On Tuesday, arbitrator Newyorkbrad resigned from all positions and rights on Wikipedia, in good standing, due to sudden circumstances beyond his control. He left a message on his talk page:
For once I'll be brief. Due to some external events, which have the potential to affect not just me but many uninvolved people, I will not be able to continue editing. I would like to thank everyone I have worked with here. The community has extended me extraordinary kindness and support. I am sorry for the pages that never got written and the FA that never got done. I apologize to the 552 people who voted for me for breaking my commitment to them, and to anyone whose case I never had the chance to review.
Newyorkbrad, who was elected to the Arbitration Committee in December with an unprecedented 552 users supporting, had taken a one-week wikibreak after it was stated on another website that his identity had been uncovered. Newyorkbrad's departure followed a harassment campaign against his off-wiki life.
Jimbo Wales commented on the situation, saying, "I consider it a tragedy when trolls drive good people away from charity work by engaging in underhanded personal attacks."
See also the Note from the editor.
Discuss this story
I wonder if this is an appropriate spot to drop a comment or two? - Perhaps if there is a 'letters to the editor' section, someone could be kind enough to copy this, or drop a link below?
I think the efforts taken around here to produce a quality information service / newspaper are fantastic, and I have no doubt that Ral, and others, involved in The Signpost are fantastic editors, and that the standard is generally high. I'm afraid I also feel that this particular article is worrisome, and frankly shows an appalling sense of balance. In particular use of the phrase "harassment campaign" and the positioning given to Jimbo's quote are extremely poor, to the point of being in danger of undermining The Signpost's reputation and integrity, in my view.
I absolutely respect the sensible decision not to discuss specific detail in this case, and have chatted with NYB briefly about this issue before, during, and after this week's events. However, I believe it's wrong to saddle these sad events to a political end, and I believe knowingly, or unknowingly, that is what's occurred here.
Here's the first newspaper I thought of when I saw this, this morning; The Herald used to be a pretty good paper back in the day, but it's really just a sad mouthpiece now... The Signpost is nowhere near as troubled (in any sense) - but the direction 'ain't cool..... (I also thought of how Scientology has responded to the recent 'Anonymous' campaigns - another terrible situation to find synergy in).
I'm perfectly happy to discuss the points I've made above it there is an appetite to do so, or am happy to simply have this note placed 'for the record'..... cheers, Privatemusings (talk) 22:38, 3 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]