Screw Loose Change: Reactions to the History Channel Piece

Paul Joseph Watson of Prison Planet:

Initial reaction to last night's two hour History Channel Special on the 9/11 truth movement was vehement and conclusive - the show was nothing more than another biased hit piece that manufactured straw man arguments, ignored key evidence, and afforded debunkers to talk at length while ridiculing any other viewpoints.

According to viewers who were unfortunate to have to sit through 120 minutes of yellow journalism, the program was very similar to a previous BBC hit piece - an outright smear attempt that abandoned any pretense of neutrality early on and sought to vigorously attack so-called conspiracy theories.

Our buddy Rick at Right Wing Nuthouse sees it as a gut punch to the kooks:

Prominently featured were historians like David Brinkley, Editor in Chief of Popular Mechanics James Meigs, and structural engineers, explosives experts, and a host of scientists, military experts, and eyewitnesses to the disaster. The cumulative effect of the testimony of the anti-conspiracists was absolutely devastating. The show left little doubt of the unhinged nature of the truthers, showing many of them – including radio host Alex Jones who has given vast amounts of air time to every kook, crazy, and nutcase with a theory on 9/11 – looking like the anti-intellectual fruitcakes they truly are.

Our pal Stephen Lemons at Feathered Bastard:

Sofia Shafquat ("Shafquat"?): When she says, "I know I'm not crazy," that means she's crazy.

David Ray Griffin: self-important pr*ck.

He reminds me that Torin Wolf got a fair amount of face time, which I attribute to him being the only minority they could find (just as Sofia's about the only female with any significant role in the Denial movement).

Longtime "Truther" commenter Bill Giltner:

Bottom Line: According to History Channel, people who have concerns about about what happened on 9/11 are egotistical, narcissistic and have espoused an impossible certainly about their alternative theories.

Captain Ed:

The silliest and yet most revealing moment? That came near the end, when talk-radio host Alex Jones discussed his place in history (note: site may not be safe for your intellect). He told the History Channel that Galileo got persecuted when he told people that the Earth was round instead of flat. "I'm telling people the world is round!" he exclaimed.

Unfortunately, Galileo got persecuted for claiming that the Earth moved around the sun, not that the Earth was round.

Hot Air has the video of that bit.

Our buddy the Good Lt:

Tonight, its American counterpart looks to deliver a crushing, jack-booted swivel-kick to the shriveled jewels of the Twoofer movement in response (for the mental picture, thanks BC/Misha).

Steven Jones predictably complains about the lack of iron spherules:

Yes, James, I saw it. And yes, I EMPHATICALLY told them about the dust -- the iron-rich microspheres especially, and the molten metal beneath the rubble of the Towers and flowing out the South Tower just before it collapsed. And the many fine, peer-reviewed articles in the Journal of 9/11 Studies. Somehow all those points were missed by these guys... as they hit on the "softer" areas of 9/11 research -- flight 93 (shot down..), missile hitting the Pentagon? and so on...

At least he watched it; a fair amount of Deniers like our commenter Swing Dangler are reviewing it second-hand.

Unfortunately, I missed most of it. But from what I saw it was your typical hit piece. Just like the BBC documentary, "9/11: The Conspiracy Files".

Although it seemed to have more content from DRG, AJ, the LC "kids", etc. And some good shots of people protesting and at talks. So that will help for the people who aren't psychotically anti-"conspiracy theory" and/or know little to nothing about it. So it will have some good effect. (it's actually a mistake for them to broadcast this sort of thing)

The kids over at Do-Over Boy's forum are shrieking: