In Al Duncan”s “Defining Conspiracy” letter to the Editor on Aug. 20, he presents a definition of conspiracy.
Too bad he did not continue and give a definition of Conspiracy Theory. A quick look at Wikipedia would show that the term is often used dismissively in an attempt to characterize a belief as outlandishly false and held by a person judged to be a crank or a group confined to the lunatic fringe, although this way of thinking is becoming more common place in the mass media. However, Duncan”s friend”s barber may not be a proper spokesperson for conspiracy theory.
I have to agree with an Internet article that Cecil Adams calls the idea of a trilateral commission conspiracy to take over the world an idea, which has pretty much gone the way of the Hula Hoop.
According to “Conspiracy Theories in American History,” edited by Peter Knight, the terms “apocalypse,” “revelation,” and “prophecy” share common root words related to the uncovering of hidden truths, a core-claim of conspiracy theories. It is not unusual to find conspiracy theorists also supporting millennialism and the end of days.
In Michael Barkun”s book “A Culture of Conspiracy” we find hidden plots behind UFOs, the Kennedy assassination, the Oklahoma bombing, and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
I took Duncan”s invitation to find his “easily verifiable quotes” that somehow prove the existence of the New World Order and the Trilateral Commission”s desire for a one-world government.
For the most part it was easy to find Duncan”s quotes from 1913 to 1992, but what was frustrating was that the context of these quotes hung in space with no way to find the background in which the speakers made the quotes. In other words, the few quotes I was able to find in their entirety were diametrically opposite of what the quote purports.
One example was Joe Biden”s “How I Learned to Love the NWO.” Turns out it was the title of Joe”s article, the title may not have been his to write, in that he offers ways the U.S. can maintain its leadership role.
He writes: “If the Pentagon strategists and their knee-jerk supporters could broaden their horizons, they would see how our superpower status is best assured. We must get lean militarily, revitalize American economic strength, and exercise a diplomatic leadership that puts new muscle into institutions of collective security.” Scary stuff.
Greg Blinn
Kelseyville
