I don't like "hear, hear" and "me too" comments, but I am doing it
to
this mail of Rich Holton's. I find the messages in this thread highly
disturbing. However little I like neonazi's, I very much defend their
right to edit Wikipedia, as long as they keep to NPOV just like any
other contributor.
As I have said in a previous mail, what matters is not what POV an
editor is writing from, but the extent to which that POV interferes
with their willingness and capability to write NPOV on the Wikipedia.
Andre Engels
On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 03:58:09 -0800 (PST), Rich Holton
<rich_holton(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
--- NSK <nsk2(a)wikinerds.org> wrote:
On Thursday 17 February 2005 11:06, Jack Lutz
wrote:
Hello,
I understand user NSM88 had at one time an image of himself dressed
in some
kind of Nazi or neo-Nazi uniform displayed on his
user page, and
that it
was deleted. Two issues stemming from that:
deletion justification,
and
personal attacks by admins.
The administrators were right to delete it. Neo-Nazis will not be
tolerated in
Wikipedia.
Please note that, with rare exceptions, each contributor to this list
is speaking for themselves, and not officially for Wikipedia or
Wikimedia. This applies equally to NSK's comments above, and to my
comments.
I take extreme exception to the statement that "Neo-Nazis will not be
tolerated in Wikipedia." In my opinion that statement is in direct
contradiction to the concept of NPOV.
_Everyone_ is welcome to contribute to Wikipedia unless and until they
demonstrate that they will not participate in good faith, according to
the established practices and policies of the community. There are
established mechanisms for determining when someone is not
participating in good faith, and for restricting their participation as
a result.
"Everyone" includes Neo-Nazis, no matter how much we may abhor their
beliefs.
I do not think that the photo should have been removed based solely on
the presence of Nazi symbols, especially since it was on the user's
page.
However, many people in the US (like me) have a different attitude
about Nazi symbols that do many people in Europe. The United States did
not so directly suffer from Hitler and the Nazi's as Europe did. I
think it's almost impossible for someone like me to fully appreciate
their views.
Let me make this plain: I hate Neo-Nazi beliefs. However, I urge that
we Wikipedians treat Neo-Nazi's no differently than we treat other
contributors whose beliefs differ from our own. Certainly remove POV
from articles. Certainly hold them accountable to properly documented
facts. Make sure that they are participating in good faith. But unless
and until they prove themselves unable to participate in good faith, we
should not take any action against them.
-Rich Holton
en.Wikipedia:User:Rholton