Months, years and then decades slip by. Despite an avalanche of information burying me everyday I had not read or heard anything about 9/11 truth for many, many months. Sometimes movements become so marginalized that they no longer have enough vitality to stay within the consciousness of very many people.

I am sure, of course, that there are 9/11 truthers out there that still give and attend talks, write and receive emails and have lively conversations about the insanity of the official government story about 9/11 surviving and various alternative explanations of what really happened. Yet, in not too many weeks, another 9/11 anniversary will be here. And maybe then I will be hit again with chatter about what really happened on that past fateful and awful day. But today it is this writing by me that is my 9/11 truth: Hardly any Americans are concerned about 9/11 truth and there is no real interest in Congress in launching a new investigation.

So I went to a few 9/11 websites of groups that I am affiliated with; they were still there. And then I did a Google news search for 9/11 truth. Here is what I gleaned.

The first news item was something that the head of WikiLeaks.org, that was very much in the news lately because it was distributing a huge amount of materials on the war in Afghanistan, had said about the 9/11 truth movement: "I'm constantly annoyed that people are distracted by false conspiracies such as 9/11, when all around we provide evidence of real conspiracies, for war or mass financial fraud." This did not surprise me, even though, personally, I still believe that the US government conspired to keep the full truth about 9/11 hidden from the public.

But then I quickly came across a story in a local New Hampshire newspaper about a recent 9/11 truth group participation in a local event, and that heartened me that the diehard truthers were still marching proudly. Indeed, this was noted: “We would like to extend our warmest thanks to [the former Keene Mayor, State Representative, and one of our World War II veterans] for bravely standing tall and marching with our group. Your presence commands respect and it was indeed an honor to have you all join us. We sincerely appreciate your willingness to show support for our efforts to publicize the need for a new 9/11 investigation.”

And I was heartened to learn that the fourth of July parade in Takoma Park, MD where I once lived had a float for the 9/11 Truth Now group in it.

Back to the WikiLeaks situation; this website has rightfully received incredible worldwide attention by the mainstream media for its ability to obtain and publicize key documents shedding light where the government and corporations don’t want it. For 9/11 truthers here is something that merits very serious thought. If we are correct, then a fairly large number of people had a hand, probably as part of a black ops action, designing and executing many things, not the least of which was the controlled demolition of the three World Trade Center buildings. So why have none of these people leaked materials to a place like WikiLeaks? Could they all have been so bought off or threatened to stay quiet? Perhaps. But I must admit I find the lack of leakers troubling.

Of course, if the government had pursued prosecution of the many government workers that did nothing to prevent the 9/11 actions for, say, criminally negligent homicide, then perhaps some would have cut deals and blown the whistle. But as far as I can remember no civilian or military personnel were nailed for failure to detect and prevent the terrorism.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that just because no 9/11 whistleblowers have come forward with compelling evidence that the official story is believable. Not at all. What the 9/11 truth movement needs, however, is a steady focus on the considerable evidence that undermines the official story, rather than on evidence supporting various alternative theories of what happened.

In this regard, the website of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 truth http://ae911truth.org/ remains as one of the best sources of serious, trustworthy information. The group has an event on September 9 this year in Washington, DC and also visits to various members of Congress to lobby for a new investigation. But if they do not offer draft legislation it will be a waste of time.

My other favorite website is Alan Miller’s wonderful Patriots Question 9/11 http://patriotsquestion911.com/, where so many credible people have openly questioned the official story, more than enough to convince the most skeptical people to support a new investigation. Thirdly, I urge people to use the Scholars for 9/11 Truth website http://911scholars.org/ because it also offers useful, reliable information.

Also impressive is the continued work of the NYCCAN group at http://www.nyccan.org/index.php. They have asked the Manhattan District Attorney to investigate the collapse of WTC 7. Recently, they had 400 supporters mail or fax the DA the attached letter, which focuses on the destruction of evidence at the WTC site. The group thinks this is the most likely route the DA would take to opening any kind of investigation into 9/11.

Yes, the movement is still alive. But when will it succeed in getting a new credible and comprehensive government investigation? That is the issue.

When people in the public spotlight do not support the truth movement, as the head of WikiLeaks has done, it is a sign that success remains elusive. One truther exception was Daniel Sunjata, a lead actor from the popular FX television show "Rescue Me." The coming anniversary of 9/11 will most likely show that we still lack a critical mass of public demand for a new government investigation. One glimmer of hope might be the wide scale rejection of incumbents in Congress. Do candidates for Congress support a new investigation? The truth movement should get their act together and spread the word that truthers should only vote for candidates supporting a new investigation.

[Contact Joel S. Hirschhorn through delusionaldemocracy.com.]

http://discuss.epluribusmedia.net/node/3450




Do Libertarians Have Answers?
January 12, 2009 - 14:19 | statusquobuster

Libertarianism: If Not Now, Then When?

