Dangerous World Fuels Conspiracy Theorists

From 9/11 To Suri Cruise, Our Muddled World, Internet Help Them Cast Doubt On News Stories

(CBS)  By CBSNews.com's Alfonso Serrano.

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Five years later, it's the violent rattling of the ground moments before the World Trade Center's South Tower fell, and the subsequent pulverized concrete that blanketed him like snowfall that keeps Gary Welz raising questions about just what he survived on Sept. 11, 2001.

"I felt what was like an earthquake — and I've been in earthquakes before — just before the South Tower fell," recalls Welz, an adjunct math lecturer at John Jay Criminal College and Fordham University. Until recently, Welz was a member of Scholars for 9/11 Truth, a group of over 300 professionals that questions the government's explanation of the attacks.

"The official explanation that I've heard doesn't make sense because it doesn't explain why I heard and felt an explosion before the South Tower fell and why the concrete was pulverized," said Welz.

Welz is among the growing ranks of conspiracy theorists who question the official explanation of not only the Sept. 11 attacks but virtually every major news story in publication: from FEMA's response after Hurricane Katrina to Cory Liddle's plane crash into a Manhattan high rise to the birth of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' baby, Suri.

"There has certainly been a growth in conspiracy theories since 9/11," says Michael Barkun, a political science professor at Syracuse University and author of "A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America." "But looking back, there has been a growth over a longer period of time, from the late '80s or early '90s."

Barkun credits the end of the Cold War with destroying our vision of the world being neatly divided into good and evil. What conspiracy theorists do, he says, is provide a simple view of an increasingly muddled, dangerous world.

The actions of U.S. administrations in recent American history have done nothing to dissuade conspiracy theorists. The details of the 1980s Iran-Contra affair, after all, read like an implausible conspiracy theorist's dream. And while less convoluted than Iran-Contra, the Watergate scandal provides fodder too.

The Bush administration, it can be argued, has encouraged a new generation of theorists after implying there was a link between Saddam Hussein and the 9/11 attacks — which President Bush later shot down — and insisting Iraq was riddled with weapons of mass destruction.

Whether part of a cyclical pattern of history or a result of recent governing, skepticism toward the federal government has mushroomed. An eye-opening Scripps Howard/Ohio University poll this year found that out of 1,000 adults surveyed, 36 percent believe it is likely federal officials were involved in 9/11 or did nothing to stop it because they wanted the United States to go to war in the Middle East. And 16 percent of Americans believe that secretly planted explosives brought down the twin towers.

"There has been a slope upwards in conspiracy theories in the last two years and part of the explanation is a disillusion with the Bush administration and the war in Iraq," said Mark Fenster, a law professor at the University of Florida and author of "Conspiracy Theories: Secrets and Power in American Culture." "As the war goes awry, people are more open to conspiracy theories."

[tomasss1]

In August my wife and I were in New York for a weekend getaway. On our last day we had a little time before our plane left so we went down to ground zero. Incredible. Whatever your expectations they pale by comparison to the real deal. When I got home I tried to learn as much as I could about that day (I always thought the mechanics of the towers falling seemed odd) and I soon found myself on some so-called conspiracy theory websites. After several "Oh come on" moments and after sifting through all the *** -- and there is a lot of *** -- one comes to the inescapable conclusion that the towers fell as a result of a controlled demoliton and that an airliner did not hit the Pentagon. Beyond that, the details of what happened and who was behind it are anybody's guess. Until this article the MSM has totally ignored the subject, and when I try talking about it to my friends I find them backing away from me slowly. Thanks for having the courage to do this article. Hopefully it won't be long before Katie does a story on it. There are so many questions that need to be answered. Perhaps our country may not survive the truth. But at least we will have the truth.

