[WikiEN-l] Oversized criticism sections and WP:UNDUE (was: Notability and ski resorts)

[Andrew Gray]

2009/9/24 Fred Bauder <fredbaud at fairpoint.net>:
> Typically in a situation like that, unless there are active supporters of
> the person, like Stalin, no one is interested in finding and writing
> about their virtues.

Most historically prominent figures, no matter how vile, will have
enough people interested in them to ensure that the article is
reasonably well constructed; this doesn't automatically imply it's
being done for partisan reasons. I think it's a little misleading to
say that the only reason we can have a good, balanced, article on
someone like Stalin is the hypothetical presence of active apologists!

(I mean, we have an A-class article on Nero, and a FA on Diocletian. I
don't think many of their supporters are still around...)

> The major problem is with living persons who have had considerable press
> regarding some negative action or series of actions. There may not be
> significant published material regarding their virtues or even details
> about their life.

Yeah. This is the tough case. You mention below writing about the
event, not the person, and I think this is the best way to go about it
- if the notorious event wouldn't stand up as an article in its own
right, should an article about the protagonist really be able to?

-- 
- Andrew Gray
  andrew.gray at dunelm.org.uk