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Talk:Business Plot/archive1 Talk:Business Plot/archive 2

Removed

The following two sources were removed from this article because they were Larouche related:

• Wolfe, L. (June 27 1994). "Franklin Delano Roosevelt vs. the Banks: Morgan's Fascist Plot, and How It Was Defeated". The American Almanac. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link) Very caustic and one-sided but informative.

• Template:Cite online journal

Best wishes, Travb (talk) 17:31, 2 January 2007 (UTC)

"paradoxically Jewish"

I think this is a misusage of the word "paradoxically." I had tried to address this in a previous post, which was somehow deleted. The sentence itself seemed to be extraneous, so I deleted it. I meant to post it here for the consideration of everyone else, but I appear to have made a slight mistake. 24.184.52.69 19:34, 3 February 2007 (UTC)

The article was anti-Jewish. I changed the sentence slightly. Travb (talk) 19:40, 3 February 2007 (UTC)

Are you guys kidding? The whole story of this "plot" accuses Jewish financiers and a Jewish organization of conspiring to overthrow the U.S. govt. How much more anti-Jewish can you get? And apparently these are the same people who helped the Nazis and the Bolsheviks take power. Obviously I'm not in tune with this subject as you guys are but Spivak's (Spivak claims to be working against anti-Semitism) account is blatant when it accuses Jewish financiers and a Jewish organization of being behind such an immense conspiracy. Why don't you guys call this insane story what you're reallying trying to say it is, "The Jewish Business Plot"? This is ridiculous. Jtpaladin 19:17, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

BBC history program

There is a BBC radio program on this topic that might help with sourcing. Link. Hope this helps. Tim Vickers 02:41, 26 July 2007 (UTC)

Prescott Bush

I'm reproducing the quote from "The Whitehouse Coup" (23 July 2007) that I also entered on the Talk:Prescott_Bush#Failed_Coup Prescott Bush page.

Later in the McCormack-Dickstein report, a shipping company called Hamburg-America Line was accused of providing free passage to Germany to American journalists willing to write favorable copy on Hitler's rise to power. The company is also alleged to have brought Nazi spies and pro-fascist sympathizers into America. John Buchanan has studied this latest section of the report and has discovered that one of the company's managers came from a very famous family. "The thing that surprised me most was to discover in the documents of this company that Hamburg-America Lines had, in fact, been managed on the U. S. side at the executive level by Prescott Bush as part of a web of Nazi business interests that were all seized in late 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act by the U. S. Congress and Prescott Bush is the grandfather of the sitting President of the United States."

Of course, at the time it was perfectly legal to have dealings with Hitler's Germany. Prescott Bush was not called to account for this until America entered the war.

The McCormack-Dickstein report is "Investigation of Nazi Propaganda Activities and Investigation of Certain Other Propaganda Activities." United States Congress, House of Representatives. Special Committee on Un-American Activities.Dec 29, 1934. (73rd Congress, 2nd session. Hearings No. 73-D. C.-6). (Washington, Government Printing Office; 1935)

Some people are claiming that this does say that Prescott Bush was involved with the Business Plot, despite the fact that it is clearly talking about completely separate activities. My only guess as to how people are arriving at this conclusion is that they are assuming that the Business Plot is the only subject of the McCormack-Dickstein report. If that were true, then there might be some connection, but this assumption is false. The committee looked into many different activities, not just the Business Plot. Hence the name of the report, "Investigation of Nazi Propaganda Activities and Investigation of Certain Other Propaganda Activities."

The committee held hearings in six cities and took testimony from hundreds of witnesses. The Business Plot was not its only or even its primary focus of investigation. Notice how it says "Nazi Propaganda Activities". The Business Plot was not a Nazi (that is German government) operation. The BBC report is saying that Hamburg-America Lines was involved in Nazi activities, not the Business Plot.

If there is some other possible interpretation of this, or there is some other information, then explain it here in plain words before you change the main page to say that Prescott Bush was involved. There is simply no evidence for that.

Ken Hirsch 20:17, 26 July 2007 (UTC)

The statement you deleted regarding Prescott Bush says: "A BBC documentary claims Prescott Bush, father and grandfather to the 41st and 43rd US Presidents respectively, was also connected." Following that statement is a link to the documentary which I listened to in its entirety. The statement you deleted is 100 percent accurate. The brief documentary (less than 30 minutes) is all about the "Business Plot" and underscores the fact that the individuals involved are hard to identify. In that context, they bring up Prescott Bush as a possible participant based on his background and activities. Given that the BBC is an authoritative source, stating that a) this documentary claims a possible connection to Prescott Bush and, b) the source (BBC audio) is linked to, why delete this section? It doesn't say Bush WAS connected, it cites a source that claims a connection, and links to that source. It is not an opinion or a personal point of view. By deleting that section readers are no longer allowed to determine for themselves as to the strength or weakness of the claim. Deleting the BBC claim and subsequent link obscures potentially useful information for the end reader. -- Quartermaster 15:45, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

Explain to me the sentences that link Bush to the Business Plot. I've explained myself above. The BBC program quotes John Buchanan as to Bush's links to the Nazis. Buchanan's research is discussed on the Prescott Bush page and is on the web elsewhere. Nowhere does he claim that Bush was connected to the Business Plot, only that we was connected to Nazi business interests. The only link is that the Business Plot and Nazi propaganda activities were both investigated by the McCormack-Dickstein committee. The BBC program is called "Document" and the idea is that "The award-winning investigative series returns, in which Mike Thomson takes a document as a starting-point to shed new light on past events." So the program investigated the archives of the McCormack-Dickstein committee. As far as I can tell from the language they used (quoted above) and from all the other sources, the bit about Prescott Bush was included because it's a very interesting tidbit, not because it's connected to the business plot. I sent a message to the Document program from their web page (on 26 July) asking for a clarification. If they reply to me, I'll post it here, but hopefully they'll have something on their web site. But, seriously, look at the words they used. Bush is connected to Hamburg-America Lines which has Nazi ties. There is nothing in the program that links Bush to the Business Plot or Hamburg-America Lines to the Business Plot. In everything published about the Business Plot, it's always a native plot, cooked up by Wall Street interests. There's never been any hint of Nazi involvment. -- Ken Hirsch 17:27, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

The entire BBC piece was about the Business Plot. The mention of Prescott Bush and his activities in the context of such a piece seems to me a de facto implication of his possible involvement, and I find it plausible, intriguing, albeit not particularly damning. By totally deleting the mention of the BBC piece as well as the link to that same piece, you're set up as the sole arbiter of its importance and veracity. I trust most wikipedia readers to make up their own minds based on what's presented in an article, which is exactly what you've done. That's perfectly all right and I would like to have the article continue to extend that same courtesy to other readers. Debating about the BBC's veracity isn't the point. I can disagree with you (I do) but, again, that isn't the point. Your interpretation may have some validity, but your approach to the subject (deleting it) doesn't give anyone else the same chance to decide one way or the other. -- Quartermaster 18:58, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

It would seem that the BBC's own web page suggests that they intend the interpretation to be that Prescot Bush was involved:

The coup was aimed at toppling President Franklin D Roosevelt with the help of half-a-million war veterans. The plotters, who were alleged to involve some of the most famous families in America, (owners of Heinz, Birds Eye, Goodtea, Maxwell Hse & George Bush’s Grandfather, Prescott) believed that their country should adopt the policies of Hitler and Mussolini to beat the great depression.

