Conspiracies: The Facts * the Theories * the Evidence (42 page)

Read Conspiracies: The Facts * the Theories * the Evidence Online

Authors: Andy Thomas

Tags: #Conspiracy Theories, #Social Science

BOOK: Conspiracies: The Facts * the Theories * the Evidence
8.11Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

psychological well-being of society – in which case the targets of the fantasists urgently need to go out of their way to show a more compassionate, truthful understanding of how this has happened.

262

Conspiracy.indd 262

23/10/2012 15:42:27

new world order conspiracies

Ridicule and marginalization has not removed the growing

doubts, and without a new and radiant integrity in the hal s of

power, free from arrogance and the need to suppress, conspiracy

theories will continue to thrive and fester.

There is a choice to be made here as to which way we go. The

question is, will anyone take it while there is still time to make a difference?

263

Conspiracy.indd 263

23/10/2012 15:42:27

EPILOGUE

A world of control, of oppression, of habitual deception. Is this real y how things are, or simply human nature massively distorted through a dark lens? The truth probably lies somewhere in the

middle.

Most conspiracy theories are centred around the concept of

someone
out there
doing something to
us
. Life can undeniably work this way but, at the same time, those ‘out there’ are merely reflections of what is buried deep in the collective psyche,

projected onto egos that enact our shadow sides for us. The

uncomfortable reality is that any kind of deceptive elite playing chess with civilization can only do so because we allow it.

If all those with the slightest awareness of the games being

played were to put aside their nominal differences, stand together and galvanize the rest of the population to create a society free from the perceived faults of the present authorities, those who

front those authorities would doubtless adjust accordingly. They

are what they currently are because of people’s tendencies to give away responsibility. We too often neglect our own capacity to

co-create the environment around us. The solution surely begins

by accepting responsibility in our own lives. Behaviour we hate to see in the hal s of power must also be changed in our living rooms and offices; despised cultures of untruthfulness must be remedied with personal authenticity. This is where transformation begins.

264

Conspiracy.indd 264

23/10/2012 15:42:27

epilogue

It may be that truthseekers accord ‘the elite’ too much influence.

Its ambassadors share the same planet and breathe the same air as us (probably), and appear equal y prone to mistakes and factional in-fighting. They might only succeed as often as they do because

we wrongly presume omnipotence on their part and fail to act in

balance. If a solution to the undoubted transgressions of leadership is to be found, we must take back the power that is rightful y ours.

Apathy, fostered or innate, is not yet whol y triumphant, and we

must never allow it to be so.

Becoming informed has traditional y been seen as a path to

empowerment, and never has so much free information been

available as it is today through the internet. We should take

advantage of this gift before those feeling threatened succeed

in retracting it. Knowing where to start with conspiracies can

admittedly be daunting. One useful technique is to begin by seeking the view of an overtly mainstream website such as Wikipedia. This is notoriously unreliable on alternative subjects, but is what the everyday world tends to read – something always vital to know.

If this fails to debunk a viewpoint entirely, it is usual y a sign of a theory with substance. The next step is to find a site giving the hardline conspiracy view, before tracking down a sceptical or

middle-ground source (if one can be found). From this procedure, a flavour of the overall truth can sometimes emerge. If not, explorers will at least be better aware of the different areas of confusion.

An immersion in conspiracy consciousness can be overwhelm-

ing, but discernment and balance is the key. Falling into paranoia and depression will not help humankind, nor will aggressively

demanding that others listen to ‘the truth’ make them do

so. Polarization is one of the very problems. Only reasoned

presentation of evidence, moderate tones and compassionate

understanding of the public’s conditioned outward reluctance to

risk ridicule will real y make a difference. The pol s, after al , show that, deep down, some of the concerns felt by conspiracy theorists are shared by more people than we are told.

265

Conspiracy.indd 265

23/10/2012 15:42:27

conspiracies

So we can dismiss all conspiracies as entertaining fantasies if

we wish, and take the risk of running ‘free’ and easy while wal s of control are built up quietly around us, or we can sit in terror, fretting that the New World Order is bugging our homes and

zapping our minds. Neither approach would seem whol y sensible.

