Conspiracies R Us

General Jack D. Ripper: You know when fluoridation first began?

Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: I... no, no. I don't, Jack.

General Jack D. Ripper: Nineteen hundred and forty-six. Nineteen forty-six, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It's incredibly obvious, isn't it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual. Certainly without any choice. That's the way your hard-core Commie works.

- Dr. Strangelove

***

So what would motivate otherwise rational people to believe in things that are the equivalent of a Hollywood thriller?

Well, the basic charge that I always hear is that it's easier for them to believe that failures are someone else's fault and not their own. While this does fit in with the "Left as children" theme and undoubtedly does explain part of their behavior, I don't think it explains nearly all of it. I think that there are many reasons all running together in their confused little minds.

A large part of it is just pure hatred for George Bush. Even among so-called "mainstream" Democrats there is outright hatred for Bush, fanned constantly by the media and the Democrat party leaders (it's becoming becoming harder and harder to distinguish between the two). That would also explain why, among "mainstream" Democrats, there is also a willingness to believe these outlandish conspiracy theories. Bush has been demonized so hard for so long, that "normal" people now believe it's plausible that he is the equal of Adolph Hitler or that he may have flown the planes into the WTC towers by remote control on 9/11.

It's called propaganda and it works. Just as Hitler convinced rational people in Germany that the Jews were responsible for all of their problems, so the Left is now convincing people that Bush is responsible for all the problems of the world. And they're not just using this tactic against Bush.

They've convinced million of people in this country that we are on the verge of becoming exactly like Nazi Germany. They believe that we're at the same place that Germany was circa 1933, just before Hitler started his rampage.

It kind of boggles the mind when you think that they're using Hitler's tactics to convince people that all Conservatives are Nazis. If nothing else ya gotta give them points for having balls. Or maybe not. It's entirely possible that they don't even see the parallels. These people of the "reality based community" aren't exactly known for their immersion in reality or logic. And most of them have barely a passing acquaintance with history.

They've accused the Pope of being a Nazi. They accuse people who believe in "moral values" of rabidly promoting a fascist state. They accuse "religious" people of being part of the moral values gang.

I know hundreds of Democrats who go to church, but somehow they don't equate themselves with these religious people that the Left is constantly attacking. Apparently, just as they believe that anyone who has one dollar more than they do is rich, they also believe that the "fanatical" religious people that their party is always attacking is any group who is just a little more religious than theirs.

Another factor that may make people believe in stories that seem to come straight out of Hollywood is...Hollywood.

I know hundreds of people with all types of political views. Very, very few of the Republicans I know (especially the men) can watch more than about 2 minutes of TV shows like "CSI" or "Law and Order" or even "24". The people that I know who watch these shows religiously (if you'll excuse me) are almost invariably Democrats. These people get into the stories so deeply that I sometimes have to wonder if they believe it's real.

None of the Republicans I know are in the least bit fascinated by Hollywood stars. Many of the Democrats read "People" magazine, watch "E!" entertainment channel and actually care about the day to day lives of those stars. Their devotion is close to worship. It's no wonder that they actually believe a lot of what comes out of these (mostly) uneducated people's mouths.

The belief that the Pentagon was struck by a missile and not an airplane is something that could have come directly from Hollywood.

And, when these people are watching movies, who is, invariably, the bad guy? 90% of the time it's some rich, white guy and/or the evil Corporation that he works for.

What did George Bush do before he became Governor of Texas? Why, he was a rich, white guy who ran an evil oil Corporation. And there is no more evil Corporation than an oil Company.

When you immerse yourself this deeply in the fantasy world of Hollywood, it's not hard to see how you could believe that the conspiracies of the Left are not only possible, but actually plausible.

And, last but certainly not least, is the fact (yes, fact) that, when you use your "feelings" more than your logic, as the Left always does, you are gullible and easily manipulated.

There is no evidience of any of the things that the Left rails about. None. Not one single thing.

But they keep putting it out there and people keep believing them.

These are the same people who voted for what was supposed to be "The most ethical administration in history".

If they had the smallest bit of evidence that anything that Bush said might not be true, do you think that they would hesitate to scream for an "anti-Kenneth-Starr" type investigation?

But no matter how much they may call Bush a criminal, they know that they have nothing. This may very well be the most ethical administration in American history, and that's what pisses them off and motivates them to believe the unbelievable.