Chilling Atmosphere

Here is an example of the "chilling atmosphere" on the English project sites.

On the English Wikiversity, at least half a dozen credentialed academics have departed as a result of inappropriate conduct by misguided officials who are abusive toward members of the academic community.

Among these are four who notably objected to the hostile takeover of the site by thuggish characters who have transformed the project into a clone of Mafia Wars.

Here is a tribute to those four that I saw fit to post on the Meta talk page of User:JWSchmidt, one of the founders of Wikiversity.

Has anybody here seen my old friend Emesee? Can you tell me where he's gone? He freed a lot of people, But it seems the good they die young. You know, I just looked around and he's gone. Anybody here seen my old friend John? Can you tell me where he's gone? He freed a lot of people, But it seems the good they die young. I just looked around and he's gone. Anybody here seen my old friend Moulton? Can you tell me where he's gone? He freed a lot of people, But it seems the good they die young. I just looked 'round and he's gone. Didn't you love the things that they stood for? Didn't they try to find some good for you and me? And we'll be free Some day soon, and it's a-gonna be one day ... Anybody here seen my old friend Hillgentleman? Can you tell me where he's gone? I thought I saw him walkin' up over the hill, With Emesee, Moulton and John.

No sooner had I posted that tribute than Tanvir Rahman reverted it and arranged for Peter Symonds to block the MIT Media Lab on Meta.

Is it any wonder that there is a decline in participation by members of the academic communities?