Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 19:24, 27 June 2006

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Hello, UpTheRa, and welcome to Misplaced Pages! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are some pages that you might find helpful:

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I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your name and the date. If you need help, check out Misplaced Pages:Questions, ask me on my talk page, or place {{helpme}} on your talk page and someone will show up shortly to answer your questions. Again, welcome!  --TeaDrinker 02:37, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

Greetings, comrade

I wanted to let you know how happy I am to see the articles you have posted on the members of the East Tyrone Brigade---well done. A couple of the articles were tagged for speedy deletion as nonnotable individuals, but I mounted a protest and convinced the editor to remove the tags. We have to be vigilant, mostly because a lot of editors here know nothing about the IRA, or know only what the US media tells them, so the importance of the struggle, and the importance of the men who have fallen in that struggle is an unknown quantity to them. Keep up the good work, lad. Cheers! ---Charles 03:18, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

Well, as you say, you are new, so don't worry about it. You will get the hang of how to use these talk pages in time. Read the template at the top of my talk page for some tips. To reiterate, I am always happy to see another comrade. Keep up the good work. And, be sure to keep an eye on the articles you write, lest they be deleted before you know it. As for the list of Volunteers who were killed at Loughgall, there will need to be a new article written on Eugene Kelly---the article refered to a Eugene Kelly who was a punk musician. Cheers! ---Charles 03:34, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

I've started the new Eugene Kelly article. I titled it Eugene Kelly (PIRA Member), just for reasons of clairty and what's he known for.GiollaUidir 14:55, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for that, I've just started these articles to have them up there. I'll enter more detailed accounts when I get more time.--UpTheRa 17:06, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

Aahhh! Well done. Before I take a long wiki-break in August, I hope/plan on making a contribution to these articles. The both of you are to be congratulated for the work you have done. ---Charles 17:18, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

inappropriate username

Your username "UpTheRa" is inappropriate under Misplaced Pages's username policy: "Names that promote a controversial or potentially inflammatory point of view (e.g. that "Islam is evil")". You can request it be changed at Misplaced Pages:Changing username. Thanks. Demiurge 08:02, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

There is a big difference between the username "UpTheRa" and your hypothetical "Islam is evil". First and foremost, very few people would even understand what the phrase Up the 'RA means---it derives from a very specific time and place, and has a history and notability known only to a few. Secondly, it may advocate support of a "controversial" political organization/movement, but it is not explicitly hateful, which the phrase you offer certainly is. I will take this matter as far as policy allows, because the argument you have offered here is simply, in my opinion, and with all due respect, too broad and all-encompassing. Thank you. ---Charles 17:15, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

Well, as far as I'm concerned I didn't select the name to offend anyone but choose it as I'm a supporter of the Republican Movement in Ireland.--UpTheRa 17:18, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

As per wiki guidelines WP:USERNAME I find this username grossly offensive - This is a very well known allusion to the IRA and is used as a sectarian chant/slur in Britain and parts of Ireland. Please change your username. .--Weggie 17:22, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

By my reading of WP:USERNAME, this name is not inappropriate. It does not "promote or imply hatred" or "refer to symbols of hatred." The only one that is close is that it can be "recognised as slur or insult"---but I still feel that this is so subjective far too many names could fall into this category. Some people would find my name offensive simply because they find the idea of anarchism offensive. ---Charles 17:39, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

I disagree, the use of this particular phrase is regarded as suggested as an sectarian slur. I do not find abstract concepts offensive, but this phrase is akin to using a racial slur 17:42, 24 June 2006 (UTC)~~

I'm sorry, but "akin to using a racial slur"? I truly mean no offense, but I think that pushes the level of credibility. ---Charles 17:53, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

But it certainly does promote "a controversial or potentially inflammatory point of view". This name is guaranteed to offend many unionist Misplaced Pages editors (and quite a few nationalist ones too). As for "a history and a notability known only to a few", the people who are likely to be offended by it will surely know what it means. It's completely inappropriate just like a "UpTheUVF" or "UDA supporter" username would be. Demiurge 18:01, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

