[WikiEN-l] Removal of adminship...

[Durova]

> On 07/10/2007, Adrian <aldebaer at googlemail.com> wrote:
>
>
>> With that rationale, why would we need a process where the community
>> expresses trust with the tools in the first place? Trust can expire in
>> cases of prolonged borderline behaviour that ArbCom wouldn't act on. So
>> you're basically saying: The community is good enough to be called upon
>> to express their trust initially, but they can never express a change of
>> heart regarding that trust? Sounds weird.
>>
>
>
> So you want this for theoretical reasons rather than because of an
> actual problem?
>
>
> - d.
>
Both, really. I'd call it "logically and morally right" rather than
"theoretical" though, and the question of actual problems with any
certain user is strictly my own opinion unless there is either a
pertaining RfCU / RfAr or any kind of new, community-consensus- driven
process to force specific people to repeat RfA. Which leads me to my
initial question: what is the merit of RfA in the first place, if the
community is -as you seem to assume- incapable of determining and
expressing their trust at all?

Yes, any kind of recall process would certainly attract people with an
axe to grind. But I hold the opinion that since admins are officially
entrusted with the tools because and only after the community has
expressed its trust, the ongoing trust of the community is in fact
important.

I.e. that any admin *should* be able to successfully repeat an RfA at
any given time. But that's not the case. And some of those who would
utterly fail will never be reprimanded by ArbCom (reprimanded meaning
de-sysopped).
******
I've put this theory to the test by making myself open to recall.  When the
standards for recall loosened last December I voluntarily made a statement
I'd abide by the original terms of participation and when an editor
complains I've misused my position I explain how to open an RFC on me and
set the process in motion for getting me desysopped.

The reason I do this is to earn some credibility when I communicate with
editors who've been having a very rough time onsite.  Oddly enough, when I
actually explain this to veteran edit warriors they react as if it's reverse
psychology.

-Durova