Here is Gage's motivation for becoming the latest conspiracy star... it ain't a pretty sight. Here are the money requests from their "action alert" circulated by email. Intellectually honest, or dishonest?
"Dear AE911Truth Supporter:
We thank you wholeheartedly for your tremendous continuing support for Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth and the critical activist work that we are performing. We literally couldn't do it without you!
You are receiving this Action Alert because you Signed the Petition on our website, or purchased the 9/11: Blueprint for Truth DVD or Evidence Cards, or made a donation to our Take an Architect or Engineer to Lunch program. (And a special thank you to those who have multi-contributed!)
... we alert you today to request your additional help and support by becoming a recurring monthly Sustaining Member. We have proclaimed January as Pledge Drive Month ...
Your support is of utmost importance in order to continue this important work. Without this funding, this and our many other projects will take longer and become fewer and farther between... Our mission really is a race — and it is key to the 9/11 Truth Movement. We have no time to lose.
...This is a full time effort for a dozen staff. And we can't keep it going without you. We have already earned your respect and your trust. Now we are in serious need of your on-going financial support to take AE911Truth to the next level...
...to support local AE911Truth street actions with our DVD's, CD's, evidence cards and banners; to re-vamp and launch the new AE911Truth DVD with the latest scientific evidence; to put the PowerPoint into the trained hands of 3 dozen A/E's & others; and to bust into Mainstream Media in 2008!
This is where you come in. The plain truth of the matter is that non-profit organizations like AE911Truth exist, function and grow almost solely through the generous donations of their supporters. People like you, who pledge a small portion of their hard-earned dollars ... Therefore one of our staff will be calling you within the next few weeks.
Your generous gift is the life-blood of AE911Truth. It may be as little as $10/month, $25/month, or more! There is a perfect pledge level for everyone! The key is that everyone, especially our Petition Signers, place your vote of confidence in AE911Truth with dollars. If you are unable at this time to pledge a recurring monthly donation, then a single substantial donation is another alternative! It is the sum total of all of our donations which allows us to create the greater whole that will kick start our second year into high gear!
...Thank you again and best wishes to you and your loved ones this New Year. Our hearts are overcome with gratitude for you.
Richard Gage, AIA
and The AE911Truth Team
-------------
Really quite disgusting. Makes the TV preachers look honest.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
The death rattle of the 9/11 “Truth” movement
The death rattle of the 9/11 “Truth” movement is now heard by all except its most devout adherents. It’s sad they feel they have no other outlet for expressing fears about Bush/Cheney and American hegemony, than by repeating repeating repeating thoroughly debunked conspiracy claims. But “daylight is the best antiseptic” and the 9/11 “truth” fad is a victim of its own internet success. Practically everyone on the planet has heard conspiracist rants on U-tube, in blogs, forums, books, and videos, and found such claims to lack veracity. Thus hot air is rapidly seeping out of the “truth” balloon. One reason is because of the oxymoron that there are so many claims on the truth. No planes “theories,” artificial voice recordings from air phones, laser beams, flight 93 passengers killed in Cleveland - you name it, and it’s a “theory.”
But an ever increasing number of former truthers are cautiously starting to make their voices heard as well. I’d like to welcome casual truthers back to reality, and suggest meaningful ways they might get beyond the “truth” obsession, to work on more productive issues. Obviously the hard core conspiracists exist on blind faith, and will never leave their comfort zone. But for casual “truth” supporters who are beginning to turn away from the dark side - here are some simple ideas:
1) Deprogram yourself. Or at least be inquisitive beyond the echo chamber. If you want to know what happened to building 7 (for example) gather information broadly, not just from the 9/11 “truth” sources. Also ask about WTC buildings 3,4,5, and 6 - they didn’t get hit by planes either, but were destroyed as well. Just do your own internet research - but again, beyond the echo chamber. There’s also a great History Channel video: 9/11 Conspiracies, Fact or Fiction to be found on The History Channel Store. Hey, if i can watch Loose Change, you can watch 9/11 Conspiracies, Fact or Fiction. And if you really want to be brave check out actual debunking sites, such as the Journal of Debunking 9/11 Conspiracy Theories. Better still. read Alexander Cockburn, Matthew Rothschild, Matt Taibbi, and the articles on PublicEye.org - especially Chip Berlet’s review of Griffin’s New Pearl Harbor, and Griffin’s intellectually weak response.
2) Register people to vote. I’ve done it as an elected Justice of the Peace, but in Vermont any notary public can as well. See what it takes in your area. Empower those who feel disenfranchised (including yourself) and get involved in the political system. Jumping up and down with a Ron Paul sign isn’t a meaningful act, but driving people to the polls is.
3) Go a step further -wave petitions instead of banners. Calling for a new investigation in blogs will never get you anywhere - try to take the question to the polls. Here in Burlington, Vermont a group did put a ballot item before voters last spring asking the Vermont congressional delegation to call for a new investigation - and I publicly supported the measure, because I feel we need to get past 9/11 Truth and move on to reality based issues. That initiative was a productive exercise even though it received only about 35% of the vote. Vox populi vox dei. So take what you learn from your “truth” campaign and put it toward local issues next.
Pay attention to what your local school board is doing - that’s going to have a more direct impact on your kids than whether of not Wirt Walker III is George Bush’s cousin or not. (By the way - he’s not. The Bush family genealogy is easily found online - fact checking is a wonderful thing).
