Talk:Karen Bass

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This article has been mentioned by a media organization:

Cohen, Noam (August 10, 2020). "Why Wikipedia Decided to Stop Calling Fox a 'Reliable' Source". Wired. And while the decision hasn't exactly banished Fox News from Wikipedia on those topics—there are still thousands of links to Fox News articles that appear there—it deprives Fox News of the ability to frame how the public interprets political events and politicians on Wikipedia. The changes to Bass's article that highlighted a Fox News-promoted controversy give a glimpse at the stakes involved. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)

This article has been viewed enough times in a single week to appear in the Top 25 Report. The week in which this happened:

July 26 to August 1, 2020 (23rd)

11th or 12th

In US, the term of office starting after inauguration or swearing-in ceremony, in this case it's the 11th, however, the 11th was a Sunday. So the question is: who was in actually in charge of the city after 2:54pm PST (Thats the exact moment Karen Bass sworn-in) Harrytsang (talk) 09:35, 12 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

I originally edited as December 11, 2022 as I was at the inaugural ceremony myself. Ex-mayor was sitting in the audience instead of sitting on stage. Harrytsang (talk) 09:37, 12 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Ties to Anti-American and pro-Marxist groups

The article mentions but downplays the relevance of the http://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Venceremos_Brigade where Karen Bass was a former leader. The Venceremos Brigade self-identified as anti-imperialist and pro-Fidel Castro and has known ties to the M19 terrorist group which bombed the US Capitol in 1983. The article makes it sound like an innocent book club of no importance. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/1980s-far-left-female-led-domestic-terrorism-group-bombed-us-capitol-180973904/ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.181.15.123 (talk) 07:10, 9 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Nothing in the article about the Marxist background of Karen Bass.

There is nothing in the article about the Marxist background of Karen Bass - even her past support for Fidel Castro (which was condemned by the Washington Post - certainly not a conservative source) is not mentioned. The only hint of the actual politics of Karen Bass is when the article mentions that she regards people saying they will not vote for politicians who raise their taxes as "terrorism" - ironic as Karen Bass did not regard the actual rule-by-terror of Fidel Castro and other socialist dictators as "terrorism" regardless of the number of people they murdered. 2A02:C7C:E1BA:CE00:6C32:4C75:261C:D578 (talk) 11:12, 20 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I can find no source anywhere supporting the idea that she had a "Marxist background". The extent of the thing seems to be her making one sort-of-sympathetic comment about Castro when he died in 2016, which generated some mild controversy, and then walking that comment back in 2020. AntiDionysius (talk) 11:16, 20 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I have added a short mention of the comment to the section on her consideration for VP. AntiDionysius (talk) 11:24, 20 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Here is a quote in a piece in Washington Post, Aug 4, 2020: "A communist newspaper from 1975 suggests she was a leader and organizer in her native Southern California". It would be interesting to find the paper this quote refers to. What is Wikipedia protocol for using that paper as a citation, if it can be identifed and exists somewhere on the internet that can be linked to? Wapo link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/08/04/karen-basss-history-with-cuba-should-disqualify-her-vp-consideration/ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 73.167.213.208 (talk) 01:04, 11 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Looks like many others have unsuccessfully tried to link her to communism for a long time,[1] but you think you can achieve that from a 50-year-old paper? Associating with communists, growing up around them, or being civil to them, doesn't equate to being a communist (except in black-and-white-thinking subcultures). Per WP:RUMOR, Wikipedia is not a collection of unverifiable speculation, rumors, or presumptions, and you should also be mindful of WP:BLPTALK. ▶ I am Grorp ◀ 01:30, 11 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

There is this quote from New York Times recounting sworn congressional testimony: '“To be a member of the brigade, you had to be confirmed as a Marxist‐Leninist,” Deputy Crews said.' https://www.nytimes.com/1972/10/18/archives/undercover-agent-tells-of-cuba-trip-with-red-youth-unit.html 73.167.213.208 (talk) 23:13, 12 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

That source doesn't even mention Karen Bass. Please read WP:No original research which starts out: Wikipedia articles must not contain original research. On Wikipedia, original research means material—such as facts, allegations, and ideas—for which no reliable, published source exists. This includes any analysis or synthesis of published material that reaches or implies a conclusion not stated by the sources. ▶ I am Grorp ◀ 23:27, 12 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. That makes sense. 73.167.213.208 (talk) 03:50, 17 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Los Angeles wildfires

the article doesn't mention the absence of Bass as wildfires burn out of control. Surely it should be included seeing as this disaster is the biggest event in the city since she assumed office Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 21:53, 8 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Well, WP:RECENTISM applies, and this only began yesterday. Given that, what text and references are you proposing to add? – Muboshgu (talk) 22:26, 8 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Well the fact that she was out of the country and didn't return to Los Angeles until yesterday could be added. Oh and the fact that she cut funds for fire fighting. Just suggestions, mind. Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 09:20, 9 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

The criticism is likely enough that we should add something. But we need to be cautious about what we add. Bass was part of a presidential delegation to Ghana, it was announced on January 3, before the fires started. Not sure when she actually left California or if she got back as quickly as she could have. She's been criticized for budget cuts, but per Politico, it's not accurate, the fire budget went up by about $50 million. – Muboshgu (talk) 23:12, 9 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

There is now a section under her tenure that reflects all of the controversy and details the fire. It is open for further expansion, as the LAFD budget issue continues to be debated by figures like Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia, but it at least exists now. Thank you to User:BottleOfChocolateMilk for getting it up here! PickleG13 (talk) 18:21, 11 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

"Social worker" title

The lead claims that Karen Bass "is an American politician, social worker, and former physician assistant". Most are familiar with her as a politician, which is why people visit this page, but physician assistant does provide background on what she did before government. However, "social worker" feels completely untrue.

Putting aside the controversy surrounding Bass receiving a Master of Social Work degree from the University of California, it is apparent to all that she got this degree while serving in Congress. She not only has never worked as a social worker, but does not appear to have any kind of certification to do so, if required.

I believe that we should remove the "social worker" from the lead. It is not referenced again anywhere on the page, other than referring to her degree. Does the degree alone qualify for this critical first sentence? I did not want to make the edit myself before starting a Talk Page discussion, since the January 2025 Southern California wildfires put her page at risk for serious edit wars and vandalism. PickleG13 (talk) 18:26, 11 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

cut; no mention of her being a social worker in the body, so it was unsourced. theleekycauldron (talk • she/her) 10:05, 26 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

"Woke" term added for absolutely no reason

A recent edit added the term "woke" to the passage "At her inauguration, she became the only woke African-American woman serving in the state legislature."

There was no reason for this and it needs to be reverted. Polyh3dron (talk) 20:33, 15 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

It was vandalism. It is fixed. – Muboshgu (talk) 20:36, 15 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Contentious topic

Bruteforce7700, this article is on a contentious topic. I challenged your edit, follow WP:BRD rather than edit war. It is WP:UNDUE weight and a WP:NPOV violation to give a play-by-play of an interviewer asking her questions that she does not answer, which became more than half of the section. – Muboshgu (talk) 23:28, 16 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

United States–Africa relations (NPOV tag)

Two paragraphs of puffery, sourced to her own website? I feel like this poses a problem. theleekycauldron (talk • she/her) 10:04, 26 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]