I think that the American Left has collectively underestimated this problem. I think that the turns towards conspiracism is a bigger factor in the decline of activism than radicals who have been cowed into not doing activism because of the post-9/11 security state.
I suspect that I see more of this conspiracy movement here in Kansas City than the rest of you. We don't have much of a radical left around here, so the liberals and progressives get edgy by adopting this conspiracy crap and what I call now "radical liberalism." The radical liberals are the people who talk about "corpocracy" instead of capitalism. It's a kind of light leftism that allows people to think that the DP may still be capable of reform.
My approach to the conspiracy theorists has been one of confrontation with the more rational members of this movement. There are lots of wingnuts involved, including the one who almost assaulted me several weeks ago at a KKFI fundraiser after I quietly pointed out that WTC Building 7 was brought down by plane debris and fires. The guy didn't assault me, but I received a verbal tirade that beats anything I've heard in many years.
The wingnuts can easily be dismissed. What's more worrisome are the rational people who buy into this conspiracy crap. Especially the radical leftists and anarchists. It's almost like these intelligent people have given up on the analysis of Chomsky and Marx and opted for the religious, magical thinking of Art Bell.
What can be done to disabuse our comrades of this craziness? Perhaps we ought to spend some time reading back issues of the Skeptical Inquirer. This magazine usually goes after religion, UFO buffs, and paranormal nonsense, but they have published articles abotu how skeptics can talk to people who are into this stuff.
Belief in the 9/11 conspiracy is akin to religious belief. Believers are really into the conspiracy and get angry at people who are skeptical.
Good luck, Yoshie.
Chuck