The added emphasis is mine. The quote is the BBC's summary. It is not unreasonable to ask them for clarification, but absent that, their summary would seem to be plausible evidence of editorial intent. I have no particular opinion on the veracity or accuracy of their story, but they do appear to have made the allegation. --Brons 17:20, 29 July 2007 (UTC)

I think you finalize this point. I've restored the mention of Prescott Bush and the supporting link. Let the readers decide the veracity of the claim. The BBC claims the link, the restored statement merely reports that. -- Quartermaster 15:11, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

I agree here, I was the one who first worded it that way to begin with before Ken removed it. It only claims a link and that's exactly what the sentence says. It is factual and NPOV. pschemp | talk 22:20, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

The following statement does not stand by itself, and should either be qualified or removed: The 2007 BBC radio documentary The White House Coup alleged that Prescott Bush, father and grandfather to the 41st and 43rd US Presidents respectively, was also connected with companies owned by Fritz Thyssen. I'm no fan of anything Bushy, but unless there is some place where Thyssen is connected to something in this article, it just looks silly. DOR (HK) (talk) 06:49, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Misguided Ref removal

I moved this to talk:

Thomson, Mike (2007-07-23). "The Whitehouse Coup". BBC. Retrieved 2007-07-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

I have no idea what it has to do with the plot. It is two pargraphs. 66.142.90.225 22:10, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

Its a reference, that includes the author of the work. Please refrain from removing refs in the future. It has everything to do with this article. pschemp | talk 22:19, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

This has nothing to do with the business plot.

Here is the text of the BBC webpage:

Mike Thomson investigates claims that British colonial officials helped rig Nigeria’s pre-independence elections to ensure that a pro-UK party won.

The allegations centre on the cold war days of 1960 when fears were growing that communism was gaining ground in Nigeria, a country where oil had only recently been discovered. Two top secret files from the time are being kept closed for one hundred years.

Documents calls for them to be released on the FOI Act. Could it be that Britain taught Nigeria all it knows today about fixing the polls?

What does Nigeria's pre-independence elections have to do with the 1930's business plot?

I think you have the wrong link. Was this the link you wanted? : http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/document/document_20070723.shtml

If so, this link is already correctly formated in footnote number 3. Which I just fixed with a web cite.

In addition, the Nigeria link is located in the wrong spot. In the ref section. 66.142.90.225 01:01, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

Rewording

"Some of Roosevelt's advisors were in on the plot, and downplayed it when it was exposed to prevent their dirty laundry from being aired in public."

Shouldn't this be reworded so it doesn't use a cliche?

Kazuko 17:59, 10 August 2007 (UTC)

I've killed the little bastard stone dead. That and "sweep it under the rug". -Ashley Pomeroy (talk) 18:54, 13 March 2008 (UTC)

Hoax

Unless the article is amended, the current text purports that events are factual without evidence. The article summary states

"The Business Plot, The Plot Against FDR, or The White House Putsch, was a conspiracy involving several wealthy businessmen to overthrow the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933."

This is not an undisputed fact of history but a proposition made foremost by Jules Archer (who, note, serves as a preponderance of the references.) This article needs to address Misplaced Pages's guidelines for Fringe theories, which it currently does not.

Unless the article is changed to foremost reflect that the scholarly consensus is that this is a conspiracy theory, then the article itself is part of that conspiracy theory, and the status of the article must be questioned. Quoting James Sargent "it is plausible to conclude that the honest and straightforward, but intellectually and politically unsophisticated, Butler perceived in simplistic terms what were in fact complex trends and events. Thus he leaped to the simplistic conclusion that the President and the Republic were in mortal danger." The wikipedia community is doing just what Archer did here unless this article is rewritten. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.96.188.197 (talk • contribs)

First of all, sign your posts please, using ~~~~. Second of all, it appears like you have not read the entire article, particulalry the congressional findings on record. Your conclusion is without evidence, the text is factually supported. Travb (talk) 18:55, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

"Second of all, it appears like you have not read the entire article, particulalry the congressional findings"

'It appears like' your education is limited; this topic is likely out of your depth. 'Paticulalry', urk. Say hello to all of them at www.democraticunderground for me. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.77.147.8 (talk) 04:20, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Congressional reports do not scholarly evidence make.

Congressional reports can be wrong. As this is a highly controversial subject, it requires the evidence and the peer review of the subject be quite thorough. (The evidence is so weak that this congressional report was even disregarded in Washington at the time, hence the lack of 'cause celebre') For instance, the Bush administration has created numerous committees which have concluded that global warming is not occurring. It does not follow, however, that simply because a government agency makes a public statement, it is truth and fact itself. The overwhelming peer review and analysis of the subject have NOT supported the claims of the conspiracy. If they have, and these sources can be sited, I will rescind my objections to this article. As of yet, none has been presented, and instead name calling, inflamed point of view editing, and fringe and conspiracy theories are implicated. What is generally accepted, is that this is a conspiracy theory. If wikipedians wish to demonstrate otherwise, which I fully support, please offer ample evidence. Until that time, please correct the article to indicate this is not a generally accepted historical fact. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.96.188.197 (talk) 17:24, 22 September 2007 (UTC)

You have added nothing to this article except a {{hoax}} tag. Don't make up requirements for wikiarticles. Lets be honest there is no hurdle high enough that other wikiauthors can jump which would make you change your tune. Fortunatly, several wikiauthors disagree with you. If needs be, you can request an RfC so we can finally find out how discredited your views and unfair standards for articles are.

What peer analysis? What peer review? Again, you have added nothing to this article, so your words seem a little empty. Go ahead and quote some of the ditractors in this article, detractors which, by the way, I proably added. And I can clearly show that those detractors credentials are not as solid as a large congressional committee which spent dozens if not hundreds of hours weighing all the evidence. Travb (talk) 02:53, 23 September 2007 (UTC)

First off, I am not claiming that the event was a hoax, I am claiming that the article, by purposefully being misleading, falls under the definition of a hoax.

Secondly, you're correct that I have not added anything to this article, other than the hoax tag, primarily because I do not have the time to do this article justice, but felt, nonetheless, that it was the responsible thing to do to bring some recognition to what I believe are it's gross inadequacies. Secondly, after reviewing the edits made previously to the article, I noticed an ongoing attempt to censor editors. For instance, the word "alleged" was added and removed from the initial article description several times, and the word was claimed a weasel word (which I disagree with; "alleged" clearly delineates that the conspiracy is not unquestioned fact). Under those circumstances, I felt similar edits would simply be censored.

Also, I did not make up the requirements for wikiarticles. They are clearly stated on numerous guideline pages. For example see WP:REDFLAG. Given these circumstances, and the history of this article, I'd like follow your suggestion and open the article to RfC. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.96.188.197 (talk) 16:50, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

RE a RfC, power too you. Again, what peer analysis and peer review? You wrote: "overwhelming peer review and analysis of the subject have NOT supported the claims of the conspiracy." Extrodinary claims require extrodinary evidence. Your own words. You continue to put down the dozens of references in this article, but you have not shown any knowledge of this topic at all. It is really easy to criticize a group of people's work, as you have done, it is harder to actually add some work of your own. Again, what overwhelming peer review and analysis?

Allegedly: Weasel_word#Generalization_using_weasel_words. I find that there are a couple of editors in less known articles like this one which substantally contribute to the article, and then there are a larger group of editors who add tags to the article and try to add their own spin to the article in the opening paragraph. The "allegedy" argument I gave up on a long time ago, it is a minor argument fought against minor contributors to this article. I could care less about whether the word is in the article. Travb (talk) 08:47, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Historical accuracy

Does the article portray the accepted historical view? How do other history and encyclopedic text treat this subject, and what scholarly evidence supports claims to the contrary of these texts. If this article does not support the general accepted view, does the article make that standpoint clear enough?

A set of guidelines I find helpful in matters such as these, is Carl Sagan’s Baloney Detection Kit. I've noticed this article shows numerous fallacies outlined in the kit. For example: "Ad hominem, attacking the arguer and not the argument" - the talk page is replete with numerous such occurrences ; "Arguments from 'authority'" - References are based primarily on a congressional committee, and Archer's book; "Lack of independent confirmation of the facts" - self explanatory; "Argument from adverse consequences" - feelings that the article must be kept as is, because not to do so would be a coverup of some sort, etc.

Given such red flags and the lack of agreement on the subject, I believe that the article lacks the proper skepticism. A suggested introduction paragaph might state, "The Business Plot, The Plot Against FDR, or The White House Putsch, is a theorized conspiracy involving several wealthy businessmen to overthrow the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. Although generally not accepted by mainstream historical sources, there has been much debate and research attempting to discern if such a conspiracy ever actually occured. 65.96.188.197 18:08, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

Is 'the accepted historical view' in some way related to Misplaced Pages policies and guidelines? I thought articles were supposed to adhere to a WP:NPOV, not 'the accepted historical view'. Please explain. Dlabtot 22:49, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

"The accepted historical view" as I understand it means "from NPOV sources". In other words, an article which primarily source POV texts, cannot itself be considered, NPOV. 15:02, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Anon, thus far all you have shown is an ability to add tags (hoax, controversial, and RFChist) and a understanding of wikipolicy.

Thus far, your "overwhelming peer reviewed articles" is nonexistent.

I love Sagan, and he would probably cringe at your abuse of his baloney detection kit. Sagan was first and foremost a scientist, meaning that views had to be supported by evidence and facts.

This article cites over 25 sources, 23 footnotes, including a congressional hearing and several historians, pro and con to the existence of the plot. In the Business_Plot#Historical_treatment section, four historians are listed.

And to support your opinion? Three tags.

Where is the documents which support your view? The peer review artiles which overwhelmingly consider it a hoax?

It appears all you are interested in is the first paragraph, changing the introduction to meet your own POV with no citations or references. Travb (talk) 08:54, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Travb, please note the subject of your first sentence is "you". The above comment is the definition of Ad hominem. But, I do not want to fall into the same trap, so I'll make no further personal comments. Also, I think the point of this RfC is not for the two of us to go at each other. Clearly we disagree, hence the need for outside insight.

My edits (or lack thereof), does not mean that the above questions are not worthy of answers. It is my honest understanding that the subject is not treated in other encyclopedias such as Britannica, as it has been in Misplaced Pages, because it is not an accepted historical fact that a conspiracy to mount a coup occurred as portrayed here. Also, I have previously stated that the sources and footnotes cited, in my understanding of verifiability requirements that make a good article, are not sufficient. The four historians listed in the section you mention all doubt the veracity of the story. I see no other non-bias historians in the pro. Archer and Schmidt are book authors and are not viewed as scholars in the field.

Also, it is not my duty to add citations with opposite viewpoints. I could for example create a page on the existence of UFOs, followed by hundreds of citations from various authors, news, and media reports, etc stating the the UFOs are alien vessels. Does that mean the page should be allowed to indicate that UFOs are truly spaceships from other planets, simply because someone does not cite references in the opposite? The verifiability requirements are set precisely to avoid such situations. This is an encyclopedia first, and should not aim to cover all points of view. Sources need to come primarily from neutral points of view.

I support whatever edits to this article would portray the events as they are portrayed in other respected historical and encyclopedic texts. 15:02, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Anon editor, please read WP:NPOV, WP:CITE and especially WP:V. Your opinion that the article is not 'historically accurate' is irrelevant. Dlabtot 15:54, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Actually it is relevent, and I have read those pages. To quote the fringe theory guidlines WP:FRINGE:

"We propose these guidelines in the belief that an appearance on Misplaced Pages should not make something more notable than it actually is. Since Misplaced Pages self-identifies primarily with mainstream opinion, and because other mainstream sources often view our project as a contender for mainstream status, it is important that Misplaced Pages itself not become the notability-validating source for these non-mainstream theories. If another, adequately well-known source discusses the theory first, Misplaced Pages is no longer the primary witness to notability. Furthermore, one may not be able to write about a subject in a neutral manner if the subject completely lacks mainstream discussion. If all available sources are not neutral but instead put forward a point of view, an article on the subject may risk violating the No original research policy.

Mainstream here refers to ideas which are accepted or at least somewhat discussed as being plausible within major publications (large-circulation newspapers or magazines) or respected and peer-reviewed academic publications. This should be understood in a commonsense sociological way and not as an attempt to create a rigorous philosophical demarcation between "mainstream" and "non-mainstream", which may well be impossible. We leave the finer distinctions to the philosophers (see demarcation problem). Fortunately, the authors of non-mainstream theories often explicitly proclaim their non-mainstream status in one form or another (for example, by arguing that they are ignored because of some great conspiracy, because other practitioners aren't ready to accept their truths, or other similar arguments)." 16:06, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Well, the problem is, that as an editor who has not provided any citations from reliable sources, you appear to be the one pushing a fringe theory. Dlabtot 17:01, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Again, I'll keep repeating myself. There is no responsibility to provide citations to indicate that an article itself does not have the proper citations for the given content. It would be nice if someone could address the questions posed by the RfC, or explain without personal attacks, why the questions do not have merit.17:14, 25 September 2007 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.96.188.197 (talk)

The 'questions posed by the RfC' are without merit because The threshold for inclusion in Misplaced Pages is verifiability, not truth. "Verifiable" in this context means that any reader should be able to check that material added to Misplaced Pages has already been published by a reliable source.' Whether or not the article is in your opinion 'historically accurate' is indeed completely irrelevant. Additionally, please do not remove signatures on this talk page that have been added by SineBot, as you did here. Rather, please do follow talk page guidelines by signing your posts with four tildes. Dlabtot 18:07, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

I was cleaning up my accidental clicking submit without a sig, then hitting the back button and adding a sig and minor edit, not attempting to "cover up" anything. Sorry, I'm human.

