Thursday
...Good.
It is also insensitive to Catholic feelings, Nazi feelings, Buddhist feelings, Communist feelings, Capitalist feelings, Manchester United Supporter feelings, Surrealist baboon trousers, Scientologist feelings, Creationist feelings, Darwinist feelings...
"Since Wikipedia is an encyclopaedia with the goal of representing all topics from a neutral point of view, Wikipedia is not censored for the benefit of any particular group."
The whole point of a reference book or reference wiki, is to present information regardless of anyone's 'feelings'. And if some Muslims do not like that... tough shit, here is a link to the 'Mohammed Cartoons' for you because to my mind it is not enough to just ignore them, intolerant Islam must be confronted and loudly defied. I could not care less whose 'feelings' get hurt by publishing something and thankfully to their credit neither could Wikipedia.
Samizdata is also fairly insensitive to Muslim feelings
Oh noes!!1! Not the arch-dhimmi of Canterbury!
Posted by Perry de Havilland at February 7, 2008 03:39 PM
I'm giving 100 to 1 odds on a compromise not occurring before the month is out.
Wiki will either move the "offensive" illustration to another page with a warning for sensitive types or leave it on the same page but use a user event such as mouse click or roll over to awaken the most horrible of insults from its hidden state slumber.
Posted by WalterBoswell at February 7, 2008 04:11 PM
Speaking of the MoToons, Wikipedia has a rather thorough entry on the matter, with pictures of the toons, and translations for those who do not read Danish.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyllands-Posten_Muhammad_cartoons_controversy
I don't think they're likely to cave in on this.
Posted by a.sommer at February 7, 2008 04:21 PM
The crucifix in a tub of urine; picture of Mary with a slab of dung in her womb; plenty of empathy to go around, hugh?
Posted by TomG at February 7, 2008 04:21 PM
As you are aware, in the U.S., the "infection" of "insensitivity" is being dealt with.
An entire industry of "Sensitivity Training" has sprung up.
However, a vacine, rumored to be effective, but difficult to administer (due chiefly to victim resistance), is in development for managing (not curing) the allergic-like reactions of various types of "feelings. The Beta form is referred to as "Alpha Reality" by those working on the nature of the "feelings" virus.
Others concerned with the spread of that virus suggest that the causes of the forms of reactions and media effects on its spread should be examined.
Most recognize that prevention may be unachievable in the current political and social environments.
Posted by R. Richard Schweitzer at February 7, 2008 04:51 PM
However Wikipedia is much more sensitive to some other people.
This is the Wikipedia non-link to "Charlene Downes."
It says, "The discussion has been blanked as a courtesy to the surviving relatives."
I don't know whether her relatives actually wanted this courtesy - even if they did, it does seem an unusual reticence, as almost any other well-known murder has its account on Wikipedia, and feelings of the relatives be damned. I think that the true reason for this deletion is that the murder of Charlene Downes has been taken up as a cause celebre by the British National Party, who complain that the murder has been under-reported for political reasons. Wikipedia seems determined to prove them right.
Posted by Natalie Solent at February 7, 2008 05:21 PM
Reuters have a shot of a Dutch artist's work titled "Gay Muhammad" on their site.
And Fox have an image from Wiki on their site.
There will be blood.
Posted by WalterBoswell at February 7, 2008 07:05 PM
I must complain about your "Mohammed" t-shirt.
- Couldn't you round-up a shapelier chest to inflate it???
Posted by Jim at February 8, 2008 12:40 PM
