![](\"http:\/\/images.gawker.com\/18ripbpawmiepjpg\/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800.jpg\")
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One of many\u00a0conspiracy theories<\/a><\/strong>… This one from the “Summer of ’96,” on\u00a0TWA Flight 800<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n In the process of doing research for the new book, I came across a scene from an earlier book (a novel) that I did on\u00a0FSU football<\/a>. It talked about that “Summer of 1996” noted above, and it may explain where and how our current\u00a0raft<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0conspiracy theories<\/a>\u00a0all started.<\/p>\n Here’s what I wrote about that summer of 1996, as remembered in January 1997:<\/p>\n * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n My first wife Karen* and I had our grandkids visiting, along with some other child-relatives as well. (Seven or eight altogether.) At the time I owned a 28-foot Coachmen Class C Motorhome<\/a>, and so for a week we took them “camping” at an RV park in\u00a0Indian Rocks Beach<\/a>, on Florida’s Gulf Coast.\u00a0(At least Karen did. I visited from time to time, but “had” to stay home at night, so I could go to work in the morning.)<\/p>\n At first I thought it was a pretty na\u00efve question. Then I started wondering: “What does the world look like to my grandkids?” For one thing – and judging only by the relative coverage on TV [at the time, 1996] – it would be only logical for them to think that aliens and UFOs are<\/em> <\/strong>more powerful than God.<\/p>\n They certainly get more media coverage.<\/p>\n Then it struck me. Like Heather, most people today are slaves to some fear. They live in fear, and because they live in fear they never really live…<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n At this point I said the novel I was then working on might teach a message from God. Like in the form of a parable<\/a>? (Maybe a parable of a college football team and its fans; maybe even one “moonbeam” fan?) I included a cite to\u00a0Matthew 13:34<\/a>, then continued:<\/em><\/p>\n * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n If there is a common emotion today, it\u2019s fear. Everyone is afraid of something, and much of it comes from TV shows like X-Files<\/a>,\u00a0Sliders<\/a>, and\u00a0Millennium<\/a>. The common premise is an impending takeover by aliens, or a massive government cover-up, or that someone besides God has power over your soul. (No wonder kids today are so messed up.)<\/p>\n On the other hand, these are<\/em> scary times. We “of a certain age<\/a>*”\u00a0survived the Great Depression, World War II, Vietnam and the Cold War, but we still have the Oklahoma City bombing<\/a>, the Atlanta Olympic Park bombing<\/a>, and TWA Flight 800<\/a>. So if there\u2019s a need today, it\u2019s to be freed from slavery to fear.<\/p>\n * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n But getting back to the Summer of 1996…<\/p>\n As noted, one popular show back then was the\u00a0X-Files<\/a>. It\u00a0featured such slogans as \u2018The Truth Is Out There,\u2019 \u2018Trust No One,\u2019 and \u2018I Want to Believe:’<\/p>\n Seen as a defining series of its era,\u00a0The X-Files<\/em>\u00a0tapped into public mistrust of governments and large institutions, and embraced conspiracy theories<\/strong>\u00a0… as it centered on efforts to uncover the existence of extraterrestrial life.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n And now it seems that those conspiracy theories – and that public distrust of government – have both\u00a0grown exponentially<\/a>. As to why – and maybe as to where it all began – consider\u00a0Your Guide to the TWA 800 Conspiracy and Its New Truther Documentary<\/a>.<\/p>\n As noted, the mysterious crash of TWO Flight 800 happened\u00a0way back in 1996. But then in June of 2013 came an update, a “new Truther documentary,” which started with this:<\/p>\n Remember the ’90s? Snap bracelets? ‘N Sync?\u00a0Friends<\/em>? Accusing the Navy of taking down a U.S. passenger plane with a missile? That’s right – our favorite ’90s conspiracy theory is back, thanks to a new documentary purporting to show “new evidence” that TWA Flight 800 crashed because it was hit by a missile.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The\u00a0Truther Documentary<\/a>\u00a0review noted that\u00a0TWA Flight 800<\/a>\u00a0has been the focus of numerous “rumors, alternative explanations, and conspiracy theories.” And that “’90s nostalgia<\/a>\u00a0is big right now,” mostly because of the internet. And finally that, “Like most conspiracy theories, TWA 800 is search-engine optimization gold<\/em><\/strong>.” Which is another way of saying that those conspiracy theories and that public distrust of government “have both\u00a0grown exponentially<\/a>.”<\/p>\n That is, those rumors and conspiracy theories were fueled by “speculation among conspiracy nuts, especially on message boards on the newly popular internet.”<\/p>\n Which leads to the subject of “Truthers.” For one definition of such people, see\u00a0Truther | Definition of Truther by Merriam-Webster<\/a>: “one who believes that the\u00a0truth<\/a>\u00a0about an important subject or event is being concealed from the public by a powerful conspiracy.”