Kevin Leitch’s Leftbrain/Rightbrain Sees Conspiracies Left and Right
By Jake Crosby
Kevin Leitch, founder of the Autism Hub and owner of the blog Leftbrain/Rightbrain, has proven that he will rewrite history to support his views. Rewriting history concerning a reaction his daughter had to a vaccine is a sure way to discredit himself in the eyes of any rationally thinking person. (HERE)
This isn’t even Leftbrain/Rightbrain’s most ridiculous blunder.
When Age of Autism first reported on Poul Thorsen’s disappearance with $2 million – Poul Thorsen being the second highest ranking coauthor from the department that led the 2003 Danish Pediatrics study attempting to clear thimerosal, and second highest ranking coauthor from the university that led the 2002 Danish NEJM study attempting to clear the MMR vaccine of any autism link - Leftbrain/Rightbrain responded with the most bizarre array of now-deleted posts. You can see a series of screen shots at the end of this post.
In the first post on the topic, a blogger on Leftbrain/Rightbrain libeled Age of Autism, which he accused of circulating a “hoax” and of forging an official document regarding the scandal. This document was in fact released by Aarhus University - the Danish institution with which Thorsen was affiliated.
Shortly thereafter, on request from Age of Autism, the story was amended to that of a speculative rather than accusatory version, the title being renamed “Is Story Spread by Age of Autism True?” At the end of the post, Kevin Leitch apologized to Age of Autism for the original wording of the entry. He would later remove it completely.
Neither Kevin Leitch, nor his blog Leftbrain/Rightbrain, learned their lesson for very long. Within the week, a new post by the same blogger went up on Leftbrain/Rightbrain echoing the same sentiment from before, entitled:
Update: Dr. Poul Thorsen not Missing, NOT suspected in theft.
The post was yet another long, extended, accusatory rant. The blogger starts by referencing his previous post:
This Saturday, I wrote what is shaping up to be a controversial post, questioning whether a document used by Age of Autism to implicate Dr. Poul Thorsen in the theft of several million dollars was authentic.
He not only questioned it, he originally said flat-out it was a hoax. When readers told him he was wrong, he remained unrepentant, persisting with his stream of misinformation:
I was quite satisfied I had enough to blow the AoA story out of the water. The next day, helpful commenters sped my work by identifying a source from the Copenhagen Post, so that when Olmsted showed up to complain and even friendly correspondents suggested I take it down or make changes, I simply inserted a page worth of new evidence that the document does not represent what any actual university representative in his right mind would say in a statement to the public.
He then attempts to validate his absurd position by claiming that Age of Autism writers:
…are trying to back away from criminal accusations to more prosaic aspersions on [Thorsen’s] research. I am sure that representatives of Thorsen, his former employer and international law enforcement will be very amused.
Maybe they would if Poul Thorsen weren’t actually missing along with $2 million.
In his desperation, the blogger then posts a long list of references to studies with Poul Thorsen’s name on them from as recently as last month as “evidence” that Thorsen was not missing and was in fact “living a very public life.” Had the blogger even so much as looked at a research paper before, he’d know that it typically takes months for it to get published after being accepted by a medical journal. He could have saved himself a lot of wasted time and effort.
He then posts a spam email he received that he thought was from someone he cares “about deeply,” as analogous to his accusations against Age of Autism. You’d have to be completely detached from reality in order to think that’s an apt analogy.
To illustrate my point, I’ll ask my loyal readers: How many spam messages have you received? I’ve been sent tons. I must have received at least a dozen emails from Nigeria saying that a rich relative of mine has passed away and that I should claim his fortune by providing my financial information. Needless to say, I deleted all but the first of those messages as soon as I read the subject lines.
Now: How many public documents have you ever seen that were forged to look like they were from universities? I haven’t seen any, not a one.
With this piece of irrelevant spam apparently convincing the Leftbrain/Rightbrain blogger that the document from Aarhus is fake, he persists under the false assumption that it was forged. He goes into a whole new diatribe as to how Age of Autism is at fault, whether we were behind forging the document or just posted it not knowing it was forged, concluding:
The bottom line is, that even if a butcher doesn’t know where his meat came from, he should know when it stinks.
And that’s exactly why Kevin Leitch is every bit as responsible for running this hoax on his blog as the blogger who wrote it. He defended his post, stating, “Also note that what I am doing is standard procedure in fields like theology and folklore research(both active interests of mine).” Perhaps it is time for Kevin Leitch, Leftbrain/Rightbrain, and the rest of the neurodiversity sideshow to get out of theology and folklore and into something called reality.
