My point is that racist ideas exist in roughly equal amounts on both sides of the argument. To label only the conspiracists as racist in an attempt to discredit them is scurrilous. They are no more or less racist than people who believe the official story. Note the official story is either the Arabs were stupid but lucky or else the task of flying the plane is dumbed down to explain how stupid Arabs could pull it off. Almost never is there talk that the task was not so simple. Several fairly intelligent people learned rather quickly how to perform a difficult but not impossibly so task. Stating this would make the Arabs "smart" and we can't have that in any narrative.
The idea that there were explosives planted in the building or whatever is so ridiculous that one need not try to label its proponents racist in an attempt to discredit them or even to explain how they reach their conclusions. The devaluing of the actual workings of white supremany is evident in the official story whose racism goes without comment.
As you say focusing on the nature of explanation that these narratives provide and the political function of the conspiracy narratives is of primary importance in the discussion of conspiracism rather than dwelling on any racism. This is only true however because the level of racism in the conspiracist mindset is no more or less than that of proponents of the official story. Unless you want to focus on the racism of both sides focusing only on the conspiracists racism masks the racism of the official explanation and is primarily self-serving.
John Thornton
On 22 Aug 2006 at 17:34, Jerry Monaco wrote:
> Oh Zeus! Listen, John, Carrol, Chuck (and sometimes Ravi),
>
> I hope you know by now that I think that these 9/11 conspiracy
> narratives are highly unlikely and based on "wishful thinking." They
> in fact make me angry because it shows how deeply apolitical and off
> the point so many "left-liberal" US citizens are.
>
> But, I have to present a stronger defense to this "racist" bandwagon,
> so now I find myself defending people who I think are screwy thinkers.
>
> How do you know these people are racist? Have they expressed it to you?
> Don't be so ready to accuse these conspiracy obsessives of anti-Arab
> racism. They often point out that it is anti-Arab racism that the
> Bush-regime used to convince the rest of "us" of the "official story."
> In other words it is they who accuse people who too easily believe
> the official story of anti-Arab racism. This flinging about of the
> idea that so-and-so is racist, or such and such is a racist story,
> without good evidence, devalues the actual workings of white
> supremacy, etc.
>
> Chuck, may have evidence of anti-Arab racism among some people that
> believe in these 9/11 conspiracy narratives. But I haven't seen that
> evidence. Until I do I prefer to concentrate on what I do know and
> can provisionally conclude; the nature of explanation that these
> narratives provide and the political function of the conspiracy
> narratives.
>
> Finally, what of all the people in the Arab world who think that 9/11
> was a Bush conspiracy. Are they self-hating Arabs? Before you accuse
> them of such "self-hatred" step back and think what flinging such
> accusations actually means.
>
> Jerry