Sarah Palin’s Paul Revere Wikipedia rewrite: who writes history again?
Another link from CBS to Charles
They say if you don’t like the topic, change the conversation. Or, “If you don’t like your favorite political figure getting roasted by the news media for failing to describe Paul Revere’s historic nighttime ride, change the facts on Revere’s Wikipedia page.” That’s just what Sarah Palin supporters did over the weekend apparently, after Palin took flack for stating that Revere “warned the British” on that famous night.
As the heat started to build, intrepid historians apparently attempted to add the following line (in italics) to Revere’s Wikipedia page:
“Revere did not shout the phrase later attributed to him (‘The British are coming!’), largely because the mission depended on secrecy and the countryside was filled with british army patrols; also, most colonial residents at the time considered themselves British as they were all legally British subjects.”
The revision was quickly removed, with Wikipedia citing “content not backed by a reliable sources (it was sarah palin interview videos).” Speaking of quick, it sure didn’t take long for Wiki editors to tire of this barrage of revisions.
Credit goes to Charles Johnson who busted this story wide open over at Little Green Footballs.