Talk:Mickey Z
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I agree with the NPOV note below. This article is does not meet the Wikipedia standards for reliable sources and neutral point of view. A quick look at the History shows that someone clearly is trying to push an opinionated agenda against the subject. --Curlersinyourhair 23:51, 11 February 2006 (UTC)
Rationale for NPOV dispute:
Does this sound NPOV to anyone? 1. "racist and sexist poems" 2. "...disgraceful HIV conspiracy theories, which are dangerous" 3. "racist and sexist remarks."
Who are these mysterious, unnamed "some," "others," and "critics" (besides the biased author(s) of this article)? Isn't such vague language discouraged on Wiki? 1. Some describe him... 2. ... others have dismissed 3. Some critics also observe ... 4. Some have also noted ... 5. ... refused to engage his critics. 6. Critical postings ...
Citations and/or verification, please? Can any of this be proven (beyond cherry-picking)? 1. "self-described 'public intellectual'" 2. "a self-promoting demagogue and a revisionist" 3. "Critical reaction has been mixed" 4. "Nearly all of the episodes appear in Zinn's 'Voices of a People's History'" 5. "Z frequently brags" 6. "Much of this fiction, however, reflects an enduring fascination with the sexual activities of minority women." 7. "No comparable descriptions of 'white' subjects exist, and thus 'white' seems to function as a normative racial category in Z's fiction."
Are these statements true or are they merely the opinion of the author(s)? 1. "Included in this body of work is his 2003 assertion that there is no connection between HIV and AIDS." 2. "He tends to ignore biomedical research that does not support his arguments, such as the charge that cellphone usage causes cancer. Simultaneously, he will cite medical authorities who appear to support certain claims of his, particularly concerning nutrition or the neutrality of clinical trials."
Conclusion: This is not a NPOV Wiki article and it also contains factual inaccuracies, personal slander, and glaring omissions. It should be properly edited or, perhaps, promptly removed. This article is the offshoot of an unexplained vendetta against the subject. Other articles by the same author include: Joshua Frank, Jordan Segall and Zachary Levenson. Check the revision histories of this articles for more.
This article gets grade 'F' in the Wikipedia Hall of Shame:
If you want to add things, fine, but please don't remove content like Z.'s racist and sexist poems.
There are links to his disgraceful HIV conspiracy theories, which are dangerous, and his racist and sexist remarks. Is that "factual" enough for you?
Here's a verifiable sampling of what some have said about Mickey Z.'s writings:
http://troy.gnn.tv/links/634/Mickey_Z
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/elichmz271005.html
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=03/10/29/3293390
http://www.myastoria.com/news/article_1040.shtml
http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/article.php?articlenumber=9649
Furthermore, "American Revolutions You're Not Supposed to Know: Reclaiming American Patriotism" has been adopted for a sociology course called "American Society" in the Spring 2006 semester at SUNY Cortland College.
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"Mickey Z. reminds us that complacency is so not sexy. He inspires us to stand up to the things that don't pass the tummy test. Those of us who choose the middle of the road will only get hit by a car." -Kristen Henderson of Antigone Rising
"Acerbic wit and dogged interrogation of accepted wisdom...matches Chomsky in breadth of source material and in the scalding heat of his moral outrage." -New Internationalist
"A professional iconoclast." -Esther Iverem, New York Newsday
"Political provocateur." -Time Out New York
"Iconoclastic and bold." -Howard Zinn
"Bukowski filtered through historical materialism." -Jordy Cummings
"Cantankerous and salty." -bullymag.com
"Smart, clever, insightful." -Elaine Cassel, author of "The War on Civil Liberties: How Bush and Ashcroft Have Dismantled the Bill of Rights"
"Very similar to the stuff Emma Goldman was saying back in 1898." -Chuck Munson, Infoshop News
"Encyclopedic knowledge." -Greg Elich
"Has a sharp eye which sees what most miss." -Joe Connelly, editor of Veg News
"I don't know what's better: What Mickey Z has to say, or how he says it." -Stephen Gowans, writer and political activist
"Mickey Z. rocks!" -Mark Zepezauer, author of "Take the Rich Off Welfare"
"In the tradition of Zinn and Galeano." -David Barsamian, Alternative Radio
Can someone please attribute these statements: "Literary critics have noted Z's repeated fascination and exoticization of non-white women, particularly Latinas, in his fiction. Some, however, have accused him of being a pervert, racist, and sexist." Lucysunshine 01:42, 3 January 2006 (UTC)
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[edit] Why is non-NPOV allowed to stand?
