Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Courcelles (talk | contribs) at 02:42, 18 August 2015 (→‎Malik Shabazz: Arbitrators' opinion on hearing this matter: mouth running). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Requests for arbitration

Arbitration Committee proceedings
Request name Motions Initiated Votes
Malik Shabazz   18 August 2015 {{{votes}}}
[edit]
Open cases
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Venezuelan politics (t) (ev / t) (ws / t) (pd / t) 20 Apr 2024 04 May 2024
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Recently closed cases (Past cases)
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Conflict of interest management 13 Apr 2024
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Request name Motions  Case Posted
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Clarification request: Palestine-Israel articles 4 none (orig. case) 13 May 2024
Amendment request: Article titles and capitalisation none (orig. case) 13 May 2024

No arbitrator motions are currently open.

Malik Shabazz

Initiated by Georgewilliamherbert (talk) at 01:06, 18 August 2015 (UTC) Initiated by ceradon (talk • edits) at 01:08, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Involved parties

Confirmation that all parties are aware of the request
Confirmation that other steps in dispute resolution have been tried

A case of possible administrator abuse; DR unnecessary.

(for the record - Georgewilliamherbert (talk) 01:27, 18 August 2015 (UTC))[reply]

  • Malik warned [6]
  • Malik blocked and reblocked [7] (Chillum, Mike V, and KTC)

Statement by Ceradon

I believe we may have a case of abuse of administrator tools. The earliest example is likely here: [8], where Malik Shabazz revdels one of his own disparaging comments. Then, here: [9], where Shabazz says "suck my dick, ass hole" while giving Brad Dyer an ANI notice. Then here, [10], where Shabazz says, "No, you can suck it, sonny boy. What'll you call me next, nigger?". Now, RevDel criterion 3 states that "grossly inappropriate threats or attacks" may be revdelled. However, Shabazz, despite (or in spite of) his block, unrevdels that particular diff with the summary: "Restoring the truth -- you people can ignore this is [sic] you want, I won't". On his talk page, he says, in reference to Chillum, "You can suck my dick, too, asshole" [11]. And here [12], Shabazz states: "Now when the fuck is somebody going to address the fact that the Jewboy is harassing me? Or is only okay to hound niggers off Wikipedia?" Our policy on administrator conduct states: "Administrators are expected to lead by example and to behave in a respectful, civil manner in their interactions with others. Administrators are expected to follow Wikipedia policies and to perform their duties to the best of their abilities. Occasional mistakes are entirely compatible with adminship; administrators are not expected to be perfect. However, sustained or serious disruption of Wikipedia is incompatible with the status of administrator, and consistently or egregiously poor judgment may result in the removal of administrator status." Shabazz, on August 8, revdeled one of his own disparaging comments. It begs the question, what else has he hidden. How much else has flown under the radar. Shabazz has been an administrator for 8 years. I hate finger-wagging, but he should know better. I think there is enough material here for a case. Thank you, --ceradon (talk • edits) 01:08, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I should add, that Shabazz was blocked by Chillum for 2 days as a result of personal attacks., and reblocked by Mike V for misuse of talk page privileges, and then reblocked again by KTC for abuse of admin tools. --ceradon (talk • edits) 01:13, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

  • @L235: Done. --ceradon (talk • edits) 01:24, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
  • @Drmies: That is suggestive, and I have struck it. But I honestly hope this isn't a permanent desysop. Malik was provoked, it's easy to see, but it doesn't excuse his behavior, and his use of admin tools while blocked. Malik is angry. He should have a time to cool down. But if he is angry, it should not be at our peril. Leaving a person who is pissed off to infinity with the keys to the castle is the fucking height of stupidity. A temporary desysop was in order. But now that he no longer has his tools, I would probably want the Committee to suspend this case and allow the community to discuss it further. Maybe if there is consensus for a desysop, the desysop can stand, and if there isn't it can be removed. That's up to the Committee though. --ceradon (talk • edits) 02:41, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Statement by Georgewilliamherbert

Malik and Brad Dyer entered into a content dispute which apparently turned nasty on both sides (documented here. Malik appears to have taken it far further including a number of personal attacks and eventually a block of him, him doing a page unprotect through the block [13](Chillium), and block extension (KTC). Having used admin functions in a personal dispute with other users through a block, it appears that a temporary desysop may be required, possibly by motion. Full case may or may not be required. Malik is not known to me to have had behavior issues prior to this incident, this is unlike him.

