JFK Assassination: Why Do People Seek Another Truth?

On September 11, 2001, 19 people hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against their targets.. Two of the planes crashed into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, the third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., including more than 400 police officers and firefighters. (“9/11 attacks”2010). The conspiracy theories started just days after the September 11, 2001 attack. The conspiracies were easy to spread fast when using the internet and they became more and more elaborate as time went on. The most popular 9/11 conspiracy theory is that 9/11 was orchestrated by the American government.

Roughly 2,753 people were killed on September 11, 2001, by terrorists who overtook commercial airplanes (Jones). The cause of these thousands of deaths were a series of attacks in New York City by an Islamic terrorist group, Al-Qaeda. However, there are still many questions about what actually happened the morning of September 11, 2001. As there are many different conspiracy theories about what happened that day, 9/11 was an attack which began with Al- Qaeda hi-jacking airplanes, but ended with more questions than answers. Many questions still remain about the authenticity of cell phone calls from inside the planes, why air defense was told to “stand down,” and how three buildings imploded as the result of two buildings being struck by airplanes.

Brian Keeley’s short essay, “Of Conspiracy Theories” discusses conspiracy theories and their value in an epistemological context. Keeley defines a conspiracy theory as “a proposed explanation of some historical event (or events) in terms of the significant causal agency of a relatively small group of persons-the conspirators-acting in secret (Keeley 1999, pg. 116).” Keeley seeks to answer the question of why conspiracy theories are unwarranted. His interest in the warrant of conspiracy theories focuses on ¬the unfalsifiability of conspiracy theories and how conspiracy theories are founded upon an extraordinarily large amount of skepticism. In section III, Keely discusses what a conspiracy theory is, and contends that there is no grounds for

Maggie Koerth Baker’s piece titled Why rational people buy into conspiracy theories represents the reasons why rational people believe in conspiracy theories. Throughout the article Baker tries to explain the reasons behind the belief of conspiracy theories supported by research and evidence. This paper will review Baker’s article as well as her main arguments, will evaluate the quality of Baker’s writing and focus on any areas of weakness within the article.

Those who believe the WTC was destroyed by controlled demolitions argue the debris that blew out of windows was the result of an explosive. But experts disagree by saying the debris was simply the contents of the offices inside being blown out with air as the floors collapsed on top of each other. Also, demolition professionals say explosives are placed on lower levels, whereas, the planes hit the buildings at very high floors. No signs of a bomb were found in the wreckage of the buildings (Debunking the 9/11 myths, n.d.). Those who believe the planes that hit the WTC were remote controlled say there is no way al Qaeda could have even come up with the plan to hijack and crash the planes, much less have acted it out within an hour. The manufacturer stated the planes that hit the buildings had only one system of control: from the flight deck. Many telephone calls were made from passengers on the planes saying they were being hijacked.

The CIA’s involvement in the killing of JFK is one of the popular theories put forward by conspiracy theorists. President Kennedy was said to have told an official in his administration, “I want to splinter the CIA into a thousand pieces and scatter it to the winds” (McGovern, 2013, para. 3). Many of the individuals who disliked Kennedy believed he was the reason for the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. They also believed that he would reduce the size of the military industrial complex and that he was not going after communism hard enough. The CIA was involved

The day November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, would soon become known as a tragic day in US history. John F Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, had been drumming up support for the upcoming election. Tragically, he was brutally gunned down by Lee Harvey Oswald. At first glance, this assassination seems like a simple murder. A communist defector simply was angry with JFK and decided to kill him. Many people have failed to notice, however, that the CIA not only had motive to kill JFK, but they also attempted to cover up many details about Lee Harvey Oswald, and JFK in general. If the general populus continues to believe what the CIA wants them to, we will never understand who truly was responsible for his death. The CIA played a large role in John F Kennedy’s death because of the CIA’s motive to kill him, the CIA coverups in the investigation following his death, and promising unfollowed leads that the investigators have ignored.

