Misplaced Pages

Oppose

1. Oppose, behavior on List of people who have said that they are gods was unnaceptable all around. Hipocrite - «Talk» 05:00, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

   I think I conducted myself quite well, given that many of us had to face a strong pride of authorship by a main editor of that article. So far, no one has been able to contribute to NPOV'ing the article, including myself and several experienced editors such as android, Friday, SlimVirgin, and others that came to help and attempt to reach consensus. The result is that the article is now protected with no clear way forward. --ZappaZ File:Yin yang.png 05:34, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

   I really really didn't want to get into this, but Just prior to the page-protection contravercy, you removed a number of people from the list, all but one of them with an edit summary. The one without an edit summary? The one being consistantly disputed -> no edit summary edit summaryedit summaryedit summaryedit summary. Additionally, when doing your bulk removals, you left the article poorly formatted -> bad formatting version. Hipocrite - «Talk» 09:25, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

   It's not the first time Zappaz has completely trashed an article. Consider these before and after shots --Alterego 16:13, September 9, 2005 (UTC)

2. Oppose Zappaz has no sense fairness and uses double standards when pushing his POV that I consider extreme. I have been in constant disagreement and conflict with him since he entered Misplaced Pages on a number of articles, including Prem Rawat, Criticism of Prem Rawat (on the list of most edited articles), guru, post-cult trauma, apostasy, and more. And it is not because I am a narrow-minded anti-cult activist: user Ed Poor who is a Unificationist wrote that I am knowledgeable and fair about New religious movements. I disagree with Jossi: criticism of gurus, cults, new and alternative religion has very little to do with freedom of religion or lack of tolerance. And besides since when is the stated aim of Misplaced Pages to promote religious tolerance? I will soon compile a long list of inappropriate, biased, or erroneous comments and edits by Zappaz. Andries 10:18, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

   Most definitively, Andries has been extremely difficult to work with and our POVs have clashed over many article. But I have always conducted myself with civility, and within policy. Hope that Andries would have done the same instead of resorting to personal attacks. --ZappaZ File:Yin yang.png 14:17, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

3. Oppose, i have seen Zappaz as extremly double standard when envolved in controversial topics.Thomas h 12:46, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

   Your opposition is noted, but please refrain from trolling for votes agains me. Thanks. --ZappaZ File:Yin yang.png 14:17, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

4. Strong oppose: Zappaz has been put on the administrator's noticeboard for violating 3RR, and uses double standards when involved in disputes. --Alterego 14:53, September 9, 2005 (UTC)

   I was never blocked for breaking WP:3RR. I was warned once since I started editing WP. --ZappaZ File:Yin yang.png 15:21, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

5. Strong oppose: When Zappaz first appeared as an editor of the Prem Rawat articles, I did a search of Misplaced Pages to determine what other articles he had been involved in and there were almost no non-Rawat articles, and yet he was clearly an experienced Wiki-editor. It has been suggested that 'Zappaz' is a new identity of an existing editor created especially for his pro-Rawat work. It has also been suggested that Zappaz has been paid by the Rawat cult for this work. I would just like to add that if these allegations are true, then Zappaz has earned every penny as his dedication to portraying this cult leader in a positive manner is a credit to his professionalism. --John Brauns 17:31, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

Neutral

1. Vote moved to neutral after reading Andries's and Thomas h's comments. Zappaz has enough experience but seems to be too controversial. — JIP | Talk 12:50, 9 September 2005 (UTC)
   1. I would appreciate thay you read the ongoing personal attacks from Andries. He is a ex-follower of a guru with a very strong POV against gurus and finds nmy edits controversial. As for Thomas, he is also an ex-follower of a guru, has contributed almost no content to WP, with the exception of advocating against his ex-guru. I would count with the fingers of one hand, those editors that see me that way. I would appreciate you read some of the talk pages, and reconsider. Thanks. --ZappaZ File:Yin yang.png 13:54, 9 September 2005 (UTC)
   2. To my defense:Due to my minor english skills i haven't contributed that much, but that doesn't mean that i haven't read much either. You will find in Zappaz' edits over a long time the work of an active anti-anti-cult activist. See through his edits in the Prem Rawat articles that were his very start,moving to Hate Group, Apostate, Massimo Introvigne, Cults and many many others. A framework in favour of Prem Rawat and due to his declared bias of other NRM's. His work concerning neutral articles may be of excellent quality, no question. You have to decide if you want to vote for an excellent writer and buy with that somebody who has extremely one sided positions in certain topics or let him wait until he has proven that he can control his bias.*Thomas h 14:14, 9 September 2005 (UTC)
   3. Uhh, i have almost forgotten, Jossi Fresco the person who has recommended Zappaz, is an active follower of the guru Prem Rawat, and was once his personal webmaster. Please decide for youself if all that is some kind of an accidental happening or notThomas h 14:19, 9 September 2005 (UTC)
      1. Sorry people, you guys have argued amongst yourselves for far too long for me to simply step in and see who is right about what. I'm standing by my neutral vote. This will neither support or oppose Zappaz. — JIP | Talk 16:36, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