<\/p>\n That definition included a warning that – to most people – it was “not flattering” to be called<\/em> <\/strong>a truther. And further that the term originated, “as far as anyone can tell, to characterize people who embraced alternative explanations for the Sept. 11 attacks.” (See also\u00a0Urban Dictionary: Truther<\/a>, or Google the term.) But then there’s the definition from\u00a0truther – Wiktionary<\/a>. Aside from the definitions noted above, it includes this one: “Someone who tells the\u00a0truth<\/a>.”<\/p>\n Imagine that…<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The\u00a0Wiktionary<\/a>\u00a0site included some “see alsos,” on what seems to be the more generally accepted definition. “See alsos” include\u00a0anti-vaxxer<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>birther<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>denier<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>flat-earther<\/a>. An anti-vaxxer “opposes\u00a0vaccination<\/a>, as for its purported dangerous effects.” A birther is someone who\u00a0believes “the conspiracy theory that\u00a0Barack Obama<\/a>, 44th President of the United States (2009\u20132017), was not born in that country.” A “denier” – aside from being an old French coin – is someone who “denies.” (Things like the the existence of AIDS, Global Warming, or the Holocaust.)\u00a0 And “flat-earther” has two<\/em><\/strong> definitions.<\/p>\n One is of a person “who\u00a0believes<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0advocates<\/a>\u00a0the theory that the planet Earth is flat.” The other is of a person “who believes or advocates an\u00a0outlandish<\/a>,\u00a0discredited<\/a>\u00a0theory; a person who\u00a0refuses<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0acknowledge<\/a>\u00a0the truth despite\u00a0overwhelming<\/a>\u00a0evidence<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong>”<\/p>\n All of which seems to be part of the ongoing problem. For myself, I believe that people who deny reality end up having it\u00a0bite them in the ass<\/a>. (An idiom which means being punished “for<\/span>\u00a0one’s<\/span>\u00a0poor<\/span>\u00a0judgment.”)<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0See also\u00a0Denialism – Wikipedia<\/a>, referring to the choice “to\u00a0deny<\/a>\u00a0reality<\/a>\u00a0as a way to avoid a psychologically uncomfortable\u00a0truth<\/a>.” Motivations and causes for such denial include a\u00a0defence mechanism<\/a>\u00a0“meant to protect the psyche of the denialist against mentally disturbing facts and ideas.”<\/p>\n All of which translates to: The truth is indeed still out there, but more and more these days it seems that finding<\/em> <\/strong>such\u00a0Truth<\/a>\u00a0is like searching for “diamonds in a dung-heap<\/a>.”<\/p>\n * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n The upper image is courtesy of\u00a0Twa Flight 800 Conspiracy Theory\u00a0–\u00a0Image\u00a0Results<\/a>. It comes with the article,\u00a0Your Guide to the TWA 800 Conspiracy and Its New Truther Documentary<\/a>, dated June, 2013.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The first link in the caption is to\u00a0List of conspiracy theories – Wikipedia<\/a>. That article includes a link to Wikipedia’s\u00a0List of political conspiracies<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The first image in the main text is from the Wikipedia article on FSU, captioned: “Florida State and Miami first met in 1951 and have played each year since 1966.”<\/em><\/p>\n Re: “My first wife Karen.” She died in 2006.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Here’s the full quote of what I wrote, about a possible message from God: “Maybe that was one message God wanted to teach. If that\u2019s true, what better\u00a0message\u00a0than by way of a parable? (Maybe a parable featuring one college football team and its fans, and maybe even one \u201cmoonbeam\u201d fan.)\u00a0 \u201cJesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.\u00a0 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables\u2026\u201d (Matthew 13:34 NIV, emphasis added, and Mark 4:34, citing Psalm 78:2.)<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026shows like X-Files<\/a>,\u00a0Sliders<\/a>, and\u00a0Millennium<\/a>.\u201d\u00a0 See the Wikipedia articles, including this:<\/em><\/p>\n The X-Files<\/em> \u201coriginally aired from September 10, 1993\u00a0(1993-09-10) to May\u00a019,\u00a02002\u00a0(2002-05-19). The show was a hit \u2026 and its characters and slogans, such as \u2018The Truth Is Out There,\u2019 \u2018Trust No One,\u2019 and \u2018I Want to Believe,\u2019 became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s. \u00a0Seen as a defining series of its era, The X-Files<\/em> tapped into public mistrust of governments and large institutions, and embraced conspiracy theories and spirituality as it centered on efforts to uncover the existence of extraterrestrial life.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sliders was a science fiction series that ran from 1995 to 2000. It followed \u201ca group of travelers as they use a wormhole to \u2018slide\u2019 between different parallel universes.\u201d\u00a0Millenium was an American TV series \u201ccreated by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files,\u201d and ran from 1996 to 1999.\u00a0 The series followed the investigations of ex-FBI agent Frank Black, a consultant \u201cwith the ability to see inside the mind of criminals, working for a mysterious organization known as the Millennium Group.\u201d\u00a0 While the first season dealt mainly \u201cvarious serial killers and other murderers,\u201d the second season featured \u201cmore overtly supernatural occurrences \u2026 with Frank often coming into conflict with forces that appeared to be apocalyptic or even demonic in nature.