June 23, 2007
What's it to Wikipedia?

Apparently, Wikipedia wants to delete the entry for Mary Beth Harrell, because it's an


Article about a person that does not assert the importance of the subject. She was a candidate, but did not win the seat. I don't see any other claim of notability.

Huh. I didn't know Wikipedia cared about such things. Be that as it may, Wikipedia appears to be a bit inconsistent - Shane Sklar is still there, as are Barbara Radnofsky and David Van Os along with a note that his entry "may require cleanup". Van Taylor is there, and so is Arlene Wohlgemuth, but she at least once served in the Texas House. On the other hand, Richard Morrison, David Harris, Jim Henley, and Will Pryor are not there. Maybe they never were, maybe they've already been deleted, I can't tell.

Anyway. For future reference, in the event Wikipedia decides to apply whatever standard goes here, I've put what Harrell is sending to Wikipedia in response beneath the fold.

"Mary Beth Harrell was the only Democratic woman to challenge a Republican incumbent for a Congressional seat in Texas in 2006.

Mary Beth Harrell was the only woman Congressional challenger who had a son serving on active duty in Iraq during the national 2006 Congressional elections.

Retired Lieutenant General Wesley Clark endorsed Mary Beth Harrell along with Esquire magazine, The Austin American Stateman newspaper and the Austin Chronicle.

Mary Beth Harrell raised only $162,000 in campaign funds, but managed to win about 40% of the vote in a Republican gerrymandered district in a non-presidential election year.

The nationally televised PBS program "Now" featured Mary Beth Harrell and her race in Congressional District 31 in a show entitled "Sway the Course". The local PBS Station, KNCT-TV, blacked out the program scheduled to air just days before the election in CD 31.

Mary Beth Harrell will now host and produce a new summer series on KNCT-TV entitled "Insight with Mary Beth Harrell." The 12-week show will debut on July 12, 2007, at 7:30 pm (CST). Mary Beth will talk with community leaders - bankers, judges, educators, television and radio broadcasters, newspapers editor, hospital administrators, ministers, business owners, city council members and Fort Hood commanders - about the issues that affect everyone in central Texas. And those leaders just happen to be women.

Harrell also went on location at local area restaurants seeking public opinions from Central Texans on an array of topics. "We want to bring our community into the studio so our guests can hear the opinions and concerns of its citizens," noted Harrell. "We hope the viewers, as well as our guests, find the exchange enlightening and entertaining."

Harrell solicits the viewers opinions and suggestions at the end of each show and hopes to share them in a weekly newspaper column.

Mary Beth graduated from law school at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas in 1998, and has practiced law in Bell, Coryell and Lampasas counties, as well as in Federal Court. Mary Beth has served as City prosecutor for Nolanville and Temple.

Mary Beth and Bob have three children and three grandchildren. Their boys, Josh and Rob, serve on active duty in the US Army, Rob will return to Iraq in the Fall. Mary Beth and Bob already have three granddaughters, but their daughter, Tonya, is expecting her first child around Labor Day. Tonya's husband Hugo Rosas is currently attending training to become a US Border Patrol Agent. Bob Harrell is a retired Army Warrant Officer, businessman, and serves on reserve duty as an Investigator for the Coryell County District Attorney..

Mary Beth co-chairs the Gatesville Boys and Girls Club's Capital Campaign. Mary Beth and Bob are members of the Killeen, Copperas Cove, Temple and Gateville Chambers of Commerce, the Lions Club, Association of the US Army (AUSA), and the Exchange Club.

Mary Beth and Bob live on a small ranch in Gatesville where they raise a few head of cattle, like to ride their horses and tend to their dogs."


Posted by Charles Kuffner on June 23, 2007 to Show Business for Ugly People
Comments

Wikipedia is basically going insane, deleting articles based on "notability" and other criteria. Hey, here's a quarter, go buy some more disk space.

Its campaign for credibility is leading it to very strange places, such as the notion that a person is not a suitable source for the article on that person. Similarly, since online sources aren't credible by Wikipedia standards, articles on online phenomena are getting tagged for deletion because they don't have valid sources.

TNH hosted an excellent thread about Wikipedia a while back.

Posted by: Greg Morrow on June 23, 2007 10:14 AM

I know Henley had a page previously...

Posted by: Michael Hurta on June 23, 2007 3:44 PM