[tym4cng]

If anyone is truly serious about making a change especially in the economic dictatorship we presently are forced to maintain (while politicans and select others live like kings)we should start by refusing to pay any taxes of any kind, these parasites, which we so fondly refer to as the U.S. government are not concerned with any countries well being other than thier own personal bank account this should be clear to most of us by this point in time... and are thinking up new ways everyday to bleed American and Peoples of other countries into poverty... The question remains, How many of you, are actually willing and committed to doing what it takes to put a stop to this present way of life? Money, Power, prestige, are all addictions that are brought about once you have given up on being a better person or trying to become one think back to the moment when you made the choice and rationalized it by saying "if you can't beat em' join em" that and money talks.. B.S. walks are the very reason we are in the mess WE HAVE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN!!! That's right if you want to point fingers and place blame... you need not look any further than your own bathromm mirror it's time to put away our toys, and take a stand for something that will determine the outcome of this planet for generations to come.

[t_barr]

Let's not forget another memorable Conspiracy.

"Only the US military, not al Qaeda, had access to the weaponized, military%u2212grade US Army "Ames strain%u2019 anthrax contained in letters mailed only to Democratic Congressional leaders. It is absurd to believe that al Qaeda would target only Democrats, especially as the US leadership at the time of 9/11 was Republican.
When he received the anthrax letter dated September 11, then Senate Democratic leader Thomas Daschle was calling for a Congressional investigation of 9/11 and had already been warned off from "looking too closely at" 9/11 by both President Bush and Vice President Cheney. When he received his anthrax letter, another Democratic leader, Senator Patrick Leahy, was leading the Congressional resistance to the PATRIOT Act, the assault on Americans%u2019 privacy and civil liberties justified by "al Qaeda%u2019s" attack, clearly drafted by the Bush Administration before 9/11 and "in the can" awaiting its "trigger event."

You haven't heard much about this one lately have you.

[feelfree1]

brandonsmail,

Re: "Why should anymore money or support go to taxes right now?"

"How long can we all remain suckers in this failing way of life?"

Very good questions.

[brandonsmail]

Why should we even fund this country anymore if what we need is not provided.

Why should anymore money or support go to taxes right now?

Why don't we take the money ourselves, by pass the deaf middle man, and personally hand it to the men, women, and children of our OWN NATION?

How long can we all remain suckers in this failing way of life?

They do not really care for you. You have to wake up to this truth and do for yourself and your fellow American family member or neighbor.

Stop the money and you'll stop the corruption.

[brandonsmail]

Here is a conspiracy for everyone.

Bush and Osama Bin Laden secretly lovers.

Why else have we attacked everyone on Earth and not this KNOWN TERRORIST!

This administration has failed us all a thousand times over. And the people of New Orleans ten thousand times over.

What is wrong with these fools? Why won't they listen to and help their own country? Quit spending billions more on bombs we already have and help the people that really need it here!

Enough is enough-isn't it?

[brandonsmail]

If everyone on Earth took the word of every person who is in authority to be true, then you would have more innocent people in prison being executed, mis-leading evidence, and a free for all, of who knows what, with all the big wigs of this country taking even more advantage of the American people than they already do.

To question is sane. To not is suicide.

[feelfree1]

9/11 official report defenders always seem to point to 'Loose Change' as the definitive film source for 9/11 skeptics. While I appreciate the efforts of these film makers, I find 'Loose Change' to be a little sloppy and overly speculative.

For those who are not sure if they are getting the whole story about the events on, and surrounding 9/11/01, I would like to recommend 2 very good films:

%u201CImprobable Collapse%u201D 9/11 WTC (Part 1)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUMKP4WaMgM

& '9/11 Press For Truth'

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5589099104255077250

[feelfree1]

The author cites, "An eye-opening Scripps Howard/Ohio University poll this year found that out of 1,000 adults surveyed, 36 percent believe it is likely federal officials were involved in 9/11 or did nothing to stop it because they wanted the United States to go to war in the Middle East."

According to an October, 2006 NY Times/CBS poll, 81% of Americans surveyed thought that the Bush administration was either "hiding something" or "mostly lying" with respect to "what they knew" about a possible 9/11 terrorist attack.

[illuminatio]

In Bush's speech on 9/11 he promised a "thorough investigation" into the events of that day. It took over 400days for that investigation to start. And then only because of pressure from the victims families... this _should_ tell people something.

[illuminatio]

In Bush's speech on 9/11 he promised a "thorough investigation" into the events of that day. It took over 400days for that investigation to start. And then only because of pressure from the victims families... this _should_ tell people something.

