Tuesday, August 15, 2006

9/11 Conspiracies

This month’s Popular Mechanics magazine has an editorial letter from Senator John McCain about the various wingnut 9/11 conspiracy theories. Hardly surprising that they are still news, I guess, with 36% of the American people believing it’s possible, Third of Americans suspect 9-11 government conspiracy , but it’s still disheartening that it’s necessary to even print it. On the off-chance one of your friends believes this crap, here’s a few resources to show them: 9/11: Debunking The Myths , Pentagon & Boeing 757 Engine Investigation , and Pentagon & Boeing 757 Ground Effect that address most of the conspiracy theories in layman’s terms.

What amazes me is the mentality of the conspiracy nuts. They doubt the word of the mainstream media- which is fine, any intelligent person does- but then accept as gospel the word of home-grown “experts” on the internet without demanding their credentials and without peer review of their competing claims. It never occurs to them that if there was anything at all to their claims, if they were as “obvious” to trained engineers as they claim, foreign governments would leap at the chance to damage Bush and/or the U.S. by publicizing it- but of course, not even Cuba or North Korea or Iran is willing to put their national prestige behind claims that can be debunked that easily. Nor does it bother them that of all the people who would have to have been involved- the CIA, most of the upper Pentagon brass, the airlines involved, civilian air traffic control, the building demolition experts (and there aren’t that many capable of guaranteeing the results desired, they could be tracked down easily), no one has come forward.

They are great at examining the official timeline, but never consider the timeline of a conspiracy. Bush had only been in office less than 8 months, and hadn’t had his own people confirmed in place for more than weeks; many of the necessary people mentioned above were still Clinton personnel. (unless this was actually a Clinton plot to ruin Bush’s first term...) Bush would have had only weeks to conceive of the plot, recruit hundreds if not thousands of top government and military staff so loyal to him personally that they were willing to commit treason and mass murder for their beloved leader, run feasibility studies, arrange secret financing, pull it off, then cover up so perfectly that not only was the Congressional inquiry fooled, but also the intelligence services of the world- even the nations that hate us. To believe those theories is to believe Bush to be the most brilliantly competent conspirator in history.

Yes, disheartening. Disheartening to think that there are so many citizens who vote and serve on juries who can believe in such things, and even one Congresswoman- Cynthia McKinnon. I know P.T. Barnum said there was one born every minute, but I had always hoped that was mere hyperbole.

6 comments:

Hawkeyi's Blog said...

Another conservative drooling at the mouth, Don't you feel any shame pontificating on people with your dribbling? Bush's Administration have failed the American Public by invading Iraq, Don't blow off 9/11 conspiracy theories so easily, treason comes in many size shapes and colour, and it happens all the time.

Joel Monka said...

Actually, I feel no shame at all. And it has nothing whatsoever to do with the Iraq question- I'm speaking here only of the irrationality of the conspiracy theories. As Sherlock Holmes said, when you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth... the conspiracy theories are impossible, leaving the official version as what must be.

Bill Baar said...

Check what the Presbyterian's are publishing.

The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were orchestrated by the U.S. government, according to a book to be released later this month by Westminster John Knox Press—a division of the denominational publisher for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Christian Faith and the Truth Behind 9/11: A Call to Reflection and Action is the third book on the subject by David Ray Griffin, a professor emeritus of theology at Claremont School of Theology who is also a well-published and prominent process theologian.
[***]
In his book, Griffin argues the Bush administration planned the events of September 11 so they could provide justification for going to war with Afghanistan and Iraq. He writes that although Christianity began as a specifically anti-empire gospel, the church has been silent about an imperialistic America—which he compares to the Roman Empire.

Anonymous said...

I don't know what a blogg is. I don't know where this message is going. If it has any connection to the posting of the September 11 entry, I hope it is recieved as directed. I know the author, (please excuse any of my spelling), and I can attest to the fact that he has, by far, at least a genius mind to work with. My comment about the conspiricy nutts has to do with the basic physics of current metal alloys. I know from experience that common cold steel melts at a temperature of roughly, 2800 degrees Ferenheight. This is the tale of how the buildings collapled on that horrific day. Steel I-beams melted and gave way to the weight of the surrounding material causing the collaps of structure. My first thought is that anyone who has saturated their hand with lighter fluid and ingnighted it, for unknown reasons, knows that fuel exelerated fire burns at a lower degree of temperature. This is caused by the fuel releasing vapor and the vapor is burnt with an insulating distance from the physical structure itself. How can the fuel from the plain tanks reach the needed degree of temperature to melt the structural steel beams and cause a collaps? Also if I am missing any part of the equation, why does each floor fall exactly, and in sequince as the ones that supposidly melted, all the way down? Big question on my part and another question follows. Bush only had a few months to orchestrate this tradgety, if so, was what I think I remember reading. Bush is a front man, just like the lead singer in a rock band. He is in the public eye whyle the rest of who is involved puts together what seems to be his beuityful music although they are only seen on occasion. What did this man get himself into? Was he even apart of it. Was the music wrote and waiting for someone to take the credit? Conspiricy or just a lack of answers? Nutts are plentyful but rational answers to good questions seem to be a well coriographed illusion. Please give me beleivable facts and I might be willing to turn my other cheek while the first one still foccuses on the success of my country, my home, the only place I have access to in these trying global times.

Anonymous said...

Apon further readdressing the previous posting, I spotted some points that I missed., Like I said this is new to me and the author is a genius. (weeks of Bush's term, not months.) I noticed that a statement/question was mentioned about why foreign governments, such as Cuba, North Korea, and Iran wouldn't put their national prestige behind claims that could dammage Bush. Why sacrifice your pawn when he is between you and checkmate? Also, one last addition to my previous posting, another conspiricy thought but a good point in itself, these terrorist masterminds are known for their careful planning and pacience. How can it be coincidence that the exact day of the attack was durring the single days of off season. If I wanted to kill and prove a point and be as, well crazy, as Islomic extreamist are, I would want to do as much dammage as possible with my attack. How come the event occured when the buildings were virtualy empty, compaired to if the market was open? Only reason I can come up with is if I were to hurt myself in order to wake up a limb, I might cut off a finger instead of an arm, after all 3500 deaths touches, 25000 would expect a hell of alot more retaliation than what was planned.

Joel Monka said...

To begin with, I know you didn't read the links I posted in the in troductory paragraph; if you had, you'd know why the fire didn't have to melt the steel to make the buildings collapse, why they collapsed the way they did, etc.. There's no point in my discussing this with you until you have read those articles.

Secondly, it seems obvious that English is not your first language, so I won't complain about your grammar other than to say I could not follow some of your sentences- but it would be only common courtesy to use a spellchecker.