RationalWiki:Articles for deletion/Bo Winegard

Bo Winegard | Result: Keep

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Delete

 * 1) Bo Winegard was invited to a Evolution Working Group hosted by the University of Alabama in November 2019. In August 2019, his RationalWiki page was created (in May an earlier draft was written but only one line). Winegard complains because of his RationalWiki article he was accused of being a racist at the Evolution Working Group: "Someone yelled that he was a racist", furthermore, "Then he received a number of texts from a campus host expressing concern about Winegard’s entry on the website RationalWiki. The website, like Wikipedia, is edited by volunteers, but is dedicated to debunking what it sees as junk science. And Winegard, according to RationalWiki, is guilty of writing “racist bullshit for the right-wing online magazine Quillette.” Shortly afterwards, Winegard complains numerous teachers at the college department and administration he worked began to distance themselves from him based on the accusations of racism in the RationalWiki article to the extent "lies and misrepresentations on my RationalWiki page were thought to be so unanswerable that the faculty who read them refused to meet with me so I could speak in my own defense". Months later, someone began emailing Winegard's employer and colleagues the RationalWiki article and tweets he made, some of these tweets are quoted on the article. He was then called into a faculty meeting to explain the accusations of racism from RationalWiki and explain his tweets. Winegard points out that in the end "My boss informed me, without any warning, that the college was not renewing my contract". He has published a blog post criticising the RationalWiki article complaining it is filled with inaccurate claims and mendacities: https://winegabo.medium.com/response-to-rationalwiki-df7ee77374be He also complains: "They have also refused to update misinformation about my work and views even after I have written corrections." My personal view is Winegard's page should be deleted given its role in how he was treated and accused of being a racist. RationalWiki has also failed to correct errors or misrepresentations in his article. Oenophyta (talk) 13:50, 25 April 2021 (UTC)

Keep

 * 1) This purge is becoming ridiculous. This article is well sourced, stays on topic, and has little if any personal attacks. Furthermore, the fact that this article has reflected poorly on the subject is not on RationalWiki so long as the information contained therein is accurate. 13:55, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * Winegard is saying it isn't accurate. No one from RationalWiki seems to have read this blog post in detail excluding responding to one of his complaints about being called or linked to white nationalism (he disputes this). It would make more sense for Winegard to create the AfD and raise concerns on his own talk page. He's never though shown up because the neo-nazi psychotic resident troll was impersonating/using his name and the talk was locked. Oenophyta (talk) 14:21, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * Of course he denies the claims. Does no one teach critical thinking skills anymore? If you claim something negative about someone, be the claim true or false, the person in question will most likely deny the claim. Of course he disputes being associated with Neo-Nazism! Richard motherfucking Spencer denies being a Neo-Nazi! Gods and Goddesses... 14:42, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * 1) I really think Oenophyta is an enemy of our wiki and has some sort of dark hidden agenda. 14:00, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * 2) No need to dramatize the AfD too much. Oenophyta wants all these "Smith articles" deleted (probably on Smith's behalf, whether he's an associate or the guy himself), that's a clear enough agenda to be aware of. I think he's testing the waters by knowingly AfD-ing a less crappy article. I suggested on his talk page that he instead AfD the worst or most pointless ones first, that way we can make him happy until he runs out of bad-enough articles to AfD, after which it's best if he drops the remainder of his project. Well, now he knows there is a dividing line of sorts. --ApooftGnegiol (talk) 14:22, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * 3) This one is fine. ApooftGnegiol is right, you should’ve done the worst ones first. Christopher (talk) 14:37, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * The article had very minimal to do with Smith from what I can tell. He created the one line draft in May 2019 with a different title. The separate Bo Winegard (the current page) was created by a single-purpose account in August 2019 and largely rewritten by a different sysop in March 2020 (User:Johns). I created this page because the guy has been treated bad over his RationalWiki article culminating in people contacting his employer by emails and people accusing him of being a racist - he has repeatedly denied these accusations and complained of errors in his page. Oenophyta (talk) 14:59, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * It seems to be the kind of article which is mostly not Smith's work, but which people glancing at the page history (like I did) may associate with Smith. I had a quick look at Winegard's article, and either this RW article (which responds to it) is basically wrong or Winegard is basically dishonest (my guess). If you find any clear-cut error(s) in this RW article, I suggest listing it/them on the talk page, but make it clear and specific, not a general claim of disputed accuracy. --ApooftGnegiol (talk) 15:25, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * 1) 𝒮𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃𝑒   talk  15:15, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * 2) Article convinces me that this person is more than a minor Internet racist; he has academic credentials and formerly taught at a university, and has published in significant outlets. This would put him over the hump for my vague and imperfectl;y formulated notability guidelines for internet personalities. Complaints that our coverage is 'biased' miss the mark; we make no pretense of neutrality. Smerdis of Tlön, wekʷōm teḱsos. 15:44, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * 3) I am so sick of this Smith back and forth crap on racialist pseudoscience promoters. Prior afds perhaps have a point. This one just makes me more tired. I am so sick of seeing these same names pop up. 16:45, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * 4) Unlike the others, this one is actually relevant enough to keep. 17:20, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * 5) Keep. Bongolian (talk) 17:54, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * 6) —cosmikdebris talk stalk 17:55, 25 April 2021 (UTC)
 * 7) If people found out that this prominent psychologist they knew had a second career as a promoter of racist pseudoscince and shunned him as a result of reading this article, then I say GOOD! Job done! Calling out prominent and influential racists for being racists is exactly what RationalWiki should be doing. I don/'t give a fucking shit if he doesn't like this page where he's damned by his own words. And I certainly don't give a fucking shit if he's harassing Oliver D. fucking Smith about it. Spud (talk) 12:56, 26 April 2021 (UTC)
 * 8) His patiants need to know about his second life. 13:24, 26 April 2021 (UTC)

Goat

 * Smith writes a very detailed bio about some bigot nobody's heard about. Drama ensues.  We'd be better off writing about ideas over individuals but we have some people here (Smith socks included) that insist we be a platform for naming and shaming.  This shit will keep happening.  Personally I've no doubt Bo Winegard is a piece of shit.  But I just don't care. -Hastur! (talk)  17:00, 25 April 2021 (UTC)