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Author Topic: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?  (Read 78264 times)

Online Steve M. Galbraith

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Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #120 on: August 31, 2018, 05:52:47 PM »
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Much of the early critical work that received a wide following was from the left. But at the same time--the mid-1960s--there were theories published in right-wing journals, as well.

I would argue that the "Saturday Evening Post" and "Argosy" were fairly right-wing, and they published many conspiracy articles over time. The "Post" published Josiah Thompson's article (based on exempts from his book) in late-1967. Epstein was considered a responsible critic. Which side of the left/right spectrum does Thompson and Epstein fall?

What about Sylvan Fox, whose book "The Unanswered Questions about the Kennedy Assassination", was widely-distributed?

True, but Lane - to me - stands alone. The man spent decades going on college campuses where he poisoned the minds of an entire generation of young people with his nonsense. Just an awful, awful man.

I would distinguish between a person who thinks there was a conspiracy versus those who promote a specific one. Epstein and Thompson are in this category; both were unknowns at the time, right? That is, young men with no discernible political background (Epstein was a graduate student at Cornell). And as you know, Epstein went from being a conspiracy believer to a lone assassin advocate.

As I said, the CTer crowd crosses the left/right divide. There are people on both sides who think there was a conspiracy. It's funny, I've never seen a poll that breaks down this question along the left/right category. That would be interesting.

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Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #120 on: August 31, 2018, 05:52:47 PM »


Offline Jon Banks

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Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #121 on: August 31, 2018, 06:11:16 PM »
True, but Lane - to me - stands alone. The man spent decades going on college campuses where he poisoned the minds of an entire generation of young people with his nonsense. Just an awful, awful man.

I would distinguish between a person who thinks there was a conspiracy versus those who promote a specific one. Epstein and Thompson are in this category; both were unknowns at the time, right? That is, young men with no discernible political background (Epstein was a graduate student at Cornell). And as you know, Epstein went from being a conspiracy believer to a lone assassin advocate.

As I said, the CTer crowd crosses the left/right divide. There are people on both sides who think there was a conspiracy. It's funny, I've never seen a poll that breaks down this question along the left/right category. That would be interesting.

The Kennedy Assassination is arguably the only major Conspiracy Theory today that unites Left and Right.

Most modern conspiracy theories are endorsed by one Political side or another. Very few today are non-partisan.

Speaking for myself, I?m a Left-leaning guy who rejects most Conspiracy Theories. I keep an open mind about the Kennedy Assassination because there are just too many unanswered questions and coincidences. Plus humans throughout history have conspired secretly in groups to do bad things.

I think where politics plays a role is each individual?s views of the government and the traditional news media.

If you?re a person who believes the government and news media are dishonest about certain events, then you?re probably more likely to believe in some Conspiracy Theories.

If you for the most part don?t think the government and the news media lie about certain events then you?re probably less likely to believe in Conspiracy Theories.

Offline Jerry Organ

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Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #122 on: August 31, 2018, 07:38:22 PM »
True, but Lane - to me - stands alone. The man spent decades going on college campuses where he poisoned the minds of an entire generation of young people with his nonsense. Just an awful, awful man.

I would distinguish between a person who thinks there was a conspiracy versus those who promote a specific one.


Regarding the last sentence, where would Lane fall?


If you?re a person who believes the government and news media are dishonest about certain events, then you?re probably more likely to believe in some Conspiracy Theories.
 

Lane's follow-up to "Rush to Judgment" was the better-written and more-detailed "Citizen's Dissent" which indicted much of the mass-media and peer-reviewed journals. Shame Lane's 1968 book didn't get the attention that RtJ got, but there was a lot going on during that god-awful year 50 years ago, and a WCR critic's complain-list didn't merit much concern.

Even when the mass-media, as Dell did with Weisberg, gets onboard, it soon falls apart because of the critic's paranoia. Lifton had his "Best Evidence" wound-alteration theory completed and wouldn't pass it on to the HSCA to investigate when he had the chance. Whether he did it because he didn't trust them (his claim) or he wanted to increase his book sales or whatever, we'll never know for sure. But this is an example of a critic himself manipulating events and later claiming the "officials" had no interest.

JFK Assassination Forum

Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #122 on: August 31, 2018, 07:38:22 PM »


Offline Jon Banks

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Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #123 on: August 31, 2018, 07:50:29 PM »
Regarding the last sentence, where would Lane fall?

Lane's follow-up to "Rush to Judgment" was the better-written and more-detailed "Citizen's Dissent" which indicted much of the mass-media and peer-reviewed journals. Shame Lane's 1968 book didn't get the attention that RtJ got, but there was a lot going on during that god-awful year 50 years ago, and a WCR critic's complain-list didn't merit much concern.

Even when the mass-media, as Dell did with Weisberg, gets onboard, it soon falls apart because of the critic's paranoia. Lifton had his "Best Evidence" wound-alteration theory completed and wouldn't pass it on to the HSCA to investigate when he had the chance. Whether he did it because he didn't trust them (his claim) or he wanted to increase his book sales or whatever, we'll never know for sure. But this is an example of a critic himself manipulating events and later claiming the "officials" had no interest.

I personally prefer to read books of the ?Skeptics? rather than ?Conspiracy Theorists?. It?s better to say ?I don?t know who did it? than to promote theories that easily fall apart.

I think there are lots of valid criticisms of the Warren Report which were overlooked by the MSM which for the most part has always endorsed the same narrative...

Offline Jerry Organ

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Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #124 on: August 31, 2018, 08:04:17 PM »
I personally prefer to read books of the ?Skeptics? rather than ?Conspiracy Theorists?. It?s better to say ?I don?t know who did it? than to promote theories that easily fall apart.

I think there are lots of valid criticisms of the Warren Report which were overlooked by the MSM which for the most part has always endorsed the same narrative...

How 'bout you take some of the unbridled skepticism you have for the MSM and WCR, and apply it to the JFK CTs.

JFK Assassination Forum

Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #124 on: August 31, 2018, 08:04:17 PM »


Offline Jerry Freeman

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Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #125 on: August 31, 2018, 08:12:45 PM »
  The biggest rightwing CT?er is now Donald Trump.

Mainstream/Establishment Liberals who work for CBS, the NY Times and other traditional Media have always supported and defended the Lone Assassin narrative.
Trump believes that Oswald was the killer [as far as I know]. His view on conspiracy???? Not sure ::)

Offline Jon Banks

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Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #126 on: August 31, 2018, 08:22:00 PM »
How 'bout you take some of the unbridled skepticism you have for the MSM and WCR, and apply it to the JFK CTs.

Did you miss the part where I said I prefer not to read Conspiracy Theory books?

JFK Assassination Forum

Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #126 on: August 31, 2018, 08:22:00 PM »


Offline Jerry Organ

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Re: Whose Target was General Edwin Walker?
« Reply #127 on: August 31, 2018, 08:29:22 PM »
Did you miss the part where I said I prefer not to read Conspiracy Theory books?

Seems you've read quite a few. Would seem it's LN books and websites you're avoiding.