And the questions of historical accuracy is relevant precisely because the article in question attempts to portray history. If the article is not historically accurate, in that it does not contain reliable mainstream sources to corroborate it's statements, then how can we allow the article to portray something as historical fact? How can you argue that it's unimportant for an article on an historical event to be historically accurate?? When Misplaced Pages's guidelines on verifiability talk about articles being verifiable and not "truth", it's making the point that it's nearly impossible to make the case that anything is "truth". When I check my reliable source, Britannica, I find no similar treatment of the events.

I am not asking for the truth here, only for reliable, NPOV, mainstream sources, all requirements dictated by Misplaced Pages's own guidelines, and lacking in this article. 65.96.188.197 18:41, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

User:Dlabtot, I suggest we ignore the anon. Over the past year wikipedians come to the talk page and voice their opinion. I usually ignore it. I should have ignored it here to.

65.96.188.197 claim that "overwhelming peer review and analysis of the subject have NOT supported the claims of the conspiracy." is a complete fabrication, he obviously knows little or nothing about the plot.

There are several people here who have protected this wikipage from users like 65.96.188.197. Travb (talk) 19:20, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

He requested comments, I commented. Dlabtot 19:25, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for your work on this article. Travb (talk) 19:48, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

If you feel the need to protect this page from contributions and open discussions, there's nothing more I can say to you. I have been open, and attempted to engage insightful discussion, not vandalize, disparage, or otherwise be harmful/hateful. If my editing as anon is your only issue, I have created an account, which I will use for all my contributions in the future. I hope that other well meaning Misplaced Pages readers and editors can post something helpful here. CandleInTheDark 19:55, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Welcome officially to Misplaced Pages your handle is my favorite non-fiction book ever. I have a copy in the car, and I sent another one to my religious parents. Travb (talk) 03:20, 26 September 2007 (UTC)

I don't get the UFO analogy. If you were the only one who'd ever written this UFO wiki you hypothetically speak of, and no opposing viewpoint references are ever given, and there are many pro viewpoint references, why wouldn't that wiki have the right to implicitly take a pro-alien UFO stance through its simple lack of participation by others? It might need a tag at the top saying it’s incomplete and needs more participation, but the whole existence of Misplaced Pages arises from diverse user participation and continued development of all wikis according to simple standards. You're not to give your personal opinion on whether you think UFOs are alien spacecraft but are neither obligated to state what percentage of the articles in a particular field's mainstream scholarly journals agree.

Seems to me the "alleged" wording is an attempt at a viewpoint in and of itself. Everything is alleged. You’re quoting Sagan and mentioning science, but forgetting the obligation of the listener/reader to remain objective and test things for themselves. They are not tools for determining the real gospel verses the fake gospel. It’s an exercise, after which it is everyone’s job to figure it out, empirically validate it themselves, or simply choose not to conclude anything. Science and objectivity rejects the validity of dogma and gospel truth outright. You are better off wording the first paragraph in a completely neutral way that neither implies controversy nor mainstreamness. It should first simply summarize and inform what this topic is. Nothing more.

The conservative historical viewpoints belong in the body, alongside all the other viewpoints. Misplaced Pages welcomes both the outdated academic curmudgeons, modern journalists, and wacko theorists references, all. Neither should be influencing the top paragraph’s general slant nor informing as to the controversiality of the subject. The controversy should be apparent in the substance and diverse, cited arguments themselves, rather than generalized as a warning or proviso against one side or the other in the beginning.

If the article is incomplete & one-sided or has lacked diverse participants, then there are tags that can be put up top for that. But if you are complaining about that and there is a large group of participants already, I would think you should probably be adding the opposing points to the body rather than trying to essentially change the tone of the article. ~Reticuli —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.178.144.4 (talk) 08:29, 17 May 2008 (UTC)

Bush American Liberty League member?

I removed the phrase describing Prescott Bush as an "A.L.L. member". No reference was given and I doubt any exists since I know that John Buchanan was trying to to find out if Bush was a member. I have an email from Buchanan from 30 July 2007 which says "I spoke to thge DuPont museum that has the ALL documents. Their verdict was they can neither confirm nor deny Prescott's involvement in ALL." —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ken Hirsch (talk • contribs) 21:38, 6 October 2007 (UTC)

Neutrality and balance

This article states as plain fact events which are greatly disputed by many historians.--Pharos 07:14, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

If that is true, you should have no trouble citing reliable sources to that effect. So please do so. Tell us who these historians are, and cite those reliable sources in which they present their views. Dlabtot 19:14, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Can you give me a list of events in this article "Stated as plain fact" which are disputed? This article cites testimoy of Butler, and states that it is only his testimony. This article mentions historians who believe Butler, and those who do not. No one argues that Butler testified in a congressional hearing. Travb (talk) 23:24, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Pharos, since you aren't discussing the issue, I'm gonna go ahead and remove the tag you placed. Please refrain from placing tags on articles unless you are willing to discuss the issue and reach consensus. (Cross-posted on User talk:Pharos) Dlabtot 20:35, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

which Morgan?

J. P. Morgan links to someone who died in 1913. Was it J. P. Morgan, Jr. who was accused in the plot? —Tamfang 09:55, 3 November 2007 (UTC)

J.P. Morgan & Co. - not a person, a company. I changed it. Dlabtot 10:38, 3 November 2007 (UTC)

Extremist site is asking folks to visit this article

Fyi, This extremist hate site www.democraticunderground is soliciting visitors to this article. You can read the whole thread here. Just something to be aware of in case there are "unusual edits". 64.102.254.33 (talk) 16:44, 5 December 2007 (UTC)

As long as editors follow WP:FIVE they are welcome to edit Misplaced Pages. Even if in your opinion they have visited a 'hate site', lol. Dlabtot (talk) 17:32, 5 December 2007 (UTC)

How do you figure Democratic Underground is an extremist website? Hate website? Pretty odd standards. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Blortock (talk • contribs) 22:37, 23 December 2007

Thanks for the "heads up" 64.102.254.33 (talk). As an avid defender of wikipedia culture and neutrality I was pleased to see some wikipedia haters weighing in directly on the DU thread you pointed to. They are appropriately pointing out the risks of organized editing by outside groups, something the extreme haters from Free Republic and Little Green Footballs should keep in mind as well. -- Quartermaster (talk) 13:03, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

I find those who yell extremist the loudest are often extremists themselves. User:64.102.254.33 I wouldn't worry about the DU posting, the person's message is muddled and incomprehensible. Trav (talk) 14:16, 4 April 2008 (UTC)

Deletion vandalism

This vandalism is appaling. I have reverted to an earlier version before this vandal removed well sourced, cited material. RWV (talk) 18:02, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

I see no vandalism and what sourced cited material are you referring to? Lao Wai (talk) 06:23, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

Well, one of the citations you deleted is this one, http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/document/document_20070723.shtml among others. You also keep inserting the comment " The House Un-American Activities Committee found no evidence of this. " which is obviously your personal opinion and not even related to this article, as the committee wasn't even called HUAAC till years later. Or, assuming good faith, maybe you actually do have a source that says that the House Un-American Activities Committee found no evidence of this - please provide it or stop inserting your personal opinion into this article. Dlabtot (talk) 07:36, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

