[WikiEN-l] Test case: policing content

Sun Mar 20 20:21:56 UTC 2005

Silverback wrote:

>Disallowing a particular word order or a dependent clause just because 
>someone hasn't used it in a citation before is abusing the rule and 
>results in a lot of the awkward language so many complain about in our 
>articles.

This is not the first time that SIlverback has misrepresented a conflict in 
order to trivialize the importance of content and contents policies.  The 
specific issue with RJII is this: he has added -- several times over the 
past several weeks, this definition of capitalism -- "private ownership of 
capital" and he has claimed, on the talk page and in the edit summary, that 
this definition comes from Marx.  I am certain that this definition does 
not come from Marx, and is not Marxist, as RJII claims.  So how do we 
resolve this dispute?  I asked RJII to tell me where Marx said this or 
anything like this, to provide a citation.  I have asked him 
repeatedly.  He refuses to provide a citation.

This has nothing to do with word order or grammar, and for Silverback to 
insinuate that it does serves no constructive purpose.

Elian was right to say, "Enforce it" (our policy).  The problem is -- how 
do we enforce it?  Through what mechanism?  Since RJII persists in adding 
this definition and refuses to provide a source, I personally want to block 
him from the article.  But if I do so, I will be accused of abusing my 
admin powers by using them against someone "I am in a dispute with."  Okay, 
I will leave it for others to do something.  But I have to reiterate -- the 
problem is not that I am in a dispute with him, the problem is he won't 
follow policy.

And it doesn't help that whenever Silverback has an opportunity, he 
belittles our policies.  Silverback, your own "definition" of capitalism 
only further muddies the waters.  As you should know by now, your own 
definition of capitalism (like mine, or RJII's) is irrelevant here.  We are 
researching an encyclopedia, and we are committed to NPOV and NOR.  That 
means providing different people's definitions of capitalism in a 
verifiable way.

Please stop trivializing our project to write a good encyclopedia.

Steve

Steven L. Rubenstein
Associate Professor
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Bentley Annex
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio 45701