[illuminatio]

In Bush's speech on 9/11 he promised a "thorough investigation" into the events of that day. It took over 400days for that investigation to start. And then only because of pressure from the victims families... this _should_ tell people something http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=5589099104255077250

[ingabark]

The 911 Puzzle
Those defending the official explanation of the disaster put the burden of providing a rational alternative explanation on those who question that which is increasingly unbelieveable and questioned by countless experts and scientists investigating the evidence in the public domain. How are we, the public, to know the complex and intertwining machinations of pre-planning, covert action, invested interests, and otherwise nefarius agents involved? A virtually impossible task indeed. I believe the most important thing to keep in mind here is that SOMETHING is going on here, and that it is absolutely vital for a free and open society to free itself from the shroud of fear implicit in the entire affair, be bold and vigilant in seeking the truth, and do all that is necessary and possible to address this rape of Democracy and the ideals of our Republic. Evil, even that which exists in the inner workings of our own government, will indeed self-destruct, and leave the rest of us to pick up the pieces and correct the harm done to our own self interests and those of the rest of the world.

[ingabark]

The 911 Puzzle
Those defending the official explanation of the disaster put the burden of providing a rational alternative explanation on those who question that which is increasingly unbelieveable and questioned by countless experts and scientists investigating the evidence in the public domain. How are we, the public, to know the complex and intertwining machinations of pre-planning, covert action, invested interests, and otherwise nefarius agents involved? A virtually impossible task indeed. I believe the most important thing to keep in mind here is that SOMETHING is going on here, and that it is absolutely vital for a free and open society to free itself from the shroud of fear implicit in the entire affair, be bold and vigilant in seeking the truth, and do all that is necessary and possible to address this rape of Democracy and the ideals of our Republic. Evil, even that which exists in the inner workings of our own government, will indeed self-destruct, and leave the rest of us to pick up the pieces and correct the harm done to our own self interests and those of the rest of the world.

[mdc76082]

What a bunch of Dale Dribbles! My other bumper sticker reads: "Conspiracy Theorists are losers, they never prove a thing!" Stop watching "Out There TV" or listening to "Coast to Coast AM". That *** is just that...***. Oh, oh black helicopters are flying around my house! They're after me. I posted on the CBS site and the govt is after me. It's a conspiracy!!!!

[three-o-six]

I have yet to hear a conspiracy theory about 911 that holds much water. As a rule, do believe in conspiracies, but -- there is one that my eyes have seen that I cannot deny. I am an avid hunter and have seen the effect of large calibre bullets on animals. In the footage of Kennedy being shot, his head snaps back and the back of his head is blown off. I do not care what evidence you quote -- that shot came from in front of him.

[Syndicate]

I prefer the "South Park" Explanation on conspiracy theories. The government invents them to make it look like they are in control.

I watched the towers fall on live television. One fell and then about an hour later the second fell. It was obvious that they fell as a result of the fire. The second tower hit fell first because the plane crashed lower in the building. leaving a greater load above the impact site requiring the steal to weaken less before collapse. The first tower hit had less mass above the imact zone and stood longer. I work with steal a lot. It is amazing what you can get it to do with a little heat and pressure in the right spots.

I have doubts about the story on the UL sceintist.
Granted thier are stupid people every where.

[book54552134]

What more could be expected of the public when our government routinely lies to us & the mainstream media routinely reports those lies as fact with few qualms or questions about their veracity.
And then there is the rise of newest of the news distortionists - Fox News, which can only be regarded as the TV version of the National Enquirer.
The end result of a system which surrenders it's credibility is the natural growth of conspiracy theorists.

[mdc76082]

My bumpersticker reads:

"My Government told me there are no such things as Santa Claus, the Tooth-Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Global Warming and Conspiracy Theories."

[AgentGGG]

The official investigation into 9/11 did not go all the way. They stopped short of modeling the WTC towers and modeling the exact jet impacts. WHY ???

Although many questions remain, this would be an excellent research project, and could be done using mathematical models. This would clear up some conspiracy theories, though the integrity of the model would be challenged.