I am not sure what to put here, so I will simply vent...I signed on because I wanted to contribute. However, this site comes off like you have to be part of some "elitist clique" or something before you contribute ANYTHING. And if you're not, then you're stigmatized as "new user/editor" or simpy an idiot. I am here for like an hour and already someone who just edited from the cowardly mask of an IP address and NOT a user name is cherry-picking my comments and taking them out of context so they can whine and gripe that an action regarding an article goes against their scruples, even after the decision is made. Sore loser, much?
This site absolutely SUCKS at making people feel welcome!!! The people who have been here awhile try to overapply all the rules and turn documents into graphical eyesores with dispute blocks or deletion review blocks on their pages. And God forbid someone creates a new article...all the other piranhas in the sea will try and devour it up as fast as they can.
I am not saying we shouldn't argue over the vailidity of articles or the information contained therein. And I know someone is going to try and lecture me about concensus. What I am saying it that people are so quick to trample over someone's suggestions and contributions instead of trying to bring multiple ideas and resources together and actually collaborate instead of alienate. This looks like it could be a lot of fun, yet all I see is elitists, whiners, powermongers, and tantrum-throwers.
But I won't give up. I will contribute where I can, and hopefully this "new user" patch on my sleeve will go away and my thoughts won't be misrepresented or reverted. Hopefully, civil discussions can be found, and people won't always throw around a bunch letters and words (NPOV, AfD, MEAT, HIJKLMNOP BLAH BLAH BLAH. Seriously?? Is EVERYTHING scrutinized?? "The free encylcopedia anyone can edit". Riiiight. Oh well. Happy editing!