Talk:Tom Lantos

message: Tom and Annette Lantos do not have a son.  Some jokester added that "fact" months ago, and the volunteer editor(s) assigned by Wikipedia to patrol for vandalism never bothered to delete it.  Such errors cast the credibility of this article in doubt. StraightStory (talk) 01:38, 2 January 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Personal info 

message: Tom's official Web site and his bio at Vote Smart state that he earned a PhD in economics from the University of California, Berkeley (1953), and not from the University of Washington (1950). I don't know if it's true or not, but I would like to see the source(s) that claim that he earned his PhD in 1950 (aged only 22). Adolar von Csobánka (Talk) 13:42, 17 August 2005 (UTC)
thread_title: PhD

message: A recent addition to the article says "His wife, Annette, however is a convert to Mormonism. Both Lantos daughters, their husbands, and 17 grandchildren are devout Mormons." However the citation provided merely says that both daughters married Mormons, and that his oldest grandchild is majoring in Jewish Studies. It does not say that any of these people are Mormons, let along devout. I'm not saying that they are not; I'm just saying that it is in the article, totally uncited, and that the link that was added at the same time as this material could easily be mistaken for being a citation for it. Does anyone have a citation for any of this? -- Jmabel | Talk 02:05, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: If you understood mormonism, you would know that active = devout.  There is no middle ground with those people.148.177.1.219 22:17, 28 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Mormonism 

message: This recent anonymous edit is almost a press release. I think it leaves the article slanted heavily in Lantos's favor. I've toned it down a little, but there is probably considerable work to do here. -- Jmabel | Talk 01:00, 22 January 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Almost a press release 

message: I'm torn on whether or not to delete the controversy section of the article.  As it is now, it seems to imply that the Congressman is part of some vast Jewish conspiracy and is in league with Russian mob bosses.  Maybe someone who disagrees with some of his positions on issues can dig up some controversial political decisions hes made or controversial speeches.  I'd much rather talk about that kind of controversy than the other stuff. 68.33.74.123
:Deleted the Controversy section because of the reasons above, but I want to stress that there is plenty in Congressman Lantos' past that could be considered controversial.  I simply think that an encyclopedia article isn't the place to display the kind of veiled anti-semitism that the previous comment in the controversy section implied.68.33.74.123
::Neither I nor Tom Lantos sees any issues with this as he obviously did so and it also explains some other of his other actions as a congressman, nor does he seem to be afraid of a little controversy, this is all inline with what he was about. Also I do not see any anti-semitism in this unless you consider Tom Lantos actions to be of anti-semitic nature. The he feels strongly for Israel should not be surprising considering him being a holocaust survivor and as an opinionated man in a world of free speech he is within his right to start one or more controversies. Also it is a well known fact that USA does indeed support anyone pro-USA/west interest be it a democratic leader or a dictator as long as the cooperation is fruitful. Would you consider this to be a conspiracy too? ~~
Regadring the first paragraph (about Craig Livingstone vs. Admiral Boorda): I can't see how this can be concieved of as "controversy". That's merely a witty remark (if not exactly a polite one) from a *polititian's* career. Also: the ending of the same paragraph states "Craig Livingstone forgave Lantos for his remark by stating to the gallery, "He (Lantos) obviously learned much from the Nazis and speaks like them today." Does this sound like a remission to *anyone*? If he forgave him, this remark was certainly not the way he did it... I recommend either deleting this strange paragraph, or (better) putting it to some other (new) section, where such boulevardish story items can be collected. — Luna Kid (talk) 13:57, 10 March 2013 (UTC)
thread_title:  Controversy Section 

message: There was an edit made claiming that his name was originally Tamas.  I commented it out since I could not find any information backing up this claim.  If anyone else knows it as a fact just uncomment it out.
DrIdiot 20:25, 13 April 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Seems likely enough: he was born in Hungary to an assimilated Hungarian Jewish family. I would suggest that if someone really cares, simply write to his office and ask, I'm sure they'd gladly answer. - Jmabel | Talk 04:25, 18 April 2006 (UTC)

text: Yes. - Jmabel | Talk 19:05, 23 April 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Tamas Peter Lantos 

message: Jmabel - Thanks for that rewrite, it's much improved over what was there before.  The Nayirah incident is very well known and documented and there's a book about it (see John R. MacArthur).  However I think this article's mention is still a bit POV and not that well sourced.  Lantos ran a newspaper op-ed piece defending himself at the time:
Kuwaiti Gave Consistent Account of Atrocities
TOM LANTOS. New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Jan 27, 1992. p. A20 (1 page) 
It should probably be cited if you can get access.  This article may also be of some use:
CONGRESSMAN SAYS GIRL WAS CREDIBLE
KRAUSS,, CLIFFORD. New York Times. (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: Jan 12, 1992. pg. A.11
It mentions that Lantos confirmed in an interview that he knew who Nayirah was before her congressional appearance, but he said he'd kept it secret on the Kuwaiti ambassador's request out of safety concerns.
The MacArthur op-ed is:
Remember Nayirah, Witness for Kuwait?; The Ambassador's daughter and the propaganda blitz.
By John R. MacArthur. New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Jan 6, 1992. p. A17 
There's a bunch of other back-and-forth which should be pretty easy to find.
67.117.130.181 12:32, 19 December 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: I'd have no problem with someone else adding material from these sources, but that is not a priority for me. I also think it mostly belongs in an article on her, not on Lantos: it seems to me that the only additional related material that would be relevant on Lantos would be "what he knew and when he knew it," especially the degree to which he knew this was a Hill and Knowlton fabrication when he allowed it to be used as a causus belli. -- Jmabel | Talk 21:26, 22 December 2006 (UTC)
replies: text:  Does that refer to the incubator hoax in Kuwait that helped getting the war going? --41.150.102.27 (talk) 02:40, 14 November 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  re: 1991 persian gulf war 

