[WikiEN-l] Moderation on this mailing list

[Steve Summit]

Stephen Bain wrote:
> Calling someone "abusive" is still an ad hominem statement.
> Rather than saying "Admin X is abusive!1!" the person should say...

Indeed he should.  But this is also at the heart of one of the
rather disturbing asymmetries in the admin/non-admin relationship.

When a non-admin engaged in a petty dispute complains about some
of the things being said about him in that dispute, he's often
told, in so many words, not to take it so personally, to get a
thicker skin, that Wikipedia can be a harsh place, that if he
can't stand the heat this kitchen might not be the place for him.

But when a non-admin engaged in a petty dispute with an admin
calls the admin "abusive", or in a moment of anger refers to the
admin's revertions of the non-admin's petty edits as "vandalism",
he's apt to be blocked for this abuse.