The 9/11 Game
I was recently reading, with some interest, a message thread relating to 9/11 on a completely unrelated web site. As I read through the posts, I saw a familiar pattern: friendly discussion starts, interested parties chime in, facts begin to be debated, things start to degenerate and eventually people start to insult each other, and the whole point is lost in a battle of "I'm right, you're stupid for believing nonsense" (on both sides).
The same web sites are linked to, the same facts hashed and re-hashed. Facts are presented, then a link to a debunker, then someone debunking the debunkers, etc. It's a vicious circle that goes on without end.
Not long ago, I found myself a participant in such debates, usually on UseNet. I'd be reading something, then I'd get irked and post "Yeah, but what about..." and soon find myself embroiled in the neverending argument. But I've decided to refrain from these debates, at least on UseNet and message boards. I will gladly discuss 9/11 in person, with anyone who wants to discuss it (and I'm still passing out DVDs of "Loose Change" to friends and strangers!). But not online. Not any more.
The problem is that there is just no way of knowing the truth. Both sides hold to "theories" and none are proveable with evidence, because the evidence (aside from the video record) is gone. Holders to the "official" story have only what they saw on TV and what they've been told by the government and media to hold to. Those in the "truth movement" have nothing but nagging questions, huge numbers of coincidences and anomalies, and a distrust of a government that has lied to its citizens countless times in the past.
The advantage to being a truth seeker, however, is just that: there is no hidden agenda, no attachment to the proposed theories. We just want the truth, whatever. If the truth is that 19 Arab terrorists, backed by Osama and the gang, perpetrated the horror, then we'll be satisfied to know that. But until the questions are answered, satisfactorily, the truth seekers will press on, and the 9/11 game will continue. I'm just sitting on the bench for a while.
The same web sites are linked to, the same facts hashed and re-hashed. Facts are presented, then a link to a debunker, then someone debunking the debunkers, etc. It's a vicious circle that goes on without end.
Not long ago, I found myself a participant in such debates, usually on UseNet. I'd be reading something, then I'd get irked and post "Yeah, but what about..." and soon find myself embroiled in the neverending argument. But I've decided to refrain from these debates, at least on UseNet and message boards. I will gladly discuss 9/11 in person, with anyone who wants to discuss it (and I'm still passing out DVDs of "Loose Change" to friends and strangers!). But not online. Not any more.
The problem is that there is just no way of knowing the truth. Both sides hold to "theories" and none are proveable with evidence, because the evidence (aside from the video record) is gone. Holders to the "official" story have only what they saw on TV and what they've been told by the government and media to hold to. Those in the "truth movement" have nothing but nagging questions, huge numbers of coincidences and anomalies, and a distrust of a government that has lied to its citizens countless times in the past.
The advantage to being a truth seeker, however, is just that: there is no hidden agenda, no attachment to the proposed theories. We just want the truth, whatever. If the truth is that 19 Arab terrorists, backed by Osama and the gang, perpetrated the horror, then we'll be satisfied to know that. But until the questions are answered, satisfactorily, the truth seekers will press on, and the 9/11 game will continue. I'm just sitting on the bench for a while.
6 Comments:
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Ugghhh, tell me about it. I've given up on that discussion. No way am I posting anymore in that thread...
Your comments were right on -- it's impossible to talk about this stuff on internet messageboards.
The guy who started the thread talks with me over AIM, and he flat out asked me one day if I had seen 'Loose Change.' We talked and talked about it, and eventually I told him to start on a thread on the website.
That's a very interesting place to see that kind of talk. With baseball fans, you're going to get all different people from all walks of life, so it was interesting to see how all these people would react to that kooky talk about 9/11 conspiracies.
It's so frusterating to see stupid people clog the thread with their posts. Even now I'm dying to go back there and explain to them how they're wrong, but I know I shouldn't.
I've learned a valuable lesson tonight...
(Took me 3 posts, but I finally got it right)
You gotta blog about this... Make sure you read the message board at the bottom, as well.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/united_93/
Don't you EVER presume you can dictate what I "gotta" blog about, Spung-bob. You think blogging is easy? Huh? I shed blood and tears over every post. Sometimes, after a really tough blog entry, it takes days, even weeks, of recovery before I'm emotionally able to function again. Days spent in the fetal position... shivering... whimpering...
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/9249
Here's another link.
you GOTTA GOTTA blog about this GOTTA!
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