User blog comment:Lambda1/EmpyreanSmoke Admin right removal and infinite ban (Closed)/@comment-778071-20151126025853

Just wanted to add my 2 cents.

I did take note of what Empyrean was doing with his Q&A. My immediate assumption was that it was false - it just doesn't happen on Wikia, and I've been around the block long enough to know. I didn't push the issue because we had agreed we would not use the Q&A answers as wiki content. As long as that was understood, there would be no Wiki implications and Empyrean could post as he pleased (though you'd have to be daft to believe anything written there.)

This understanding is crucial here. There are certain users using fear-mongering and bullying tactics. I've seen edits like these and these. These are by users who don't seem to be interested in bettering the Wiki, only to add fuel to this drama with their vindictive behaviour.

Take a step back, and breathe. Yes, Empyrean lied and I'm sure we'll decide to remove his admin rights and perhaps block him as well. But it wasn't that big a deal. Contacting CW - really? Because someone on the internet said one of the writers had leaked spoilers? Like they haven't heard that one before, I'm sure. The implications are minuscule; they hear it every other day, I'm sure. Involving Wikia in our blocks is also unacceptable. They may be Staff but that does not mean that their actions are correct. Wikia staff are not part of our community. They do not understand our circumstances or our practices or know our users. Their priorities lie with managing Wikia as a whole, what happens here is really for us to settle. (Only in extreme situations do we liaise with Wikia, this is not one of them. Lambda, Twilight, please take note.)

I was the one who went ahead and removed Empyrean's admin rights last year on 19 November 2014 because of the sockpuppeting debacle, as well as poor judgment calls. On 28 September 2015, I reinstated those tools because Empyrean had gained the trust of the community and passed a successful RfA. I did not trust him initially, but he's been level-headed as an administrator and has made every attempt to be fair. I see comments about 'he's unblocking unfairly' or 'he keeps inserting his bias into articles'. Perhaps some of these claims have an element of truth to them. By all means, lay out systematically what had happened and we can decide if it's fair. But in many cases, I see perhaps a lack of understanding by those getting blocked, e.g. one user rightfully getting blocked for 3RR while being told to contribute on an article talk page (though it would've been better to have closed an eye for the 3RR violation, though Empyrean is right in blocking for it.)

Being an administrator is a thankless job, as I warned Empyrean when he requested it. I'm sure he will testify to the truth of this statement. He's taken a lot of flak from belligerent users who won't listen to reason, and has had to exercise patience to explain the processes of how we resolve disagreements to new users. I thank him for that. Anyone who was around in 2014 will see that he's matured. He used to handle conflicts like Imperiex, by imposing his will to quell any disagreement. But he's become much, much more sensible as a user since then.

My take is that the Wiki is better with Empyrean than without him. Unlike many of those doing the mudslinging, he's on the ground doing his best to clean up the Wiki. Does he need to have his admin rights removed? Perhaps. I would be okay with it if he wrote a formal apology to the Wiki for leading users along in the blog - but frankly, to no great detriment. Permanent, 2-year, 1-year blocks are irresponsible and reflect that the users have no real understanding of what proportionality of punishment means. Permanent bans in particular are reserved for users that are nothing but a plague to the community. Let's be reasonable. A 2-week block goes far enough for a situation like this.

On a final note, to the IP users, if you are invested in the Wiki or the community, as many of you seem to be - based on the various edit wars and IP users commenting on this block, if you are invested, then create an account. Participate in our discussions so we can build a better Wiki. A lot of us cannot help but pay less attention to your valuable comments because we can't put a face to those numbers. Anonymity sometimes implies a lack of history, a lack of commitment. If you want to help, create an account so we know it's you. Cheers.