User:Groomtech

Wikipedians of all countries unite!

A destructive meme is at work in Wikipedia, to the effect that Wikipedians have no rights here, and another is emerging, to the effect that denial of that proposition is a blockable offence. I deny both memes. Their upholders confuse the real-life rights (let me call them Rrights) inherent to human beings; the legal rights (say Lrights) they derive from their legal environment, and which in many modern democaracies derive from their Rrights; and finally the moves permitted to players within the Wikipedia game (say Wrights). Participating in Wikipedia does not and can not diminish your Rrights. Participation may interact with your Lrights, for example in the areas of copyright and defamation, since Wikipedia exists in the real world and the people and entities associated with it are subject to the laws of various jurisdictions.

I value my Rrights and Lrights and choose not to abandon them. I call on like-minded Wikipedians to do the same.

Statement

I assert the rights that I hold as a human being and which are guaranteed to me by Magna Carta and the European Convention on Human Rights.

— Thanks to former User:Elanthia for the inspiration!