#AccordingtoPalin

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.

The moon landing of Lance Armstrong shows what ordinary Americans can do when government just gets out of our way. #AccordingtoPalin

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) June 3, 2011

#AccordingToPalin Adolf Hitler didn't die at the end of World War II because she saw him in "Indiana Jones 3".

— J J Ortiz Carlo (@JJOrtizCarlo) June 10, 2011

#AccordingtoPalin "Palin's so angry with the Thatcher comment she has sworn she will never visit Switzerland again."http://bit.ly/iyYzOj

— Lisa Wines (@omyword) June 10, 2011

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

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

Search Interest

External References