Changes

Wikipedia reached a milestone in its history on October 12, 2007, when Wikipedia "controversial and knowledgeable expert" [[Chip Berlet]] received his first block for incivility.[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&type=block&page=User:Cberlet]  Berlet, who had written for [[extremist]] publications<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Expertly+using+%22experts%22:+leftist+media+organs+selectively+use...-a097822451 Expertly using "experts": leftist media organs selectively use so-called experts to propagandize the masses on behalf of a statist agenda. (Expert Opinion)].</ref><ref>John George and Laird Wilcox, [http://www.questia.com/library/book/nazis-communists-klansmen-and-others-on-the-fringe-political-extremism-in-america-by-john-george-laird-wilcox.jsp''Nazis, Communists, Klansmen, and Others on the Fringe: Political Extremism in America''], Prometheus Books, Buffalo, New York, 1992, (ISBN 0-87975-680-2), pgs. 125-131.</ref> throughout his career, had achieved a special "controversial expert" exemption from virtually all Wikipedia's written policies.  This exemption from policy extended to citing self, no original research, no self promotion,  incivility and personal attacks, and other policies.

Wikipedia reached a milestone in its history on October 12, 2007, when Wikipedia "controversial and knowledgeable expert" [[Chip Berlet]] received his first block for incivility.[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&type=block&page=User:Cberlet]  Berlet, who had written for [[extremist]] publications<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Expertly+using+%22experts%22:+leftist+media+organs+selectively+use...-a097822451 Expertly using "experts": leftist media organs selectively use so-called experts to propagandize the masses on behalf of a statist agenda. (Expert Opinion)].</ref><ref>John George and Laird Wilcox, [http://www.questia.com/library/book/nazis-communists-klansmen-and-others-on-the-fringe-political-extremism-in-america-by-john-george-laird-wilcox.jsp''Nazis, Communists, Klansmen, and Others on the Fringe: Political Extremism in America''], Prometheus Books, Buffalo, New York, 1992, (ISBN 0-87975-680-2), pgs. 125-131.</ref> throughout his career, had achieved a special "controversial expert" exemption from virtually all Wikipedia's written policies.  This exemption from policy extended to citing self, no original research, no self promotion,  incivility and personal attacks, and other policies.

==Essjay Scandal==

===First casualty: a Congressional correspondent gets canned===

 

===Second casualty: the role of "experts" called into question, the Essjay Scandal===

The need to appoint a "Catholic expert" arose in the fall of 2006 when misinformation in the hit piece on [[Paul Weyrich]] and the [[Free Congress Foundation]] was pointed out by a friend of Weyrich.  Weyrich was being [[politically profiled]] as a right-wing "theocratic dominionist" who wanted to bring back slavery and burn witch's at the stake. <ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/kurtz/kurtz200505020944.asp</ref>  Wikipedia's entry on [[Dominionism]] up front defines it as, "a trend in Protestant Christian evangelicalism and fundamentalism." <ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dominionism&diff=83649766&oldid=83640075</ref> When Weyrich's friend exposed the flaw in Wikipedia's expert reasoning and sources, demonstrating Weyrich is Catholic <ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Paul_Weyrich#Inaccurate_information</ref>, Weyrich's friend subsequently received a Community ban. <ref>http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=7075</ref>  In early 2007, Jimbo Wales appointed a "Catholic expert" then to cover the gap.

The need to appoint a "Catholic expert" arose in the fall of 2006 when misinformation in the hit piece on [[Paul Weyrich]] and the [[Free Congress Foundation]] was pointed out by a friend of Weyrich.  Weyrich was being [[politically profiled]] as a right-wing "theocratic dominionist" who wanted to bring back slavery and burn witch's at the stake. <ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/kurtz/kurtz200505020944.asp</ref>  Wikipedia's entry on [[Dominionism]] up front defines it as, "a trend in Protestant Christian evangelicalism and fundamentalism." <ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dominionism&diff=83649766&oldid=83640075</ref> When Weyrich's friend exposed the flaw in Wikipedia's expert reasoning and sources, demonstrating Weyrich is Catholic <ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Paul_Weyrich#Inaccurate_information</ref>, Weyrich's friend subsequently received a Community ban. <ref>http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=7075</ref>  In early 2007, Jimbo Wales appointed a "Catholic expert" then to cover the gap.