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Wikipedia Blocks 'Disruptive' Edits From US Congress

Posted by Soulskill on from the history-no-longer-written-by-the-victors dept.

alphatel writes: Wikipedia has blocked anonymous edits from a congressional IP address for 10 days because of "disruptive" behavior. These otherwise anonymous edits were brought to light recently by @Congressedits, a bot that automatically tweets Wikipedia changes that come from Congressional IP addresses. The biography of former U.S. defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld was edited to say that he was an "alien lizard who eats Mexican babies." Mediaite's Wikipedia page was modified to label the site as a "sexist transphobic" publication.

16 of 165 comments (clear)

  1. Yeah, "disruptive" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The biography of former U.S. defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld was edited to say that he was an "alien lizard who eats Mexican babies."

    His unmasking isn't supposed to happen for another 20 years, now our plan is shot to hell.

    Damn meddling kids mumble mumble...

    1. Re:Yeah, "disruptive" by Ol+Biscuitbarrel · · Score: 4, Funny

      The biography of former U.S. defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld was edited to say that he was an "alien lizard who eats Mexican babies." [1]

  2. I take offense! by timrod · · Score: 5, Funny

    I take offense to the idea that Donald Rumsfeld is some kind of racist who only eats Mexican babies. Donald Rumsfeld isn't a racist - he eats babies of all races equally, without taking the color of their skin or their nationality into consideration. Have a little respect for the man!

    1. Re:I take offense! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      But to be fair... the babies are skinned before they arrive on a golden platter for him to devour.

    2. Re:I take offense! by Calavar · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Sure, these edits were mostly harmless, but @CongressEdits is still a great idea because it dissuades politicians from ordering their staff to make edits that could be misleading. I, for one, would love to see an @HeartlandInstituteEdits.

    3. Re:I take offense! by Sockatume · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think that these stereotypes about alien lizards are getting out of hand. All we ever hear about is the baby-eating, and never the fine and nuanced cuisine that goes into it.

      --
      No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
    4. Re:I take offense! by Charliemopps · · Score: 4, Insightful

      All joking aside... Donald Rumsfeld is 82.
      He's about as open minded as most other 82yr olds in this country.
      Our problem is that Donald Rumsfeld is a bad guy. Or problem is we put people into positions of power who developed their sense of morality at a time when "The Nazis" were still a valid political party and we didn't generally allow African Americans into the military yet.

    5. Re:I take offense! by operagost · · Score: 5, Informative

      Our second problem is that we have voters who never learned in school that there were plenty of African Americans in the military, but they were segregated thanks to progressive President Wilson. They also like to pretend that the Nazi party was ever a legitimate party in the USA, when it's the ever-enlightended Europeans and progressive darlings like George Bernard Shaw who liked both the Nazi party and Stalin.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    6. Re:I take offense! by digsbo · · Score: 4, Funny

      Because eventually it becomes self-correcting.

  3. If anybody cares by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:143.231.249.138

  4. Citation needed? by aicrules · · Score: 4, Funny

    I assume this means they're certain he is NOT an alien lizard who eats Mexican babies? I mean, it does seem pretty unlikely, but we should at least check into it.

    1. Re: Citation needed? by jones_supa · · Score: 4, Funny

      The truth is the opposite of that it would be wrong to say that it isn't true that I'm not uncomfortable processing that sentence in my brain.

  5. Wikipedia Never Bans Vandals? by wisnoskij · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Looking into this, this ip address has been vandalising Wikipedia for over 4 years now...

    Wikipedia does not ban people who repeatedly vandalise their site, over a period of years?

    --
    Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
  6. Chris Hedges by ArcadeMan · · Score: 4, Insightful

    “We now live in a nation where doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the press destroys information, religion destroys morals, and our banks destroy the economy.” - Chris Hedges

    --
    Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
  7. Sad by JWW · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What is really sad is that these congressional staffers show suck a lack of professionalism and honor in doing their jobs.

    There used to be a time where you could politically disagree with some but still be great friends, or at the very least amicable colleagues. Nowadays, the other political side is just filled with inhuman enemies that need to be degraded and driven into oblivion.

    The concept of a government and laws derived from debate and compromise and consideration of different sides of an issue has been wiped out in favor of "I am right and you are wrong, and since you are wrong you can shut the hell up."

    So much of this shit looks like stuff a 3rd grader would come up with to insult their enemies.

    1. Re:Sad by dbc · · Score: 4, Interesting

      There used to be a time where you could politically disagree with some but still be great friends, or at the very least amicable colleagues. Nowadays, the other political side is just filled with inhuman enemies that need to be degraded and driven into oblivion.

      Indeed. I recall when Hubert Humphrey retuned to the Senate floor after months of cancer treatment. He was terminal, in the last weeks of his life, but he found the energy to return one last time. Barry Goldwater, a man he had run against during a presidential election, a man who was always on the opposite side of any debate, crossed the aisle and embraced Humphrey in a bear hug that lasted a least two minutes, Senate decorum be damned. On national television. These two men, decade after decade, made the case for their beliefs, debated vigorously, but never lost each other's respect. Where has that gone?