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Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Episode 90: An Advance To The Rear

As many of you know, I've been of the opinion that Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley Jr. (otherwise known as The West Memphis Three) are innocent of the horrible triple murder for which each was convicted.

Until several years ago, I hadn't really found a way to find others and get involved and possibly find some way of helping out in getting the right people (namely judges, attorneys, etc.) to reopen this case and have another look at it. It's only within the past year or so that I've finally had the opportunity to work with some of the supporters who've been active in this case for so long. Naturally, not many in this particular town know about this case with the exception of a few of the people I work with. Even then, I've had to bear ad hominem attacks and attempted guilt trips (albeit unsuccessful) from those that disagree with me, each basing their disagreement on what they perceive to be limited research on my part.

Online it's been much worse. I've suffered death threats by "Reverend" R.G. Green's muderously rabid followers, I've had my share of ad hominem attacks from various detractors who literally despise my existence based solely on the fact that I'm a supporter. These, I don't take personally in the least. For those offering threats, I do send out my address and you're more than welcome to come along at any time to make good on them. I'm not afraid of you one bit. Do what you must. In plain terms, put up or shut up.

What I never expected were attacks from fellow supporters. One slam I can let ride. Two, I usually talk to someone else a little higher up to aid in settling but when it's four (two of them in one day, one of them being someone I believed could and would help) then that's when I lose hope.

Recently, that hope I'd had was rocked. Support in terms of defense funding for the three has come primarily from online contributors and donations. Sadly, the network established has been suffering lately due to selective policy enforcement (or lack thereof) by those appointed to moderate both the chat room AND the message board. There is a habit of sorts involved. That being to let nonsensical detractors come into them, ranting, raving and carrying on with impunity and then coming down on supporters themselves for even bothering to respond in a non-inflammatory sense with fact or their choice in chat handles. In this, supporters now find themselves having to justify what they came to do in the first place...discuss. In some cases, such as mine, being opinionated or reserving the right to go toe-to-digital-toe with a moderator is enough to make one unwelcome.

I refuse to bow and back out of a chat room because someone has a moderator status. I'm sorry but this is almost Two Thousand And Bloody Eight last I checked.

As defending yourself, the integrity of the board or the integrity of the case is not good policy for the WM3 Case Discussion Chat And Messageboard and since I am now no longer sure as to whom I can turn to or trust, I have announced my official withdrawl from the movement.

Now that you have the bad news, I'll give you the good news in clarification.

1. This does not mean, in any way, that I have stopped supporting the WM3. They're still innocent of this crime and I do not believe that they should have to pay (nor should the families of anyone involved in this case) for the questionable judgment calls of moderators.

2. This DOES mean I will no longer be visiting the chat nor will I be hosting the show from it or advertising it in any way.

3. This Also Means I will not be posting to the message boards anytime soon.

4. Anyone who seeks to work with me on raising awareness for this case CAN still approach me. This is, however, on a case-by-case basis. There are friends that I've made along the way and I have no problems working with them at all, however, there are also others that I cannot work with because they have decided that my help in their endeavors is unwelcome. Those that approach me will know which. Those that I've already agreed to help, that still stands.

5. Any blogs or bulletins that are posted by me on MySpace or Fubar are simply reposts. Go to the original sources for more on the posts you see

I cannot express to my friends within the supporter community my deepest regrets that it ended up being this way. I only ask them to understand that it was taken out of my hands this past Friday and, after thinking about it during the rest of the weekend and part of last night at work, I'd simply concluded that perhaps it was time for me to move along. What saddened me most was that it was someone I'd perceived to be a friend and had even offered to help in the past who had toss the final straw onto the weakened camel's back.

The truth is, not everyone in the WM3 Online Support Community is as short-fused as the ones I'd encountered. The sad fact is that, the ones who have been appointed are short-fused and will act on the "shoot first and ask questions later" principle at their own whim. I do not understand why they're not all on the same page, nor am I asking.

The cause is well worth the flack I take from vicious detractors but the community that has been formed is not worth the flack I'm taking from other supporters who are espousing that each and every one of us should act "mature and adult" while treating us like children. Sadly, I see it coming apart and the three currently convicted going nowhere fast because of how many supporters suddenly finding themselves alienated by the very people they've tried to help.

I just hope that I'm wrong in that prediction.
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Saturday, December 15, 2007

Episode 89: On Hacking The Human Mind

Even I'll be the first to admit that hacking human minds can often be a daunting task. It's actually harder than getting into any supercomputer in the world, no matter what level of skill you may have. I never intended to hack this particular mind. My intention was to simply state from where it was I was coming and perhaps, achieve a level of understanding that would allow us to agree to disagree on the subject.

There are weird things in this world, my dear readers. These things are true because, we know, truth is far stranger than fiction.

My co-worker, Biggie, and I were sitting around talking. I'd pretty much made up my mind never to discuss the subject of September 11th, 2001. The last time I did, he hammered me about a book I was reading. I had no idea how I was deserving of the rather venomous pseudo-attack that I'd gotten but trying to calmly explain my case was futile. As has been the usual, I received explanations that couldn't be corroborated by fact, predictable dismissal outright when the things I presented couldn't be properly refuted and then, the ever-present cop-out that clearly shows their inability, lack of knowledge and general distaste for anyone who has questions.

Those cop-outs tend to be phrases such as the following:

"You must wear a tin-foil hat to keep the government's mind control rays out of your brain, don't you?"

"You believe in U.F.O.s, don't you? I'll bet you do! Come on, answer the question!"

