American Conspiracies by Jesse Ventura

Years ago I saw a cartoon in a magazine showing a couple at home watching television. In it the husband was saying to the wife " Ok, lets watch this but if the Neilson people call let's tell them we are watching PBS. " To a large extent that is how I feel about this book. Ventura guides us through the various conspiracy theories of the last 100 years. King, Malcolm X, the Kennedy asassinations, the 2000 and 2004 elections and of course 9/11.

It was interesting timing as I had finished this book Saturday and the next day we get word that we have captured and killed Bin Laden. I suspect everyone has doubts about what really happens versus the official word. What I do not know is if we are more cynical in this age than perhaps people were in past generations or if we just have more ways to distribute information.

For me personally do I think that the killings of the Kennedy's and Martin Luther King can all plausibly be attributed the lone gunman. I think not and I think that is a rational opinion. Do I think Bush stole the elections of 2000 and 2004. Actually no, I think that his side fought harder after the election in 2000 and that the Supreme Court ruled in his favor. I do think that it is likely the 2004 election was stolen in Ohio.

Still all this talk of conspiracy theories can make people look at you funny. Everybody knows that person at the parties, and no one really wants to be him. For me while I have my doubts about many things including 9/11 there are some things I just do not want to know.

I have a busy life, three kids, a wonderful wife and a medical condition I try to deal with each day. I try to live the right way and ask God's help everyday to be the best person I can be and act as he wants me too. I think we have to be careful of investing too much time doubting events.

Of course it easy to doubt eveything. It is easy to be cynical. Still, is it the way we want to be? Is it what we want to teach our children? If there are people in authority misleading and misrepresenting to us we have to hope that it comes out, but we if we see two people in the muck and filth and jump in with them we are going to need to be washed clean too.

I accept that I do not the truth of many things and will not on this Earth. I think it is healthier if we accept that and concentrate on what is important.

Whatever happened on 9/11 many innocent people died. If we are going to invest any energy in that story lets spend it thinking of the victims and their loved ones. Those guilty will have to atone with thier God at the time he determines. I am satisfied with that.

Read some Psalms, Read some Thoreau, Read some Hemingway. Put this book back down. It will hurt your spirit.