Nowadays, there are number of ways of communicating political news to the general public including television, newspapers, magazines, blogs, radio shows, websites, etc. We're bombarded with information, some conflicting. At times, information is put out there by a secondary source and perhaps re-written over and over. We read it or hear it so often, we think it's true.
How do we know what's true when different views are presented?
There are three main ways, that together, help to verify information on your own:
1. Is it logical? That is, when you break it down, does all parts of the situation make logical sense.
2. Can you prove the article is accurate?
3. Go to the initial source, when possible.
It was rumored for months on blogs and web sites that Barack Obama wasn't born in Hawaii because (a.) no one could accurately verify his birth certificate, (b.) the local Hawaiian hospitals would not verify his birth. And (c.) his father was from Kenya, so it was thought he was born there. It was blogged that his birth certificate had been tampered with. President Obama insisted he was born to Ann Dunham Obama in Hawaii.
Problem is "what's the truth"?
1. Let's look at the logic. What everyone agrees upon is that Ann met Barack, Sr. at the University of Hawaii. They married, and Ann gave birth to Obama several months later. Does it make sense that, in 1961, a woman flies into Kenya just to give birth to her son in a hospital that does not live up to the standards of U.S. hospitals? Does it make sense that she would give birth and then immediately fly back? I would say, no.
2. Can we prove that Barack was born in Kenya or that the birth certificate was altered. At this time, no, because both items were considered hearsay.
3. What about the primary source? If Obama were born in Hawaii, how would we know other than trying to view the birth certificate and, as non-experts, try to figure out if it's official?
When babies are born, their births are announced in the local newspapers. I looked up the Honolulu Advertiser, and sure enough, on August 13, 1961, a brief announcement appeared, "Mr. & Mrs. Barack H. Obama, 6085 Kalanianaole Hwy, son Aug 4."
So, logic and investigating primary source material can turn up the truth. It may take more work, but in the end, you'll be correct.