"You conspiracy nuts are all the same." And may I add, I find it extremely hilarious when the presentation I give never uses that word but detractors will use it ad nauseum.

"All you people also believe that the government used some type of satellite weapon in space to bring down the towers."

From Biggie, I got the U.F.O. question. I went one step further and finished his sentence for him during that conversation.

"If you really want to prove my information to be without credibility," I'd said, "using the same, trite, predictable cliche isn't going to do anything to help you."

I was basically dismissed again and the night went on. I must admit I was frustrated. I know it does no good trying to teach someone who doesn't want to learn but the thing you must admit is that it also does no good to preach to the choir.

Tonight opened up a door that I hadn't expected. Something I'd said that night stuck and bugged him. That's usually all it takes...an open backdoor. I finally had a piece of his coding and now, all I needed was one more access port and I was in. Finally, the virus I had in my head would begin to take hold and infect him. If he were going to engage me in this conversation then I would make my stand and hold firm.

SPARTANS! GIVE THEM NOTHING...TAKE FROM THEM...EVERYTHING!

Here was my Last Stand at my own mental Thermopylae pass and I'd be damned if I went down without putting my best foot forward and giving everything I had.

Something happened, this conversation was not like the rest I'd had with him. There were fewer interruptions from his end. He actually seemed...well...interested. Naturally, he tried some of his tactics from before and this time, I was prepared for them. They were swatted aside using facts, names, places, dates and a steady string of congruent pieces of information that weren't meant to convince him but to make him ask the questions that I wanted him to ask.

I almost couldn't believe it when it worked.

I'd guided the conversation like a laser guides a Patriot Missile. By the end of it, he'd agreed to look at any information I'd give him under the condition that he could check out the sources for himself. Fair enough...I can see that I've already made progress here. People like Dr. Steven E. Jones, Dr. David Ray Griffin, Michael Ruppert, Alex Jones...these would not be easy names to discredit. These people have been run through the wringer already...he has a long and hard road ahead of him.

Understand, I'm not gloating. I'm not going "Ha! Ha! Told you, motherfucker!" I must admit I am happy. Why? Because, tonight, progress was made. I'm into the system now and all I have to do is upload the data...I just hope it makes it past the firewalls. The point of any arguement is not to win or to keep from losing...it's just to make progress. This is why I'm relieved.

Tonight, I found out what the firewall was that prevented me from making any progress when Biggie stated, "I just don't want to believe our own government would do something like that."

"Even if the facts dictated otherwise?" I asked, "If that's the case then you continue to allow it to happen. It's complicity on your part and you do the country, our soldiers or the many who've died all over the world a huge disservice. If any of my family had been caught up in that, my research would take up every ounce of spare time I have. I have a right to know and so do you."

"For what?" he asked, "How the hell can any one of us do anything about it?"

"One person, individually speaking," I said, "Probably nothing, you're right...but a collective of us can establish some type of diplomatic solution to the problem. The problem seems to have sprung up and set itself upon us overnight. You're right about one thing, this thing probably won't be solved all in one chunk but if we can at least get it started...then that's really what I'm all about. I'm not about wearing some foil hat and going into a violent overthrow...that's counterproductive and it just makes way for the next powermad despot to get in and establish a new bloodthirsty regime. We're trying to stop the killing. Killing more people won't start a new and proper investigation. Belittling, threatening and namecalling won't either. A prime example of this is the fact that you can bench well over 300 lbs easily...that's a warm-up to you, right?"

"Right," he said.

"I can't," I said, "Not even on my best day when I'm amped up on Xenadrine, Adrenochrome and a head full of DevilDriver."

He laughed at the analogy.

"But," I said, smiling, "if you really wanted me to lift over 300 lbs as a warm-up, if you really wanted to train me to do so..."

"You'd have to start somewhere and work at it over time," he said.

"Exactly."

"So you're not saying I have to believe you," he said.

"Absolutely not," I said, "I'd be more disappointed if you did believe me outright."

"Why?" he asked.

"Would you preach to a choir?" I asked, "Or to someone who really needed to hear the message? Rhetorical question...something to think about but let's just say that if I wanted to make progress in this, should I spend more time talking to those who agree with me or more time to those who don't know about this information? You can't teach third-grade english to a college literary professor. You can, however, teach it to a third-grader. The only thing I'm saying is don't shut down. You have some of the goals figured out but you need to know how they're being accomplished, to what end, who's doing it, where in history it's happened and why. I have the information and I'm willing to just give you what I've worked for. You can take it and run it all up yourself. I can tell you something else...just one final thing and you're really not going to believe me when I say this."

"What?" he asked.

"My original intention was to prove these people wrong," I said, "definitively so. I researched this stuff to gather everything I could and really ram holes in it and leave no question. It wasn't until I began looking up the information and found out how much of it was actually reliable that I began waking up to what's really happening around us. Come Monday and Tuesday, I'm going to work on getting you some of the most reliable information I have together. After that, you can look it up for yourself and then you can decide. You don't have to tell me a damn thing because, once you look at everything for yourself and make your stand on it, it won't be any of my business but whatever questions you have...if I can't answer them, I know I'll have something in my data archive that will. Fair enough?"

"Alright," he said, "sounds fair."

Getting through...the hardest part is now over. Now, all I have to do is peruse my archive and begin gathering the best stuff...the stuff I know he'll listen to. Scholars, former military...these people with impeccable credentials...he'll listen to them. Get him started and back him up.

A young questioning mind lives, an old belief system dies.

...fair trade.