[WikiEN-l] Sep 11 (wasL User:LanceMurdoch)

Thu Jan 15 18:57:47 UTC 2004

tarquin
>Or call it "World Trade Center attack" ?

Uh, no. What about the Pentagon and Flight 93? 

>At any rate, I agree with the removal of the term 
>"terrorist" from the title. 

Why? The term 'terrorist' is almost always in the title of the incident when 
it is referred to in any place I've ever seen a reference (although it is 
very often just called "9/11" or "September 11" in the USA but those titles 
are not specific enough for us). The incident also perfectly fits the 
definition of terrorism. So there is no reason not to use it unless it is 
unreasonably offensive. I would, in fact, argue that *not* having the word 
'terrorist' in the title would be unreasonably offensive (IMO, that would be 
white-washing, or at lest sanitizing, the title). 

>That is was an attack, at least, is undisputed :) 

Taking out the word "terrorist" in light of the fact that the word is very 
commonly used in the title and fits the definition, goes against our common 
name naming convention and also creates a needlessly vague title. It also 
supports the POV that the incident was not a terrorist act which is absurd 
since it perfectly fits the definition. 

So if something is commonly called something, fits the definition, is not 
unreasonably offensive, then that term should be used. 

More generally (meaning not directed toward Tarquin):

Blacklisting terms is a very bad idea and is more PC than NPOV. Let's not 
forget that PC is in fact an extreme form of POV and is *not* akin to NPOV at 
all (which really deals with article *content* and not titles - titles are 
dealt with through our naming conventions). 

PC = "politically correct" . Political correctness in the United States is a 
political and social movement which aims to use changes in language to 
prevent offending people who leftists think are offended by the use of 
certain terms. PC also aims to help change the way other people think by 
changing the use of certain terms (rather Orwellian if you ask me). This is 
*not* at all NPOV and should *not* be associated with the 'unreasonable 
offensiveness' clause of our common name naming convention (which is largely  
agendaless, unlike PC). 

Wikipedia needs to *follow* common usage, not try to change it! 

-- Daniel Mayer (aka mav)