[Wikipedia-l] Wikipedia, anti-Semitism, and other offensive terms

Thu Dec 12 00:23:54 UTC 2002

(That Subject's a joke, ah say, a JOKE, son...)

On the dispute involving the bias (whichever way) on pages relating to the
Israeli-Palestinian situation, and particularly RK's expression thereof:
This particular aspect of this topic has come up before. The old discussion
is available at

http://meta.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Semitism_vs_Anti-Zionism

and could well be used for further permutations of the discussion, if people
want to see that off the list.

In deference to SLR, who explained that for historical reasons many feel the
term "anti-Zionism" is threatening, I've personally substituted "anti
Israeli government policy" or "anti Israeli imperialism" in my own writings.
Yeah, it's longer, but it leads to far less confusion as to what exactly I'm
disagreeing with. :) It may conceivably help to moderate disputes with RK to
use such precise language, though yes, I have known him to be pretty quick
off the mark in accusing others of being anti-Semitic.

Now, as to real anti-Semitism. It doesn't at all seem out of place to spend,
say, a paragraph discussing the prejudices of a historically important
person. It shouldn't be the first paragraph, and should come after a more
lengthy discussion of why the person was historically important.  However,
unless the latter strongly relates to the former, a paragraph should be
sufficient, and anyone wanting to discuss the aspect in more detail can then
spin off a separate article.

The key points of a biographical entry, as I think of it, are to hit on a
person's life history in brief, their personality and attitudes, and their
contributions (positive or negative) to society and history at large.
Noting that Wagner was a seriously disagreeable person to many, that his
affairs were notorious, and that his prejudices were vehement has a place;
for one, it detracts from the sort of "hero worship" seen in the past by
"great man" school biographers. It presents a more realistic view of a
complete human being.  Feet of clay, and all that.

In sum: if the discussion of Wagner's anti-Semitism dwarfs the remainder of
the article, it should be reduced (and/or  the rest of the article seriously
built up.)  If it's discussed briefly, preferably with mention of the
historical context, that seems reasonable.  Here endeth long-winded opinion.

-- April