You Just KNEW There Would Be ‘Tornado Truthers,’ Didn’t You? by Jason Linkins Lest you think that the Boston Marathon bombing had brought America to peak Trutherism, rest assured, we are nowhere near that point yet. Because, naturally, the Alex Jones conspiracy set is pretty sure that the tornadoes that hit Moore, Okla. were probably maybe some sort of “false flag” event, brought on by the “weather weapons” that of course the federal government has at its disposal, for the purpose of … incurring massively expensive disasters on ourselves? This probably makes sense to somebody.
Conspiracy talk show host Alex Jones, increasingly a favorite of conservative media for his extremely vocal support of gun rights, outed himself Tuesday as a tornado truther by telling a caller on his show, “Of course there’s weather weapons stuff going on."
Jones, a longtime proponent of the idea that the U.S. government can manipulate and even produce weather systems like tornadoes and hurricanes, went on to say that if people saw helicopters or small aircraft in the area, then “you better bet your bottom dollar they did this."
“But, who knows if they did?" he asked. “You know, that’s the thing. We don’t know."
As Max Rivlin-Nadler points out, conspiracy theorists who believe in “weather weapons” primarily focus their paranoid worries on HAARP – the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, not the Muse album of the same name (though Muse frontman Matt Bellamy has similar fixations). The program is “a scientific endeavor aimed at studying the properties and behavior of the ionosphere, with particular emphasis on being able to understand and use it to enhance communications and surveillance systems for both civilian and defense purposes.”
As HAARP draws funding from the U.S. Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (the folks what brought you the Internet!), it seems only logical to conclude that HAARP is actually being used to manipulate the weather and cause hurricanes – if by “logical to conclude” you mean, “left alone in a room filling with some sort of gas that makes your brain feel all wibbly-wobbly.”
Normally, you’d see people sort of decrying the toxic influence of Jones and his ilk, but in a counterintuitive way, I like to see Jones’ continued existence as evidence of the fact that a certain baseline of charity and prosperity still exists in America, that accommodates the notion that one can be a crazy conspiracy nutter as your job, in the same way a few people can make their living as “ghost hunters.” Had Jones been an original Jamestown colonist, his colleagues would have probably greeted his ravings with a genial, “Shut up and farm something, nutsauce, we are dying…”
A whole industry seems to have sprung up, making conspiracies out of every public tragedy. “False flag” claims are becoming more and more ubiquitous. An irony is that once in a long while, there actually are conspiratorial cover-ups, but we will be less likely to ever know about it because of the sheer amount of disinformation that this growing industry produces.
Alex Jones seems be be a source of unintentional comedy more than anything else.
Those who follow him are morons, and those who fight against him are no better.
But here’s the thing…if you knew what the US government was capable of and has actually done in the past, you too would be extremely distrusting of just about everything that happens. Unfortunately serious concerns over questionable government action is almost nullified because of nutjobs like Alex Jones. In fact, if I didn’t know any better, I’d almost go so far as to say he was actually in on the conspiracy: what better way to cover up your actions than to have a nut like him denouncing your actions as conspiracies. Brilliant tactic if you think about it. (Though this tornado thing does IMO go too far.)
Come on, there’s absolute proof that the government doesn’t have any ability to cause these tornados. If they did, and the control was in the hands of the top military or the CIA, since those personnel are by and large conservative, there’s no way they would have aimed that weather at Oklahoma, a fairly red state. Instead they would have wiped out as much of California as they could. If it was the president controlling it, he wouldn’t waste time on a minor state like Oklahoma. Instead he’d finish off Texas and the south-eastern seaboard states. QED - no conspiracy. :lol:
Occam
Come on, there's absolute proof that the government doesn't have any ability to cause these tornados. If they did, and the control was in the hands of the top military or the CIA, since those personnel are by and large conservative, there's no way they would have aimed that weather at Oklahoma, a fairly red state. Instead they would have wiped out as much of California as they could. If it was the president controlling it, he wouldn't waste time on a minor state like Oklahoma. Instead he'd finish off Texas and the south-eastern seaboard states. QED - no conspiracy. :lol: OccamThat sounds right. It must be some ivory tower intellectuals who have figured out how to create F4/F5 tornadoes and are trying them out on our relatively uninformed but resilient populace in North Texas and Oklahoma.
But here's the thing...if you knew what the US government was capable of and has actually done in the past, you too would be extremely distrusting of just about everything that happens. Unfortunately serious concerns over questionable government action is almost nullified because of nutjobs like Alex Jones. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd almost go so far as to say he was actually in on the conspiracy: what better way to cover up your actions than to have a nut like him denouncing your actions as conspiracies. Brilliant tactic if you think about it. (Though this tornado thing does IMO go too far.)I don't disagree about the government's clandestine behavior, but there is zero scientific evidence that weather can be controlled in this manner. In this case, though, Jones is just milking the credulity of his fans to the hilt.
