Letters

DREAMS OF GENEALOGY

"You need to be aware that all your ancestors have contributed to your existence, not just a few. And no one more than any other." KENNETH L. ARTISS Rockville, Md.

Thank you for bringing to the public's attention the incredible uses of the Internet for family history and genealogical research [FAMILY, April 19]. However, I take issue with the statement that genealogy is America's "latest obsession." Americans have always had a strong interest in genealogy. Perhaps it is because we still regard ourselves as such a new people, and we are seeking to prove our deep roots elsewhere. ROBERT S. DAVIS JR., DIRECTOR Family and Regional History Program Wallace State College Hanceville, Ala.

You sure were right when you said the Internet has expanded the horizons of genealogy. After years of dusty libraries, discussions with relatives who have now passed away and even a visit to a church in Quebec, I was back only a few generations. But within hours of finding an e-mail on my wife's website, I had tracked back seven more generations, to France in the 1600s, and found relatives I hadn't known existed. We now have our own Buteau website and encourage one another coast to coast. EMILE JOHN BUTEAU Riverside, Ill.

I was appalled that your cover with an artist's rendition of our forebears showed only white people. This implies that American history was shaped exclusively by whites and that the rest of us somehow just happened along for the ride, like so much human ballast. Your cover was dishonest and irresponsible. TASHA HINTZE New York City

The Internet may be the newest and sexiest tool for historical researchers and genealogists, but it is also the most corruptible. The data are not certified, are sometimes inaccurate and can easily be created out of thin air. On the other hand, its greatest asset is speed. The research process can be shortened from months to hours and maybe even minutes. But you should still go to Minot, N.D., for that crucial land deed or to Cresson, Pa., to find an old newspaper article. The Internet can act as a valuable lead to start research but not to finish it. CHRIS J. LEWIE Hilliard, Ohio

I have been searching for information about my grandmother's grandparents since 1990, and let me tell you, studying genealogy is fascinating, rewarding, frustrating, expensive and addictive. It requires great patience, creativity and organization. One thing it's not is easy! ELEANOR MERRITT Gainesville, Fla.

Through the Internet I was able to trace my Irish-African-American roots back to County Tipperary, Ireland, and I even found a cousin who now writes me from Ireland every week. I learned of a great-great-granduncle who was the child of a slave and fought in the Civil War. The African-American Genealogy Society is thrilled at all the information and stories its members collectively share. Putting all our pieces of paper in order has shown us the priceless wealth of knowledge we have in our possession--our ancestors--and we are wonderfully proud of our heritage. DENISE GRIGGS, CO-FOUNDER African-American Genealogy Society Sacramento, Calif.

The Website you gave for the Sutro Library in San Francisco is that of a private individual or research company that is unknown to the Sutro Library and is not affiliated in any way with it. We cannot endorse the quality of research done by this entity. Also, the Sutro Library is not in a position to do genealogical research for individuals. Rather, we provide the resources and let the researchers have the pleasure of discovering their own family history. The California History Section in Sacramento provides genealogical information on Californians. The website is www.lib.state.ca.us. GARY F. KURUTZ, PRINCIPAL LIBRARIAN Special Collections Branch California State Library Sacramento, Calif.

KOSOVO: LOOKING FOR OPTIONS

NATO should have sent 10,000 well-trained, well-armed, air-protected parachutists into Belgrade at night and abducted Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic [KOSOVO CRISIS, April 19]. Then he could have been shipped to the Hague for justice and the gallows. This would have earned fear and respect from North Korea, Libya, Iraq and other sore spots. Believe me, Milosevic is not afraid of an impeached President or his Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. CHARLES M. NEWTON New York City

In light of the continuing atrocities being committed against the ethnic Albanians, NATO should give a 48-hour ultimatum to Milosevic: the Serbs must withdraw all their forces from Kosovo and allow NATO peacekeepers immediate and unopposed access to protect the ethnic Albanians. If the Serbs refuse, they will suffer the massive fire bombing of Belgrade and other cities. This may seem draconian to some, but allowing the rape, pillage and slaughter to continue is even more so. ROGER CHAPIN San Diego

The generals' obsession to win the war is deplorable. Now is the time to realize that there will be no winners in Kosovo. As Georges Clemenceau reportedly said, "War is too serious a thing to entrust to military men." KAZIK RASSALSKI Auckland

You noted that "250 tons of food per day is being consumed by refugees." Back in 1948, when we instituted the Berlin airlift, 4,000 tons of supplies per day were delivered to besieged Berliners. The Allies kept it up for months, and no one seemed concerned back then about an "exit strategy." It was simply the humane thing to do. VINCE DANCA Rockford, Ill.

Like Don Quixote, Clinton has galloped into a situation and is only making things worse for those he wanted to help. NICK MAROUDAS Haifa, Israel

This war is not between Milosevic and NATO; it is between the Serbs and the attacking forces. There is no foreseeable hope for democracy in Yugoslavia because of this war. The U.S. and NATO have gone too far. Citizens throughout the world should exercise their democratic rights and stop this political-military-media machine before it is too late. PREDRAG MAKSIMOVICH Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

COST OF HONG KONG'S AIRPORT

In your article on Sir Norman Foster's winning the Pritzker Prize [ARCHITECTURE, April 19], you referred to his "$20 billion design" for Hong Kong's new airport at Chek Lap Kok. That figure is the total cost of all 10 projects built under the airport's core program. The cost of the airport itself was $9 billion. JOHN CHUAN Chief Information Officer Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office New York City

THE MEME-ING OF LIFE

Richard Dawkins discussed memes, the self-replicating units of culture [IDEAS, April 19], and mentioned a variety of nontechnical books and Web pages about them. But he neglected to take note of any of the highly technical and mathematical expressions of meme theory. This leaves the meme open to the charge of "cocktail-party science," while keeping Dawkins' prized achievement in selfish-gene theory on safer sociological ground. This should surprise no one familiar with the areas of rivalry between proponents of the two theories. AARON LYNCH Chicago

Memetics? I say it's evolutheobabble! SANDRA RINI Hebron, Conn.