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Re: “Of a certain age<\/a>.” See\u00a0Idioms by The Free Dictionary<\/a>. Strictly speaking, my generation didn’t survive the Great Depression or World War II, but we heard about those events from our parents, and grew up watching movies and such about them.<\/em><\/p>\n Re:\u00a0Oklahoma City bombing<\/a>, the\u00a0Atlanta Olympic Park bombing<\/a>, and\u00a0TWA Flight 800<\/a>.\u00a0 See the\u00a0 Wikipedia articles, starting with saying the Oklahoma City bombing was an attack in downtown Oklahoma City on April\u00a019, 1995; \u201cIt would remain the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks.\u201d The blast claimed 168 lives, including 19 children, and injured some 680 people. The blast destroyed or damaged 324\u00a0buildings in a 16-block radius, destroyed or burned 86\u00a0cars, and shattered glass in 258\u00a0nearby buildings. There was an estimated $652\u00a0million worth of damage.\u00a0 Within 90\u00a0minutes, Timothy McVeigh was stopped for driving without a license plate and arrested.<\/em><\/p>\n The Olympic Park bombing occurred on July 27, 1996 in Atlanta, during the Summer Olympics. Two people died, and 111 were injured.\u00a0<\/em>Trans-World Airlines Flight 800 exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off New York on July 17, 1996, 12 minutes after takeoff, killing all 230 people on board. Although a terrorist act was at first suspected, \u201cthe government\u201d found no evidence of such a criminal act, after a 16-month investigation.\u00a0 (See the X-Files note above, re: \u201cpublic mistrust of governments\u201d and\/or \u201cconspiracy theories.\u201d)<\/em><\/p>\n Re: “Diamonds in a dung heap.” See Thomas Jefferson’s observation that – to him –\u00a0“Certain teachings in the Bible are as diamonds in a dung-heap<\/a>.” Or see\u00a0Diamonds From the Dung Heap : The Life and Morals of Jesus<\/a>. The latter refers to a book by Jefferson – often referred to as the\u00a0Jefferson Bible<\/a>\u00a0– but which was apparently originally given the title “Diamonds from the dung heap,” but later simplified. “This edition is named after the first reference President Thomas Jefferson gave to this compilation, that later became referred to as the Jefferson Bible.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The lower image is courtesy of\u00a0X-files\u00a0–\u00a0Image\u00a0Results<\/a>. The image is for an 11×14″ poster available from\u00a0Etsy – Shop for handmade, vintage, custom, and unique gifts<\/a>, but with a note,\u00a0<\/em>“Sorry, this item and shop are currently unavailable.”<\/em><\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One of many\u00a0conspiracy theories… This one from the “Summer of ’96,” on\u00a0TWA Flight 800.\u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * I’m working on a new\u00a0E-book. It’s another novel about\u00a0Florida State University football.\u00a0(This one is on its current fall from grace.) It includes a chapter on the\u00a01996 college football season. (You know, the one ending […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10,8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10350"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10350"}],"version-history":[{"count":96,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10350\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10653,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10350\/revisions\/10653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/a\/a1\/Florida_State_University_versus_the_University_of_Miami_at_Doak_Campbell_Stadium-_Tallahassee%2C_Florida.jpg\/200px-Florida_State_University_versus_the_University_of_Miami_at_Doak_Campbell_Stadium-_Tallahassee%2C_Florida.jpg\")
I’m working on a new\u00a0E-book<\/a>. It’s another novel about\u00a0Florida State University football.<\/a>\u00a0(This one is on its current fall from grace.) It includes a chapter on the\u00a01996 college football season<\/a>. (You know, the one ending with a heart-breaking FSU<\/a>\u00a0loss in the national championship game? To their hated arch-rival, the Florida Gators ?)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.history.com\/.image\/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620\/MTYzNjIxNDQ0ODE3NzkwOTEz\/ufo-sightings-promo-1125685802.jpg\")
Naturally – as the week progressed – the dweeby pre-teen male cousins tried to scare the wits out of their female cousins. And<\/em><\/strong> they did a pretty good job of it, mostly with tales of omnivorous aliens and treacherous UFOs. Until finally, our granddaughter Heather came up to me at the campground pool. She asked, very serious, very worried, \u201cHow can God protect us from\u00a0UFO<\/a>s\u00a0if He doesn\u2019t know where they come from?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/e\/e5\/North_face_south_tower_after_plane_strike_9-11.jpg\")
And now a note from the future<\/em><\/strong>: All that was even before “9\/11” – the\u00a0September 11 World Trade Center attacks<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0and all the other disasters that we’ve come through since 1996. (For a full list of those trials and tribulations see\u00a021st century – Wikipedia<\/a>.)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/img1.etsystatic.com\/136\/0\/10841327\/il_570xN.921045271_sw2b.jpg\")
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