[WikiEN-l] 911

[Philip Welch]

On May 20, 2006, at 7:40 AM, Prasad J wrote:

> Quote from Philip's last message:
>
> "So he publicly identifies with a notorious Islamist and anti-Semite.
>> 3,000 people in my country were murdered five years ago in the name
>> of those attitudes. He should be banned indefinitely just as we would
>> ban a neo-Nazi who made similar anti-Semitic edits. These people do
>> not belong in our community."
>
> 1)"Notorious Islamist"-are you implying that Islamists (as in
> Muslims)are notorious?

"Islamist" does not mean "Muslim". Wikipedia states: "Islamism  
describes a set of political ideologies derived from Islamic  
fundamentalism."

Abu Hamza is an adherent to those political ideologies, notorious for  
anti-Semitism, sympathies with al-Qaeda, etc.

> 2) 3000 people died on 9/11. Sorry about that. But scores of my
> countrymen in Kashmir are murdered on a daily basis by fundamentalists
> in that state. Do you see me condemning Abu because of that? He can
> symathise with whoever he wants- he has a right to do that, provided
> he does not vandalise Wikipedia.

He's using Wikipedia to promote his bias--trying to turn Wikipedia  
into propaganda for his cause. The cause of demolishing skyscrapers  
in Manhattan, slaughtering Indians in Kashmir, and trying to drive  
the entire nation of Israel into the sea.

I'm glad you can tolerate that, because I can't.

> 3) "People like
> you aren't welcome in civil society, and you know it, so you try to
> hide behind excuses and rationalizations and straw men. It's not
> going to work."
> It is not upto you Philip, to unilaterally pass judgement on who
> belongs in civil society.
>
> I suggest you calm down and be more civil toward Abu. Treating him
> with disdain based on his religion or his beliefs (though these might
> not be acceptable to you) will only make you seem like a bigoted
> Islamophobe-which I am sure you are not.

There's a line to be crossed here, Prasad. White supremacists aren't  
welcome on Wikipedia either, especially if they edit Wikipedia  
towards a white supremacy bias. This person and his anti-Semitic  
ideology is no different.

If someone came on here and used "David Duke" as his nom de plume,  
and made a bunch of anti-Semitic edits, he would be banned for life  
very quickly. We hesitate here because the racist ideology in  
question claims to follow the Islamic religion? Please.

-- 
Philip L. Welch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Philwelch