  • Yeah, I had a typo that caused subst not to, and it took forever for mine to "take effect", but yes a merge is fine. I'm going to grab some header stuff out of my filing and add it here. Georgewilliamherbert (talk) 01:25, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
Additional note: Someone with some time to do so needs to closely examine the discussions leading up to the bad behavior for taunting or other behavior that might explain why a longstanding well liked admin suddenly reacted like this. I haven't yet and it needs to be done, and I don't have enough time to do so until later tonight. Georgewilliamherbert (talk) 01:36, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Statement by Malik Shabazz

Statement by Chillum

The facts of this case are clear and not much is left but interpretation. WP:ADMIN says "Administrators are expected to lead by example and to behave in a respectful, civil manner in their interactions with others." These are not just pretty words for me, they are policy and they are a damn good idea.

In my opinion the abuse given out by Malik Shabazz is incompatible with being an administrator. We just cannot have admins calling people "Jewboy" and expect to be taken seriously.

Beyond the conduct unbecoming an admin we have at least two examples of abuse of admin tools. The revdel of his own comment which contained a personal attack in an apparent effort to hide it and the use of the revdel tool while blocked to restore his own comment which also contained a personal attack.

I feel the evidence in this case will be well documented, however if diffs are desired for anything I have claimed I will happily provide them. I think it is important that the community see that we do indeed have civility standards for at least our administrators. Chillum 01:38, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@Zero0000: Could you show me some diff that indicates that the revdel of the personal attack was done out of a sense of regret rather than a desire to conceal that behaviour? I admit I am not familiar with the context of the post and subsequent revdel. Chillum 02:05, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@Zero0000: I concede the possibility. It changes little in my opinion as that was the act I had the least objection too. Chillum 02:27, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Statement by KTC

Statement by Brad_Dyer

Statement by MrX

Arbcom should swiftly decline this case. There is no evident pattern of long-term WP:ADMIN abuse or tool misuse. Malik Shabazz seems to have reacted to perceived harassment by another user. The community has not been afforded the opportunity to address the concerns in this complaint, as is the usual process defined at WP:ADMIN#Disputes or complaints. I would also add that it's silly to redact Malik's comments on ANI, yet bare them for the world to see here.- MrX 01:36, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Statement by non-party Zero0000

I'm an administrator whose editing interests have overlapped with Malik Shabazz's for a long time. Malik Shabazz has been an excellent contributor to the encyclopedia for many years, so it is sad to see him lose control as he did here. I hope that he will be given the opportunity to resume editing after a break. Just one comment on the evidence: a case for misuse of administrator tools needs to be made more carefully than it has been. Ceradon's list contains examples that are not misuse (the first diff: if an administrator improperly uses an offensive edit summary, then revdelling it should be his next edit), and examples not requiring administrator tools or done by someone else. Zerotalk 02:01, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@Chillum: I don't know his motive, but you don't either and we shouldn't assume malice without evidence. On principle, something offensive should remain in the encyclopedia for as little time as possible. Of course he shouldn't have written the edit summary in the first place, but after he did so deleting it was proper, even required. Zerotalk 02:22, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I'm disturbed by the haste here. One hour and 14 minutes between filing and desysopping. Doesn't Malik even get an opportunity to speak in his own defence? Zerotalk 02:39, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Statement by Writ Keeper

I'd like to note two things. First, Malik's revdel of the 8th was done at Brad Dyer's request.[14][15] Not strictly correct, perhaps, but not something I'd hold against them, either.

