Knocking down the untruths, one at a time

In The New Republic, The New Right-Wing Smear Machine, about a mangled story about Hillary Clinton and some Gold Star Mothers that's been repeated over and over until lots of folks believe it.
Included, background on other untruths, rumors and lies that have been constantly disproved but are still forwarded on emails, etc.
How do you stop things like that? The story mentions Snopes.com's constant battle against prevalent rumors, and the Web site set up by

Mike D'Asto, a 29-year-old assistant cameraman living in New York, [who] received so many forwards from his conservative father he started a blog called MyRightWingDad.net, where he shares them with other unwitting recipients. "I suddenly have connected to all these people who receive these right-wing forwards from their brothers-in-law," D'Asto told me. "Surprisingly, a very large number of people receive these."

One of those rumors not mentioned in this story is the one about the Clinton White House, and the supposed banning of military uniforms there (by Hillary, of course). Someone I love has recently insisted it's true.

Well, let's see: In 1993 U.S. News and World Report reported

Among other poisonous rumors is the tale that the Clintonites are preparing to order military personnel to wear civilian clothes, not their uniforms, whenever they enter the White House. Another rumor is that Clinton advisers have forbidden the military aide who carries "the football"--a suitcase containing nuclear launch codes--to dress in uniform. The White House denies both allegations.

More on this fake story, from Slate, and Media Matters.