What if everything one was supposed to believe was wrong? What if the people who are supposed to protect citizens from danger, do not? What if 9/11, the most tragic day in American history, was caused by the people we are supposed to respect and we are supposed and to believe, our government? Could our government have masterminded this horrific crime? Actually, I believe they did. In August 1997, on the front cover of FEMA’s, The Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Response to Terrorism Manual it shows the World Trade Center towers in the cross hairs, sights used for aiming a gun or missile for accuracy, and then again in June 2000, the Department of Justice released a world

In the world today there are events that happen and have stories untold. On the rise are many different twists that come about from events happening. “63 percent of registered American voters believe in at least one political conspiracy theory according to a recent poll conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University” (“Theories Prosper”). There are many different conspiracy theories in the world today including, included in the top ten lists of conspiracy theories is the Sandy Hook elementary shooting, the Boston Marathon bombings, as well as the September 11th terrorist attacks. Ever wonder how a conspiracy theory comes alive and what is all needed to justify the meaning of a conspiracy theory?

On September 11, 2001 four passenger commercial jet airliners were hijacked and as a result approximately 3,000 human lives were lost. When asked about 9/11, many can recall exactly what they were doing when they heard the news that a plane crashed into one of the World Trade Center (WTC) buildings and many Americans can tell you how it all unfolded and the reason behind such a travesty. The “official story” provided by officials, and restated by Sofia Shafquat, producer of “9/11 Mysteries: Demolitions” say that “four passenger planes were hijacked and taken radically off course, within an hour, two of the planes had flown into the enormous steel towers of the World Trade Center, creating fires and eventually toppling them” (Shafquat).

Few historical events are as hotly debated as the assassination of president John F Kennedy on November 22nd,, 1963. Many argue that we will never know the complete truth of what happened that day, and to an extent that is true. Peter Ling, author of the article “Killing Kennedy” argues that because of the ill performed and confused investigation of the assassination, too many details have been lost for us to ever find out the entire truth about the events that took place that day. There are others who believe that the evidence we already have is sufficient, even if some was muddled and lost. Someone who thinks along these lines is Max Holland, author of the article “The Truth Behind JFK’s Assassination”. He argues that even though the details are a little blurred, we know all that we need to know in order to understand what happened. I feel as though there is credence in both arguments, we should always strive to completely understand the events that happen around us, but it is not always necessary to know about every single little detail.

Conspiracy theories are present everywhere throughout the world. These theories consist of explanations of an event as being the result of a plot by a covert group or organization. Many people come up with the oddest conspiracies; for example, the reptilian race of shapeshifters or that Elvis Presley faked his death. But the real question is why do people believe in these seemingly irrational ideas? Most would say they believe it because it makes sense to them in some way, but in reality it’s because, said theories become our first thoughts following the presentation of uncertainty and powerlessness within the masses.

The official story of 9/11 is a conspiracy theory in that the government claims 19 hijackers conspired together to hijack four planes and create terror in the world. Four American airplanes were hijacked; two were driven into the World Trade Centers and the third airplane into the Pentagon. The fourth airplane suspected target was the White House, but it was diverted by the brave men and women aboard that hijacked airplane, and crashed the airline jet before it could reach its target. It was like time stood still as America watched through television broadcast these unbelievable and horrifying events taking place. The reports told of the smell the jet fuel, burning flesh, and people jumping out windows to their death to escape the flames.

The September 11 attacks were tragic events that had spread shockwaves of horror and grief across the United States. The tragedy became the subject of controversy as some skeptics began to doubt the details reported to have transpired that day. Some people question its legitimacy, theorizing that the Bush administration devised and orchestrated the attacks to further its agenda. Filmmaker Dylan Avery discusses and promotes this prevalent conspiracy theory in his documentary, Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup. Avery argues that the government possessed foreknowledge of the attacks by comparing them to precedents of similar situations. He challenges the official explanations and provides his analyzations of evidence from the reports and media. Avery effectively appeals to pathos, ethos, and logos in his film, but his compelling argument is ultimately undermined by fallacies.

In the Loose Change 911 documentaries and stories presented a clear but obscured narrative comes forth in regards to the 9/11 attacks that raise important and crucial understandings to what has been commonly perceived and hidden. Specifcally in the videos provided for this week's lecture, the understanding of the collapse of the buildings, specifically the steel frames is called into question in Architects for 911, Richard Gage AIA, a architect of almost thirty years states, states the trade center buildings are a “incredibly” devastation that needs to be “investigated”. Specifcally Richard Gage brings into question the third trade center building in New York that was, according to the professional archetiect: “Third two… fourty seven stories