[WikiEN-l] Wikipedia's destiny

[Bryan Derksen]

Keith Old wrote:
> If he did, well done to him. There is no legitimate reason for an article on
> Mr Peppers other than people on a couple of websites chose to make fun of
> his appearance.
I don't have any particular investment in the article (I think I voted 
in an AfD on it), but what you just wrote here seems to me to be similar 
to saying "there is no legitimate reason for an article on Mr. Peppers 
other than the legitimate reason there's an article on him." It may not 
be _nice_ to make fun of someone based on their appearance, but if it's 
happening enough it becomes a valid subject for an article IMO. As 
someone else pointed out there's an article on Ghyslain Raza as another 
example of fame through mockery making a person notable.
>  In the latest AfD, one voter said words to effect of we're
> just making fun of his appearance. Surely, Wikipedia should have higher
> purposes than mocking the disabled which his article has generally tended to
> be.
>   
Wikipedia isn't making fun of his appearance any more than Wikipedia is 
accusing Thomas Quick of being a murderer. Wikipedia is hosting an 
article about how _other people_ are making fun of his 
appearance/accusing Thomas Quick of being a murderer.

If Wikipedia were to make fun of his appearance that would probably fall 
under "No Original Research" anyway, all issues of morality and 
politeness aside.