Second, I feel that it's important to note that there was (imo) clear provocation from Brad here. Brad accused Malik of directly copying from a source, which is a serious accusation that wasn't true (it was actually added here). I would argue that the opening shots in this exchange came from Brad, with his condescending (to say the least) "sonny boy" here. Add that with the recent history between these two, and I'd say it's pretty clear that Brad was just looking for an excuse to pounce on Malik, and this was the next thing that came along.

Not that any of this excuses or even much mitigates what Malik said, or should interrupt the level 1 procedure here (which I personally think might be hasty but that's to one side); I'd just like it on the record that this didn't happen in a vacuum. Writ Keeper ⚇♔ 02:05, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Statement by uninvolved EvergreenFir

The use of racial and ethnic slurs in this manner should be ground for immediate removal of tools. EvergreenFir (talk) Please {{re}} 02:16, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Statement by Drmies

Wow, sometimes ArbCom works really quickly, and in this case unnecessarily so. You can't desysop like this for an insult, and the abuse of tools is singular: one revdel, in anger of course, just one, and no suggestion of a pattern. Not even a second abusive tool usage. I'm also puzzled by the suggestive rhetoric of "what else has he hidden", a phrase used by the filer--well, that's easy: you have admin glasses, Ceradon, and you can see what he has hidden, so there can be no question here. I find it sad that Malik did what he did, and I also find this whole circus wholly unnecessary. It's like Human Resources is looking over our shoulder constantly, and we are more than happy to rat each other out with these procedures--do you all not remember we're supposed to be colleagues here? (Someone commented that racial abuse is grounds for a desysop--surely that person knows how "sonny boy" must have been intended in this case.) Malik, I'm sorry.

Statement by {Non-party}

Other editors are free to make relevant comments on this request as necessary. Comments here should address why or why not the Committee should accept the case request or provide additional information.

Clerk notes

This area is used for notes by the clerks (including clerk recusals).

Malik Shabazz: Arbitrators' opinion on hearing this matter <0/1/0/3>

Vote key: (Accept/decline/recuse/other)

  • Noting that several checkusers, myself and Guerillero included, have looked at this, and found no evidence of a compromised account. Courcelles (talk) 01:31, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
  • With three votes, I have asked at BN for this to be enacted. Courcelles (talk) 01:47, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
  • @L235:, this mess broke quickly, but, yes, there has been a thread on arbcom-l about it, and there has been no objection to a level 1. Courcelles (talk) 01:49, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
Okay. Now that the level I is in effect, let us all slow down and take a breath. The use of admin tools as they were used while blocked was the major issue here. We don't level 1 for insults, even extreme ones, that is the realm of the block and revoke talk access functions. Those are the realm of a case, or a normal desysop by motion. Level I is an extremely rare thing, I would never have considered a level 1 without the direct use of the admin tools while blocked. Now we have the time to think and reflect and let everything cool down. A Level 1 is not a final decision. A level 1 is not a decision made by a majority of the committee. Now, I think we need to slow down, to let Malik Shabazz respond. The level 1 is explicitly not a final decision, and now we need to process this like a normal case request. I think what has to happen now is one of three things. Either the tools can be restored, a permanent revocation passed by normal motion, or a case opened to look this. I'm thinking this is a complicated mess, and now that the immediate problem is over, that we might actually need a case. Courcelles (talk) 02:42, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment I also support a level 1 desysop, bringing it to the required three in favor. GorillaWarfare (talk) 01:39, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
  • I also agree to the desysop. Compromised or not, this is absolutely not acceptable behavior for an administrator. Seraphimblade Talk to me 01:51, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
  • The desysop has been done, but per procedure this is temporary until the entire committee can review the matter. To make the timeline clear, and explain why at least I thought this had to be done by the level 1 process, was the timeline showing tools were used through the block. Courcelles (talk) 02:20, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
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