Link to the article: http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/09/20/roger_bamkin_gibraltor_s_repeated_appearance_on_did_you_know_provkes_existential_crisis_for_wikipedia_.html
On Thu, Sep 20, 2012 at 11:25 AM, Richard Symonds < richard.symo...@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote: > User:Panyd, who spotted the start of this whole incident on DYK, gave an > interview with Slate magazine, which she's been very misquoted in and is a > little upset about. She just emailed the UK list explaining her thoughts on > all this, so I'm sharing them here: > * > * > *"I gave Slate an interview in the hopes of being the first non-crazy > person to talk about what Roger is actually doing - which, yes, I still > have problems with - but which isn't being Scrooge McDuck using WMUK to > grab all the money in the land whilst writing all the articles about > Gibraltar himself under the watchful gaze of the Tsar of Tourism. That is > the only reason I gave those people the time of day. They have now quoted > me as saying that Roger was writing and promoting the articles himself. > They completely contradict themselves at the end of the paragraph, which is > a hell of a lot closer to what I actually said, but...whatever, they can't > write.* > * > * > *For the record, no. No I did not say that. Yes, I have issues. You know > what? I asked the community about them and they shrugged their shoulders > and said: "Eh, you're wrong." That's that then. If there are further > discussions about what I feel are relevant issues, then I'll join them in a > manner that AGF, because that is the Wikipedian way. People can be wrong, > right or somewhere in between but thorough, open and civil discussion > from both sides is required to help address the situation. (No > Wikipediocracy, I don't just mean you, people are talking about this > on-wiki too from multiple sides) Hopefully with a view to looking forward > and adapting to these situations, whether it's to welcome or deny them.* > * > * > *I don't think this has anything to do with Wikimedia UK whatsoever, and > I'm sorry you're even having the discussion here. It should've stayed on > Wikipedia, where it belongs, and where there are appropriate channels for > people to discuss issues of paid editing, COI, impact on the project etc. > I'm also sorry to Roger, because differences of opinion regarding on-wiki > behaviour should not result in such incivility, or knee-jerk reactions. He > added much to WMUK, gave so much of his time and love to help the chapter > go forward, and to lose him is a great shame. For my part in that, I can > only apologise to Roger and the community.* > * > * > *Fiona "* > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list > Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l > -- Matthew Roth Global Communications Manager Wikimedia Foundation +1.415.839.6885 ext 6635 www.wikimediafoundation.org *https://donate.wikimedia.org* _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l
