Wikipedia edits its ’86 (term)’ page amid Gov. Whitmer’s alleged signaling for Trump’s assassination during TV interview…

On Oct 18, 2020, the Democratic governor appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” slamming President Trump’s response to the pandemic. In the background leaning on a plant pot you can see the digits “86 45”. Wikipedia decided to play politics and delete the fact that 86 could mean to kill someone.

Here’s the video interview where ’86 45′ is being displayed:

It didn’t take long for people to notice and even the Trump Campaign called out the Governor.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer displayed an "86 45" sign during her TV appearance.

86 can be shorthand for killing someone.

Whitmer is encouraging assassination attempts against President Trump just weeks after someone sent a ricin-laced package to the White House. pic.twitter.com/GzvtrjH40A

— Trump War Room – Text TRUMP to 88022 (@TrumpWarRoom) October 18, 2020

In my opinion I would not mind that I love that number also in my opinion know body would miss him

— Mike rauch (@mrauch902) October 19, 2020

pic.twitter.com/xkhEk24moJ

— Phil Jenkins (@PhilJenkins19) October 19, 2020

The 86 term can be used in multiple instances, but many know that it can also mean to kill/murder someone, such as the urban dictionary definition stating:

To get rid of, originally for killing someone. The phrase “80 miles out and 6 feet under” was reserved for someone who had to dig their own grave 80 miles from civilization and then get shot execution-style. All terms for 86’d originated from this, be it alcohol or eliminating.

Just last week (October 13th,2020) in an archived page of Wikipedia, the following text describing what the 86 term meant was displayed at the top of the page:

Eighty-six, eighty-sixed, 86ed, or 86’d is American English slang for canceling something, killing someone, getting rid of something (by burying it), ejecting someone, or refusing service.

Now after the Trump campaign called out Whitmer for “encouraging assassination attempts against President Trump”, Wikipedia has slickly edited this page and removed the above reference and instead changed it to the following:

Eighty-six or 86 is American English slang, meaning, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, “to eject or debar (a person) from premises; to reject or abandon”.[1] It is used in food and drink services to indicate that an item is no longer available or that a customer should be ejected.[2] Outside this context, the term is generally used with the meaning to ‘get rid of’ someone or something.[2] There are many theories about the origin of the term but none are certain. It seems to have originated in the 1920s or 1930s.

And as of this writing, they seem to have posted a message saying they are considering removing the page all together:

In fact, Wikipedia had additional examples of the term “86” where it still meant to kill someone going back to at least 2010, where it states:

Whether it was the catalyst that propelled ’86’ into American culture, or just helped reinforce it, Gore Vidal’s play Visit to a Small Planet[3] was a well received comedy where the main character uses the command number “86” numerous times to destroy things. The play was first shown on the Goodyear Television Playhouse in 1955 as a television play, then in February 8, 1957 New York Times Theatre review describes the play, that ran for 388 performances, as;

…As a writer of comedy, Gore Vidal is foolish and funny, and his “Visit to a Small Planet,” which opened at the Booth last evening, is uproarious.

Then, in the late Winter of 1960, the popular play was released on the silver screen: Visit to a Small Planet, starring Jerry Lewis was released, as well as re-released in 1966 on a double billing. Jerry Lewis plays the part of Kreton, an alien with special powers. To activate his powers, he used number commands, one of which was 86, and that destroyed things. He kills a plant by saying 86 and later threatens to kill a guy with the same command number. This forever engraved “86” into the minds of the baby boomers and generations to come.[4]

Whitmers spokesperson responded to the claim with the following statement: “The silly season is officially here. It’s pretty clear nobody in the Trump campaign has ever worked a food service job”. While her intentions are unclear, there is no doubt that by her displaying “86 45” in the background, wack-jobs could be motivated and take action by interpreting it the wrong way.