The v-word (was: [Wikipedia-l] User pages)

Mon Nov 25 15:36:23 UTC 2002

Jonathan wrote:

> To call those edits "vandalism" is to use far too strong a word,
> especially from an admitted newbie who isn't familiar with the full
> history of Lir's actions here.

Calling edits one doesn't agree with "vandalism" is analogous to calling
racial/ethnic discrimanation "genocide". Yes, some UN-sponsored treaties
have re-defined genocide so it means more (and less) than mass murder --
but that doesn't make killing 10 million civilians equivalent to not
welcoming refugees. Inhospitality is not murder.

I would really like everyone to stop throwing around the word
"vandalism" except in the narrowly-described cases of:
* scribbling graffiti, like "Hi, I'm a newbie"
* deleting a page without explanation
* obvious obscenity

We don't have a firm rule on name-calling, but if we ever do then I'm
going to make sure calling a fellow contributor a vandal is at the top
of the list. 

Making an edit that isn't neutral is not an offense so terrible that it
justifies revenge. Besides, "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
leaves us all blind and wearing dentures".

Ed Poor