Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2006-05-12 Blitzball

Mediation Case:
Please observe Etiquette and Talk Page Etiquette in disputes. If you submit complaints or insults your edits are likely to be removed by the mediator, any other refactoring of the mediation case by anybody but the mediator is likely to be reverted. If you are not satisfied with the mediation procedure please submit your complaints to Wikipedia talk:Mediation Cabal.

Request Information

 * Request made by: ~ ~
 * Renmiri 13:46, 12 May 2006 (UTC)


 * Where is the issue taking place?
 * Blitzball page


 * Who's involved?
 * Renmiri and User:Flooch


 * What's going on?
 * I have been editing the page on and off for the last month or so. User Flooch came in recently and did do several good edits on the page, which I was glad, but somehow put in his head that he should erase all pictures that I had contributed too, plus a team table that me and other Wikipedian had done. For the past 3 days I have been trying to assume good faith and achieve a compromise but my patience wore out the minute I got called lazy and user Flooch admitted his criticism of the pictures was not truthfull. I refuse to be involved in a turf war with him, but I also think that Wikpedia deserves a better page than the one he is doing just to spite me.


 * ''What would you like to change about that?
 * No more personal offensive remarks for starters. Good faith and willingness to get the page better, for all of us. Have a good demonstrative page for Blitzball.


 * If you'd prefer we work discreetly, how can we reach you?
 * e-mail kila01 at yahoo.com

Yes. Unfortunately in this case I don't feel I can help. This is my second dispute with Flooch and he doesn't seem to respond to reason.
 * Would you be willing to be a mediator yourself, and accept a mediation assignment in a different case?
 * This is, following the Categorical Imperative, the idea that you might want to do
 * what you expect others to do. You don't have to, of course, that's why it's a question.



Mediator response
Hello, I am Cowman109Talk from the Mediation Cabal. I have volunteered to take this case. Just so Renmiri is aware, Flooch has retracted his statement calling you lazy in attempt to help calm down the situation. After looking over the details of the situation, it seems like the best option for this dispute is a third opinion on the inclusion of the images.

You are all trying to improve the article and attempts are clearly being made to remain civil, so I don't think extensive mediation is required here. You should all assume good faith and work together to see which version of the page appears to be better. Remember that no one owns any page in particular and that Wikipedia is a group effort to improve articles. I don't believe that Flooch is editing the page just in spite of you, but simpl y has a different idea of what the page should be. The mediation cabal generally is not the place to go to in order to recieve another opinion but to resolve content disputes and conflicts between editors. Cowman109Talk 16:48, 13 May 2006 (UTC)


 * Update 20:28, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

Is mediation still necessary in this case? It appears separate mediation has been undergone in Talk:Blitzball, so if the issue is settled I will close this case. Cowman109Talk 20:28, 18 May 2006 (UTC)


 * Closing case

As no response was given, I am closing this case as the matter appears to be being solved quite civilly in the blitzball talk page. No mediation appears to be necessary. If a new problem arises, this page will remain on my watchlist. Cowman109Talk 19:33, 24 May 2006 (UTC)

Discussion

 * I believe a third opinion will help. My request for mediation was not based on the changes, it was based on the offensive remarks made by Flooch. I have been working on that page for more than a moth, and felt none of my and Xornok's work was being respected. If you look at the page, Flooch did extensive changes and I did not object to them, as they did improve the text and the flow of the page. Even after he erased a sizable part of my work I was still attempting to achieve consensus and assume good faith. But when he started getting personal and offensive I could not, in good conscience, assume good faith anymore so asked for your help. I was under the impression that mediation cabal is the place to ask for help when civility and good fayth are not being possible, yet you don't want to get a user banned, was that a wrong assumption ? I believe Flooch is a valuable contributor to Wikipedia, I just don't want to be treated with contempt and disrespect by him when all I'm doing is trying to keep a good page on Wikipedia. Renmiri 23:05, 13 May 2006 (UTC)
 * Ah, I believe I misunderstood your intentions. The Mediation Cabal's ultimate purpose is a bit flexible since it's informal, so we can usually help with most things. I will speak with him to make it clear that others are unhappy with his tone at times and ask him to avoid potentially offensive words in the first place. Is there anything else that you need? Cowman109Talk 23:10, 13 May 2006 (UTC)
 * No, just the talk will be fine. I bear no ill will towards Flooch, but he needs a talking to as he is a bit harsh sometimes. Last time we butted heads on an edit he was also offensive to me, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt since I did redirect a page he created and he was understandably very miffed and also Flooch was very new at Wikipedia . But this time he was even more offensive! I really didn't like the way he went about this page that I had been working for more than a month. I'm glad you guys  and Ryu could help. I'm hoping your pep talk with Flooch and Ryu's third eye intervention injecting some commom sense in the edit dispute will resolve matters and we will be able to close this case soon! Renmiri 01:51, 14 May 2006 (UTC)
 * Cowman109, you may contact me in private at doctorlennox at iinet dot net dot au ~ Flooch 08:50, 14 May 2006 (UTC)
 * If it's of any help, I'm attempting to mediate between them within the discussion page of the article right now. I've worked extensively with both of them in the past and would like to help settle this without any sore feelings between them. Ryu Kaze 00:20, 14 May 2006 (UTC)