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The Midwest and Mr. Obama
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The account of the Findlay, Ohio, man who is torn between believing what the media report about the life of Sen. Barack Obama, on one hand, and the crazy allegations that are spread on the Internet and by word of mouth in that man's community, on the other hand, is a fascinating example of current sociopolitical anthropology.
Jim Peterman, the person mentioned, seems like a decent person, but apparently he hasn't yet figured out that information on the Internet must be vetted to discern what is reliable and what is gossip or misinformation.
That a story is repeated thousands of times on Web sites or in e-mail is less a test of truth than of the utility of the "cut-and-paste" or "forward" functions of computer software.
Teachers who give research assignments that include Web resources regularly help their students make such distinctions. Wikipedia does this beautifully, using the Internet itself as a self-correcting resource. Perhaps Mr. Peterman should consult Wikipedia about Mr. Obama's life and beliefs if he does not trust the popular media.
SHARON JO LYNCH
Silver Spring