I deleted an irrelevant claim that should not have been in the article as it had nothing to do with it. Regardless of how it was sourced. I will agree that the HUAC did not then exist, but that is a minor quibble best addressed, I'd think, with a name change. The committee that evolved into the HUAC found precisely zero evidence and that is kind of important. Any other problems with the changes? Lao Wai (talk) 07:55, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

In your reply, you seem to have neglected to provide a source. The unavoidable conclusion is that it is indeed your personal opinion that you are attempting to insert into the article. Please provide a source or stop using this article as a soapbox for your own views. Dlabtot (talk) 16:13, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

I was not aware that I needed a source. If I remember correctly, the BBC programme claimed that the Committee found no evidence. Which it didn't. I am not sure how you would expect a reference to the entire Committee's deliberations. It happens to be my opinion, but that is beside the point. I am hardly using this article as a soapbox. What I am trying to do is maintain an encyclopedic tone and given there is no evidence this plot existed, the article ought to say that there is no evidence this plot existed. I will go off and find a source if you like, but can we agree this is the only point on which we disagree? Lao Wai (talk) 06:34, 19 June 2008 (UTC)

Claiming that you were not aware that you need sources for material added to Misplaced Pages strains credibility and makes it very difficult for me to assume good faith. Yes, you do need sources - see verifiability. You may very well believe that the Committee found no evidence. But your beliefs are completely irrelevant. Any such conclusion would have to be based on a source - not your opinion. Dlabtot (talk) 18:49, 19 June 2008 (UTC)

I didn't know I needed evidence for this claim as it is true, no one was disputing it, the BBC actually says it. The line between what is disputable and hence needs proof and what is not, is not always clear. The Committee found no evidence and said so. But I removed the sentence. Lao Wai (talk) 06:04, 20 June 2008 (UTC)

POV vandals are the biggest reason wikipedia sucks

The deletion vandal is the reason why wikipedia sucks. Several dozen editors can work hours and hours and hours on an article, adding dozens, sometimes hundreds of references, and some POV vandal, who pushes their view not by adding anything of any value to an article, but simply vandalizes the article by deleting well refernced sections they disagree with. I have no respect for such POV vandals, they should be banned from wikipedia just like normal vandals. Editors should not have to spend hours policing well referenced content against editors who add nothing to wikipedia but hostility and ill-will.

This most recent vandal deleted the following repeatedly:

==Background== On July 17, 1932, thousands of World War I veterans converged on Washington, D.C., set up tent camps, and demanded immediate payment of bonuses due them according to the Adjusted Service Certificate Law of 1924. This "Bonus Army" was led by Walter W. Waters, a former Army sergeant. The Army was encouraged by an appearance from retired Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler, who had considerable influence over the veterans, being one of the most popular military figures of the time. A few days after Butler's arrival, President Herbert Hoover ordered the marchers removed, and their camps were destroyed by US Army cavalry troops under the command of General Douglas MacArthur. Butler, although a prominent Republican, responded by supporting Roosevelt in that year's election. In a 1995 History Today article Clayton Cramer argued that the devastation of the Great Depression had caused many Americans to question the foundations of liberal democracy. "Many traditionalists, here and in Europe, toyed with the ideas of Fascism and National Socialism; many liberals dallied with Socialism and Communism." Cramer argues that this explains why some American business leaders viewed fascism as a viable system to both preserve their interests and end the economic woes of the Depression. Daily Kos: "Attempted Coup Against the President of the USA" The committee deleted extensive excerpts from the report relating to Wall Street financiers including J.P. Morgan & Co., the Du Pont interests, Remington Arms, and others allegedly involved in the plot attempt. As of 1975, a full transcript of the hearings had yet to be traced. == John Spivak == Excerpts, unless noted, are from "The Plot to Seize the White House" by Jules Archer, ISBN 1-60239-036-3, page 194-220 Reporter "John L. Spivak had been tipped off earlier by a fellow Washington correspondent that some of Butler's testimony had been deleted in the committee's November 26, 1934 report to the House of Representatives..." "Other newsmen joined (Spivak) in pressing for a copy of the (McCormack-Dickstein Committee report). It was then that the defunct McCormack-Dickstein Committee...decided to publish a 125-page document containing the testimony of Butler, McGuire, and others, on February 15, 1935. It was marked "Extracts"...  "A veteran Washington correspondent told Spivak that he had heard the deletions had been made at the request of a member of the President's Cabinet..." Spivak "had been tipped-off earlier that the House of Representatives intended to let the McCormack-Dickstein Committee expire on January 3, 1935, rather than renew it as the committee had asked in order to continue its investigations." "About a week later, seeking to do a story on its accomplishments in exposing Nazi and anti-Semitic activities in the United States, Spivak won permission from Dickstein to examine the committee's official exhibits and make photostatic copies of those that had been made public. Dickstein wrote a letter to this effect to the committee's secretary, Frank P. Randolph, and added, "If necessary consult John about it." "Randolph, flooded with work involved in closing the committee's files and records, gave Spivak stacks of documents, exhibits, and transcripts of testimony that were being sent to the Government Printing Office. To Spivak's amazement, he found among these records a full transcript of the executive session hearings in the Butler affair." Spivak "compared it with the official extract of the hearings and found a number of startling omissions made from the testimony of both Butler and French" Journalist John L. Spivak wrote a two part article. Historian Schmidt explains: "Journalist John L. Spivak, researching Nazism and anti-Semitism for New Masses magazine, got permission from Dickstein to examine HUAC's public documents and was (it seems unwittingly) given the unexpurgated testimony amid stacks of other papers. Spivak's two-part feature "Wall Street's Fascist Conspiracy" appeared in early 1935, a month after the hearings closed. He cogently developed a case for taking the suppressed testimony seriously. But this relevant material was embellished with overblown aspersions against "Jewish financiers working with fascist groups" -- a mishmash of guilt-by-association that connected Morgan interests with Jewish financier Felix Warburg, HUAC, and certain members of the American Jewish Committee. Spivak was intent upon grinding his own axes, and elucidation of the plot was obscured. The suppressed Butler-MacGuire conversations could hardly support all this. Moreover New Masses possessed a limited readership; the scoop was stigmatized as "red" propaganda and generally not cited elsewhere." After being told about the deletions by Spivak, in Butler's "broadcast over WCAU on February 17, 1935, Butler revealed that some of the "most important" portions of his testimony had been suppressed in the McCormack-Dickstein report to Congress. The committee, he growled, had "stopped dead in its tracks when it got near the top." He added angrily: "Like most committees, it has slaughtered the little and allowed the big to escape. The big shots weren't even called to testify. Why wasn't Colonel Grayson M.-P. Murphy, New York broker ... called? Why wasn't Louis Howe, Secretary to the President of the United States, called? ... Why wasn't Al Smith called? And why wasn't Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Chief of Staff of the United States Army, called? And why wasn't Hanford MacNider, former American Legion commander, called? They were all mentioned in the testimony. And why was all mention of these names suppressed from the committee report?" In 1934, as they are today, newspapers were controlled by a relatively small elite — according to then-Interior Secretary Harold L. Ickes, 82% of all dailies had monopolies in their communities. Proponents of the theory thus suggest that the media downplayed Butler's testimony based on the interests of their advertisers and owners. The 2007 BBC radio documentary The White House Coup alleged that Prescott Bush, father and grandfather to the 41st and 43rd US Presidents respectively, was also connected with the plot. Even though the Senate committee did take the threat seriously and did verify that a fascist coup was indeed well past the planning stage, the Senate committee expired. ]

I don't think editors should have to tolerate such abuse, anymore than librarians should tolerate patrons walking into a library and ripping out pages of reference books.

