[WikiEN-l] ArbCom - too attached to "equal treatment"?

Wed Mar 2 19:34:16 UTC 2005

Jay JG wrote

> If one
> has been making thousands of Wikipedia edits over months or years, it is
> almost inevitable that some edits or statements will seem questionable,
and
> there is a belief that ArbCom will feel the need to sanction both sides to
> give the appearance of even-handedness.  I'm not saying this is actually
the
> case, but the belief is certainly out there, and the idea that "it's just
> not worth getting rid of troublemakers" has been expressed more than once.

After an extended period where the major criticism of the ArbCom was that it
was slow to rule - now not the perceived difficulty - it is naturally the
case that some other major points will be brought up.

Looking at this one,  my reactions are:

- WP has lived with some proportion of difficult users, since its inception;
- 'getting rid' of troublemakers is not the only approach;
- if it is really being said that honest hard-working editors are being held
to high standards of behaviour, then I think that is as it should be.

Perhaps there is a click of the ratchet, here.  I hope it is towards a more
civil place, for everyone.

Charles