Although that Leftbrain/Rightbrain thread has since been removed, here are the screenshots for anyone who wishes to read them. I wonder if Leftbrain/Rightbrain will accuse Age of Autism of forging those, too. Click each photo to enlarge.
Jake Crosby is a college student with Asperger Syndrome at Brandeis University who is double majoring in History and Health: Science, Society and Social Policy, and is a contributing editor to Age of Autism.
And now, ladies and gentlemen... the mea culpa. After this was posted of course.
Posted by: anon | April 08, 2010 at 08:28 AM
Per...........
"Raymond, last week I emailed my representative and both senators, asking them why nobody is looking for a man who stole MY tax dollars. So far, I haven't heard back. But I still very much encourage others to do the same. If they are given the emails, it will probably be the first they've heard about it. At the very least, a young staffer might become interested in the vaccine industry corruption and start looking into it before they have kids."
Thank you, Kristina.
I haven't heard back either but if enough people make complaints to the authorities and their representatives it could get this criminal apprehended. If nothing is done then he gets to go free. I rather come down on doing something than nothing especially when I think about a guy like this and a guy like Brian Deer spitting on our kids and getting away with it.
Posted by: Raymond Gallup | April 07, 2010 at 07:57 PM
On a completely different topic, the Oraccolytes are celebrating Jenny and Jim's split-up.
I don't know if there is a word in any language to describe how horrible and disgusting these people are. I mean, any sadness or pain that parents like us suffer is a cause for celebration for them? I keep thinking that there is no possible way for them to get any lower than they already are, but they keep proving me wrong.
I'm also not entirely sure that the breakup is true. Jenny and Jim are both well known for their pranks....
Oh, and Kristina....I have done so.
Posted by: Craig Willoughby | April 07, 2010 at 10:40 AM
I would never have happened across this person's ravings were they not prominently posted on AoA today.
Wouldn't it be better to simply refrain from "feeding the troll," and not give this guy any press?
Posted by: Daniel Park | April 07, 2010 at 04:55 AM
Raymond, last week I emailed my representative and both senators, asking them why nobody is looking for a man who stole MY tax dollars. So far, I haven't heard back. But I still very much encourage others to do the same. If they are given the emails, it will probably be the first they've heard about it. At the very least, a young staffer might become interested in the vaccine industry corruption and start looking into it before they have kids.
Posted by: Kristina | April 07, 2010 at 01:00 AM
Gee whillickers. It will be so interesting to see if the CDC sides with Aarhus or dares to come to Thorsen's defense and claim it was all just a big $2million misunderstanding. Wonder who'll be paying his lawyers?
Posted by: Garbo | April 07, 2010 at 12:51 AM
RE Posted by A Friend:
"I hate to say this but... that almost sounds like a person with some sort of mental illness issues."
I don't hate to say this but...that REALLY sounds like a person with some sort of financial issues (like Big Pharma paychecks)
RE Post by Kevin Leitch:
“Also note that what I am doing is standard procedure in fields like theology and folklore research(both active interests of mine).”
What Kevin Leitch is doing is standard procedure in intentionally misconstruing the facts (as in LYING). People who engage in lying and deception are not pursuing a "theological research" agenda, more like "folklore" which I suspect is a "Freudian slip" on his part. The "theological" interest he claims is a ploy often used by con artists who want people to trust them so they make statements such as "I am religious and go to church all the time" in order to misled others into believing that they live by "good principals". (But maybe this guy's idea of "theology" is Satanism, black magic, or Voodoo)
Jake, you are so perfectly meticulous in researching and always cover all of the factual bases. I can't believe you even saved this guy's original posts!!! Of course he deleted them to cover his butt, but thanks to you he is BUSTED!!! You are a regular Sherlock Holmes:)
Posted by: Autism Grandma | April 07, 2010 at 12:01 AM
Jake,
Thorsen figures into the combination in restraint of trade. As part of the U.S. CDC anti-litigation bloc of researchers, thugs like Poul Thorsen are leaving behind a trail of injured persons, chiefly a generation of innocent children harmed by the vaccine manufacturing pharmaceutical companies.
The following is a just a short quote from one of the Danish articles concerning Thorsen.
"In Saturday's information could be read, Poul Thorsen almost had built a cult around himself. He was the leader who got money back. A lot of money. The other researchers were his disciples who lived in the belief that it was completely natural to ride in limousines and stay in castles, when they were on tours and research seminars." - Kristian Villesen, Information.dk
This describes nothing short of a ring leader; a central dominant personality, not the other way around.
Folks with nothing to hide or nothing up their sleeve should follow Ray's lead and start contacting the proper authorities including the FBI, Danish Police, both Houses of Congress, and as well, the major contacts they have within the American and UK media.