Comments

• Disclaimer: I admit that I have had my share of conflicts with a handful of editors with opposing POVs. I am all for owning our POVs while at the same time respecting consensus building and working together toward NPOV. I have done both these things in all controversial articles I have edited. Editing these articles and dealing with the high tempers of some participants is not fun, and I have been the target of personal attacks, and conspiracy theories, due of my involvement in these articles. On the other hand, I have managed to build good working relationships with other editors that have opposing POVs to mine. I actually think that my exposure to these types of conflicts will make me a better admin as I understand what it takes to be exposed to and be effective in dealing with controversy. The editors I have had conflicts with are: User:Alterego in List of people who have said that they are gods; and user User:Antaeus Feldspar and User:Andries in numerous articles related to gurus, cults, and New religious movements; and several anons and occasional users such as User:Thomas h on Prem Rawat related articles. --ZappaZ File:Yin yang.png 15:11, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

i find it noble from you that you admit that Guru and Hate Group are Prem Rawat related articles. Which so much honesty that you have learned by now, you may earn your adminship Thomas h 17:01, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

• Jossi wrote in his nomination that "He has been instrumental in promoting religious tolerance" In other words, Zappaz has according to Jossi engaged in advocacy. An excellent reason to oppose his candidacy. Zappaz is the only person in the whole of the Misplaced Pages community who has often made me angry. I have to admit that as a result of his unfairness and constant use of double standards, I have used tough words about the quality of his edits (but not about him as a person). I also admit that because of the editing dynamics of opposing POVs between Zappaz and me, some good results have been created. Andries 17:21, 9 September 2005 (UTC)
• I have one more important point that i would like to mention: Since Zappaz startet at wikipedia, he has spent almost 4 month on Prem Rawat articles alone, for which he had done a research before for almost a half year, so his own words. The Edits were with the heaviest conflicts one can imagine. In Questoins and Answers Point 3 he only mentions Rick Ross ans Human by name. This i find a bit dishonestThomas h 17:42, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

Questions for the candidate
A few generic questions to provide guidance for voters:

1. What sysop chores, if any, would you anticipate helping with? (Please read the page about administrators and the administrators' reading list.)

A. I would like to spend more time responding to RfCs (I think that we all ought to dedicate more time to responding to these) and VfDs. Lately I found it rewarding to welcome newbies, and maybe I would start some kind of mentoring effort. My assessment is that WP shines in direct proportion of the number of people engaged. The power of the network coupled with the power of a community based on individuals with a passion. You cannot beat that. So, mentoring newbies could be what I could do (don't know if that is a specific admin chore, but it should be, IMO). I would also like to get more involved in helping shape WP policies. This is history in the making, and I want to be part of it. --ZappaZ File:Yin yang.png 03:02, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

2. Of your articles or contributions to Misplaced Pages, are there any about which you are particularly pleased, and why?

A. That would have to be Names of God in Judaism. I took that article all the way from a semi-fotgotten article all the way to Featured Article status (with the wondeful help of User:Raul654 and User:Garzo and other editors, of course!). That was a very rewarding effort.--ZappaZ File:Yin yang.png 02:39, 9 September 2005 (UTC)

3. Have you been in any conflicts over editing in the past or do you feel other users have caused you stress? How have you dealt with it and how will you deal with it in the future?

A.Oh yes... I have had my share of these conflicts. On specific articles such as Human, Rick Ross and other controversial articles, once I saw that I was unable to resolve conflicts and was getting "too involved", I will simple apply a self-declared moratorium and refrain from editing that article for a few weeks. That kept me sane, and allowed other editors to make their contributions. I found that the self-enforced moratorium or Wikivacation works wonders (and gives you the perspective that the power of the community to enforce NPOV is quite remarkable, even without your help...). I have a couple of editors with which I still have a hard time collaborating with, (in particular those that have accused me of POV pushing and resort to personal attacks, or to revert edits without discussion), but I guess that this is part and parcel of having a large community such as Misplaced Pages. I just hope that with time and patience, I can find a way to work with them as well. --ZappaZ File:Yin yang.png 02:52, 9 September 2005 (UTC)