[WikiEN-l] Blocking Nazis is not about blocking for mere insults

Sun Feb 20 19:07:41 UTC 2005

Richard Holton wrote

>How would we be able to claim NPOV
> when certain groups are not allowed to participate?.

I think that is one of those over-interpretations of what NPOV says.

Take an example: non-English speakers.  In effect they can't access the
English Wikipedia.  Can we make the English Wikipedia reflect the aspect of
the world, that well under 10% of people are native speakers of English,
and, what, another 10% learn to speak English?  Well, I hope so; NPOV means
that all contributions should take into account that not everyone is a
native anglophone.  It is anyway not the same issue as saying writing in
English (or any other language) excludes most of the planet.

> Do we have confidence in the Wikipedia way, or do we not?

Actually, I do, pretty much.  The way says 'come one, come all'.  Doesn't
say that people can behave as they like.  What is more, the way is
distrustful of legalism - and all the better for that.  Those who push the
limits of the system start rowing away from the bulk of the community.  The
important part of that is that those who _do not do that_ should expect
protection.

Charles