But here's the thing...if you knew what the US government was capable of and has actually done in the past, you too would be extremely distrusting of just about everything that happens. Unfortunately serious concerns over questionable government action is almost nullified because of nutjobs like Alex Jones. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd almost go so far as to say he was actually in on the conspiracy: what better way to cover up your actions than to have a nut like him denouncing your actions as conspiracies. Brilliant tactic if you think about it. (Though this tornado thing does IMO go too far.)I don't disagree about the government's clandestine behavior, but there is zero scientific evidence that weather can be controlled in this manner. In this case, though, Jones is just milking the credulity of his fans to the hilt. Gullible people will never be in short supply in this country. This is why there are so many conspiracy theories being discussed by millions of people who are as dumb as rocks.
Come on, there's absolute proof that the government doesn't have any ability to cause these tornados. If they did, and the control was in the hands of the top military or the CIA, since those personnel are by and large conservative, there's no way they would have aimed that weather at Oklahoma, a fairly red state. Instead they would have wiped out as much of California as they could. If it was the president controlling it, he wouldn't waste time on a minor state like Oklahoma. Instead he'd finish off Texas and the south-eastern seaboard states. QED - no conspiracy. :lol: OccamIts like how claims that Katrina and Sandy were "God's punishment for our sinful ways." Yet, when was the last time you heard of a natural disaster wiping out San Francisco or Las Vegas? After the Johnstown Flood in the 1880s, someone told a resident that the flood was God's punishment for the sins committed by those in the town. To which the resident replied, "Well, if God was punishing us, he sure has poor aim." and pointed to the brothels which had all survived the flood because they'd been located high on the hills, outside of town. :lol:
But here's the thing...if you knew what the US government was capable of and has actually done in the past, you too would be extremely distrusting of just about everything that happens. Unfortunately serious concerns over questionable government action is almost nullified because of nutjobs like Alex Jones. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd almost go so far as to say he was actually in on the conspiracy: what better way to cover up your actions than to have a nut like him denouncing your actions as conspiracies. Brilliant tactic if you think about it. (Though this tornado thing does IMO go too far.)I don't disagree about the government's clandestine behavior, but there is zero scientific evidence that weather can be controlled in this manner. In this case, though, Jones is just milking the credulity of his fans to the hilt. Gullible people will never be in short supply in this country. This is why there are so many conspiracy theories being discussed by millions of people who are as dumb as rocks.OTOH the supply of folks like yourself who seem to instantly discredit anything labeled "conspiracy" aren't in short supply either. And unfortunately that group is just as useful a tool as the crowd you reference.
But here's the thing...if you knew what the US government was capable of and has actually done in the past, you too would be extremely distrusting of just about everything that happens. Unfortunately serious concerns over questionable government action is almost nullified because of nutjobs like Alex Jones. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd almost go so far as to say he was actually in on the conspiracy: what better way to cover up your actions than to have a nut like him denouncing your actions as conspiracies. Brilliant tactic if you think about it. (Though this tornado thing does IMO go too far.)I don't disagree about the government's clandestine behavior, but there is zero scientific evidence that weather can be controlled in this manner. In this case, though, Jones is just milking the credulity of his fans to the hilt. Gullible people will never be in short supply in this country. This is why there are so many conspiracy theories being discussed by millions of people who are as dumb as rocks.OTOH the supply of folks like yourself who seem to instantly discredit anything labeled "conspiracy" aren't in short supply either. And unfortunately that group is just as useful a tool as the crowd you reference. If I lable everyone who believes in a conspiracy as a nut, I will be correct almost everytime, (let's say 99 out of 100 times though the percentage could be more or less). Nevertheless, my strategy makes me look pretty good, being right 99 out of 100 times. The problem comes (with such a strategy) in that my forfeiture of trying to use any fine discrimination, is that 1 out of 100 times (more or less) an actual conspiracy could occur and go undetected. And since an actual conspiracy is thus likely to go undetected, I will appear to be correct 100 out of 100 times. That is a good strategy if I want to look like a frickin genius. If I am concerned with knowing if an actual conspiracy ever occurs, the strategy has a shortcoming. Personally I am not concerned with looking like a frickin genius, so I don't use this strategy. However, I feel ok about going out on a limb and saying that persons who believe that the govt is creating and controlling tornadoes is probably a bit nutty.
