[Wikipedia-l] Re: Minutemen (vigilantes) article

Mon Apr 4 03:49:38 UTC 2005

On Apr 3, 2005, at 8:02 PM, Robert Brockway wrote:
> On Sun, 3 Apr 2005, Robert Brockway wrote:
>> I think the term "Minutemen (vigilantes)" is POV as the term 
>> vigilantes
>> has negative overtones in English.  I think it would be better to 
>> list the
>> article under the title "The MinuteMan Project".
>>
> Excuse me following up to myself.
> dictionary.com gives the following definitions for vigilante:
> 1. One who takes or advocates the taking of law enforcement into one's 
> own
>    hands.

Such as enforcing who may or may not be allowed to cross a border, with 
the use of armed patrols?

Here's part of their slogans (from their website header):
"Americans doing the jobs Congress won't do."
"Operating within the law to support enforcement of the law."

> 2. A member of a vigilance committee.

Vigilance, keeping watch....

> I don't see how the MinuteMan Project members could qualify as 
> vigilantes
> since all they are doing, as directed by the group, is to observe and
> advise legitimate authorities.

A watchman (keeping vigil, see "vigilance") sounds the alarm, yes.... 
and that's part of what makes them (MinuteMan project) vigilantes.

>  In this regard the group is acting in a
> manner similar to a Neighbourhood Watch.

My Neighborhood Watch doesn't actively roam around and set up 
"observation camps" in the middle of my local street intersections, 
while carrying guns and looking for trouble.

I don't know about yours. :)

Advocating that they are similar to a Neighborhood Watch is *their* POV 
(lifted straight from their website, no less), the obviously clear 
differences between the two notwithstanding... them (MMP) claiming to 
not be vigilantes is not entirely unlike white power groups claiming 
that they are not inherently racist... it's totally non-sensical, an 
attempt to legitimize their actions.

> This is not to say that individuals in the group could not act as
> vigilantes but I don't see any evidence the group is advocating this.

Check out their website... their whole purpose is about taking into 
*their own hands* the patrolling function of law enforcement on the 
borders. All that being said, the article itself points out that they 
are considered vigilantes, regardless of what the title is.

All of the above is *my* POV, though... I'm in favor of changing the 
article name, so their POV and my POV can become NPOV, :)

-Bop