Online Conservapedia pitched as conservative alternative to Wikipedia

[question everything]

chicagotribune.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/site/premium/access-registered.intercept

Online Conservapedia pitched as conservative alternative to Wikipedia

By John Cotey
St. Petersburg Times

April 3, 2007

The mainstream media, or MSM, has been a favorite target of conservatives, but it is not alone. Welcome to the Web site Conservapedia.com, founded by Andrew Schlafly, son of conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly. The site describes itself as "a much-needed alternative to Wikipedia, which is increasingly anti-Christian and anti-American."

Even when the heart of the definition is the same, Wikipedia and Conservapedia differ on the delivery. What follows are excerpts from both sites.

(snip)


On evolution

Wikipedia: Evolution has left numerous signs of the histories of different species. Fossils, along with the comparative anatomy of present-day organisms, constitute the morphological, or anatomical, record.

Conservapedia: The current scientific community consensus is no guarantee of truth. The history of science shows many examples where the scientific community consensus was in error or currently has little or no empirical basis.


(snip)


On the Scopes Trial

Wikipedia: After eight days of trial, it took the jury only nine minutes to deliberate. Scopes was found guilty on July 21 and ordered to pay a $100 fine. Bryan offered to pay it.

Conservapedia: Thanks to Bryan's victory in the Scopes trial, Tennessee voters have been educated without oppressive evolution theory for 75 years. Free from the liberal indoctrination, Tennessee voted against native son Al Gore in the 2000 Presidential election probably the only time a candidate has lost the Presidency due to losing his home state.

[ComerPerro]

1. at least with conservapedia you know what you're getting

wiki is great for some areas, but in areas that draw lots of debate, Wiki is only really a good source for what some people think about something, and it can change from day to day. Colbert proved that weakness.

But conservapedia, damn. Its pathetic that they have to create their own reality.

[Kelly Rupert]

3. In areas that draw lots of debate, actually,

is where Wiki is the most stable.

[ComerPerro]

4. maybe they've cracked down on changes

used to be you could find different entries on global warming almost daily

[Kelly Rupert]

5. They've gotten much better at that as of late,

at least from what I've seen. It's in the more-obscure corners that you'll find nonsense like that.

[rpannier]

2. It's interesting how they link two totally unrelated topics into one paragraph, as if they really do

have something to do with each other.

[Lint Head]

6. If Conservapedia can be updated like Wiki...

we should add our comments. All you have to add is the truth. The Re-Pubic-Rats would eventually give up. I love it. It's so subversive. :dem:

[ConsAreLiars]

7. Why are you promoting that nonsense?

You think they need more publicity? You can find idiots everywhere, but that is no reason to serve as PR agents for them.

(edit to fix typos)

[question everything]

8. For the same reason that every week we have the 10th idiots

list?

We need to know what they are doing, to understand their paranoia - that everything which does not conform to their tunnel vision is "liberal."

Isn't it interesting that every single freeper who publishes a book runs to appear at Jon Stewart?

[ieoeja]

10. I love touting FR.

I love directing swing voters to FR. To they're usual response, "Democrats have their nutjobs as well," I point them to news stories about high-ranking Republicans attending FR meetings to show them that FR is *not* just a bunch of out-of-touch Rightist wackos. They are mainstream Rightism at this moment in history.

And I will certainly be adding Conservapedia to the list of websites I recommend be read by sane independants. Extreme Rightists are the best propaganda tool we have!

[Robbien]

9. everthing that is not conservative is liberal meme

Wikipedia is the standard. There is no liberal comparable site. Now that they set up a far right rabid site, they took out their labeling gun and stuck a great big liberal sign up on Wiki.

[ieoeja]

11. Conservapedia is conservative alternative to Reality.

My standard reply to the accusation of liberal bias in the news media is, "would you rather they lied?"

I believe I will now start following that up with, "just look at conservapedia dot com someday and you will see what I mean".