Age of Autism Weekly Wrap: Terror, Conspiracy, Compassion and a Flash of Brilliance
I’m sure that when most of our readers first heard about a shooting this week at a regional center in California for developmentally disabled people, they had the same chilling thought – oh lord, please let this not involve anyone in the autism world. It turned out that the victims happened to be from the county health department (although I heard a woman say on TV that one person had worked with autistic kids), but that of course did nothing to diminish the fear, sadness, and sense of vulnerability.
Chris Christie put it this way: “If a center for the developmentally disabled can be the target of a terrorist attack, then any place in American can be the target of a terrorist attack.
Marie Simonton wrote in a comment: “My son receives services from Inland Regional Center. We have been praying that his former and current caseworkers were not among the victims. They just released the names of the victims and are relieved that they were not among them. Our hearts break for those who were lost and for their families who are left behind to grieve. May God fill their hearts with peace and solace.”
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One thing that does no one any good is to confabulate conspiracies out of heartbreak. As soon as the shooting happened, my Facebook news feed got clogged with posts about how there was a SWAT drill going on at the same time nearby and that this whole tragedy was somehow a setup for something or other.
We saw this with Sandy Hook, too, which was supposedly a “false flag” operation, whatever that means. In that case, our Managing Editor’s husband was friends with the family of a victim. And we heard it about 9.11, in particular that it wasn’t a plane that hit the Pentagon. I live just a few miles from there, and people I know saw the plane. What’s more, a friend was a first responder, and part of the plane was intact inside the building.
We have enough real conspiracies on our hands that we ought to make an extra effort to avoid ones that lack good evidence.
Another thread that I really don’t like is that Islam is an inherently violent religion. I won’t run those comments and people who think I should and say that’s censorship are welcome to read other blogs. I think those comments go way beyond the purview of a Web site on autism. Remember, the Somalis in Minneapolis, dealing with a terrible autism rate, are part of our community. Telling them the religion they rely on for support and strength is an evil sham is not part of our mission, to say the least.
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Before this happened I was already planning to republish Contributing Editor Kent Heckenlively’s wise words about the season:
“Some thoughts as we enter the holiday season ... It is important to remember that not everyone is surrounded by large wonderful families. Some of us have problems during the holidays and sometimes are overcome with great sadness when we remember the loved ones who are not with us. And, many people have no one to spend these times with and are besieged by loneliness. We all need caring, loving thoughts right now.”
Amen, Kent. And congrats that Plague is the Number One best seller in Virology on Amazon – there’s something to celebrate!
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Also worth celebrating is that AOA has just completed another successful annual fund-drive, thanks to Anonymous Donor who put up $5,000 and the dozens of readers who more than matched it. We rely on the kindness of our friends. (Friends who know we are tax-deductible!)
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OK, one last holiday reference: What to my wondering eyes did appear this week but an article on Daily Kos, the reliably progressive and pro-vaccine Web site, titled “The Pharma Bulls Are Loose, and It’s the End of American Democracy.”
This headline does not overhype the article, which is a spectacularly – spectacularly! -- good look at how pharma has taken over medicine, government and mainstream media. Embedded within, and all the more powerful for it, is a look at the vaccine disaster. Sample:
“I’ll say it first: we no longer live in a democracy. We live in a fascist Pharmatopic Republic.
“The saddest part about living in this fascist state is that most people in America are not even aware of this new reality. In fact, in the public shaming of those who want safe vaccines, the American public is an unwitting victim of mass propaganda – and those doing the shaming are analogous to jack-booted thugs. Those in the blogosphere resort immediately to ad-hominem attacks at the first hint of logic and rational discourse. Even asking a question on vaccine safety makes one suddenly ‘anti-vax.’ (Disclosure: Both of my sons are fully vaccinated. I draw the line at HPV.)”
Yikes, that’s freaking brilliant. The author is listed as lifebiomedguru but Anne Dachel says that’s Dr. James Lyons-Weller, who she interviewed on AOA in October. http://www.ageofautism.com/2015/10/dachel-asks-doctors-thoughts-on-the-cdc-whistleblower.html
This seems like quite a turnaround for Kos, which I wrote about in March when one of our own astute commenters, Twyla, tried to leave a comment there. Here’s what she got back.
“The vaccine-autism link has been debunked by many careful studies, and here at Daily Kos we consider it conspiracy theory. CT postings are not permitted here. Postings that advocate this theory can get you banned at Daily Kos.”
I once wrote a piece called “Why Progressives Don’t Get Autism” (Kos actually mentioned it as a point at least worth considering.) I may have to amend that to Why All Progresssives Except Dr. James Lyon-Weller (and Bobby Kennedy Jr.) Don’t Get Autism. As I’ve tried, sometimes vainly, to argue, protecting citizens from rampant domination by business (the end result of which is in fact the textbook definition of fascism) is actually a progressive issue. As C.S. Lewis wrote:
“Progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer.
