[WikiEN-l] The Censorship Lie

Wed Feb 16 17:10:12 UTC 2005

--- Jim Trodel <trodel at gmail.com> wrote:

> The question is not one of Censorship but of Editorial Control and
> are
> the photos, etc helping us meet our mission - which is to become an
> trusted encyclopedic source of information.

Then don't filter/censor/self-censor/editorialize and:
* Let grown ups decide for themselves
* Stay NPOV
* Help in creating the "Approved articles for under 17 audiences" (or
whatever it is in your jurisdiction)

NPOV requires us to not suppress the views of the minority just to
please the majority. NPOV also requires us to not discriminate
against non-US, non-English speaking, non-Christian, non-White, and
non-Republican views (I almost wrote fascist... sigh).

An encyclopedia is an exposition, a knowledge book, of mankind's
experience on this planet. All subjects are by definition required.
Leaving some out for a purpose means we will have failed at making a
good encyclopedia. 

Just as mankind's experiences can be joyous and gleeful, so can they
be shocking and senseless. Just as men and women can treat each other
with brotherly love and parental care, so can they treat each other
with disdain and depravity.

I for one make no judgement one way or another. In one country, some
things are allowed, even encouraged, and others frowned upon, in bad
taste, even illegal. In another country, the reverse is true. Am I so
high and mighty that I can tell my neighbors right from wrong on the
land of their fathers and grandfathers? I think not.

==Grownups==
Have you seen the internet lately? Crime, corruption, fud, sex,
violence, greed, lies, deaths and gruesome deaths vie for attention
with the Grammys. Yet there is also beauty, love, and friendship.
Part of what makes a person mature is the ability to filter the good
from the bad. If there was no sin, there would be no need for grace.

And when I want information on sexually transmitted diseases and S&M,
I want wikipedia to be complete. Incompleteness is worse than
useless.

==Kids==
Just like the internet is not a place for american suburban 8 year
olds, so is wikipedia. I have no problem with people telling parents
to be leery of letting their kids into wikipedia.

Teens grow up and discover wikipedia and they become adults
real-fast. But they would become adults anyway, and hopefully
wikipedia will give them a broad and balanced view of the world,
rather than the narrow and bigoted view they glean from their school
so-called friends.

Young children have different needs. I would not put an 8-year old on
wikipdedia if I was not sitting with then with my hand on the mouse. 

But remember that not all children need this type of parenting. There
are boys and girl prostitutes in many countries that are just 11 and
12. I suggest that these children, if they ever get access to
wikipedia, will really need the information that is in the adult
version. 

Finally, 

Unless we allow everything, we will just not be trusted. Want to know
about the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades? Go to wikipedia. Want to know
about the Rwandan Genocide? Go to wikipedia. 
Did you know that Shanghai has the largest seaport in the world? Yes,
you guessed it, from Wikipedia.

If some information is missing, then people will wonder what else is
missing. And that will lead to mistrust. And to be a mistrusted
encyclopedia is worse than reformatting the hard drives.

=====
Chris Mahan
818.943.1850 cell
chris_mahan at yahoo.com
chris.mahan at gmail.com
http://www.christophermahan.com/

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