My problem is with language like "a controversial or potentially inflammatory point of view" that is so broad that a great many names could fall under it. Where would it stop? I suppose I really have to step back from this particular discussion now, because when I read your comment "guaranteed to offend many unionist," a part of me thought, 'Well, good, let them be offended'---indication that I am not impartial in this discussion. That said, I still have a problem with this language, which is too broad to be very helpful. As for this specific discussion, given my republican sympathies, I will abstain from further comment. UpTheRa knows he has my support, but I simply cannot be objective in this matter. Please know, both Demiurge and Weggie, that I never intended or meant any disrespect in this discussion. ---Charles 18:31, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

"Where would it stop?" — It would stop at the point where a reasonable person wouldn't be offended by the name. Demiurge 08:24, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

Ah I love the smell of sectarianism in the morning. Since the Misplaced Pages is frequented by a great many very knowledgeable Irish Wikipedians, I doubt a "Big Up The Three Letter Abbreviations" username is going to lend much credibility to your edits. As for Charles, tell me, how is the peace process coming along in Indiana? Yours in kneecapping, IslaySolomon 01:55, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

Jesus, talk about sectarianism. I have no comment for a man who would make such an idiotic remark about kneecapping. ---Charles 04:11, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

How would you feel if a user came up with the username TwinTowers or TradeCentreFreedomfighter? That's the measure of offence this username is causing 09:22, 27 June 2006 (UTC)~

Charles, the inhabitants of the IONA are blessed with the gifts of sarcasm and irony. Since you are not, I will explain my point in simpler language:

• Green/Orange, Celtic/Rangers, Tricolour/Union Jack, "Ohh Ah Up The Ra"/The Sash are sadly parts of working class culture in the north of Ireland and west of Scotland. "Up the ra" is a well known football chant which does not necessarily profess the unconditional support of PIRA that you seem to think it does.

• I think by identifying with one side of the sectarian divide in such strong terms User:UpTheRa is seriously damaging his credibility as an editor, especially given his interest in the history of the IRA. It would be in his interests to change his username.

• I think this username has the potential to seriously upset a great many people. I refer specifically to the many thousands of victims of sectarian violence from both sides of the religious divide or anyone who has been at all affected by the piteous waste of human life that is so understatedly referred to as The Troubles. I urge User:UpTheRa to change his username is the strongest possible terms.

• I think if User:UpTheRa found himself on the wrong side of a barroom brawl, working in the wrong branch of the Northern Bank or accused of selling drugs on the wrong estate, his support of the Provos might diminish rapidly.

• And finally back to you Charles. It's a big man who offers his support for political violence from thousands of kilometers away, safe in the knowledge that he will never need to live with the consequences. Well done. --IslaySolomon 12:08, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

Excuse me 'IslaySolomon' but you don't know me and I don't identify with "one side of the sectarian divide". I'm neither Protestant nor a Catholic merely an Irish republican.--UpTheRa 16:09, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

Forgive me, one side of the partisan divide then. The point remains the same. --IslaySolomon 16:12, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

And why does that present a problem? We exist in the real world ye know so why not in the world of wikipedia? You seem to be looking for an excuse to complain. For what it's worth if there are users who want to call themselves 'UptheUVF' or 'UptheSAS' then I personally wouldn't have a problem with that no matter how much I'd disagree with them--UpTheRa 16:17, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

I don't live under a rock and I know that expressions like "Up The Ra" are common currency (see the first point in my second post) and would be like water off a duck's back to most people. Also I'd admire your restraint at not complaining to a user calling themselves "UptheUVF", because I assure you I'd be saying exactly the same things on their talk page. However, WP:USERNAME sets out very clear rules on what is not an acceptable username. This includes:

• promote or refer to violent or otherwise illegal real-world actions (e.g terrorism, organized crime)

I defy you to explain how this does not include your username. --IslaySolomon 17:26, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

Repetition

Hi on the PIRA page you want to this in; "Because these people were almost exclusively Protestant and unionist, these killings were also widely seen as a campaign of sectarian assassination. However both the RUC and UDR (later re-formed as the RIR) were almost exclusively Protestant in their make up and the IRA also killed Catholic members of the RUC and UDR."

The first sentence does the job. There is no need to repeat the fact that RUC/UDR were predominantly Prot./unionist twice. Jdorney 16:19, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

My apologies 'Jdorney'. I was mis-reading it and see your point.--UpTheRa 16:12, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

Quis separabit!!!!