RWV (talk) 14:19, 16 June 2008 (UTC)

Well RWV, alas Misplaced Pages is a Wiki. That is, a collective, collaborative effort. If you think that material has been deleted unfairly the sensible thing to do is discuss it. Not throw insults - and by the way violate the Assume Good Faith policy. What do you think has been deleted unfairly and why? Lao Wai (talk) 06:34, 19 June 2008 (UTC)

You've already been told what you deleted and why it was inappropriate. Pretending WP:IDIDNTHEARTHAT is not helpful. Dlabtot (talk) 18:45, 19 June 2008 (UTC)

I have explained precisely, and repeatedly, why I removed what I did. No one has pointed out what was inappropriate in what I did. Perhaps you might like to now? If not, perhaps you would like to point out which bits in what I appropriately deleted you think ought to be included? What do you think has been deleted unfairly and why? Lao Wai (talk) 06:04, 20 June 2008 (UTC)

You have already been told. I guess I just don't have the patience for this: you win. As far as I am concerned, you can rewrite history to your heart's content. This quote unquote encyclopedia is a joke. Dlabtot (talk) 06:22, 20 June 2008 (UTC)

I don't converse with petty vandals. If you caught a vandal vandalizing the walls, furniture, etc of an office, and you caught the vandal, you wouldn't then sit down with the vandal and have the vandal explain why he destroyed the office, you would immediatly kick the vandal out of the office and have the vandal arrested. Now I need to figure out how to kick this vandal off this article, and if necessary get this vandal booted.

This vandal has contributed nothing to this article except negative emotions. Not one of the dozens of sources has been added by the vandal, to the contrary several key citations have been deleted. This vandal's lack of respect for other wikipedians contributions is shameful. The vandal is simply wasting everyone's time with petty vandalism. This petty vandal set the tone by removing huge sections of referenced material, with no discussion. The vandal has been repeatedly reverted by four editors (User:Huon, User:Dlabtot, User:Samuel Pepys and myself) yet the vandal continues to vandalize.

Now that this vandals behavior has been exposed, and everyone sees the vandal for what they are: a petty vandal, the vandal nowwants to talk. To late. Go waste other wikipedians time somewhere else. RWV (talk) 14:24, 20 June 2008 (UTC)

Misplaced Pages:Third opinion

I hate to legitimize or even acknowledge the deletions of this vandal. If there were better guidelines on wikipedia, I would have reported the vandal to an uninvolved admin who would have sternly warned the vandal to stop or face getting booted.

But since Misplaced Pages rules on "content disputes" and deletions are non-existent or cumbersome, I went ahead and reported this vandalism to Misplaced Pages:Third opinion.

After the third opinion acknowledges what everyone including the vandal knows: that you shouldn't delete well referenced material, then the vandal will have a few choices:

1. leave,
2. keep vandalizing and face a RfC followed by Arbcom,
3. Start adding cited sources to the article

I have dealt with vandals like this before. I suspect most don't even know how to cite a book or magazine and really have no interest in contributing content. Misplaced Pages is simply a social network used to blow off steam and negative emotions. So the chances of #3 happening are infinitesimally remote. RWV (talk) 14:58, 20 June 2008 (UTC)

I feel in this case that it is safe to assume good faith on the part of Lao Wai. Despite this, Lao Wai's actions are clearly contrary to WP:Consensus. If you decide large swathes of information need deleting you should justify that decision according to WP:Policies and guidelines, not your own personal morality.

Lao Wai please take the time to read and understand Misplaced Pages's policies and guidelines. Not only will it serve to prevent conflict in the future but it will help you understand what Misplaced Pages is all about. Respecting other editors is crucial to meeting an amicable consensus and Misplaced Pages cannot operate on the basis of 'who shouts longest, wins'.

I would also like to cite WP:Verifiability with particular attention to the line "The threshold for inclusion in Misplaced Pages is verifiability, not truth—that is, whether readers are able to check that material added to Misplaced Pages has already been published by a reliable source, not whether we think it is true." This is one of the basic tenants of Misplaced Pages editing.

If either party has any questions or comments, please contact me on my talk page! -Rushyo (talk) 23:51, 20 June 2008 (UTC)

I am sorry but I don't see what violation of Consensus I have done. There are, or were, two posters who objected to my copy editing but they have consistently refused to discuss what they object to. Well RWV, an anon more or less by the looks of it, has not done so. I have said, repeatedly, why I deleted what I deleted and I have pointed to the relevant policies. I am happy to talk about it. So far RWV has responded only with threats and insults. I have spent time to understand Misplaced Pages's guidelines and policies and I don't think I am in violation of any of them. The only person shouting - and issuing threats - is not me. My entire objection to the major of the material posted here is verifiability - we have vanity publishings, we have fringe publishers, we have unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. And they ought to go. I am happy for any credible material to remain. But unverifiable material ought to go. Lao Wai (talk) 01:42, 21 June 2008 (UTC)

There is clearly an ongoing discussion and yet you have chosen to unilaterally make wide-ranging changes without respect to WP:PRESERVE. If you do not believe the material is verifiable, whilst others disagree, then I feel you ought to attempt to reach consensus rather than deliberately going against the wishes of other parties. At the risk of repeating myself I believe Misplaced Pages cannot operate on the basis of 'who shouts longest, wins'. If the weight of your arguments are strong then you should be able to build consensus without resorting to editing contrary to the wishes of others. Additionally, whether or not RWV is ' an anon' is completely irrelevant. -Rushyo (talk) 13:43, 21 June 2008 (UTC)

There was and is no on-going discussion except with Dlabtot. Who has now dropped out. There was and is no discussion with RVW because he won't talk. I have said from the start I am happy to discuss this article but he refuses to. I cannot arrive at a consensus if RVW won't talk. I agree that Misplaced Pages cannot work on the basis of who shouts the loudest wins although it seems to be working for others so far. My arguments are strong but as RVW flatly refuses to enter into any sort of discussion of the evidence, it does not matter does it? Actually it does matter if RVW is an anon because if he is, the next step is for me to ask an Administrator to protect this article and prevent anons from editing. We have a dispute here and if RVW won't discuss and only threatens and insults, I don't see what the sensible next step would be. Lao Wai (talk) 03:38, 22 June 2008 (UTC)

Just a quick extra note - there is a simple solution here. It is for RVW to state which changes he objects to and why so that we can talk about it. For instance, there is a large amount of material from fringe publishers - vanity publishing or non-encyclopedic material like the Daily Kos. I propose to remove the reference to Daily Kos as non-encyclopedic and in no way whatsoever meeting the necessary criteria for inclusion and verifiability. Does anyone object? Lao Wai (talk) 03:40, 22 June 2008 (UTC)

"There was and is no on-going discussion except with Dlabtot. Who has now dropped out." As you refused to discuss the points he had made and became frustrated.

