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I have
reverted these recent additions as BLP violations: they are not neutrally worded (e.g. "Islamophobic Questionnaire") and probably constitute
undue weight for the article. The questionnaire was already mentioned in the article - I would not object to that being expanded, but it would need to be neutrally worded and of appropriate length. It would be best to discuss it here first and work out suitable wording.
StAnselm (
talk)
02:18, 10 March 2017 (UTC)reply
Thank you. I appreciate the comments. I realized after I clicked Undo that we should have discussed beforehand. Sorry about that. Regarding your point about
undue weight, I'd suggest we change the title of the section to "Muslim Questionnaire", and remove the 2 grafs after "amplify that theme." The subject of this article has generated significant controversy, and the sources cited are
verifiable,
reliable,
third-party sources with reputations for
fact-checking and accuracy.
Please let me know your thoughts on the
wording and length of the following additions:
==Public Controversy==
==="Gay Hitler" Episode===
Biedermann's short experience in the public eye has been marked by controversy,[1] beginning with an episode during which he posed for a photograph dressed as
Adolf Hitler, with a
swastika on his arm and a pink sash around his neck, while smiling and making a
Nazi"sieg heil" salute.
When questioned by a reporter about the episode, Biedermann asked "What would be offensive about that photograph?"[1] He later removed the photograph, as a result of what he called "political correctness."[1]
In an email to constituents, Biedermann tried to explain the episode, stating:
"Gay Hitler was a SNL character from the show which of coarse (sic) is a spoof...I am not gay and never have been. Don’t know anything about Swingers Clubs and no desire to find out. I have an amazing wife.”[1]
===Muslim Questionnaire===
In January 2017, Biedermann came under intense scrutiny from national media outlets[2] and civil rights' advocates,[3] after mailing a survey to Muslim leaders to ask them questions about their interpretations of Islam in preparation for a so-called "Homeland Security Summit". The surveys were distributed as part of a campaign that Biedermann said[2] were designed to expose “radical Islamic terrorism in Texas”, and preceded a forum that Mr. Biedermann held at the State Capitol, scheduled to coincide with Texas Muslim Capitol Day, an educational event for Muslim school children, to amplify that theme.[4][5][6]
Thank you. The ""Gay Hitler" Episode" relies on a single source, and that is behind a paywall, so we really need something more. I'm happy with your proposed "Muslim Questionnaire" paragraph, but (a) we should drop the word "so-called", and (b) we only have one "civil right advocate" listed; if we use the plural there needs to be more than one.
StAnselm (
talk)
03:39, 10 March 2017 (UTC)reply
Thanks for your comments. A quick Google search yielded several other reputable, verifiable, third-party citations for the 'Gay Hitler' episode. Links below. In addition to this sub-heading, the subject also appears to have violated ethics laws: [7], so I'd propose we add a sub-heading for that.
Yes, there is certainly enough there for a short paragraph: I think
Dallas News and
San Antonio Express are enough - the Houston Press article is an opinion piece. But getting back to the questionnaire, I can't find a second national media outlet apart from the NYT.
StAnselm (
talk)
02:43, 11 March 2017 (UTC)reply
Thanks. I propose changing the wording of to "intense media and public scrutiny" and cite a few more of the regional sources there then.
But here's the important thing - we would need a source saying he faced "intense" scrutiny. We can't just list ten sources and conclude ourselves that it was intense.
StAnselm (
talk)
20:16, 11 March 2017 (UTC)reply
Ok, taking your suggestions on good faith I'll propose another change: "The episode atracted critical media coverage and condemnation by civil rights advocates", with the ACLU letter and the Democracy Now editorial used as citations for the latter. Thoughts?
Hillcountryconservative (
talk)
05:10, 15 March 2017 (UTC)reply
I think we must have got our wires crossed - there was a whole lot you added back in that I thought you had agreed to leave out. I have edited the article to reflect what I thought was our compromise position.
StAnselm (
talk)
19:05, 15 March 2017 (UTC)reply