Myths that need some debunking

Centuries ago the vast majority of the world's population was convinced that the earth was flat. Centuries ago most of the world believed that the planet Earth was the center of the universe and the sun and the other planets revolved around it and to say otherwise was downright heresy (if you don't believe me, just ask Galileo). Now, such beliefs appear downright ludicrous to us. However, on a smaller scale in modern U.S. culture we have our popular myths and misconceptions as well. Some of the following revelations may be as hard for some to swallow as the round Earth concept was for others, once upon a time. Don't worry; the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa are absolutely safe -- at least in this article. <!--break--> Myth No. 1: Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. Fact: Although our textbooks, encyclopedias, dictionaries and classic movies promote this notion, Thomas Edison is not the inventor of the light bulb. Joseph Swan, a British inventor, obtained the first patent for the same light bulb in Britain one year prior to Edison's 1879 patent date. Swan even showed off his electric light in New Castle, England, 10 years before Edison astounded the world with his light bulb. Swan eventually took Edison to court for patent infringement. The British Courts stood by their patent award for the light bulb to Swan, and Edison lost the suit. Myth No. 2: Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Fact: In spite of Don Ameche's riveting portrayal of Bell in the 1940s film, Antonio Meucci was the real inventor of the telephone. Meucci, a poor Italian immigrant, developed at least 30 different models of the telephone from 1850 to 1862. Although he was too poor to protect his invention with a patent (the cost would have been $250, which he did not have) he did manage to obtain a cheaper official document called a "Caveat" (in 1871) stating his paternity of the invention. After the sale of the old prototypes, in 1874, he handed some new models to the vice president of Western Union Telegraphs. Imagine Antonio Meucci's surprise when, in 1876, he read in the newspapers that Alexander Graham Bell was credited with his invention. In 1887 the judges annulled Bell's patent, but since Meucci's 1871 Caveat had expired, he was never credited for the invention. He died a poor man two years later in New York City. Ironically, in downtown Boston, a monument marks the spot where the "first" phone call (supposedly by Bell) was said to have taken place. This story does have somewhat of a happy ending. On June 15, 2002, the U.S. Congress officially recognized Antonio Meucci as the true inventor of the telephone. Myth No. 3: Ethnic minorities have been the greatest beneficiaries of affirmative action programs and policies. Fact: Although ethnic minorities have greatly benefited from affirmative action policies, white women, statistically, have benefited more than any other group from affirmative action. Contrary to the popular notion that it rewards the "unqualified," affirmative action acknowledges the historical and present institutional and social barriers (discrimination, racism, sexism, etc.) that have hindered qualified applicants from receiving fair and equal opportunities. Education (and access to a quality education) being the primary factor in determining the qualifications of applicants for jobs, higher education makes white women number one on the affirmative action benefit list. How? Affirmative action became a legal and social reality at the same time the feminist movement began to hit its stride. Many women (predominantly white women) who had been housewives and stay-at-home mothers (many of them were also college-educated) began to redefine themselves and enter the work force to pursue careers. Also the rising number of divorces compelled many white women to seek employment and continuing education. The same affirmative action programs that sought to rectify racial bias, strove to remedy gender bias as well. Myth No. 4: Henry Ford invented the automobile. Fact: Although Henry Ford invented the first assembly line automobile (the Model T) in 1896, Karl Benz (that's right ... of Mercedes-Benz) invented the first automobile in 1885 in Germany. As a matter of fact, Henry Ford wasn't even the first American to invent the automobile. George B. Seldon received he first U.S. patent for the automobile in 1895, one year before the Model T rolled off the Ford assembly line. Myth No. 5: Most welfare recipients are African-American women. Fact: Children, not women, are the largest group of people receiving public assistance. Less than 5 million of the 14 million public assistance recipients are adults, and 90 percent of those adults are women. The majority of the welfare recipients are white. The stereotype of the black "welfare queen" has been played over and over again in the American media, causing unwarranted criticism of African-American women and the African-American community as a whole. As promised, our cherished childhood fables went totally unscathed in this composition. However, there is something dangerous about certain falsehoods. As we erroneously lift someone to the mountaintops of hero-worship, we are simultaneously submerging the true genius or innovator into the sea of obscurity. When we attribute credit or blame where it does not belong, some individual or group, wrongly enjoys the benefits of the hero or the humiliation of the goat.