Yet if the worst-case scenario is true, is not giving into fear the very aim of those who would control us? Better, perhaps, to throw off the anxieties, enjoy the good things we have, and simply do

what we can to make a difference.

There are many grounds for optimism. By their nature,

conspiracy theories are not the happiest of contemplations, but

if forewarned is forearmed, spreading awareness of worst-case

scenarios might stand a chance of preventing them from ever

happening. Speculation can also call attention to areas that benefit from being il uminated in any case. Together with the application of positive, constructive thinking, a difference can surely be made.

Indeed, the growing science of consciousness research strongly

suggests that when many minds focus together, particularly with

positive intent, the energetic environment around us subtly but

detectably changes. It may be that exploiting that mechanism,

combining it with assured social action and the encouragement of

a new, more honest political system will take our civilization on to brighter horizons. There is much work to be done, but a conscious admission of what has been wrong so far is a beginning at least.

The claimed intentions of the ruling elite, misguided though their means may be, are probably right in a few respects. Cooperation is more likely to bring peace and prosperity than division, and some sensible, ordered approach to the future would seem to be wise,

founded in reason rather than reflex prejudice. But forcing such a world into being through the moribund processes of militaristic

might and policing of expression, denying the legitimacy of those with other beliefs, is unlikely to create lasting success. Only by embracing the realities of diversity and hearing the voices of

everyone can there ever be a real new world order.

266

Conspiracy.indd 266

23/10/2012 15:42:27

NOTES AND

REFERENCES

Numerous websites, tomes and journals, in addition to my own

research, were used to formulate the overview in this book. In an age where information on almost any subject can be accessed by

a simple internet search, most quotes and references can easily

be traced, so I have only included notes here of things which

were of specific help, which give information unavailable from

mainstream channels, or which indicate further resources of

particular interest.

Introduction

1
British humanist association conspiracy conference:
This took place in London on 25 September 2011. An interesting review

of the event, by Ben Emlyn-Jones of Hospital Porters Against

the New World Order, can be found at: http://hpanwo.blogspot.

com/2011/09/british-humanist-association-conspiracy.html

1. What Is Conspiracy Theory?

1
us government on conspiracy theories:
This quote is taken from

‘Conspiracy Theories and Misinformation’, US Department of

267

Conspiracy.indd 267

23/10/2012 15:42:27

conspiracies

State’s Bureau of International Information Programs, June 2010,

and can be found at: http://www.america.gov/conspiracy_theories.

html

2
The Manchurian Candidate:
The phrase ‘Manchurian candidate’, oft-used in conspiracy circles, general y refers to the 1962 film directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Frank Sinatra,

based on the 1959 novel by Richard Condon, in which a Korean

War veteran is brainwashed by the Soviets to assassinate a US

presidential candidate. Many believe just such mind-control

techniques are used today. The film (remade to lesser effect in

2004) is discussed well at: http://www.filmsite.org/manc.html

3
paul McCartney’s facial structure:
Andrew Spooner Jr carries out a compelling forensic comparison between the ‘real’ pre-1966

McCartney and the later allegedly ‘replaced’ one at: http://james-paul-mccartney.150m.com/fc6.html

4
McCartney theories:
Andru J Reeve’s book
Turn Me On, Dead
Man: The Beatles and the ‘Paul-Is-Dead’ Hoax
(AuthorHouse, 2004) is a good compilation of the McCartney controversies.

