User talk:81.110.30.95

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  1. Welcome

Hello, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:

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In any case, I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your comments on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your IP address (or username if you're logged in) and the date. If you need help, check out Wikipedia:Questions, ask me on my talk page, or ask your question and then place {{helpme}} before the question on your talk page. Again, welcome! Wildhartlivie 23:26, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Please discuss before deleting

Sir or ma'am, you may have a contribution to make to the references on Ward Churchill's ethnic background, but I can see no good reason for removing the extremely authoritative statement by the American Indian Movement Grand Governing Council. That is hardly a third-hand report; it's a primary document. Also, the FrontPageMag reference, while it contains at least second-hand elements, was put there to resolve an earlier dispute about whether there was any source for a minor detail.

In any case, even "direct reporting" is never preferable to a primary document, particularly one that can be verified online. If you want to add a reference go ahead, but if you pull out references at the same time, expect to have your change reverted unless you provide some compelling reason for your action. If you want to keep your changes in place, the best way is by discussing them first with other editors watching this page. The second-best way is to at least leave a detailed explanation on the discussion page.

The references you deleted were put there in response to a lengthy back-and-forth on the discussion page, and the people involved in that discussion haven't challenged the changes. At the very least, it would have been better to make your changes in two parts: one part to add references, the other to make removals. That way it would be possible to undo the deletions without undoing your additions.

I also encourage you to set up a user page with a "handle." This would help indicate you are serious about your participation, and that you aren't a single-issue Wikipedian. I welcome your contributions. Preston McConkie 22:18, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] More simultaneous deletions and additions

Again, please don't make changes where you delete references and add new references at the same time. This forces an editor who disagrees with your deletion to make and all-or-nothing choice. I'm sure you good stuff to add, but that doesn't mean everything else has to go to make room for it. The deleted material regarding Churchill's published work does not appear to be refuted by the new material. The earlier material says Churchill "largely" published outside the university presses and peer-reviewed journals; the new material is laudably more specific but does not contradict the earlier material. It refers to a minority of Churchill's essays being published in refereed journals, and makes no reference to the publisher(s) of his books.

If the edit explanation line is too short, please explain your edit on this page. If there's no explanation here, there's nothing to restrain anyone from making a deletion. -- Preston McConkie 02:50, 27 August 2007 (UTC)