Joel S. Hirschhorn

With the meltdown of the American economy, what better time to ask: Can libertarianism come to the rescue?



Perhaps the most interesting statement in the Wikipedia discussion of libertarianism is that

There is no single theory that can be reliably identified as the libertarian theory, and no single principle or set of principles on which all libertarians would

Nevertheless, I think it is fair to say that libertarianism includes the belief in economic freedom that emphasizes removing corporate subsidies and other favoritism to special interests and provides maximum freedom to individuals to pursue financial success and security. It also seems to me that authentic libertarians would be agonizing over the current historic growth in governmental ownership of what we thought were private, corporate enterprises.



We seem to be seeing more authoritarian government being justified by the current economic recession and the public demand for rescue of the economy and alleviation of the considerable pain inflicting so many millions of Americans. What I find myself intrigued by is this central question: In these terrible economic times, is it not reasonable to think that if libertarianism was ever to have a chance of attracting very broad public support as an alternative to what the US has had for many, many decades, would this be the time? That is, if American capitalism that has prevailed for so long with the support of the two-party plutocracy-run government has clearly failed, then why not demand a fundamentally different paradigm?



After all, what we are witnessing right now is the demise of “free enterprise” and the growth of more authoritarian government. Government, through the Federal Reserve, is eager to print and borrow more money, with no limits in sight. Not exactly what libertarians would prefer. So I have been examining websites with a libertarian orientation to see whether there is a serious effort to offer an alternative to what President Obama and Congress seem totally committed to do with the aim of stimulating the collapsing US economy.



I found a very thoughtful article by Sheldon Richman in The American Conservative critiquing the New Deal that current politicians seem intent on replicating. Here is an excerpt from it:

"Yet with all this government activism, the U.S. economy, despite halting attempts at recovery, could not shake the Depression. In 1937 and 1938, the financial system went into an unprecedented secondary depression, with a new stock-market crash and unemployment climbing back to over 20 percent."


If so, I'm curious what resolutions you are looking for with an "investigation" into 9/11.

was the shining light of all humanity! When America was the land of the free and the home of the brave! When all Americans were free and healthy and educated and open-minded and generous and kind and RULED THE WORLD!!! Oh, sorry. I got carried away...

I could almost see the fireworks going up and the flag waving in a crisp breeze, Dhal!

If this is the same person, I'm trying to figure this out:

http://discuss.epluribusmedia.net/node/3951




Here is the problem: All the venom aimed at AIG and its bonus-receiving employees served more as a distraction than a viable political strategy to reform our government. True, there has been terrible economic warfare by the rich and corrupt in government and the private sector that has savaged ordinary Americans. Our corrupt and dysfunctional government did not protect us. We need a Second American Revolution. We need deep structural reforms to make our current MISrepresentatives obsolete and return our government to us. For this to happen we must not let ourselves be deceived by lying politicians. We must recognize that voting and elections have NOT worked effectively. We must look to our Constitution for the legal path to revolution.



The Founders anticipated that Americans would eventually lose confidence in the federal government. They created a never-used option in Article V. Never used because Congress has refused to obey the Constitution and gotten away with violating it and their oath of office. That option is an Article V convention of state delegates that has the constitutional power to propose constitutional amendments, only amendments, no wholesale rewriting of the Constitution. The one and only requirement in Article V is that two-thirds of state legislatures must apply to Congress for a convention. In fact, there have been over 700 such state applications from all 50 states.



Why no Article V convention? Because Congress and virtually every politically powerful group on the left and right oppose and fear an Article V convention. Why? Because clearly such a convention which is outside the control of Congress, the President and the Supreme Court has the constitutional authority to discuss and propose amendments that could truly reform our government to remove corruption and make it much more equitable and effective for we the people. Where is the public outrage over Congress disobeying and disrespecting the Constitution? There is far less to fear from a convention than from maintaining the status quo two-party plutocracy.



If you believe in our Constitution, if you liked the change rhetoric of Obama, if you are furious about the economic meltdown, and if you see the need to seriously reform our government, then examine the materials at foavc.org and become a member of the nonpartisan Friends of the Article V Convention. Help make Congress obey the Constitution and give us the convention we have a constitutional right to have. If you see yourself as a patriot, dissident or activist, join our effort.


We're kind of all over the map here. I don't see anything in there about eliminating capitalism.

This is American Exceptionalism and WASP elitism couched in the language of anti-government, black-helicopters militia-ism. This guy calls for another "American Revolution", but my guess is he don't mean the kind where he could be killed or suffer hardships; I think he means some other kind of "revolution", maybe one of revolving working class money from our pockets into his and his ilks pockets. They be scheming, that's for sure...