Come on, there's absolute proof that the government doesn't have any ability to cause these tornados. If they did, and the control was in the hands of the top military or the CIA, since those personnel are by and large conservative, there's no way they would have aimed that weather at Oklahoma, a fairly red state. Instead they would have wiped out as much of California as they could. If it was the president controlling it, he wouldn't waste time on a minor state like Oklahoma. Instead he'd finish off Texas and the south-eastern seaboard states. QED - no conspiracy. :lol: OccamThat sounds right. It must be some ivory tower intellectuals who have figured out how to create F4/F5 tornadoes and are trying them out on our relatively uninformed but resilient populace in North Texas and Oklahoma. Clearly, these people have little understanding of the power an EF5 tornado wields, other than the damage they see on the ground. That one tornado had more power than all the nuclear weapons we have ever made.. besides, what is the point of creating a monster you have no way of controlling? What could possibly be the point?
Come on, there's absolute proof that the government doesn't have any ability to cause these tornados. If they did, and the control was in the hands of the top military or the CIA, since those personnel are by and large conservative, there's no way they would have aimed that weather at Oklahoma, a fairly red state. Instead they would have wiped out as much of California as they could. If it was the president controlling it, he wouldn't waste time on a minor state like Oklahoma. Instead he'd finish off Texas and the south-eastern seaboard states. QED - no conspiracy. :lol: OccamThat sounds right. It must be some ivory tower intellectuals who have figured out how to create F4/F5 tornadoes and are trying them out on our relatively uninformed but resilient populace in North Texas and Oklahoma. Clearly, these people have little understanding of the power an EF5 tornado wields, other than the damage they see on the ground. That one tornado had more power than all the nuclear weapons we have ever made.. besides, what is the point of creating a monster you have no way of controlling? What could possibly be the point?You wreak havoc and devastation on a strongly Red State, and then have FEMA swoop in and save everyone, thus inspiring them to think positively about the President and Democrats in general. It sort of makes sense in a big election year (if you subscribe to the notion that the government can control weather), but in a non-election year, it makes no sense.
Perhaps it was a dress rehearsal, getting ready for just prior to the mid-term elections, or even for 2012.
BTW, another problem with conspiracy theories is that they are just soooo easy to make up.
You wreak havoc and devastation on a strongly Red State, and then have FEMA swoop in and save everyone, thus inspiring them to think positively about the President and Democrats in general. It sort of makes sense in a big election year (if you subscribe to the notion that the government can control weather), but in a non-election year, it makes no sense.Hey, it worked pretty well with Hurricane Sandy . . . but, you're right it is a non-election year Maybe, they're practicing :grrr:
But here's the thing...if you knew what the US government was capable of and has actually done in the past, you too would be extremely distrusting of just about everything that happens. Unfortunately serious concerns over questionable government action is almost nullified because of nutjobs like Alex Jones. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd almost go so far as to say he was actually in on the conspiracy: what better way to cover up your actions than to have a nut like him denouncing your actions as conspiracies. Brilliant tactic if you think about it. (Though this tornado thing does IMO go too far.)I don't disagree about the government's clandestine behavior, but there is zero scientific evidence that weather can be controlled in this manner. In this case, though, Jones is just milking the credulity of his fans to the hilt. Gullible people will never be in short supply in this country. This is why there are so many conspiracy theories being discussed by millions of people who are as dumb as rocks.OTOH the supply of folks like yourself who seem to instantly discredit anything labeled "conspiracy" aren't in short supply either. And unfortunately that group is just as useful a tool as the crowd you reference. Useful tool for what? Lois
I get a kick out of people who claim the government is so inept they can’t do anything right but then turn around and claim that same government can run intricate and powerful conspiracies even to the point of creating destructive weather patterns. I wish conspiracy theorists would answer this question: Is the government so overwhelmingly brilliant that it can pull off enormously complicated, secret conspiracies and at the same time so inept that it can’t govern, even when it’s in their best interests to govern competently? It’s either brilliant or inept. You can’t have it both ways. If they can run such successful conspiracies why can’t they conspire to create a nearly perfect government, with perfect nearly infrastructure, a nearly perfect health-care system and a nearly perfect economy? If they can pull off conspiracies like the ones they are accused of pulling off, and keep them secret inthe process, then they should be able to govern a country with one had tied behind their back.it would be be much less onerous and much less complicated and they’d gain unheard of power and admiration in the process.
Lois
If logic and critical thinking were far more widely understood and practiced, Lois, you and I wouldn’t be as frustrated because there wouldn’t be as many of those crazy ideas being diseminated. :ohh:
Occam
Yes, Obama has his armies stand south (in this case north) of the storm and drive it through all the populated areas by every man taking a deep breath and blowing hard in the same coordinated direction. They are getting pretty good at it. Exercise makes perfect.
Yes, Obama has his armies stand south (in this case north) of the storm and drive it through all the populated areas by every man taking a deep breath and blowing hard in the same coordinated direction. They are getting pretty good at it. Exercise makes perfect.:lol: :lol: