PLEASE ADJUST YOUR TINFOIL HATS BEFORE BOARDING….
My article in Thursday’s American Thinker about 9/11 conspiracy theories has brought some not-so-lovely company over for dinner here at The House. In fact, since Google News placed the article near the top of the queue, I have been deluged with almost 40 emails from crackpots, crazies, kooks, and paranoids, all trying to tell me that I’m a fool for believing the “official version” of what happened.
Ordinarily, I laugh this kind of stuff off. But some of these emails are truly frightening and I thought I’d share a few of the more readable ones.
This is the dark underbelly of American politics. It exists on both the right and the left and, in fact, both sides are generally in agreement on who the “enemy” is. Even the articulate emails are filled with a kind of desperation that Daniel Pipes attributes to people’s feelings that their lives are out of control. Pipes scholarly work on the origins of conspiracies and conspiracy theories shows that such political paranoia is common following shattering events like 9/11 or the Kennedy assassination as people seek to “explain” events. The great historian William Manchester described the disbelief in Oswald as the lone Kennedy assassin using a scale analogy. On one side, you had the President - handsome, dashing, admired by millions. On the other the loser Oswald. Manchester points out that the imbalance is so great, so striking, that many simply cannot accept what still stands as the most logical theory regarding the assassination; that the preponderance of evidence shows that Oswald shot Kennedy acting alone.
Conspiracies surrounding 9/11 have some of that same flavor best articulated by Michael Moore; how could a guy hiding in a cave carry out such a deadly attack? The scales just don’t balance - until you look at al Qaeda and its deadly effective organization, it’s massive financing, its support from rogue elements in the Pakistani government (and probably others as well), not to mention the over riding motivating factor of pure, homicidal hatred for America and Americans.
Conspiracy theories are hard to answer because, as I say in the article, it takes an enormous amount of time and expertise to do so effectively. I just wish that some of these nuts would have followed a few of the links I gave in the article that would have seriously challenged their ideas.
david denhouse wrote:
That was really sad.
You are right about cockamamie stories and tinfoil hats though-of course it’s
writers like you who deal in them
Yeah, it’s because they hate our freedom.
NORAD only protects the outer edge of the US.
Buildings fall like that all the time.
The investigation was thorough.
Get out your alcoa, Moran has a theory he wants to sell.
Pathetic.
Come along with something better - something that has been peer reviewed like the FEMA study, and I’ll take a look. Until then, best that you turn off your TV on Monday when Bush is speaking. I hear that if you look into his eyes, he will have you under his spell.
cv wrote:
i just read you 911 article. you are the nut and people like you perpetuate
false history. i would like to think you are at at least sincere, but i don’t.
you are either a fool or a traitor. i think a traitor.
anyone with eyes see’s the collapse of the world trade center buildings for
what they were- controlled demolitions.
A “traitor?” MMMM…’kay. At least I’m a sane traitor.
Etienne de la Boetie wrote:
You should really examine the evidence of 9-11 a little more carefully with an
open mind. you could start with my website. It was elements of the
intelligence agencies, the executive branch, and the military.. they painted
you a picture… start with Cui Bono.
Best,
Etienne
Website: www.involuntaryservant.blogspot.com
I couldn’t resist putting that web address up there. All I can say is…WOW!
Terry Gabrich wrote:
There is to much proof of a conspiracy concerning 911. Especially when there is
proof that Bush ordered it, and signed an order for it.
And I’ll bet you have a signed copy of the order, too.
Andy wrote:
Hey, f**ko! You have the nerve to try and defend the Warren Commission?
Look, we’ll go on and glass Iraq, and you and
Dubya, and Hannity can all move there and be fascist together; ok? How about
that?
And we’ll stay here and restore our Republic; ok?
Ok…Get thee to a nunnery.
How supposedly rational people can believe the pronouncements of dubious
leaders who demonstrably lie to us as a matter of course is a sad indicator of
pandemic cognitive dissonance.
Skepticism must be applied evenly, for predisposition will always taint our
objectivity. This horrible crime has not been solved by bombing other people to
death or killing even more Americans. Until we are willing to see with open eyes
and open minds, we will continue blinded by credulity. Willful ignorance is
deliberate stupidity.
To not seek the truth, regardless of where it leads, is the biggest insult to
those who perished, worldwide, as a result of these atrocities. We who seek a
truly independent investigation are not assholes, nutjobs or tin foil loonies,
trust me on that. Those who seek to obscure the truth are the most dangerous
and will lead us to further catastrophe.
Peace
CS
Another common denominator of the conspiracists is their wish that you “open your eyes” and see “the truth.” Aside from the obvious condescension involved in such a “wish,” it is enormously satisfying for the conspiracist to play “I’ve got a secret.” They know something you don’t which makes them superior in their own eyes. Pipes speculates that this covers up feelings of inadequacy elsewhere in their lives. If they are a failure at everything else, at least they have that “special knowledge” that others lack.
Pitiful.
Finally, this gem. Sounds like its from a jihadist:
sorry loooooser…. U have lost and usa gov has lost. SHALL be destroyed and
USAers like U punished!
And U are a LUUUN.
UPDATE 5/14
I just can’t believe it. After all these years of working and slaving for the Forces of Darkness, I’ve finally graduated: I’m a full fledged member of the New World Order!
You’ll dress only in attire specially sanctioned by MiB special services. You’ll conform to the identity we give you, eat where we tell you, live where we tell you. From now on you’ll have no identifying marks of any kind. You’ll not stand out in any way. Your entire image is crafted to leave no lasting memory with anyone you encounter. You’re a rumor, recognizable only as deja vu and dismissed just as quickly. You don’t exist; you were never even born. Anonymity is your name. Silence your native tongue. You’re no longer part of the System. You’re above the System. Over it. Beyond it. We’re “them.” We’re “they.” We are the Men in Black.
I am, indeed, a member of “them:”
“They’re getting so worried, they’re writing articles like this :-)” Poster of my article referenced above at The Liberty Forum. The poster’s name is “Origin Unknown” and lists as his hobby “Fighting the New World Order.”
I wonder when I’ll get my pass to fly in one of those black helicopters.
Very interesting. Nice to see you have done zero research on this topic, but position yourself as if you have. There are so many holes in the official story you could fly a 757 through them. But in your opinion we shouldn’t be questioning them. No wonder our world is the way it is…….too many people like yourself who are nothing more than sheep following the sheep dog no matter where it goes. Oh well. Who cares anyways. No point in getting to the real truth.
Comment by Billy Bob — 5/13/2006 @ 2:46 pm
[...] The loons responded to him about it. His follow-up regarding the comments from the loons can be found HERE. [...]
Pingback by Lnf. yomo » Blog Archive » — 5/13/2006 @ 4:53 pm
One measure of just how far in advance this thing was planned can be seen in the foreign press reports from leading India and Japanese newspapers in the late spring, early summer ‘01. As reported therein, top US diplomatic or military personnel went on a regional tour, and told the regional powers that the US planned to remove the Taliban from power by military force with a coalition force, with hostilities intended to begin in October, later that year.
And, as had been fully anticipated by these newspaper accounts, citing these visiting US dignitaries as the source for the information, we did indeed go from an alleged standing start to invading that country in about ONE MONTH from the 9/11 attack.
As has also been reported, by a sheer coincidence (?), as of 9/10, the largest joint US/British naval armada ever reached its destination, dropping anchor in the Indian Ocean, about as close in international waters as they could get to Afghanistan. Similarly, on that same day, the Operation Bright Star ground and support forces numbering 35,000 personnel or so were moved to a near-theater staging ground (in Oman). And also, on 9/10, then-National Security Advisor Condaleeza Rice had prepared and put on Bush’s Oval Office desk that day a plan for his approval, which laid out a fully formed plan of attack against the Taliban, including the attack as it eventually transpired.
Now, maybe the Bush administration had some line of propaganda up their sleeves, with which to demonize the Taliban enough to get the US people in a mood to agree to INVADE that country, half way around the freaking world. However, if so, it was VERY late in being presented, amounting to that point to some bad publicity surrounding the Taliban’s destruction of ancient Buddhist shrines and giant Buddha statues. Which is to say, nothing remotely close to justifying a massive invasion and toppling of a government.
It would appear that the Bush administration did nothing sufficient to demonize the Taliban in time for a mid-October attack, prior to 9/11. If they were determined to attack them in October, what was going to be their casus bellum? Isn’t it obvious that it was going to be (known at least as early as June of 2001, and actually, months before it, as those plans had already been determined and made months prior to that far eastern trip if we were telling our regional allies that we had decided to do a war against Afghanistan) the supposed attack by bin Laden that was to be the pretext?
Unless the reports of those foreign news reports are lies (and I have never seen their existence or contents disputed yet), this is strongly corroborative of not only knowledge well in advance of the events, but an obvious reliance that those foreknown events take place, for their geopolitical triggering effect of the pre-planned toppling of the Taliban.
Comment by sofla — 5/13/2006 @ 5:02 pm
Man, oh, man, you have some interesting correspondents - I know people like this exist, but I’m always amazed at their numbers. Nice article, btw, I’ll be linking it soon…
Comment by Mark Coffey — 5/13/2006 @ 5:33 pm
While it is interesting to see these people interact on the internet, it is another ting entirely to interact with one up close. I had recently met a person I know over in Europe. Somehow the topic turned to 9/11 and the ‘fact’ that ‘the Pentagon was hit by missile.’ After about ten minutes of punching holes in the whole story by reasoned discussion he admitted that he needed to rethink the whole situation.
The 9/11 conspiracy theory infects the majority of the EU. It is scary that so many educated people believe these idiotic stories as fact. Their hate runs that deep that they will ignore the real threats.
In case you haven’t seen this one:
Evidence That A Boeing 757 Really Did Impact the Pentagon on 9/11:
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread79655/pg1
Comment by Fred Fry — 5/13/2006 @ 5:50 pm
I’m always amazed at some of the babble you see in blog posts from the lunatic fringe. There’s no doubt in my mind that they fervently believe this kind of twaddle.
Personally, I believe all this 9/11 stuff was concocted to divert our attention from the emerging trooth about Area 51. I have it on good authority that the gubmint has been breeding aliens there since 1953. Some of them have learned to speak broken English and have escaped to bedevil conservative bloggers.
Your jihadist poster is just too wierd to even make fun of. When does religious nihilism become mental illness? Wudda maroon.
Comment by bobdog — 5/13/2006 @ 5:58 pm
Hey you obscurantist (yes you Moran), here’s an American Thought for you, who constructed the towers, the Pillsbury Doughboy? Because the way they came down it looked exactly as if they were made out of flour. BTW, have you seen the clip of Pataki’s somewhat astonished commentary to the effect that all of lower Manhattan was covered by a thick layer of fine particulate? No building collapse, absent some external agency, results in the generation of so much microscopic dust from gravity alone. This is but one anomaly among dozens or hundreds that the mythmakers and defenders of the Big Lie cannot adequately explain. Sure, you can fob me off with a link to some purported debunking
website, but ask yourself the implicit question posed above; what accounts for the tremendous amount of additional energy needed to turn two of the world’s largest structures into little more than a cloud of microscopic fallout? American Thinker my ass. You wouldn’t know an original thought if it walloped you right on the kisser. I voted for Reagan twice and Bushie the first term, so stick your ad hom “lefty” labels up your brain stem. I don’t hate my country, just neocons and neolibs like you and Hillary who are flushing our future down the crapper with both hands.
Comment by Sad B. Wiser — 5/13/2006 @ 8:38 pm
I’ve looked at some of the web sites that have these various conspiracy theories and must say that while some of the “pieces” are interesting, but they often overlook obvious conflicts with other inconvenient facts; often facts that they themselves produce.
The biggest precipitator of theories are preconceived notions of how 1000+ foot buildings can and do collapse, and what happens when an aircraft goes from 600+ knots to 0. Each of these are not as simple as a “logo” simulation.
My personal favorite “pet” theory surrounds the believe that United 175 did not hit the south tower, but rather it was a military plane equipped with a “pod” on it’s belly did in fact hit the south tower.
The biggest “inconvenient fact” that kills most theories is the answer to the question .. “where did the passengers go then ?” The “bomb, not jet at the Pentagon” and the “pod” theory both have this problem. The theories are unable to account for the passengers of aircraft.
The cottage industry of “Warren Report” refuters lives on, and so will it’s 9/11 counterpart.
Comment by Neo — 5/13/2006 @ 10:50 pm
Sunday Funnies
Expose The Left and Hot Air take a look at Gore’s wishful thinking. Oh, and we also learn that Cindy Sheehan is more representative of people’s thinking.
Llama Butchers have the carnival of Bauer
The nice doggie talks about fweedom of e…
Trackback by Stop The ACLU — 5/14/2006 @ 7:14 am
Dear Sad B. Wiser,
I think your tin foil is wrapped a little too tight.
“My personal favorite “pet†theory surrounds the believe that United 175 did not hit the south tower, but rather it was a military plane equipped with a “pod†on it’s belly did in fact hit the south tower.”
Right, these are all goofy theoories. This is just anoher example of how idiot these people are.
WHY DOES THE CONSPIRACY HAVE TO BE SO COMPLICATED????
Why can’t some lone government agent install a remote control unit on the plane and take it over while in flight while at the same time turning off the communication from the craft. Simple. No need to hide the real plane and dispose of a plane full of passengers. Better yet, how about loading the plane with cargo that is really high explosives. This way you don’t have to plant the stuff all around the Twin Towers.
Have these people ever been inside the buildings? Just how were they able to get into DOZENS of offices and manage to hide tons of explosives without anyone noticing.
If you believe that the US did this, then you better go into hiding, because they will come after you, because your a threat to their Grand Plan and therefore a target. If they are willing to kill thousands, killing you is nothing to them.
Comment by Fred Fry — 5/14/2006 @ 11:48 am
Let me see, each week we are inundated with stories leaked to the press on another program to detect bad guys around the country.
Doesn’t it seem a little odd given this state of affairs that after all this time nobody has squealed on the required conspiracy with a cast of thousands necessary to carry it off.
Comment by SlimGuy — 5/14/2006 @ 1:06 pm
Sad B. Wiser:
Moran said that the conspiracy theorists come from both sides of the political spectrum.
Since my post did not appear the first time around. I will give my two cents on the Zapruder film and the movie JFK. While Stone may have gone overboard with his conspiracy theories, it is hard to watch the Zapruder film and conclude there was only one gunman. Based on physics alone shots must have been taken from more than one angle. Does this mean a shadow conspiracy? No, not necessarily. It could just mean that Oswald had to two buddies. What gets me is that it took so long for the Zapruder film to be released. I also want to know why Warren commission didn’t even look at the physics of the bullets. I am not going to run around like Al Gore and scream “Manbear Pig”, but I do find some things unsettling.
Comment by Svenghouli — 5/14/2006 @ 2:55 pm
Yore an ignoramus of the highest order and your belief in the official theory is perverse.Silly, silly man.
Comment by Albert — 5/14/2006 @ 3:55 pm
Made it onto the pages of a site (Liberty Forum) which is even loonier then the DU. Congrats, Rick!
Comment by William Teach — 5/15/2006 @ 6:57 am