We need a dragnet to bring this CDC fraudster in.
http://kerboblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/poul-thorsen-cdc-knowingly-fueled-fraud.html
Posted by: kerbob1 | April 06, 2010 at 11:46 PM
Per............
"The problem is that authorities don't even know where Thorsen is."
Posted by: Jake Crosby | April 06, 2010 at 07:05 PM
Parents should also contact the International Police....Interpol at:
Contact Interpol
http://www.interpol.int/Public/contact.asp
Raymond Gallup
Posted by: Raymond Gallup | April 06, 2010 at 09:50 PM
The problem is that authorities don't even know where Thorsen is.
Posted by: Jake Crosby | April 06, 2010 at 07:05 PM
I would suggest that parents in the USA contact the Danish Police, the FBI and your congressional representative in your state regarding theft and fraud that involved taxpayer money through the CDC by Poul Thorsen.
Here is the contact information for the Danish Police and FBI (you can contact NYC or anyother one that has an email address).
http://www.politi.dk/en/servicemenu/contact/
Danish National Police
Polititorvet 14
1780 Copenhagen V
Phone: +45 33 14 88 88
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm
NYC FBI
26 Federal Plaza, 23rd Floor
New York, NY 10278-0004
Phone: (212) 384-1000
Fax: (212) 384-4073 / 4074
E-mail: [email protected]
http://newyork.fbi.gov/
I did it. Enough US parents do that and complain that Poul Thorsen was involved in theft and fraud of CDC (taxpayer money) then maybe this guy will be thrown into prison where he belongs.
If you don't care, then just do nothing.
Ray Gallup
Posted by: Raymond Gallup | April 06, 2010 at 06:28 PM
"His name didn't come up in that statement at all, did it? He emailed me this long, rambling letter about how he would take me to court over this, including JB Handley and Dan Olmsted in his list of litigants, and also saying that to prevent a lawsuit, we should post apologies and retractions concerning Thorsen, and also post corrections about his hoax claim, among other things".
I hate to say this but... that almost sounds like a person with some sort of mental illness issues.
Posted by: A Friend | April 06, 2010 at 04:57 PM
In my sense of adventure I will tickle these people from time to time. I have to admit Im impressed with their ability to piece together threads that as a group they spin into a quilt that they all crawl underneath, sort of like bedbugs, irritating little creatures with dungeon and dragons or Star Trek style monikers.
Posted by: bensmyson | April 06, 2010 at 04:29 PM
Don't click this link if testing the gut-brain connection via beer.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_muCOu7I6hXQ/S5beqDynyQI/AAAAAAAAAxw/rRTsQe4dL1Y/s1600-h/NDTV.jpg
Posted by: kerbob1 | April 06, 2010 at 03:19 PM
As usual Jake, you rock! Thank you for your efforts and talent in bringing this story to the ublic eye!
Posted by: kathleen | April 06, 2010 at 02:44 PM
I never have nor will I ever read anything on this pharma front site left brain right brain. I simply don't care.
Posted by: mary | April 06, 2010 at 01:12 PM
Craig, please post it soon! It sounds hilarious.
Posted by: Kristina | April 06, 2010 at 12:45 PM
Jake-- what is this strange need you have of "facts", as you call them? Why the reliance on this "evidence"? Why do you always fill up your articles with such things as external "citations"? Don't you know they're not necessary?
Posted by: Gatogorra | April 06, 2010 at 11:37 AM
What was humorous for me was that I got a threatening email from this guy saying that I needed to post a correction to a comment a made on this post:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2010/03/copenhagen-police-investigating-autism-vaccine-researcher-dr-poul-thorsen-for-fraud.html
Essentially, he said he would sue me for libel for stating that he (he goes by the moniker of Evil Possum) made the claim that AoA facilitated a hoax about Thorsen. Here is what I said:
"I think it is hysterical how some of the Oraccolytes are clinging to the idea that this is some elaborate hoax that AoA has concocted in order to discredit this poor man. I've even seen them go as far as accusing AoA of faking the original document.
The pathetic! It Burns!!"
His name didn't come up in that statement at all, did it? He emailed me this long, rambling letter about how he would take me to court over this, including JB Handley and Dan Olmsted in his list of litigants, and also saying that to prevent a lawsuit, we should post apologies and retractions concerning Thorsen, and also post corrections about his hoax claim, among other things. The letter was downright hilarious, and I still find myself chuckling about it. I might post it on my site a little later so you all can read it and get a giggle.
Posted by: Craig Willoughby | April 06, 2010 at 10:58 AM
over the last five years I've seen these guys makes lots of these kinds of flubs. There's very little integrity in this group.
Posted by: Erik Nanstiel | April 06, 2010 at 09:30 AM