Written by Jordan Bishop | 10 September 2011
Posted in Comment - Americas

Celebrating the death of bin Laden (yet another conspiracy) outside the Ground Zero site. Photography: Sgt. Randall A. Clinton/Released

On 11 September 2001, the United States of America suffered possibly the most devastating attacks upon its shores since the Second World War. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives when 19 young men hijacked, and crashed, four commercial airlines in a co-ordinated attack targeting America’s political, economic and military centres. As has been frequently stated: we all remember where we were that day.

Ten years on and those thoughts and feelings remain as vivid today as they did then. Time has not acted to lessen the harsh reality of those startling images, but rather it has affected them due to the increased poignancy and historical significance which hindsight brings.

Who could have believed, for instance, that in the ensuing decade, equal attention would be ascribed to a plethora of conspiracy theories? With such speculation focussed upon as much as the need to reassess the modern political climate, rebuild New York – economically, emotionally and physically – remember the lost and enact retribution against the antagonists of such an assault .

Of course this is understandable. Nothing sells better than a good conspiracy. Even the most sceptical among us would be hard pressed to state that they’ve never entertained the possibility, if only in private. Call it natural human inquisition, a desire to know more, to uncover the possible deceit and hidden truth, irrespective of the odds. After all, such perseverance has worked well in the past; I mean, we all know Osama, Elvis and Shergar are shacked up with Lord Lucan on the Titanic, somewhere just outside Area 51...

Why is 9/11 so irreversibly linked with conspiracy, though? Well for starters there is the internet, which is bound to feature prominently in any such argument. For the first time in human history there is a collective forum, accessible to practically anyone, anywhere, enabling for wider discussion and subsequently greater controversy. The internet has undoubtedly allowed many theories to snowball and reach a worldwide audience – previously the preserve of the powerful or intellectual – fuelling interest.

Take Loose Change, the series of films which argue that the attacks were planned and conducted by elements within the United States government. The budget for the film’s first cut was a mere $2,000, and it was edited on a standard personal laptop – in spite of this, and the fact that critics have frequently pointed out flaws, it has received millions of views, influencing many. Without the need of studio backing, a group of ordinary people, and their views, can reach out to the entire world.

The fascination goes still further. At the time of writing, typing “9/11” into Google heralds “9/11 conspiracy theories” as the very first prompted option. The connection is unequivocal.

Again, there is nothing necessarily wrong with curiosity per se, but the concept that there is a conspiracy theory seems to have taken over. Proponents charge around with little or no consideration for the emotional upset caused by their continual diatribe, reducing people to pawns in a sick game of political chess. They state this is an unfortunate side-effect of “loving their country” and “wanting the truth”.

Now it would be very easy to jump on the bandwagon and subscribe to the view that they are attention seekers, that these individuals are profiting in some way, that many are in fact mentally unstable. However I don’t believe the answer is that straightforward. Undoubtedly there is an element of that, there always is, but the reality goes further still. How is it that so many Americans fail to accept the conventional presentation of events?

In many ways it comes down to the psychology of these Yanks. The universal theme which unites the leading conspiracy theorists is patriotism. A love of their country is fundamental to explaining why they are persistent in their convictions, facilitated to a degree by a loss of confidence and trust in their own political system.

As one sceptic, Professor Jim Fetzer, puts it: “The very idea the 19 Islamic fundamentalists could have hijacked these four commercial airliners, outfoxed the most sophisticated air defence system in the world, perpetrated these atrocities unscathed, under control of a man in a cave in Afghanistan is only the most outrageous of the conspiracy theories.”

It seems to be impossible for conspiracy theorists to reconcile the truth that their nation, publicised as the greatest on earth, the last superpower, could be damaged in such a way. And so it actually becomes more comforting to many, less damaging to the mentality which they have developed, to locate the source of these attacks within America. If it is the government who either ‘Let these attacks happen on purpose’ or ‘Made them happen on purpose’, then at least the U.S remains strong. Corrupt, yes. But still the dominating world force.

The quest for “truth” and “justice” is thus one of self-assurance. One which must be made may I add, and seen to be justified, in order to – ironically – provide security. Though this security is evidently misplaced, it is the lesser of two evils in terms of accepting the apparent threat posed to the American way of life. 'Better the devil you know than the devil you don't'.

The asking of these questions, I should again stress, however unlikely or improbable, is never wrong. It is the right of any free society to do so. But to make a career out of this, to go down a dangerous path borne out by fear, is neither healthy nor correct. If there is any hidden truth, it will out eventually. Yet this will not take away from the true point: the world is almost 3,000 times worse off after that day. And that is what history should record above all else.

Comments:

< Prev		Next >