<p>Centuries ago the vast majority of the world's population was convinced that the earth was flat. Centuries ago most of the world believed that the planet Earth was the center of the universe and the sun and the other planets revolved around it and to say otherwise was downright heresy (if you don't believe me, just ask Galileo).<br /> Now, such beliefs appear downright ludicrous to us. However, on a smaller scale in modern U.S. culture we have our popular myths and misconceptions as well. Some of the following revelations may be as hard for some to swallow as the round Earth concept was for others, once upon a time. Don't worry; the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa are absolutely safe -- at least in this article.</p> <!--break--><p>Myth No. 1: Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.</p> <p>Fact: Although our textbooks, encyclopedias, dictionaries and classic movies promote this notion, Thomas Edison is not the inventor of the light bulb. Joseph Swan, a British inventor, obtained the first patent for the same light bulb in Britain one year prior to Edison's 1879 patent date. Swan even showed off his electric light in New Castle, England, 10 years before Edison astounded the world with his light bulb. Swan eventually took Edison to court for patent infringement. The British Courts stood by their patent award for the light bulb to Swan, and Edison lost the suit.</p> <p>Myth No. 2: Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.</p> <p>Fact: In spite of Don Ameche's riveting portrayal of Bell in the 1940s film, Antonio Meucci was the real inventor of the telephone. Meucci, a poor Italian immigrant, developed at least 30 different models of the telephone from 1850 to 1862. Although he was too poor to protect his invention with a patent (the cost would have been $250, which he did not have) he did manage to obtain a cheaper official document called a "Caveat" (in 1871) stating his paternity of the invention. After the sale of the old prototypes, in 1874, he handed some new models to the vice president of Western Union Telegraphs. Imagine Antonio Meucci's surprise when, in 1876, he read in the newspapers that Alexander Graham Bell was credited with his invention. In 1887 the judges annulled Bell's patent, but since Meucci's 1871 Caveat had expired, he was never credited for the invention. He died a poor man two years later in New York City. Ironically, in downtown Boston, a monument marks the spot where the "first" phone call (supposedly by Bell) was said to have taken place. This story does have somewhat of a happy ending. On June 15, 2002, the U.S. Congress officially recognized Antonio Meucci as the true inventor of the telephone.</p> <p>Myth No. 3: Ethnic minorities have been the greatest beneficiaries of affirmative action programs and policies.</p> <p>Fact: Although ethnic minorities have greatly benefited from affirmative action policies, white women, statistically, have benefited more than any other group from affirmative action. Contrary to the popular notion that it rewards the "unqualified," affirmative action acknowledges the historical and present institutional and social barriers (discrimination, racism, sexism, etc.) that have hindered qualified applicants from receiving fair and equal opportunities. Education (and access to a quality education) being the primary factor in determining the qualifications of applicants for jobs, higher education makes white women number one on the affirmative action benefit list. How? Affirmative action became a legal and social reality at the same time the feminist movement began to hit its stride. Many women (predominantly white women) who had been housewives and stay-at-home mothers (many of them were also college-educated) began to redefine themselves and enter the work force to pursue careers. Also the rising number of divorces compelled many white women to seek employment and continuing education. The same affirmative action programs that sought to rectify racial bias, strove to remedy gender bias as well.</p> <p>Myth No. 4: Henry Ford invented the automobile.</p> <p>Fact: Although Henry Ford invented the first assembly line automobile (the Model T) in 1896, Karl Benz (that's right ... of Mercedes-Benz) invented the first automobile in 1885 in Germany. As a matter of fact, Henry Ford wasn't even the first American to invent the automobile. George B. Seldon received he first U.S. patent for the automobile in 1895, one year before the Model T rolled off the Ford assembly line.<br /> Myth No. 5: Most welfare recipients are African-American women.<br /> Fact: Children, not women, are the largest group of people receiving public assistance. Less than 5 million of the 14 million public assistance recipients are adults, and 90 percent of those adults are women. The majority of the welfare recipients are white. The stereotype of the black "welfare queen" has been played over and over again in the American media, causing unwarranted criticism of African-American women and the African-American community as a whole.</p> <p>As promised, our cherished childhood fables went totally unscathed in this composition. However, there is something dangerous about certain falsehoods. As we erroneously lift someone to the mountaintops of hero-worship, we are simultaneously submerging the true genius or innovator into the sea of obscurity.</p> <p>When we attribute credit or blame where it does not belong, some individual or group, wrongly enjoys the benefits of the hero or the humiliation of the goat.</p>