Wikipedia Blocks 'Disruptive' Edits From US Congress 165
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.
Wikipedia Never Bans Vandals? (Score:5, Insightful)
Wikipedia does not ban people who repeatedly vandalise their site, over a period of years?
Chris Hedges (Score:5, 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
Sad (Score:5, 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.
Re:I take offense! (Score:5, 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.
Supervise Your Children (Score:4, Insightful)
""Out of over 9,000 staffers in the House, should we really be banning this whole IP range based on the actions of two or three? "
Yes. It may get the attention of the guilty parties. I, for one, want to see the exact identification of that House representative, the office guilty of this ongoing abuse. Name names, cowards!
Re:I take offense! (Score:3, Insightful)
"That filter might be a little too restrictive; you'd only see your own edits."
That's how Republicans like it.
Re:I take offense! (Score:4, Insightful)
And in 50 years, we'll be putting people into positions of power who believe something that is a very fashionable idea in 2014. No idea what it will be, but since we pick our leadership from among the elderly, and develop our ideas of what's good, right and proper during our youth, it's inevitable.
Note also, for reference, the "Buffalo Soldiers". They were around from the end of the Civil War (formed in 1866). There were Negro regiments during the Civil War as well.
It should be noted also that the 9th and 10th Cavalry, as well as other Negro regiments existed through WW2 until the military was integrated during the Korean War (considerably before the rest of US society).
Misdirection and slight of hand (Wiki Style) (Score:4, Insightful)
You should probably look at *all the other edits* to articles made around and during the vandalism spree.