The Noble Lie

"What if we as a nation came to realize that the quest for Empire eventually destroys all great nations?"

I post quite a bit of Ron Paul even though he is more conservative than I am, because I respect his version of conservativism. He is also one of the best speakers in Congress, and is not afraid to stand on his own even within his party. In this speech, Ron Paul evokes the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, and the warning of Smedly Butler: war is a racket that only serves the interests of our masters, and military spending is corrosive to the gears of a free society for reasons he spells out, reasons which have been vindicated time and again during the history of Empire. He ends with Pascal's Wager -- saying the risk of dismissing him as a kook and being wrong is far greater than the risk of investigating his claims and being wrong.

I believe we are being regulated to death, and people will not die from lack of desire to help each other, but from lack of being allowed to do so.

The Republican party is on the ropes, and this might be the only man who can give the party a much-needed new direction. Unfortunately, it looks like the new face of the Republican party will be -- Sarah Palin. Same fascist rhetoric, but with a pair of perky boobs to go with the jackboots.

We arm Israel. America's hands are bloody when Israel kills.

Despite supporting this very brave and important message, I do dislike that Ron Paul says they've been fighting for thousands of years, because Muslims and Jews have also lived together in peace for long periods of time in some places -- until some outsiders show up and tell them they should be fighting each other.

UPDATE: LiveLeak reports white phosphorus bombs in the Gaza ground assault. This horrible stuff was used in Fallujah, to a universal cry of "war crime."

Since some people on YouTube have put up video collages of famous people who challenge the official line on 9/11, I have to rotate the other way and put up a small collection of "9/11 Truth Haters." What is fascinating to me about this issue is that, almost unilaterally, it's not enough to disagree on the issue, but it has to be refuted forcefully and anybody who ascribes to such an idea has to be ridiculed more vehemently than any other group, including their political or ideological opponents.

Also, I have to challenge the most popular argument among most of these guys. Why do I have to choose between either inside job or government incompetence? Why couldn't a group of high level insiders take advantage of an incompetent government? It's too dismissive to say people think "the government" did it. There is a lot of research which names names, with supporting evidence.

Penn and Teller

disabled by YouTube

Honestly, I like Penn and Teller, and I knew they had an "anti-9/11 truth" episode out. I've read a LOT of 9/11 stuff and I've read a LOT of anti-and-debunking 9/11 stuff. I haven't heard of half the theories these guys showcase. They do put in a bit of what I would consider legitimate evidence, but it's in 2-second mentions of demolitions interspersed with bizarre segues about how the planes were flown to a military base and attached with remote control equipment. I guess that guy doesn't know that remote control autopilot systems are standard issue in commercial planes.

It's sad how they talk about how it was obviously fires that brought down the towers, while taking deliberate close-up shots of gaping holes in the tower with no fire, just a bunch of black smoke (a dead or dying fire). I've seen some videos of massive skyscraper fires (from buildings that stood, by the way) and they are truly breathtaking.

Greg Palast Disses 9/11 Truthers

Where do any of these people (some of whom make their careers out of chronicling the lies and conspiracies of the powers that be) get off acting so personally, morally outraged at the suggestion that the crooks of the military-industrial complex once again screwed over its own population? At least Greg Palast lost a friend who worked there. The sad thing is that he also broke half the stories that connects the dots of the conspiracy, such as the theft of the election, the Bush/bin Laden link, and the black-balling of CIA and FBI investigations, but just can't take that last step.

Behind the Cut: Noam Chomsky, Bill Maher, Bill Clinton, Ron Paul, Danny Bonaduce

Noam Chomsky Talks Around 9/11 Question

Bill Maher Pwns 9/11 n00b5

Bill Clinton sez "It was an Osama bin Laden Job"

Ron Paul Doesn't Know He Has a Bunch of Weirdo "Truther" Supporters

Danny Bonaduce Bout to Beat Somebody Up

Watch Ron Paul flash the handshakes shown in the last clip. Also watch as men and women of power from all walks of life give their love to the goat.

Update 8/2010: Compare to Cryptogon - David de Rothschild: Masonic Handshake in Sydney; Was His Skull and Bones Belt Buckle on Board?

Grip of the Entered Apprentice