"There was and is no discussion with RVW because he won't talk." I concur that he could have elaborated his argument better. At the same time, since you are aware he has an issue with your actions perhaps you should pro-actively provide a justification anyway.

"My arguments are strong but as RVW flatly refuses to enter into any sort of discussion of the evidence, it does not matter does it?" Then you would justify the strengths of your argument regardless. It makes no sense to drag people into a semantic argument over whether you should be expected to argue your case.

"Actually it does matter if RVW is an anon because if he is, the next step is for me to ask an Administrator to protect this article and prevent anons from editing." What? Protecting the article is unnecessary and will merely hinder other parties. -Rushyo (talk) 14:30, 22 June 2008 (UTC)

I made my point perfectly clear with Dlabot and if he had stayed I would have been happy to discuss it with him further. I did actually delete the sentence he did not like so it wasn't as if I was refusing all compromise. I am not dragging anyone into a semantic argument. I have pointed out the basis of my deletions to RVW repeatedly and just as repeatedly asked him to talk about it. His response remains abuse and threats. Protecting an article does make sense when there is a deadlock and a revision war. I would prefer to avoid that, but if RVW insists on it, protection or mediation is the sensible response. It seems to me there are no other parties right now. I take it no one objects to the removal of the Daily Kos reference? I shall now remove it. Any objections? Lao Wai (talk) 06:36, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I now proposed to remove the Spivak article published in New Masses as equally non-encyclopedic and all references to it. As well as the obviously fringe references from www.reformation.org. Does anyone object or claim that these can pass as verifiable trustworthy sources? Lao Wai (talk) 06:43, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

"Protecting an article does make sense when there is a deadlock and a revision war." You cannot expect to demand another party is banned from editing simply because they disagree with your editing. It would make just as much sense, if not arguably more, to prevent you from editing this article and is hence a worthless gesture.

I would request that you postpone any changes until we receive a response from the other party or a reasonable amount of time (at least over 24 hours) elapses. Is there some kind of rush? -Rushyo (talk) 10:55, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I am not demanding someone else be banned. I am saying that protecting, or semi-protecting, an article is a reasonable response to edit wars. There is a reason that usually involves preventing anons from editing. Not that RVW is, I suppose, an anon as such. However I notice that you have not given any response to RVW's threats to have me banned.

I am waiting 24 hours before making any proposed changes. Given that RVW has been sitting on this article I assume he is reading my proposals but sees no need to respond yet. Clearly whatever is upsetting him was not the Daily Kos reference. There is no real rush. On the other hand, there is no point sitting around waiting indefinitely if RVW feels he does not want to respond or continue. As I said, the New Masses article and www.reformation.org are in clear violation of Misplaced Pages's policies and no one has objected so far. Any reason not to remove them? Lao Wai (talk) 01:08, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

No complaints from moi regarding removing those sources.

"However I notice that you have not given any response to RVW's threats to have me banned." I'm not here to create conflict. If he wants to go beyond WP:Third opinion that's not really my business. I just hope to prevent an edit war between the parties here and achieve consensus. -Rushyo (talk) 01:34, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Right. Removed those sources. I have given over two days for any comments. There have been no objections. I would also like to remove Clayton Cramer's comments as irrelevant to the article. I actually like and admire the guy after a fashion but I don't see the point of them here. There are also a series of statements that are either POV - like alleging Du Pont funded the plot when that assumes it existed - or misrepresent what the sources cited actually say. I'd prefer to make them en masse and then discuss any of them that people object to but I am happy to discuss them one at a time. Anyone have any preferences? Lao Wai (talk) 06:26, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Spivak and New Masses

Well I agree with Rushyo there is no point entering into a pointless revert war. Perhaps if he/she would be so kind, it is time for a Request for Mediation or something? Lao Wai (talk) 03:15, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

vandal has contributed nothing to the article

This vandal has contributed nothing to the article. He deleted the following sources:

• http://www.claytoncramer.com/amcoup.html Clayton E. Cramer, "An American Coup d'État?" in History Today, November 1995
• http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/8/11/132114/270 Daily Kos: "Attempted Coup Against the President of the USA"
• Chapter 10, FDR; Man on the White Horse of Sutton, Antony C. (June, 1993). Wall Street and the Bolshevik Revolution. Buccaneer Books. ISBN 0-89968-324-X. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link) Full book online.
• "The Plot to Seize the White House" by Jules Archer, ISBN 1-60239-036-3, page 194-220
• Schmidt, p. 229
  See also Archer (ISBN 1-60239-036-3), p. 194, Found on wikisource. Chapter summaries of Archer's book can be found here.
• BBC Radio 4 Document "The White House Coup - Greenham's Hidden Secret"

And now that four editors User:Huon, User:Dlabtot, User:Samuel Pepys and myself have reverted this editor.

The vandal only decided to talk about his wide deletions when I brought them up here on the talk page. Only after I called him on his widespread deletions does the vandal want to talk.

Why should wikipedians waste hours and hours policing and protecting well written, well sourced and cited articles from vandals such as this?

I am not going to legitamize this vandals behavior by talking with him. There is no excuse for this behavior. RWV (talk) 17:01, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

I think that deleting non-encyclopedic sources is contributing something. Something valuable. Every single one of those sources is non-encyclopedic. Daily Kos is a web-based chat bulletin board. It is not credible. It ought to go. www.reformation.org is a fringe web-based "source" of no value whatsoever. It too ought to go. Spivak is likewise, an anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist who published in a fringe extremist media outlet. It ought to go. The BBC was, I think, misquoted rather than non-encyclopedic although it is that as well. I don't recall being reverted by Huon or Pepys. Just you and Dlabot. Dlabot did talk about it and in the end I agreed with him. You have refused to. This is not a well-written, well-sourced or well-cited article. It is POV and relies way too much on nonsense publications - if I can even call them that. Wikipedians ought to spend hours policing bad articles (such as this one, as I am doing) because discussion and co-operation produce a better article. I would really appreciate it if you stopped the insults too. Lao Wai (talk) 06:57, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Just a quick additional note: I got bored listing the number of policies and guidelines this article violates. It violates Verifiability. It violates Neutrality. It pushes a Fringe Theory which in turn requires even higher standards of proof than an ordinary Misplaced Pages article - and this has next to no third party peer reviewed credible source material. I make no apologies for trying to bring this article within spitting distance of those basic policies. Nor do I see why I should. Lao Wai (talk) 07:05, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

My problem with Lao Wai (talk · contribs) was he was operating in opposition to WP:Consensus. Since then he has demonstrated good faith and attempted to discuss matters before making any changes and has cited plenty of policy to attempt to justify his actions. This is not vandalism. Any good-faith effort to improve the encyclopedia, even if misguided or ill-considered, is not vandalism per WP:Vandalism.

