, only action.

-- 
Oldak Quill (oldakquill at gmail.com)