4) Think about what the hateful responses to non-conspiracist articles (such as this one will surely elicit) indicate about the critical thinking skills of the hard core fringe. Ask that about the motives of the the stars of conspiracism as well. All are raking in high speaking fees now, all are selling stacks of books and videos. Are they intellectually honest, or dishonest? Noam Chomsy has pointed out how the “who benefitted” rational is a fallacy, because so many have used 9/11 for their own purposes that on the macro level, that the question illustrates nothing.
Also look at Morgan Reynolds’ ties to Lyndon LaRouche, Alex Jones’ to white supremacists, Jim Fetzer’s pre 9/11 JFK conspiracism, Steven Jones’ messianic Mormonism, David Griffin’s ties to holocaust deniers. What do they tell you about 9/11 “truth?”
So those are just a few ideas for removing the scales from your eyes. I once thought I didn’t like haiku, so I started reading Basho, Issa, Buson, and I wrote 1000 verses, and finally I decided my dislike was from ignorance. Casual truthers who ask themselves tough questions about the meaning of truth, refresh themselves on the rigors of the scientific method, and learn the basic attributes of logical fallacies may have a similar epiphany.
Arguing over the minutiae of conspiracist group think is about as productive as counting angels on the head of a pin, so forgive me if I choose not to debate you on Hani Hanjour’s piloting skills, or squibs, or the buzz word “free fall.” Just write me off as left gatekeeper, and a stooge in the pay of the CIA. That’’s fine. I’m not asking you to try to convince me of anything. I’m asking you to question how truthful you’ve been to yourself.
But an ever increasing number of former truthers are cautiously starting to make their voices heard as well. I’d like to welcome casual truthers back to reality, and suggest meaningful ways they might get beyond the “truth” obsession, to work on more productive issues. Obviously the hard core conspiracists exist on blind faith, and will never leave their comfort zone. But for casual “truth” supporters who are beginning to turn away from the dark side - here are some simple ideas:
1) Deprogram yourself. Or at least be inquisitive beyond the echo chamber. If you want to know what happened to building 7 (for example) gather information broadly, not just from the 9/11 “truth” sources. Also ask about WTC buildings 3,4,5, and 6 - they didn’t get hit by planes either, but were destroyed as well. Just do your own internet research - but again, beyond the echo chamber. There’s also a great History Channel video: 9/11 Conspiracies, Fact or Fiction to be found on The History Channel Store. Hey, if i can watch Loose Change, you can watch 9/11 Conspiracies, Fact or Fiction. And if you really want to be brave check out actual debunking sites, such as the Journal of Debunking 9/11 Conspiracy Theories. Better still. read Alexander Cockburn, Matthew Rothschild, Matt Taibbi, and the articles on PublicEye.org - especially Chip Berlet’s review of Griffin’s New Pearl Harbor, and Griffin’s intellectually weak response.
2) Register people to vote. I’ve done it as an elected Justice of the Peace, but in Vermont any notary public can as well. See what it takes in your area. Empower those who feel disenfranchised (including yourself) and get involved in the political system. Jumping up and down with a Ron Paul sign isn’t a meaningful act, but driving people to the polls is.
3) Go a step further -wave petitions instead of banners. Calling for a new investigation in blogs will never get you anywhere - try to take the question to the polls. Here in Burlington, Vermont a group did put a ballot item before voters last spring asking the Vermont congressional delegation to call for a new investigation - and I publicly supported the measure, because I feel we need to get past 9/11 Truth and move on to reality based issues. That initiative was a productive exercise even though it received only about 35% of the vote. Vox populi vox dei. So take what you learn from your “truth” campaign and put it toward local issues next.
Pay attention to what your local school board is doing - that’s going to have a more direct impact on your kids than whether of not Wirt Walker III is George Bush’s cousin or not. (By the way - he’s not. The Bush family genealogy is easily found online - fact checking is a wonderful thing).
4) Think about what the hateful responses to non-conspiracist articles (such as this one will surely elicit) indicate about the critical thinking skills of the hard core fringe. Ask that about the motives of the the stars of conspiracism as well. All are raking in high speaking fees now, all are selling stacks of books and videos. Are they intellectually honest, or dishonest? Noam Chomsy has pointed out how the “who benefitted” rational is a fallacy, because so many have used 9/11 for their own purposes that on the macro level, that the question illustrates nothing.
Also look at Morgan Reynolds’ ties to Lyndon LaRouche, Alex Jones’ to white supremacists, Jim Fetzer’s pre 9/11 JFK conspiracism, Steven Jones’ messianic Mormonism, David Griffin’s ties to holocaust deniers. What do they tell you about 9/11 “truth?”
So those are just a few ideas for removing the scales from your eyes. I once thought I didn’t like haiku, so I started reading Basho, Issa, Buson, and I wrote 1000 verses, and finally I decided my dislike was from ignorance. Casual truthers who ask themselves tough questions about the meaning of truth, refresh themselves on the rigors of the scientific method, and learn the basic attributes of logical fallacies may have a similar epiphany.
Arguing over the minutiae of conspiracist group think is about as productive as counting angels on the head of a pin, so forgive me if I choose not to debate you on Hani Hanjour’s piloting skills, or squibs, or the buzz word “free fall.” Just write me off as left gatekeeper, and a stooge in the pay of the CIA. That’’s fine. I’m not asking you to try to convince me of anything. I’m asking you to question how truthful you’ve been to yourself.
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