With regards to "Only after I called him on his widespread deletions does the vandal want to talk.":

Virtually no one behaves as though previous authors need to be consulted before making changes; if we thought that, we would make little progress. Quite the contrary: some Wikipedians think you should not beat around the bush at all—simply change a page immediately if you see a problem, rather than waiting to discuss changes that you believe need to be made. Discussion is only needed if someone voices disagreement."

from WP:Editing policy -Rushyo (talk) 12:03, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

The vandalism on this page is a classic text book case, the same pattern than all POV vandals follow:

1. Remove large portions of text they disagree with
2. Edit war with those editors who want to restore the text.
3. Attempt to justify their POV vadalism using acroynm rules at the same time cherry pick the weakest references to justify their vandalism (notice how the Vandal characteristically ignores the deletion of Schmidt's history book Schmidt, Hans (1998). Maverick Marine: General Smedley D. Butler and the Contradictions of American Military History. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-0957-4., and the History Today reference ).

This vandal deleted the entire history section explaining what led up to the plot, he also removed the section on the person who uncovered the supression of entire sections of congressional record. Except for the BBC section, which was added later, every word came from historians, mainstream historians. Several hundreds words deleted by some POV vandal.

Rushyo, if I was a newer editor, I would be troubled at how you are partially legitimizing the vandal's behavior. But since I am not a new editor, it doesn't surprise me.

I requested a third opinion simply because that is my only recourse.

Rushyo, your quote of WP:Editing policy is incorrect, because it does not involve vandals who delete large sections of well referenced material.

Rushyo, what would happen if an editor repeatedly deleted an entire section of the history of what led up to World War 2 on the World War 2 page? He would be warned a couple of times, to discuss his radical changes on the talk page first, and if he didn't do this, then banned. Why isn't that kind of protection aforded this page?

Rushyo, I am well aware of WP:VAND, as I mentioned above, this is why wikipedia sucks. Vandals like this one can remove huge portions of well referenced text with no repurcutions what so ever. When the vandal's behavior is caught, they then play the acronym game: which is a thin mask for their narrow POV, arguing that the sections they vandalized don't meet the wikipepdia acronym rules.

Why should I begin a long dialogue with this vandal and legitamize his vandalism? Especially when I already know beforehand the weak parroted arguments he will use? Why do I have to waste my time policing articles? Why am I forced to pretend that vandals contibuted anything to this article? RWV (talk) 18:32, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

I saw a bad article. I edited it. When it became clear that actually it was not a drive-by orphan article but people actually had opinions on the matter, I repeatedly asked to talk about it. I am still waiting to do so. You may well be describing a vandal. Unfortunately you are also describing what every editor does with bad material. Schmidt's book is still in the article isn't it? I would have to check why I deleted it but I am sure there was a reason. My problem with Clayton Crammer's article is not that the source is bad, although it is not very reputable, but that it is irrelevant to the article. I used to sort of know Mr Crammer as it happens but not well. I don't agree with him often but I have respect for his views and his work. I don't think his work is wrong, just not relevant. Otherwise this is not well-referenced material. It is a collection of unverifiable fringe publications pushing a conspiracy theory that even the sources used, often misquoted, do not say existed. You can avoid discussing Misplaced Pages policy by discussing the material. If there is any vandalism here, it is not by me. Lao Wai (talk) 06:12, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

OK Given the total lack of any objections to my edits apart from more insults, can I assume that no one will mind if I go ahead and revert RWV's last reversion back to the edits I did before that no one has objected to? Lao Wai (talk) 06:09, 1 July 2008 (UTC)

Still no objections? RWV? You there? No minds if I revert his reversion of my edits back to the moderate one that deleted Spivak and ww.reformation.org? Lao Wai (talk) 06:22, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Your authority on this subject is questionable, because you have added nothing to this article except annamosity. It is very easy to criticize and condem other peoples contibutions, when you have contributed nothing yourself. RWV (talk) 20:26, 8 July 2008 (UTC)

Changes

Because RWV does not object, I have reverted all his reverts. I have removed Spivak as non-encyclopedic and the Crammer quote as irrelevant. I have corrected a misquote in the HUAC testimony. I also intend to go through and change every single reference to the coup, as opposed to the alleged coup, as there is no evidence that it exists. For instance, there is an ambiguity in this article now that suggests Du Pont et al funded the coup. There is no evidence of that and I would like to change it to correctly point out they funded the American Liberty League. Anyone have any objections? Lao Wai (talk) 06:27, 4 July 2008 (UTC)

Lao Wai, thanks for taking the time to work on this in good faith. I've posted previously about this articles problems and lack of primary sources. When questions regarding the sources and the POV nature of the article are brought up, ad hominem attacks are made against the editor, such as users who immediately labeled you as a vandal. When tags are added to clarify to a visiting user that the article does not indicate fact, they are quickly removed.

There are a number of interesting quotes in the talk page, which indicate that some people think Misplaced Pages is a place to house differing view points. User Reticuli above says "Everything is alleged... it is everyone’s job to figure it out, empirically validate it themselves, or simply choose not to conclude anything." However Misplaced Pages does aim to be an Encyclopedia. An Encyclopedia is supposed to have empirically validated what it publishes, and that it is supported by the facts, hence the requirement that Encyclopedias cite primary sources. Misplaced Pages has similar requirements which I've mentioned and linked to earlier in the talk page. What happens when a school child visits this page for a history report, and assumes that it's historically accurate? Should that child "empirically validate" what wikipedia is telling her?

If primary sources do not support the fact that a conspiracy existed, then this article can at best "allege" that one may have occurred. That is not POV, that is fact. What is POV is publishing something as fact when primary sources do not support it, or using unverifiable and fringe sources as citations to support something as fact. Removing fringe source citations, and information based on those sources is not vandalism. Identifying parts of an article based on non-primary and fringe sources does not require additional citations. See Misplaced Pages:SOURCES

Again, Loa, thanks for the good faith work here. --CandleInTheDark (talk) 16:21, 8 July 2008 (UTC)

1. Schmidt, Hans (1998). Maverick Marine: General Smedley D. Butler and the Contradictions of American Military History. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-0957-4. p. 219 "Declaring himself a "Hoover-for-Ex-President Republican," Smedley used the bonus issue and the army's use of gas in routing the (Bonus Expeditionary Force) B.E.F -recalling infamous gas warfare during the Great War- to disparage Hoover during the 1932 general elections. He came out for the Democrats "despite the fact that my family for generations has been Republican," and shared the platform when Republican Senator George W. Norris opened a coast-to-coast stump for FDR in Philadelphia....Butler was pleased with the election results that saw Hoover defeated; although he admitted that he had exerted himself in the campaign more "to get rid of Hoover than to put in Roosevelt," and to "square a debt." FDR, his old Haiti ally, was a "nice fellow" and might make a good president, but Smedley did not expect much influence in the new administration."
2. Clayton E. Cramer, "An American Coup d'État?" in History Today, November 1995
3. Chapter 10, FDR; Man on the White Horse of Sutton, Antony C. (June, 1993). Wall Street and the Bolshevik Revolution. Buccaneer Books. ISBN 0-89968-324-X. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link) Full book online.
4. Schmidt, p. 229
   See also Archer (ISBN 1-60239-036-3), p. 194, Found on wikisource. Chapter summaries of Archer's book can be found here.
5. ^ BBC Radio 4 Document "The White House Coup - Greenham's Hidden Secret"

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