October 27, 2010

Rediscover911.com Undermines 9/11 Truth

It's been many months since my last post. That's in large part due to the time I spent working on 911truthnews.com. Doing something constructive is the best way to avoid burnout. I'm excited by the result, a polished and credible first reference on the issue, and thankful for those involved and those who have been supportive of the effort.

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For the past year I've been keeping an eye on the "Israel did 9/11" site Rediscover911.com. Soon after it debuted I put up a competing site, Rediscover911.org, in a successful attempt to game the site's search results and to offer a clear indication that the 9/11 truth movement is not about assigning blame or populated by bigots.

Since that time the a number of less than credible movement figures such as Kevin Barrett and Jim Fetzer have endorsed or plugged the site and wonky organizations like WeAreChangeLA have posting links to the site. In addition, Ed Kendrick, the site's primary advocate has remained busy with his bulk e-mails, social media and SEO campaign, posting links to the site anywhere that will allow such crap. This has included attacks on 911truth.org.

While I have been promoting the idea that blaming Israel is not common in the 9/11 Truth Movement, the same can not be said if one includes everyone promoting 9/11 truth. That would be to make a distinction between those dedicated to 9/11 truth as a unique cause and those who simply view the issue as a means to promoting their existing ideology. In fact, such notions are quite prominent in many Muslim communities around the world and also in the American "Patriot" movement.

Now, I wouldn't suggest that criticizing Israel is anti-Semitic. Zionism is as ugly as Manifest Destiny, and criticizing American imperialism, slavery, and genocide should not be viewed as unpatriotic. But suggesting that we have 'proof' that Israel was responsible for 9/11 IS anti-Semitic as it can't be proven, demonstrating clear bias that is directly insulting to most Jewish people.

Those who believe that the US government had a hand in the 9/11 attack are no less irrational for blaming Dick Cheney without direct proof that those who want to blame Israel without adequate evidence. In either case the need to assign blame is more based in psychology and ideology than fact and reason.

Anti-Semitism is as American as apple pie and widespread in the Muslim world. There very simply are many who would have reason to blame Israel for ideological reasons. And it's also the case that many of those advancing that notion are savvy enough to disclaim anti-Semitism in the process in an attempt to reach a wider audience. Rediscover911.com has a statement on their site to that effect. And yet looking past that claim at the content of their site it's quite clear that their insistence that Israel was largely responsible for the 9/11 attack is motivated by ideology rather than fact. They simply can't provide any significant degree of evidence to prove the assertion.

Without that evidence the assertion of Isreali involvement is highly insulting, not only to Jewish people, but to anyone dedicated to truth. The 9/11 truth movement benefits in no way at all from unfounded assertions. And marginally founded assertions that insult most of our mainstream audience do a great deal of damage.

Recently Rediscover911.com updated their site and included a list of people involved in the project. Zan Overall, Dr. Tom Tvedten, Wendy Campbell, Judy Kemecsei, Jerry Mazza, Stephen Lendman, Adrian Salbuchi, T. Mark Hightower, and Tim Titrud. The site is more superficially credible and was designed to enhance it's search engine profile. In other words, the project is growing and working toward greater visibility.

In response I have updated Rediscover911.org to include new content pages that will ensure that my site remains in the #2 position behind theirs. Anyone wishing to help me maintain that position could click here, here, and here.

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