Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Elections December 2010/Candidates/Balloonman/Statement

Balloonman

 * Coordinator's note: This candidate has [ expressed] their wish to withdraw from the election; their name will remain on the ballot. 

I've been contemplating this for a week or so, I know, "I'm retired." So why subject myself to this hell? Because I like to dig into issues and have been looking for a way to stay involved with Wikipedia. I can honestly say that I am not running to put a feather in my cap, if elected, I will serve and do so to the best of my abilities. If not elected, no problem.

I used to be very active at RfA. I was one of the tougher reviewers and known for the depth to which I would investigate candidates. Over the past two years I've pulled back my involvement there, but point it more to demonstrate that I can dig into issues and histories.

I still like to delve into issues, see Articles for deletion/The Gore Effect, a place where I closed a controversial AFD, but in a manner that I think both sides appreciate. I also closed |a debate centering on Palestine in a manner that people appreciated the close. More recently, just prior to the elections, I was called upon several times to discuss the Tea Party Movement---I think that by looking at my comments there, you should be able to see that there are places where I "sided" with both "sides" of the issue. I bring those up because I looked carefully at each issue and resolved the cases on the merits of the arguments, which is the attitude I would bring here.

I'd like to think that most people trust me to be objective and thoughtful on issues. I don't expect them to always have agreed with me or will agree with me in the future. But I do like to think that people trust me to put personal issues aside or to recluse myself where necessary. As for other names... only a period where I went by "I'm Spartacus!" and occassional IP's where I edited while logged out not realizing that I was logged out.--- Balloonman  NO! I'm Spartacus! 22:31, 23 November 2010 (UTC)