Its an idea I cant get out of my mind: If people had the courage and freedom to say what they truly believe AND it could be expressed without fierce peer and family rebuke, a lot of crazy positions and ideas could not survive in the marketplace. But herd pressure from the strong keeps some cockeyed ideas alive because too many refrain from speaking.
Silence and a restraint lend tacit support to ideas that should be rejected. In the same manner, silence is a tool to leave other ideas dead on the vine for lack of interest.
There are a great many issues that dont really have visceral support. But to raise objection leads to deadly questioning of ones patriotism, religious beliefs and sanity. So doubts remain locked in their hearts. Patriotism is just about the easiest weapon for conformity. No one dares to do or say or dream too radically lest they be labeled unpatriotic. It never worked better than in the 2003 vote to go into Iraq or to pass the Patriot Act that weakened Americans historic constitutional rights.
The old story about the king wearing no clothes is a perfect example. No one was brave enough to make the statement so everyone pretended as if he was clothed. In tyranny, especially, it works that way.
So it was that I took in a talk Feb. 21 at my church by theologian David Ray Griffin, professor emeritus of Claremont of Theology in Claremont, Calif., a United Methodist institution where he taught more than 30 years. But Griffin wasnt talking about process theology. He was talking about the official government report on the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on America and a litany of inconsistencies between it and what numerous independent people have found credible people in aviation, engineering, intelligence and military.
His talk was titled 9/11 Contradictions: An Open Message to Congress and the Press. A huge crowd turned out for about two hours of talk and a question-and-answer session.
We in the press were among those singled out for virtually ignoring the chorus of doubts and the evidence discrediting the official findings.Griffin has been prolific in his research and writings, with such books as The 9/11 Commission Report: Omissions and Distortions and The New Pearl Harbor.He believes Congress should look at the numerous questions raised and reopen the investigation.
Why didnt the CIA immediately rush President Bush out the school in Florida and smother him in protection, instead of letting him stay with the children in the reading of My Pet Goat? Where was the wreckage of the crash scene of Flight 93 at Shanksville, Pa.? How could the Twin Towers and the nearby Building 7 (which wasnt struck by a plane) all come crashing straight down with precision as if they were controlled demolitions? (Debunkers of conspiracy theories say Building 7 fell because of the collateral damage from the towers collapse.) Questions were raised about how a hijacker and amateur pilot could take Flight 77 into the amazing turn to strike the Pentagon from the side?
In his talk, Griffin covered about half of 25 major questions and doubts he has about 9/11.
I had previously viewed the Loose Change documentary, with the images that suggest a pattern of explosions going top to bottom of one of the Towers, ensuring a straight fall, rather than toppling over. But the non-conspirators refute that and say the squibs of air were created by the downward pressure on the floors from the collapse in motion. The literature and the Internet are awash in findings that clash. Its pretty befuddling and takes enormous discipline to sort out.
Much has been made about physicist Steve Jones, famous for cold fusion technology, being suspended from teaching at Brigham Young University in 2006 after he questioned 9/11 report. Jones gave credibility to the 9/11 Truth Movement for arguing that the speed and precision of the Towers collapse and the structural integrity of the towers were not consistent with airliners and fire bringing them down. That alone is a fascinating controversy.
Implied in it all is that government leaders right up to the Oval Office, at a minimum, allowed the terrorist attacks to happen, with their full knowledge, to gain instant national unity and emergency powers at a time when the administration itself in 2001 was flagging. A common notion supporting the argument that there was no government complicity is that our federal leaders are too inept to pull off something so complicated without getting caught red-handed.
Yes, there are boatloads of conspiracy theories connected with 9/11, but we still do a disservice to our duty as preservers of freedom if these people are dismissed as whacky. And those who commonly say, I dontentertain conspiracy theories are acting a bit like those who benignlyallow tyranny to take root and flourish out of apathy ortacit acceptance each time we getthe “official” story. “Question authority” is a wiser strategy when things don’t seem to add up.
I found this article on 911 very interesting. i was, i repeat was very skeptical of this 911 deal. however the more i researched the more questions went un-answered, and it seems no one want to answer, or at least they are not on mainstream TV shows.
I have found, in my quest for answers why, two videos i wonder if you have seen.
http://www.freedomtofascism.com. very credible people involved with it.
the second is more detailed and broader but i watched spelbound is called ZEITGEIST and can be seen at http://www.seitgeistmove.com. it is shocking but i also felt for the first time had real answers to questions, like why does the government borrow money from a private bank. why does 100% of all income tax collected go to pay the interest on borrowing the money not for services provided by our Government. the list of questions goes on and on.
the reason i am writing is just looking for answers.
any thoughts?
scott malone