The entire "issues" section of this article is unverified opinion.
[edit] Does anyone understand the concept of NPOV?
Where is the neutrality? Where are the citations? An article so obviously biased will do nothing but further erode Wikipedia's reputation.
What are you babbling about? Everything in this article is now sourced appropriately. Point out one thing that is not sourced or go back to Mickey Z's blog and stay away from vandalizing Wikipedia.
[edit] Points of contention
Contrary to a handful of confused souls, Mickey Z. does not make a claim one way or another as to AIDS/HIV. The article cited details those who challenge the HIV = AIDS belief. However, even if Mickey Z. (or anyone else) were to make such a claim, since when is Wiki designed to pass judgement on it? Where is the NPOV?
In the "issues" section, this phrase is used: "Some have also noted."
As for a front page mention of Wikipedia "disputes," this is clearly verboten by Wiki.
[edit] Points of contention rebuttal
In regards to the AIDS/HIV issue, Mickey Z has clearly stated his belief "and there you have it", in response to the conclusions of another "scientist" who does not believe there is a connection. If you want to edit the language of this article to state that it is "difficult to reason" whether he is merely lending a hand of support out of a compassion to man who is dismissed so readily or whether he agrees with his conslusions, than do so, but don't edit the entire thing out which is what you idiots have been doing repeatedly for the last two months.
In regards to the issues section, I didn't edit it, but it does seem to be worthy of mention that Mickey Z is so ready to cite medical sources to support his claims and then attack the medical establishment at the same time. Edit it out if you wish, that smaller paragraph in the "issues" section, but not the above one.
In regards to the Wikipedia Disputes, it absolutely deserves mention that Mickey Z is actually instructing his fans over at his blog to edit this article to make it look better for him, in the same way wikipedia biographies mention that congressmen have had their staffers edit their articles. When the edits were reverted it was added that the article was vandalized by the congressmen's orders. See Norm Coleman
Stop vandalizing the article. Play by the rules or get out.
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Edits made as suggested above.
[edit] Deletion?
I'm considering listing this article for deletion. The subject doesn't like it, and his only claim to fame seems to be that he's a blogger. Comments? --Tony Sidaway 02:09, 13 March 2006 (UTC)
- Second thoughts, this is looking more like a rewrite candidate. He has some minor claim to fame through his work on VegNews, his books, and his appearance on BookTV. --Tony Sidaway 02:21, 13 March 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Rewrite
I've trimmed the article severely, leaving in and elaborating slightly on the more verifiable stuff, leaving out the detailed descriptions of books, and the more peripheral material. --Tony Sidaway 02:46, 13 March 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Citations needed
I'd like to add most of the following section to the article, but it is unconfirmed.
- He has served as the editor of a series of publications, including Curio and Wide-Angle. He writes a column for the magazine Veg News [1] and contributes regularly to ZNet, Counterpunch, Street News, along with several other websites and publications. He has been awarded two writing grants from the Puffin Foundation and a fellowship in non-fiction literature from the New York Foundation for the Arts. In addition, Mickey Z. has appeared in several low-budget films and was known in New York City as the "Underground Poet" for hanging his words in the subway.
The ZNet and Counterpunch stuff is easily confirmed and I've included that. I visited the Puffin Foundation's website but couldn't confirm that he has received any grants. Any verifiable information about the other grant would be welcome.
The vague reference to "several low-budget films" would be relevant if those films have seen appreciable circulation. The "Underground Poet" thing also needs a source. --Tony Sidaway 03:04, 13 March 2006 (UTC)
