When the Legend Becomes Fact

The mis-attribution of quotes certainly didn't start with the Internet. There can be little doubt, though, that the web's way of granting immortality to things that should be fleeting has ramped it up considerably.

Usually, these spurious sayings are used for tiresome political posturing, but sometimes they apply to things of real meaning. Sometimes, you even find a quote that's impossible to verify but so compelling you feel obliged to pass it along. My favorite is a quote repeatedly attributed to actor Billy Dee Williams despite the fact that no one can identify the source.

Responding to criticism of his famous appearances in ads for Colt 45 malt liquor, Williams supposedly responded, "I drink, you drink. Hell, if marijuana was legal, I'd appear in a commercial for that too." Did Williams really say that? Does it matter? According to a famous movie quote that I saw on the Internet, "when the legend becomes fact, print the legend."