2.1.0 The term "Conspiracy Theorist"

The term "conspiracy" means any act which involves more than one person, working in collaboration, to commit a crime. The term "conspiracy theorist" however, is used in two senses - firstly:

1. Someone who theorises that a crime was a "conspiracy".

So when it comes to 9/11, certainly we are all conspiracy theorists; no-one believes that just one person carried out the attacks. So the official account of events of 9/11 is correctly referred to as the "Official Conspiracy Theory". However, in popular usage, the term "conspiracy theorist" means:

2. Someone who attributes the ultimate cause of an event or chain of events (usually political, social, pop cultural or historical events), or the concealment of such causes from public knowledge, to a secret, and often deceptive plot by a covert alliance of powerful or influential people or organizations.

This definition includes the following minority belief groups: that UFO's are extraterrestrial, that the moon landings were faked, that the Holocaust was faked, that there is a Jewish conspiracy aiming to rule the world, that oil is abiotic, that global warming is a hoax, that evolution is wrong, that reptile-human hybrids are among us, and so on.

Consider the credibility of the phrase: "A conspiracy theorist once told me...".

The term is applied, intentionally or not, to discredit anyone with any doubts about the truthfulness of the official account of 9/11, including:

• anyone who suspects incompetence or negligence, anywhere at all, has been deliberately covered up.
• anyone who suggests that insiders had foreknowledge, or received warnings.
• anyone who points out that the US government had the motive to at least "allow" the attacks to happen, or that the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq were planned before 9/11.
• anyone who questions the relationship between the Bush Family and the Bin Laden Family.
• anyone who questions the relationship between the CIA and al-Qaeda.
• anyone who questions the involvement of Saudi Arabia, Israel or Pakistan.

It is clear that the negative ideas invoked by this term dissuade anyone from asking what should be legitimate, justified questions about 9/11 and other historical events. These ideas about what a "conspiracy theorist" is include the following attributes:

• Needing to find reasons and explanations for things – being unable to accept a world in which random terrorism for no clear reason is a reality.
• Being disrespectful to the victims of the attacks.
• Being unpatriotic.
• Constantly scheming and searching for evidence to support their views.
• Jumping to wild conclusions based on speculations and any anomalies.
• Being unscientific in their approach
• Assuming the result was as planned
• Only looking at the evidence that fits in with their theories
• Taking evidence out of context (eg eyewitness reports)
• Needing public attention.
• Making assertions that they are unqualified to make.
• Needing to hold controversial views about everything.
• Rejecting authority and being afraid of the increasing power and reach of the government.
• Being argumentative, manipulative and forceful.
• "Expanding the conspiracy theory" to include anyone who disagrees with them.

Because conspiracies happen, it is very dangerous for anyone questioning significant events, or the acts of governments and institutions, to be dismissed as a "conspiracy theorist".

A useful way of breaking down the "conspiracy theorist" myth is to understand the credibility and size of the 9/11 Truth Movement, which is anyone who believes that the truth about 9/11 has been covered up. The various groups contain professors, architects, engineers, pilots, scientists, mathematicians, military officers, intelligence agents, security and law enforcement personnel, politicians, foreign heads of state, journalists, independent investigators, celebrities, survivors of the attack, and family members of the victims. There is also a wide range of political viewpoints, with many from the left and the right: democrats and republicans, liberals and conservatives. A lot of people have been attempting to raise issues about 9/11 into the consciousness of the mainstream, and have fought a constant battle to be heard and properly represented.

Various polls about 9/11 have revealed that a significant number of the general population reject the official story about 9/11, with many believing that, at the very least, insiders allowed the attacks to take place.

The prevailing view, based on examination of all the evidence, of the most prominent members of the 9/11 Truth Movement, is that the attacks were deliberately planned and carried out by insiders within the United States. No mainstream media sources support this view or any real questioning of 9/11. If the subject is raised at all, it is usually quickly dismissed as a "conspiracy theory".

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