You know, and I know that Wikipedia is one of the most important information sources on the net. We also know that it is notoriously unreliable where disputed issues are concerned. Math? Science? Great! History of the Arab/Israeli conflict? Tread with extreme caution. While Wikipedia claims to address "preventing unregistered users from entering wrong information," it is actually subject to a sustained campaign – done delicately but consistently – in re-writing the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Thing is, not everyone is as smart as you and I, and Wikipedia will remain an extremely influential source of information into the foreseeable future. Extremely.

For all its pretensions to objectivity, it is of course fatally flawed and is subject to the same group-think any community will become subject to. It trends automatically to favoring the viewpoint of people with nothing else to do but sit around their apartments, do bong hits and philosophize over details. You'll either get people editing and arguing over entries who 1) Have nothing better to do, 2) Are "scholars" with lots of time on their hands (what kind of scholars do you suppose those are?), 3) People who are paid to spend their time on it or 4) Islamists and Lefties who found out that Wikipedia is the world's most important information bank – that it comes in "neutral" costume and they can use it to spread their propaganda. I know one of the Wikipedia administrators is a radical Marxist who believes in violent revolution, a terror apologist, and a person who never misses an opportunity to bash Israel, the USA and the West in general like he was a wind-up Chomsky-bot, at least he was when I knew him (His next "scholarly" plan was going to be an effort to show that Stalin's starvation of millions of Ukranians was actually performed by Hitler and blamed on Stalin). You think I exaggerate? I know how it sounds, but it's a straight-up fact and stranger above all for that reason alone. That's the kind of person with extreme influence there, and the type you need to suck up to to get anything done. Wikipedia, despite its egalitarian pretense is actually a very hierarchical system with some users having far greater influence and a system of "police", prosecutors and Judges and even a supreme court who kicks out users who don't fit the "wikipedia mentality." The head of the Wikipedia "supreme court" is a person admitted to be "Anti-Zionist."

One would think, taking anti-Israel bias as a for-instance, that there would be some Hasbara group that would invest a little in setting out some people to take up Wikipedia as a hobby. The trouble is that there's no way to brand this work and use it to get more donations. There's no up-side to doing it for the company -- no way to self-promote. And forget the Israeli government. It took them seven years for even a segment of the government to call BS on the Al Durah hoax. They are clueless. On the other hand, I guarantee there are people out there, Arab Nationalists, maybe set up in university here, who make it their business to get Wikipedia to represent their narrative in their way. The effect over a young generation of Americans is disastrous.

I have gotten, time and again, emails from people asking me to get involved in editing Wikipedia, or organize some sort of effort -- a very difficult process. Here's the thing: I have a life, and I have a blog, and not always in that order. It ain't happening. I have never edited at Wikipedia, know nothing about it other than what others have told me, and never will have the time to do so.

This is my one and only foray into the matter just so I don't get bugged about it anymore (and I agree with the emailers, it's very important, there's just nothing I can do about it). Here's what's up. If you feel that you can dedicate some time to this effort -- of keeping Wikipedia honest with regard to Israel, the USA and the West -- then please send me an email with your contact and I will pass it on to...someone who will start organizing. Maybe you can even be that person (that's how nascent this thing is). I am not and will not be the organizer. I don't have time but this group needs a leader.

There is one condition. The first condition is that, at least to start, I have to know who you are (you have already been a regular emailer, or you are an established blogger or somesuch), or you have to be recommended by someone I can check you out with. It should be obvious why this is necessary. My email is solomon -at- solomonia daught com.

I conclude here with one thing. It's said there's no delusion like self-delusion. I am not looking for counter-propagandists. I'm looking for people who will bring a standard of truth and honesty with them. That's all we need. Interested?

Below you will find assembled some stuff from a couple of emails I received from the latest person to pester me on this. It's a good backgrounder on some of the issues, though I'm not going to edit it much at all, so you'll have some sifting to do. If you read through it it will serve as a very effective motivator I think. [Everything below this line is quoted text.]

Several years ago there was a famous case in Wikipedia.

An editor known as Lance6Wins was removed from Wikipedia for what they claim were his pro-Israel edit. In fact he tried to balance the blatant wikipedia anti-Israel and anti-west bias.

See here and here.

To this day, it is not known who Lance6wins is. lance had his 7th win since that time...

There was previous wikipedia editor known as "onevoice" - who was active in articles such as "Muhammad al-dura" and "amin Husseini" - it was suspected that Lance6Wins is one voice although this was never proven. Lance also edited from IP addresses which resolve to areas in eastern seaboard (MD, PA)

Lance is obviously a bicycle fan which makes me think Charles from LGF maybe Lance. [It's not, and Charles is on the Left coast. -S]

Charles has been getting death threats - which he claim have arrived from a person called Inayat Bunglawala.

I have been looking at the Inayat Bunglawala entry on Wikipedia and there is a new Wikipedia editor name "tarc" - who clearly is a Muslim and have strong anti-west, anti Israel, pro-Hezbollah views. "Tarc" has been defending Inayat Bunglawala fiercely on wikipedia (also here and here.

It seems to me Lance6Wins - whether he is Charles or not - should know about it and return to wikipedia under a new name.

I also would like to see you and Charles issue a call to your readers to become more active in wikipedia but they should organize in some small groups since the islamists are very organize there and wikipedia a group of 4 can always out-edit a group of 3....

So can you issue either on overt call (or by e-mail to people who can get to Charles) for lance6Wins to come back and bring an army of editors with him ?

[Further:]

I don't know if you understand the level in which the other side invest in wikipedia.

Here is an example:

About a month ago a "new" user added himself to wikipedia.

(you will see why "new" is in a minute)

He immediately started to add anti-Israel edits on a large scale:

added this section:

Link

His second edit shows he clearly knows the wikipedia methods of creating references:

Link

No doubt he is violating wikipedia policy in using more than one ID. He has been an experienced wikipedia editor. Maybe had a run in with the wikipedia police - there were few Pro-Palestinian editors who had problems - they were not kicked out (like the pro-Israelis always end up) but they may wanted a new clean slate with no history so that they can work without drawing attention.

and indeed he continues:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Arab-Israeli_War#Demographic_outcome

in which he removed the explanation of why the UN refugee number was too high

Link (he removed the data about duplicated ration card etc..)

removing references to Jews being deported from Arab lands

Link (he claims this is biased and non relevant)

and this guy goes on and on - Huge amount of re-writing of history.

His English is impeccable. He works almost around the clock. Don't underestimate this is a full time job of a scholar who is re-wring history and most likely paid by the Palestinians:

Link

Biased data he entered:

Link

and when a neutral editor tried to remove it:

Link

our guy immediately restore it:

Link (while also making a reference to plan-dalet - (so called the master plan of the ethnic cleansing)

He is quick and accurate and causing huge damage to how the history of the conflict is recorded in the most important encyclopedia in the world.

If you are not familiar with Wikipedia just read these articles to see how much the left-anti-Israel bias has gone deep, yet presented as a sugar coated "neutrality" which accept anti-Israel views as Facts and reduce to a minimum any facts which puts the other side in bad light. For example see the article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Amin_al-Husayni - see how being one of the ideologists and propagandist in exterminating the Jews is ignored. The other side was also able to remove from the article, all his photos with Nazis and Hitler by using an argument of "violation of copyright" (they know the rules and use them to their advantage). However all those photos are of course public domain now but I wish you luck in trying to convince Wikipedia that they are. (check this out: YouTube)

If you are already familiar with Wikipedia, here is a link for contributions of two of the most anti-influential editors:

Link - pro style writer who is pushing the views of Ilan Pappe and Norman Finklstein as the reference for Wikipedia articles and removing any balancing facts that actually put the history of the conflict in a more neutral light.

Link - (years of delicately introducing bias against Israel)

And here are few of those who focus not only on Israel but also on Islam:

Link

Link

There is a whole army of them ready to jump in on any article in which Jihad is mentioned as anything but "inner struggle" (you thought it means "holy war" – you are wrong…. Don't take my word for it read wikipedia: Link

Here are some of the Wikipedia articles in need of attention:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1929_Palestine_riots

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Palestinian_exodus needs to mirror: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_exodus_from_Arab_lands

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_right_of_return

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegations_of_Israeli_apartheid - currently locked due to edit disputes...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_refugees

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_Civil_War_%281947-1948%29 - what the fuck is this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Arab-Israeli_War

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_people look for similar article on the "jewish people" - there is none.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_textbooks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Amin_al-Husayni - an all time favorite for the Islamists ...they even misspell his name in the article trying to make it harder for people to find him in wkipedia and they were able to remove from the article all his photos with Nazis and Hitler by using an argument of "violation of copyright" I refer to such photos which by now are all over the world in public domain but are not allowed on wikipedia:

YouTube link - this is a good review of his historic role - compare this to the article in Wikipedia (which lacks many details and is watered down)

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/muftihit.html

Image Search

Can you help find Lance and mobilize people? The thing about wikipedia is the Islamists and the left are well orgenized and control key parts of the wiki process. [Of course, there is no way to "find Lance," but an effort to motivate people to take an interest in the Wiki process is not impossible. -S]