[Wikipedia-l] Role of a sysop: (was: Wikipedia and anti-Semitism)

[Poor, Edmund W]

I agree with Erik's "eloquent" suggestion wholeheartedly, which I have paraphrased as follows:

* A sysop should only use his administrative privileges as a "time out" to direct discussions in case of conflicts to the talk page, but he should not do that if he states a position in the matter. Otherwise he is no longer a sysop or a moderator
but an editor, which is not the function assigned to him. 

I intend to follow this suggestion to the letter.

BTW, I do not actually hold the position that, even if nobody disagrees with the statement that Wagner was an anti-Semite, it should be attributed. Rather, I asked Jimbo for a policy clarification on this point. And got one, quite promptly. Whereupon I immediately unprotected the page -- as promised.

Ed Poor