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BBC listener responds to interview broadcast 3/7/07 in England
I live in the UK. I am an evangelical Christian.
I heard a radio article this morning on BBC radio about conservapedia as an alternative to wikipedia. Although the BBC is often liberal, I felt the item gave Conservapedia a fair hearing. Unfortunately, I was rather disappointed by some of your complaints against Wikipedia - direct from your representative's mouth. One of the main concerns seemed to be that Wikipedia use non-US English, and that it was anti-american in its editorial stance.
I have to be honest. As a non-American, I found the inference that US English was the higher form of our shared language to be somewhat offensive, and small minded. If Wikipedia choses to use standard English, how is that any more or less morally acceptable than a wiki that uses American English? I don't believe that American is any more God's special country than the UK, France, or even Nigeria could claim to be? Where does this superiority complex come from?
I am concerned that Conservapedia has missed the point that is is part of the www - WORLD wide web, not the American web. As a Christian, I welcome an alternative viewpoint to Wikipedia. I do not, however, relish the idea that Christian = proAmerican and that the only audience you are serving is American. I ask that you consider your worldwide audience/potential contributors. I would add, I'm not anti American - I've been to your country many times and have many friends there. I'm just not American.
I heard a radio article this morning on BBC radio about conservapedia as an alternative to wikipedia. Although the BBC is often liberal, I felt the item gave Conservapedia a fair hearing. Unfortunately, I was rather disappointed by some of your complaints against Wikipedia - direct from your representative's mouth. One of the main concerns seemed to be that Wikipedia use non-US English, and that it was anti-american in its editorial stance.
I have to be honest. As a non-American, I found the inference that US English was the higher form of our shared language to be somewhat offensive, and small minded. If Wikipedia choses to use standard English, how is that any more or less morally acceptable than a wiki that uses American English? I don't believe that American is any more God's special country than the UK, France, or even Nigeria could claim to be? Where does this superiority complex come from?
I am concerned that Conservapedia has missed the point that is is part of the www - WORLD wide web, not the American web. As a Christian, I welcome an alternative viewpoint to Wikipedia. I do not, however, relish the idea that Christian = proAmerican and that the only audience you are serving is American. I ask that you consider your worldwide audience/potential contributors. I would add, I'm not anti American - I've been to your country many times and have many friends there. I'm just not American.