So Much for the Favorable Press

The Truthers were all congratulating themselves over the supposedly favorable press they had been receiving lately; see this post for an example. But then a lone nutbar goes and shoots at some Pentagon cops and suddenly it's not some silly game played by paranoids, it's life and death. And the media turns sharply against you.

Check out this terrific op-ed in the Washington Post, which apparently suddenly discovered that a Japanese parliament member was a fruitcake:

Mr. Fujita's ideas about the attack on the World Trade Center, which he shared with us in a recent interview, are too bizarre, half-baked and intellectually bogus to merit serious discussion. He questions whether it was really the work of terrorists; suggests that shadowy forces with advance knowledge of the plot played the stock market to profit from it; peddles the fantastic idea that eight of the 19 hijackers are alive and well; and hints that controlled demolition rather than fire or debris may be a more likely explanation for at least the collapse of the building at 7 World Trade Center, which was adjacent to the twin towers.

Half-baked ideas? They aren't even defrosted! And why did the WaPo suddenly discover the crazies? I have no doubt that it was because of the Pentagon shooter. Of course the Troofers have gone ballistic over the editorial:

It's disturbing -- if not surprising -- that the WaPo would treat a foreign dignitary with such disrespect. Jeezus, Americans, like Israelis, should be careful not to alienate every single ally. Meanwhile, Canadians should be careful not to see their reputation slide further and further into the abyss due to unwavering support for Israel. Even the biggest kid on the block should try to foment a friendship or two.

Isn't WaPo owned by some cultish nut case with links to the neocons?

No, that's the Washington Times. Remember, the paper that actually posted a positive review of Richard Gage's press release?

Ditto for a solid segment on Nightline:


Again, I have no quarrels with the people who produced this segment; I just question the timing. The "Truthers" have always been crazy; the recent shooting just reveals it a little more starkly.

Note the dodge by Colleen Rowley; I suspect she's trying to ride the gravy train while not upsetting the applecart, to mix a few metaphors.

Pentagon Shooter a Truther; Fits Nutbar Profile

Yep, what a shock:

The user named JPatrickBedell wrote the Sabow case was "a step toward establishing the truth of events such as the September 11 demolitions."

Pot-smoker? Check:

That same posting railed against the government's enforcement of marijuana laws and included links to the author's 2006 court case in Orange County, Calif., for cultivating marijuana and resisting a police officer.

Ron Paul and Mike Gravel fan? Check and check:

Information is being released on John Patrick Bedell, the man who shot two police officers at the Pentagon before being killed. His internet postings reveal that he was a libertarian, conspiracy theorist and part of the Ludwig von Mises Facebook group. The Ludwig von Mises Institute is a think tank that has a working relationship with Ron Paul and is headed by Paul’s former chief of staff, Lou (sic) Rockwell.

In another portion of his site profile, Bedell promoted former Senator and eccentric presidential candidate Mike Gravel whom he said supported selling weed in liquor stores.

Of course, that should be "Lew" Rockwell, not "Lou".

Update: Believes in other conspiracy theories? Check:

This seizure of the United States government by an international criminal conspiracy is a long-established reality. The murder of the United States President in 1963, the associated murders and institutional subversion, and the manipulation of official inquiries and public opinion was effected by individuals within organizational structures that play a central role in the United States government up to the present day. The coup regime founded with the murder of President John Kennedy utilizes a number of mechanisms to perpetuate its criminal rule.

Update II: I like this comment:

So, instead of playing the blame game so unapologetically employed by the Left when they feel they can spin things to their political advantage, I’m not going to say that Bedell’s actions at the Pentagon epitomize the leftist worldview. Rather, he was just crazy, as clearly indicated by his belief in the craziest of modern crazy conspiracy theories, 9/11 Truthism.

(Bolding added for emphasis)

9-11 Truth dot org hastily put out a statement that doesn't mention Bedell specifically but disavows violence:

As a reminder that 911Truth.org NEVER endorses or promotes violence of any kind, and that those who commit violence are not "us", here's our longstanding Mission Statement. Notice our last statement: "We solicit collaboration with others who are committed to achieving these goals by way of peaceful transformation."

Fantasizes about new forms of currency? Check: