#AccordingtoPalin

#AccordingtoPalin

Part of a series on Sarah Palin. [View Related Entries]

Updated Jul 05, 2012 at 11:02AM EDT by Brad.

Added Jun 10, 2011 at 10:32AM EDT by Don.

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Overview

#AccordingtoPalin is a Twitter hashtag used to preface an ignorant, historically non-factual claim in jest. It is meant to satirize Sarah Palin's inaccurate description of American patriot Paul Revere's heroic "Midnight Ride" in the early stage of the Revolutionary War. See also: #NotIntendedtobeAFactualStatement and #PalinRapFacts.

Background

During Sarah Palin's visit to Boston on June 2nd, 2011, the former Alaskan governor was met with a news reporter from WHDH News and gave a false rendition of Paul Revere's "midnight ride" in the days leading up to the American Revolution.



Sarah Palin: We saw where Paul Revere hung out as a teenager, which was something new to learn. And, you know, he who warned the British that they weren't going to be taking away our arms by ringing those bells and making sure, as he is riding his horse through town, to send those warning shots and bells, that we were going to be secure and we were going to be free.


The interview segment was picked up by late night cable pundits, namely Jon Stewart who launched the Twitter hashtag campaign #AccordingtoPalin to satirize Palin's inconsistent understanding of American history. Following the news media's scrutiny, it became evident that Revere never shouted the phrase "the British are coming!" as "his mission depended on secrecy from the local British army patrols and Massachusetts colonists who still considered themselves loyal to Britain."

Notable Developments

The Daily Show: #AccordingToPalin

On June 3rd, staff at Comedy Central's The Daily Show began tweeting false historical claims ending with the hashtag #AccordingToPalin, which was soon picked up by more than 1,900 followers.




News Media Coverage

The story was picked up by major news media outlets, including HuffingtonPost[3], CNET News[2], Washington Post[4], Wired Magazine[5], Computer World[6] and TIME[7] among others. BoingBoing[11] also published the story, adding this doctored image of Paul Revere apparently wearing a facepalm.



Wikipedia Page Edit


Myths and legends In his poem, Longfellow took many liberties with the events of the evening, most especially giving sole credit to Revere for the collective achievements of the three riders (as well as the other riders whose names do not survive to history). Longfellow also depicts the lantern signal in the Old North Church as meant for Revere and not from him, as was actually the case. Other inaccuracies include claiming that Revere rode triumphantly into Concord instead of Lexington, and a general lengthening of the time frame of the night's events. For a long time, though, historians of the American Revolution as well as textbook writers relied almost entirely on Longfellow's poem as historical evidence, creating substantial misconceptions in the minds of the American people. citation needed 20th century have attempted to demythologize Paul Revere almost to the point of marginalization. citation needed) that Revere was riding and successfully completed the first phase of his mission to warn Adams and Hancock. Other historians have since stressed his importance, including David Hackett Fischer in his 1995 book Paul Revere's Ride, an important scholarly study of Revere's role in the opening of the Revolution Paul Revere's house in Boston In re-examining the episode, some historians[who刁in the While it is true that Revere was not the only rider that night, that does not refute the fact

As the criticisms and argument against Palin's misconception continued in the media, a group of Palin's supporters apparently attempted to add the following passage into Paul Revere's Wikipedia page[8]:


"For a long time, though, historians of the American Revolution as well as textbook writers relied almost entirely on Longfellow's poem as historical evidence, creating substantial misconceptions in the minds of the American people. In re-examining the episode, some historians in the 20th century have attempted to demythologize Paul Revere almost to the point of marginalization. While it is true that Revere was not the only rider that night, that does not refute the fact that Revere was riding and successfully completed the first phase of his mission to warn Adams and Hancock."

This attempt at edit was first spotted on June 5th, 2011 by Twitter user @DarrelJames[9] and subsequently reblogged by Charles Johnson via Little Green Footballs[10], an American conservative politics blog.

On Twitter

#AccordingToPalin Adolf Hitler didn't die at the end of World War II because she saw him in "Indiana Jones 3".less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply


#AccordingtoPalin "Palin's so angry with the Thatcher comment she has sworn she will never visit Switzerland again." http://bit.ly/iyYzOjless than a minute ago via Seesmic Desktop Favorite Retweet Reply



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