Exceedingly Well-Written Article on David Ray Griffin

[petgoat]

Whatever one's assumption of what a "conspiracy theorist" is like, David Ray Griffin doesn't fit the mold, perhaps because he's really a nonconspiracy theorist. While he methodically deconstructs the official story, he doesn't spin his own alternative yarn to fill the vacuum. Instead, he allows audience members to draw their own conclusions. As for conspiracy theories, he explains, "the official story is itself a conspiracy theory. As the accepted 'conspiracy theory' goes, a cadre of al Qaida operatives conspired to hijack four jetliners, did so undetected and were able to complete their mission with no interception or even interference from the best-prepared air force on the face of the earth."

Even more unusual, Griffin says, "the crime was solved immediately, and the official story was in place before the day of the attack was over. Within 48 hours, our president stood at the National Cathedral surrounded by Billy Graham, a cardinal, a rabbi and an imam, and used this religious setting to declare a holy war on terror."

If we were to contrast the smoothness of the post-9-11 operation with the aftermath of Katrina, we are left with the question: How can a president so inept in one setting have been so "ept" in another?

http://www.bohemian.com/bohemian/06.14.06/david-ray-griffin-0624.html

[Grateful for Hope]

1. This is indeed an excellent article

It gave me insight into Griffin that I did not have before reading it. It appears that he really has nothing to gain other than getting the truth out there, a very pure motive by an standard.

He does not suggest alternative theories, but, instead, points out with great authority how the official conspiracy theory is just that -- a conspiracy theory.

Some additional excerpts:

Other than standing for his faith, what does Griffin hope to accomplish by exposing the 9-11 story as a lie? As an advocate for a worldwide democratic order, he sees this story as an example of "governmental lawlessness" so egregious that its exposure could call into question the continuation of the present system with its "anarchical competition between nation states." First, however, people must be willing to think the unthinkable, and to be willing to look at the evidence that it is our own nation that has become the evil empire.

This is a formidable barrier to cross. Ever since the notion of the "Big Lie" was first put forth to describe the tactics of the Third Reich, it has become a cliché that the bigger the lie, the harder it is for people to see the truth. This is especially so when the official version takes on the status of what theologian Griffin calls "sacred myth."

"The 'truth' of the official 9-11 story," explains Griffin, "must be taken on faith. It is not a matter of debate or even discussion. Anyone who brings up anything that contradicts the official story is either ignored or denounced as a conspiracy nut.

"However," he continues, "when the official account of 9-11 is stripped of its halo and treated simply as a theory rather than an unquestionable dogma, it cannot be defended as the best theory to account for the relevant facts. When challenges to it are not treated as blasphemy, it can easily be seen to not correspond with reality."

PG..thank you for posting this. I really enjoyed reading it, and hope that many others take the time to read this excellent piece.


:toast:

[dailykoff]

2. "governmental lawlessness"

That's putting it diplomatically!

:thumbsup:

[Grateful for Hope]

3. "evil empire" is another term he uses

"First, however, people must be willing to think the unthinkable, and to be willing to look at the evidence that it is our own nation that has become the evil empire."

I found this to be quite descriptive!


:thumbsup:

[Grateful for Hope]

4. kicking

[Grateful for Hope]

5. More here should read this...

[SidDithers]

6. How many books is Griffin selling?...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/102-2230846-6032168?%5Fencoding=UTF8&index=books&rank=-relevance%2C%2Bavailability%2C-daterank&field-author-exact=David%20Ray%20Griffin

26 on Amazon, including:

The New Pearl Harbor: Disturbing Questions About the Bush Administration and 9/11
The 9/11 Commission Report: Omissions And Distortions
9/11 & American Empire: Intellectuals Speak Out
Christian Faith and the Truth Behind 9/11: A Call to Reflection and Action

So he's definately go no personal stake in the 9/11 Truth Movement.

Sid

Edit: Hit the post button before post was finished.

[Grateful for Hope]

7. I can appreciate that you might see monetary gain from

book sales as a motive to "spin" for instance, but, I think it is equally as likely (and, after reading about him, IMHO, I think much more likely) that he is very sincere about educating the general public, and hence, his prolific writing.

[petgoat]

8. The "He's Lying to Sell More Books" argument is persuasive

to those who can't conceive of intellectual honesty.

People who think on paper turn their thoughts into books.

People who turn their thoughts into books come to hold their
convictions strongly, because the whole process of refining
and vetting their thoughts makes them think through the
issues thoroughly.

People who hold their convictions strongly tend to be hard-working
researchers who seek out new truths and seek to correct errors in
their earlier works.

Yes, some people dash off dishonest sensationalist screeds for
a quick buck. Their sloppy research shows. 911myths, for instance,
if you know anything about the subject matter, shows its lousy
research very quickly.

To assume that all scholars who write books are liars is like
assuming that all women are whores and all men are pricks,
all people of principle are hypocrites, and all physicists are
cold-fusion scamsters. Try debunking Dr. Griffin's arguments
instead of attacking the character of all writers everywhere.

[mirandapriestly]

9. Not nearly as much as Halliburton and other contractors

are making on the war made possible by 911. Why does the pittance in book sales from Griffin bother you so much ? Why don't you rail against the real criminals?