[Wikipedia-l] Wikipedia and anti-Semitism

Tue Dec 10 22:04:27 UTC 2002

Jonathan Walther wrote:

> Wagner was not defined by his anti-Semitism; he was defined by his
> music, which was universally humanist.  To make his anti-Semitism out to
> be as important as his music is really really unbalanced.  The version
> Ed had was fine.  Noone today reads any of Wagners "anti-Semitic" works,
> but millions listen to his music with pleasure.  It is appropriate that
> it be mentioned Wagner was anti-Semitic, but to devote more than a
> passing mention to it as if it was the man's raison d'etre for existing
> does a gross injustice to a man who is dead and unable to defend himself.
>
> You should be thankful Ed was protecting the page; where Ed left in a
> whole paragraph on Wagners anti-Semitism, I wanted to reduce it to a
> single sentence.  But I can live with Ed's version as an acceptable
> compromise. 

Sigh! I have to support Jonathan's view on this one.  Some people 
unfortunately treat it as a virtue to emphasize somebody's anti-Semitism.

Eclecticology