5
The skeptics’ Dictionary:
This debunking website can be found at: www.skepdic.com

6
nasa warnings on solar activity:
NASA’s June 2010 meeting with the world’s top-level scientists and politicians to alert them to the dangers of high solar activity is reported at: http://www.telegraph.

co.uk/science/space/7819201/Nasa-warns-solar-flares-from-huge-

space-storm-will-cause-devastation.html

The administrator of NASA, Charles F Bolden, posted up

a surprisingly frank video to his employees on 10 June 2011,

concerning ‘emergency preparedness’ in which he urged them to

be more ready for an unspecified ‘emergency’. Some think this

might refer to coming solar flares. The clip can be seen at: http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESWp7SHD05s

7
noam Chomsky defends free speech:
A statement on the imprisonment of Holocaust questioner Vincent Reynouard,

described by Chomsky as ‘inconsistent with the basic principles

of a free society as these have been understood since the

Enlightenment’, and a subsequent interesting discussion thread

can be found at: http://amkon.net/showthread.php/29354-Noam-

Effin-Chomsky-defends-imprisoned-Holocaust-denier

268

Conspiracy.indd 268

23/10/2012 15:42:27

notes and references

8
george W Bush on implicit support for terrorism:
The notorious quote ‘Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists’ was made at the President’s address to a joint session of Congress on 20

September 2001. The full text of this speech can be found at: http://

yc2.net/speech.htm

‘Let us never tolerate outrageous conspiracy theories’ was

spoken in Bush’s speech to the United Nations on 10 November

2001, and can be watched at: http://www.youtube.com/watch

?v=6K5M0xtxQVQ

2. Historical Conspiracies

1
gunpowder plot explosion:
ITV’s programme
The Gunpowder
Plot: Exploding the Legend
, presented by Richard Hammond, was first broadcast on 1 November 2005. The relevant clip of the

‘Houses of Parliament’ being blown up can be seen at:
http://www.

youtube.com/watch?v=eFytcsA9mU8&feature=related

3. False-Flag Conspiracies

1
Churchill and
Lusitania
:
Quotes from
Winston
Churchill’s letter in which he appears to wish for a ship to ‘get into trouble’

are included in a useful middle-ground discussion which

contentiously claims that there may have been as much ‘foul-up’

as conspiracy, available at: http://www.rmslusitania.info/contro

versies/conspiracy-or-foul-up

2
vice admiral Beatty on pearl harbor:
This quote is included and discussed with other interesting evidence at: http://www.

lewrockwel .com/kreca/kreca6.1.1.html

3
new independent inquiry into uss
Liberty
:
The quotes about President Johnson’s seeming desire to see
Liberty
sunk were reported in the ‘Findings of the Independent Commission of

Inquiry into the Israeli Attack on USS Liberty, the Recall of

Military Rescue Support Aircraft while the Ship was Under Attack, and the Subsequent Cover-Up by the United States Government’

(Capitol Hil , Washington DC, 22 October 2003).

269

Conspiracy.indd 269

23/10/2012 15:42:27

conspiracies

4. Political Conspiracies

1
nixon’s call to apollo 11:
The full text of this historic phone message can be found at: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/

Richard_Nixon%27s_Phone_Call_to_the_Moon

2
John f kennedy’s Moon mission speech:
The full text of this influential speech can be found at: http://history1900s.about.com/

od/1960s/a/jfkmoon.htm

3
lunar hoax opinion polls:
US Gal up figures from 1999 are quoted in a
Time
article at: http://www.time.com/time/specials/

packages/article/0,28804,1860871_1860876_1860992,00.html. The

UK’s
Engineering and Technology
2009 poll is discussed at: http://

abcnews.go.com/Technology/Apollo11MoonLanding/story?

id=8104410#.TzuGeq7ubyC

4
apollo 16 astronaut ‘dangles’:
This fascinating footage can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ciStUEZK-Y&feature=related

5
lunar rover footage:
A good sequence demonstrating the debated effects of ‘Moon soil’ being spun from the rover wheels can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRSpntQ-VtY

Other books

El sueño de los Dioses by Javier Negrete
Mathew's Tale by Quintin Jardine
Mother of Pearl by Mary Morrissy
Phoenix Rising by Heather R. Blair
Astonish by Viola Grace
Daylight Runner by Oisin McGann
Bantam of the Opera by Mary Daheim
Follow You Home by Mark Edwards