message: Lantos had some generally concerning comments at the last General Petraeus hearing. I am wondering how/where best to include those comment in the article. Any suggestions? Mr.grantevans2 (talk) 15:22, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: The link to NancyPelosi's youtube video of the hearing was removed so I've used the ForeignAffairs committee transcript as the source instead but the video is much better, I think. Is there a rule against reliable youtube videos being used as sources? Mr.grantevans2 (talk) 21:30, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Petraeus Hearing 

message: The text says he considered himself a secular Jew, but the infobox says Religion: Jewish. They can't both be right.80.195.188.190 (talk) 16:19, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I don't think it's clear at all what is meant by 'considering oneself a secular Jew', if it doesn't mean a non-practicing Jew; Secular Jewish culture doesn't give an interpretation of that. Does it mean that Lantos was involved in Jewish culture but might or might not have been involved in Jewish religion? I don't think that is the point that the editor who originally included the phrase in this article was trying to convey. I think this needs to be clarified. Was Lantos a practising Jew?80.195.188.190 (talk) 21:41, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I checked it out. http://info.jpost.com/C001/Supplements/Shoah/hol_LantosList.html quotes him saying "I'm not a religious person." I've edited the infobox to reflect this.80.195.188.190 (talk) 21:47, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Not being "religious" and not being Jewish are two different things. It depends on how being "religious" is defined. --Veritas (talk) 21:51, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Of course he was Jewish; the infobox does not refer to ethnicity or cultural background, but to religion. He said he was not religious, therefore it is incorrect to say his religion was Jewish.80.195.188.190 (talk) 21:54, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: One can be of the Jewish faith without being a strictly religious person.  Many Catholics, for instance, still consider themselves to be Catholics - and the Church considers them to be Catholic - even if they are not practicing. There's simply not enough context given in that quote as to what he meant. --Veritas (talk) 21:57, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: In that case, pending certain confirmation of his religion, it seems to me that the entire reference must be removed. We can't leave it saying he has a religion when he himself says he's not religious.80.195.188.190 (talk) 22:00, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: That's the thing - there isn't enough evidence to back your claim that he isn't Jewish.  Until that evidence is found one cannot say that he wasn't when there is no proof to the contrary. You have no evidence that he did believe in the central tenants of Judaism or that he didn't consider himself a member of the Jewish faith only that he - at one point in time - did not consider himself to be a religious person. --Veritas (talk) 22:03, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: This is an encyclopedia. We can't say someone adhered to a particular religion unless we have reliable evidence that he did. The evidence we have suggests he did not. We have no proof that he wasn't Buddhist, either, except that one quotation. That is why I suggested removing the entry, rather than saying one thing or the other. 80.195.188.190 (talk) 22:05, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I think it's perfectly ok to put Jewish as his religion. I'm a secular, non practicing jew and I wouldn;t have any problem with Jewish being put as my religion.--Dr who1975 (talk) 20:33, 13 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: P.S. Judaism has been on this page for over a year... if the editors who were scrutinizing it when he was alive didn't have a problem with it then I don't see why his death should change anything.--Dr who1975 (talk) 20:39, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

text: In response to Dr who1975's three comments above: Firstly, the article is about Tom Lantos, not about you. Secondly, articles need to be factual, not to reflect what their subjects "wouldn't have any problem with". Thirdly, a long-standing error does not become true simply because nobody corrected it before. When Wikipedia policy changes to say that anything unchallenged for a year needs no citation, let me know. It may be that Lantos regarded himself as a 'non-practicing Jew' but if you want to keep this in the article you need to provide a reference in support. An unsupported statement is not a meaningful compromise in terms of what can be included in an encyclopedia; it's just as inappropriate as another unsupported statement. Unless a reference can be given confirming that Lantos adhered to a religion, whether practising or not, it's inappropriate to have anything given as his religion, and the entry needs to be removed.JulieRudiani (talk) 12:35, 14 February 2008 (UTC)

text: is there any reason to not list him as secular jew under religion? or note him as nonreligious? or nonpracticing? Tingrin87 (talk) 08:39, 15 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Religion

message: I have unprotected the article after blocking two IP accounts that had been repeatedly reverting and violating WP:NPOV.  I hope that productive editing will resume, but if it does not, the article can be re-protected or semi-protected. Jehochman  Talk 20:52, 16 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Unprotected

message: I added his defense of Chinese political prisoners.
Here are some references as of 3/6/2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/technology/07yahoo.html
Yahoo Criticized in Case of Jailed Dissident WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (AP) published in the
NY Times.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.164.82.198 (talk) 07:27, 7 March 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Interest in Human Rights 

message: Tom Lantos' wife's maiden name is usually spelled as Tilleman, but some sources cite Tillemann. Does anyone know for sure? Quis separabit? 20:53, 1 January 2012 (UTC)
thread_title: Annette Lantos

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