[WikiEN-l] Bad And Wrong Policy/Procedure/Guideline

[Michael Snow]

Rob wrote:

> On 11/3/06, David Gerard <dgerard at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Have a look at the arbcom pages some time. Fred Bauder seriously
>> proposed some time last year that Chip Berlet should not be allowed to
>> edit articles about the LaRouchians because - hah! - his expertise on
>> the subject meant he was too involved.
>
> Did he actually say that "expertise" should be a disqualification from
> editing or did he say that due to his experience Berlet may have a
> preconceived notion that the LaRouchians were all nuts and should thus
> be disqualified?

After allowing for some hyperbole in this description of Berlet's views 
regarding LaRouche supporters--at some point, when all the experts have 
reached the conclusion that the earth orbits the sun, you can't 
disqualify them from writing articles that describe the solar system, 
simply on account of their vehemence in making that argument in the 
past. In particular, when people show that they can write neutral prose 
in articles, it should matter very little that they express strong views 
on the talk pages.

--Michael Snow