-By Gary Krasner
If you thought the pro-Democrat company, Google, was the only company actively tarnishing the name “Santorum” by showcasing a false definition of it, you can now add Wikipedia and Firefox browser to that list.
For several years and currently, if you Googled “Santorum”, you would get this as the FIRST entry out of over 2 million hits:
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Santorum
spreadingsantorum.com/
Santorum 1. The frothy mix of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the byproduct of anal sex.
2. Senator Rick Santorum.
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A gay activist, Dan Savage, created the website and the false definition. It is the only website that displays that erroneous definition. Google “defends” itself by disingenuously claiming a passive role. Yet Google has yet to explain why it gives it the top priority in its search results.
But now, there are other companies joining Google in the defamation campaign against Senator Rick Santorum.
Recently, I installed a Firefox browser extension called Wiktionary.
It allows the user to view a dictionary definition in a popup window for any word you highlight and click on.
On October 16th, I happened to be reading a news article about Santorium. My phone rang, so I highlighted a portion of the text so I would know where to resume my reading after the call. But when I returned to the article to resume, I was startled to read an obscene message.
Here is a screen picture of what I saw displayed when I highlighted the name “Santorum” while reading this article displayed in Firefox:
As you can see, the false definition is even more obscene than when you Google the name “Santorum.” Wiktionary doesn’t even identify Santorum as a person, or that the term was invented by a crank who hates Senator Santorum. There’s no indication whatsoever that this definition is false, or intended as humor.
Just to be sure this was intentional by Wikipedia, I went to this link http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/santorum and this was displayed:
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Etymology:
The sense “byproduct of anal sex” was coined in 2003 by sex-advice columnist Dan Savage, based on the last name of Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum.
Noun:
santorum (uncountable)
(sex, slang, derogatory) A frothy mixture of lubricant and fecal matter as an occasional byproduct of anal sex.
(slang, derogatory) Shit: rubbish, worthless matter, nonsense, bull.
This page was last modified on 1 October 2011, at 09:33.
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As you can see, it’s the same definition that’s displayed by the Wiktionary Firefox extension, except here you can read the etymology of the term. Although there’s no indication that the fabricated term is erroneous.
WHY IS THIS DIFFERENT?
Because as lame as Google’s excuse was for displaying Dan Savage’s FALSE definition of “Santorum” first among millions of search hits, Google could at least claim that it displayed it among many other links that correctly identified “Santorum” as a distinguished former US senator, as well as stories explaining the libelous false definition created by one despicable individual.
But as you can see in the screen photo, this Wiktionary Firefox extension displays just one definition of “Santorum”—–the false and obscene one. How many other words in Wiktionary are false!? I didn’t wish to take a chance. I cannot trust a dictionary that has false definitions of words among the accurate ones. How would I know which ones are false? I removed that useless extension. And I remain very disappointed with Firefox browser for not warning users that this extension is bad on so many levels.
WHY IS THIS ISSUE IMPORTANT?
Because when you read the definition displayed by Wiktionary Firefox extension, you expect to see an accurate definition. Not a parody. Not a false one intended to defame an individual. Most young people would not have known it’s a false definition. Even I would have been fooled, had I not already been suspicious of the partisan leanings of google and Wikipedia.
This is also a modern version of libel—-to knowingly diseminate false information with the intent to injure or defame. Except it doesn’t seem to be illegal. At least Google and Wikipedia seem to be getting away with it.
What is cowardly and immoral about their actions is that if they had good arguments to rebut Santorum on gay issues, then that would be acceptable to publish. But apparently they don’t have credible arguments.
Moreover, to propagate false information—-without indicating that it’s false—-is intellectually dishonest. Millions of people rely on Google and Wikipedia for accurate information. This is but one of many examples where that reliance would be a mistake. Rather than discrediting Santorum, this adolescent undertaking by these supposed information companies undermines their credibility.
Adults are role models to the young. We would frown upon such invective antics if it were their handiwork. But the heads of Google and Wikipedia are adults who should know better. They should behave like adults.
Parents who wish to uninstall the Wiktionary extension to protect their children from viewing obscenities will also be uninstalling the handy Google language translator. The two extensions are bundled together and can’t be separated.