[OpenID] On the banning of Santosh

[Brian Kissel]

To Andrew's point

"However if we really want this "all inclusive of ideas" community, it's very important that people don't attack others personally when they don't like the ideas that those others are sharing"

Not everyone has as thick a skin as Andrew and Dick, and I don't think we want to intimidate members from contributing for concern about personal attacks.  Now that we have a draft policy, let's get feedback on it, then implement it.  I do feel we should retain the right to give someone a "time out" if they are abusing the privilege of respectful use of our lists.

Cheers,

Brian
___________

Brian Kissel<http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/10/254>
Email: bkissel at janrain.com<mailto:bkissel at janrain.com>     Cell: 503.866.4424     Fax: 503.296.5502

From: openid-general-bounces at lists.openid.net [mailto:openid-general-bounces at lists.openid.net] On Behalf Of Andrew Arnott
Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2009 7:21 PM
To: Eddy Nigg (StartCom Ltd.)
Cc: general List
Subject: Re: [OpenID] On the banning of Santosh

 On 11/30/2009 04:50 AM, Dick Hardt:

I would propose that we adopt the Microformats policy except for #16 (and number them!), allow Santosh back on the list, apologize for banning him, and direct him at the new policy and ask that he (and others) comply.


Eddy replied:
Dick, myself am not famous for overly diplomatic tones sometimes, but calling somebody a stupid, idiotic, prejudiced human being, warrants some actions in my opinion. That the list should even apologize to the offender seems to me ridiculous. If the participants don't value themselves and their dignity, they deserve none.

+~1 to Eddy.  I don't think we should return injury for injury.  Everyone should be treated with respect IMO.  But those who refuse to treat others with respect don't need to be privileged by the community with a medium by which their disrespect can be more easily transmitted.

Dick also said:
I disagree with removing Santosh from the mail list. I prefer a fully inclusive community.

Wanting a fully inclusive community, but in which community personal attacks are allowed, is a paradox IMO.  I think what we want here is a useful forum in which many viewpoints on OpenID-related issues can be discussed.  We lose that when personal attacks threaten to encourage respectful people with good ideas to leave the mailing list.

Dick again:
While I can empathize with the frustration of someone not being what we consider respectful,

I'll be bold enough to say it was very disrespectful.  To say merely that "someone might not consider Santosh's comments to be respectful" is an insult to those he flamed IMO.  This isn't really a correction to your words, Dick, as it looks from context that you were speaking of the general danger of this rather than this specific case.

I actually wasn't offended at Santosh's attack on me, because it was obvious to me he spoke in the heat of the moment.  However if we really want this "all inclusive of ideas" community, it's very important that people don't attack others personally when they don't like the ideas that those others are sharing.
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