Since the very first year of Vital Signs Blog (2005), I've warned visitors of the irresponsibility, the inefficiency, and the liberal bias of the famed internet "information service" Wikipedia:"Reader Beware" on December 18 2005; "Wikipedia: Reader, Beware" on August 15, 2007; "Wikipedia: Still a Bastion of Bias and Error" on April 24, 2008; "The Credibility of Wikipedia Leaves A Lot To Be Desired" on May 16, 2008; and "Consuming Liberal Bias Unaware? What You May Not Know About Wikipedia." on August 22, 2008.
Joseph Farrah, the founder and editor of World Net Daily, has also been an outspoken critic of Wikipedia and there's a personal as well as an objective side to his opposition. You see, Farrah has himself been "slimed" by the "information service" and has personally seen how unresponsive they are to correction.
Now Farrah is widening the scope of his alarm. Indeed, he's actively recruiting dragon slayers to help take down the power and popularity of the beast.
Writes Farrah in today's WND -- ...A couple years ago, the "editors" there claimed I had an affair with a prominent female syndicated columnist. Now they characterize me as a "noted homosexual." Neither one of these accusations has any basis in truth, of course. But you can see just how confused they are over there: Am I a heterosexual philanderer, or am I a noted homosexual?
Which is it? It turns out they're both untrue – as is most of the rest of my bio. And I doubt very much if I am the only victim of this kind of pseudo-journalistic terrorism and character assassination.
Wikipedia claims "anyone" can edit its information. But, in the past, try as I might, the defamations kept coming back. I was even told I was not a reliable source of information about me. Others apparently knew me better, according to the Wikipedia gatekeepers. I actually had to threaten a libel suit against Wikipedia to get the site to remove the previous attempt at defamation. It took days of waiting. It took hours of making corrections that were quickly replaced intentionally with the undocumented and undocumentable lies designed to hurt and humiliate.
Am I just bellyaching because I'm a victim? No. There's a much bigger point to be made here. If ever there were a website to avoid at all costs, it's Wikipedia. No good can possibly come from using this vast wasteland of error and deliberate deceit. You should get off of it and warn others away. You should make sure your children and grandchildren know what a corrupt and morally bankrupt institution it truly is.
How low does Wikipedia go?
* How about intellectually rationalizing displays of child pornography? You can actually join the forum over at Wikipedia where the subject is debated openly – even while an FBI investigation continues.
* Wikipedia has been characterized as an unreliable source by teachers.
* It has been denounced by authors and editors.
* Librarians have deemed it more dangerous than crack cocaine.
* Researchers have pointed out how it is subject to manipulation – especially by government.
But still it is used. Still it is cited. Still it grows like a monster each and every day.
Today I am enlisting you in a dragon-slaying mission. I can't kill this beast alone. But with your help and the help of other people of goodwill and good conscience, we can defang this monstrosity.
Help me get the word out....
