QUOTE(Rhindle @ Wed 19th October 2011, 11:02pm)
I think a good example could be in how do you handle the flat earthers? It's probably as fringe a view as you can get but is there a fair way to put in their perspective without any snark from those with mainstream views? On the other side, those who are flat earthers should recognize that their view is not very widely accepted so should understand their view is not going to be given equal consideration with the accepted science. However, many with a fringe view are vehement in their views to the point of narcissism and try too hard to convince everyone they're right rather than work with others to incorporate the view they hold.
You would write what the Flat Earthers believe and then explain what scientists have been saying since the Ancient Greeks that the world is round and there is evidence to prove it. It's a busted myth and you use secondary scientific publications to prove it. If the Flat Earth People do not like that, tell them this is supposed to be an encyclopedia, not a website for willy-nilly, pseudo-science hoo-ha. And if they keep whining, tell them to shove off. I don't know why MONGO and his friends guarding the 9/11 article don't do that. Tell what the conspiracies are and then throw the science and literature at them. In an ideal world, the two sides would have a nice educational dialogue with the pseudo-people accepting that there are flaws in their theory and they go home and rethink their lives. Unfortunately, that does not happen often on Web 2.0.