[WikiEN-l] When deletionism crosses a line

[Leif Knutsen]

I want to raise one specific and one general issue for discussion:

1) A recently created article about a newly appointed bishop in the Church
of Norway was nominated by a self-described "disiplined deletionist" for
speedy deletion. The nomination was subsequently defended on the basis that
our standards for notability don't say anything about Norwegian bishops.
Indeed, the standards don't say anything about religious leaders at all, but
I have to imagine that common sense would lead a reasonable person to
appreciate that one of the 11 top clergy of the official state church of
Norway is notable. Should we either update the guidelines for biographical
notability or impose some standard of common sense, to preempt this kind of
zealotry?

2) I am known to take a broad definition of vandalism. I think it's any act
that disrupts Wikipedia, perpetrated by someone who knows better. So when a
seasoned editor creates a lot of work for a lot of other people on an issue
that will surely go one way or another; or plays games with rules; or hides
behind AGF, then we should be allowed to assume they're up to no good.
Perhaps we should define bad behavior that falls short of vandalism but is
still unacceptable. I nominate KNAVERY as the right term, as it goes to the
saying "he's either a fool or a knave."

And happy holidays and a great, productive Gregorian new year to everyone!

Leif