Lakeland

• Internet myths?

The retired general in Sunday’s letters puts forth the idea that Hamas will benefit from the money being allocated to “U.S. Governmental Organizations” for “unexpected needs by refugees in the Gaza strip”.

The general states: “Few on Capitol Hill took note that the order provides a free ticket replete with housing and food allowances to individuals who have displayed their overwhelming support of the Islamic Resistance movement (Hamas) in the parliamentary election of January 2006.” Nothing like this is stated in the Presidential Order published in Federal Register. The truth is, until we actually go and find the truth ourselves, nothing told to us is absolutely true, anyone can tell you anything, but you cannot make something true that isn’t.

The writers of such letters and articles that perpetuate the Internet myth, are taking advantage of our patriotism and belief that we are a powerful and strong nation. We want to believe the words of a general because he has a title deserving respect. But he tells you himself, he did not research what he wrote, someone “told him” based on an e-mail from an unidentified, unofficial source.

Do we want to be a nation of people who blindly follow and trust everything we hear just because it follows along with what we want to believe? Personally, I’d rather have the facts and the truth.     

The “official” sources of information from the Federal Government are the following Web sites, the address for the Federal register: www.access.gpo.gov/index.html. Bills in the Senate or the House: http://thomas.loc.gov/. The Web site advertised by the general is not a primary “official” source for government information. It is a subscription service provided by a private company, not affiliated with the government.

Patricia Stone

Valdosta

• A burden of debt