The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was no consensus. MBisanz talk 09:02, 28 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

2009 IDF T-Shirt controversy[edit]

2009 IDF T-Shirt controversy (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views) (delete) – (View log)

Keep - By considering this for deletion there are certain questions arising about Wikipedia's neutrality. This is obviously a controversial incident worthy of archiving. Unless you're implying that this behaivour is very characteristic of the IDF. In addition, images of the t-shirt definitely need to be posted to give reader's a better idea. Talk) 27 March 2009 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 119.30.36.48 (talk) 16:54, 27 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Delete - The article is clearly recentism and applies to a small non-notable event. Wikipedia is not news, and maybe this article should be rewritten and moved to WikiNews. The article was also PRODded, but the tag was removed by the original author. Ynhockey (Talk) 09:40, 23 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Keep - a notable controversy that belongs on WIkipedia. Factsontheground (talk) 09:46, 23 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The fact that similarly inappropriate articles exist is never an argument for keeping an inapropriate article. If You know of other arrticles that do not merit inclusion on Wikipedia, please list them so that they can be merged or eliminated as appropriate.Historicist (talk) 17:37, 23 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
whose pov? bbc? jewish week? haaretz? provide the other pov ('aw shucks, thems just jokes'?) if you think its unbalanced. pov is not a reason for deletion, notability is. untwirl(talk) 20:11, 25 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Because the IDF isn't the sole source in the world, and is in fact not reliable whereas the sources used in the article, Haaretz, The Times, SKY, are. Nableezy (talk) 21:11, 23 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thank you for your insults. I understand the situation perfectly. The t-shirts are symptomatic of the reaction of IDF soldiers to what happened in Gaza, which is why expanding the article to include the recent soldiers' testimony makes logical sense. Thanks again. — Malik Shabazz (talk · contribs) 22:23, 23 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

random break, cont.[edit]

  • And yet there is no indication in the original news item that the shirts have anything to do with the recent Gaza conflict; in fact, at least some of the shirts seem to have been made before the conflict started, so they could hardly be "symptomatic of the reaction of IDF soldiers to what happened in Gaza". Least of all is there any connection to war crimes or wanton murder, in Gaza or anywhere else. Several explanations are offered in the news item as to why the shirts were created, none of which mention war crimes or wanton murder. Jalapenos do exist (talk) 22:47, 23 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • And yet there is no reason for insults. And who has reading comprehension problems? The article does connect some of the t-shirts to the Gaza conflict. — Malik Shabazz (talk · contribs) 22:58, 23 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • If by "insults" you mean my implication that some users, including you, seemed either not to have read the news item or to be prejudiced against the IDF to the point of not understanding it, I disagree. I don't consider the implication an insult, and I think there are good, substantive reasons for expressing that view of the situation. As for the article, there is one shirt out of many connected to "Gaza", possibly meaning the recent conflict, and there are zero out of many connected to war crimes or wanton murder, in Gaza or anywhere else. Jalapenos do exist (talk) 23:21, 23 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
no connection? perhaps you missed this [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-military-condemns-soldiers-shocking-tshirts-1651333.html , "The practice came to light following disclosures that soldiers who took part in Israel's military offensive in Gaza complained about rules of engagement allowing them to kill civilians and destroy property. The Israel Defence Forces said yesterday that the T-shirts "are not in accordance with IDF values and are simply tasteless. This type of humour is unacceptable. Commanders are instructed to use disciplinary tools against those who produce T-shirts of this type." untwirl(talk) 02:47, 24 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Still having problems with the reading comprehension, Jalapenos? There are at least two references to t-shirts associated with the Gaza conflict. (Hint: The Gaza offensive was code-named Operation Cast Lead.) — Malik Shabazz (talk · contribs) 03:22, 24 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I think you and Untwirl have illustrated your mistake better than I could. Saying that B happened after A is not saying that B is a reflection of A, although someone prejudiced to think that everything is a reflection of A could be forgiven for thinking so. What they would not be forgiven for is trying to edit an encyclopedia article on B while blinded by this prejudice. Jalapenos do exist (talk) 10:50, 24 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"blinded by prejudice"? tone done the rhetoric, please. you must have missed the many sources that have covered the soldiers' testimony and the revelation of these tshirts as related to soldiers' conduct in gaza. try these, for example [1] [2] untwirl(talk) 20:01, 25 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • If you consider Jalapeno's comments insults, you have a paper thin skin, and live a very sheltered life, OR are a melodramatic crybaby. Take your pick. Of course, Jalapenos is wrong regarding sourcing, but trying to redefine this article beyond is topic is typical POVFORKing, a much bigger wrong. There is an article for the Gaza war, 2008–2009_Israel–Gaza_conflict, where a section called "Controversy over rules of engagement and military rabbis" exists, and perhaps should be expanded. This article is about the t-shirt controversy, and should remain so.--Cerejota (talk) 03:29, 24 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

random break #2[edit]

See, that's odd, cause I never said, nor do I believe "everyone who disagrees with [me] is motivated by sinister political concerns". Merely that the flood of POV deletion arguments is an additional suggestion that the topic is well known and quite notable. You really should avoid assumptions of conspiracies. T L Miles (talk) 18:25, 24 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Well, what can I say. If you consider the fact that a bunch of people are saying "this topic is not notable" as evidence that the topic is notable, a conversation with you is not likely to be productive. Jalapenos do exist (talk) 22:38, 24 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
He also did, in your words, disrupt wikipedia to make a point by putting in random nonsense, so I wouldnt be so quick to say that sinister political concerns are not at all an issue. Nableezy (talk) 17:22, 24 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
How is it not right now? Nableezy (talk) 07:07, 25 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Because we have no idea at all how widespread the T-shirts were, or if they existed at all. One testimony picked up by the media around the world is not enough. Guy0307 (talk) 08:04, 25 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
You know they existed because there are pictures of them. Check the links at the bottom of the article, and you can look at them. Most disturbing. Dream Focus 09:50, 25 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Its not one soldiers testimony, there are a number of interviews in the Haaretz piece on it. Nableezy (talk) 13:58, 25 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Update - Today's (25/iii/2009) Haaretz has an article on T-Shirts with slogans and insignia of Israeli Army units. It quotes this article and puts it in a broader context. Phil_burnstein (talk) 08:15, 25 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

link to what you are talking about please. Dream Focus 09:50, 25 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
This is the original article, of which the other, later articles are summaries and restatements. Jalapenos do exist (talk) 21:33, 25 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment, I thank User:Ravpapa for pointing out these (generally well sourced) articles on topics of which I was only vaguely aware. However controversial, every one of them should stay for the enlightenment they provide. -74.162.154.194 (talk) 14:39, 26 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Yet another comment: I and Pedrito did not suggest these should be deleted because they are controversial or ill-sourced, but because they are of very transient, even evanescent, notability. Here today, gone tomorrow. They may be indicative of a greater phenomenon of disinformation by both sides, which might be article-worthy. But as individual episodes, they should long ago have been wrapping fish. --Ravpapa (talk) 14:49, 26 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Merge into the IDF article on the model of what was done with the material re: the recent conflict in Gaza at Mechinat Rabin. Brief scandals at large institutions donot merit individual pages, even when they merit coverage.Historicist (talk) 18:54, 27 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.