“If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man.”
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Dan Olmsted is Editor of Age of Autism.
You can pre-order ames Lyons-Weiler's book, Cures Vs Profits: Success Stories in Biomedical Research , from http://www.amazon.com/Cures-Vs-Profits-Biomedical-Research/dp/9814730149/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449519862&sr=8-1&keywords=James+Lyons-Weiler
Posted by: Tim Lundeen | December 07, 2015 at 03:25 PM
TCBronson, i think occam's razor in its everyday meaning is that the simplest explanation is usually correct, and therefore it is legitimate to use that explanation as a starting hypothesis. if new evidence -- and i emphasize, evidence, arises -- then the hypothesis should be adjusted accordingly, again based on the simplest interpretation of the facts at hand.
based on that, my hypothesis remains that the buildings fell down because planes hit them (building 7 being a follow-on effect). this is how i have reasoned my way through our first book, the age of autism. we use it as an epigram.
Posted by: Dan Olmsted | December 07, 2015 at 08:45 AM
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/what-to-do-about-disloyal_1_b_8734902.html
There's more than one way to skin a cat. Huffpo came down hard on Pfizer - for reasons other than vaccine injury of course, but with the Daily Kos, and now Huffpo, are we seeing movement on the liberal side of politics that maybe all is not right in the world of pharma? The article has some valid points about pharma greed and influence. Hello public? I'd like to introduce you to Pharma, your new leader.
Posted by: Jenny | December 07, 2015 at 08:02 AM
"Occam's Razor" does not mean that "the simplest theory is probably correct" or "what seems obvious is obvious." It means rather that any part of a theory, or belief system, that does not serve any empirically established purpose should be cut away. It was devised as a principle by which to dispense with pre-conceived notions. Highly qualified scientists and engineers claim unreservedly that the collapse of the three WTC towers on 9/11 is physcially impossible absent massive amounts of deliberately placed explosives; others equally qualified claim otherwise; those of us without that expertise must either educate ourselves or make a subjective decision as to who is trustworthy. Occam's Razor can't tell us that. A knowledge of the science can permit the use of Occam's Razor to determine which parts of the competing theories are or are not needed to explain what happened. In other words, Occam's Razor is really just the empirical method, if I understand Wikipedia correctly. Unfortunately Occam's Razor has been used in the former bogus sense in the internet era as a pseudo-intellectual means of stifling discussion. A little surprised to see it used that way here as it clearly can cut both ways.
Posted by: TCBronson | December 07, 2015 at 01:01 AM
Lol, women in the army now. They know the men are nuked.
Posted by: Reader | December 06, 2015 at 06:52 PM
Thumbs up for “http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2015/12/3/1456339/-The-Pharma-Bulls-are-Loose-and-it-s-the-End-of-American-Democracy”
This article memorably summarizes many of the points we've been discussing since 2012, and adds a few more to boot. My favorite line: "[Pharma promotes] ineffective drugs we do not need for conditions that do not exist." This from a well-published medical researcher.
I pre-ordered the Skyhorse book. The author is Dr. Lyons-Wilder. I'm amazed that KOS would publish this preview of his work.
Posted by: Dan E. Burns | December 06, 2015 at 12:36 PM
Basically what we have today is an environment where you can't question anything you're told without being labeled a nut - a "conspiracy theorist". The label is a management tool. The great majority of people being called conspiracy theorists are not people who claim that we never landed on the moon, and a majority are now deserving the label.
Conspiracy theorists in 2015 are those who are demanding to know what's behind the news that we are being force fed 24/7 and are being told to swallow hole without chewing.
And guess what? Turns out it's none of our business.
Posted by: Linda1 | December 06, 2015 at 10:17 AM
I agree with Dan, applying Occam's razor, with the simpliest explanation usually correct, 911 did happen. The same reasoning establishes vaccines accounting for the autism epidemic. Yet, what I feel is more important is not sorting through conspiracies and facts per se, but not preventing any so-called 'conspiracies' from reaching the public domain where they can be debated. Let's have interest determine what 'conspiracies' are heard, not some 'vested' body deciding for us.
Only then do we stand a real shot at successfully separating the facts from conspiracies.
Posted by: Greg | December 06, 2015 at 09:03 AM
To see how far daily KOS has
Come read this and the thread and watch how the this vaccine safety proponent writer in 2013 is thrown off KOS and can't even respond .
http://m.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/10/1261733/-Beef-heart-human-diploid-tissue-air-bags-I-tie-it-all-together. I was so disgusted I stopped my KOS subscription.
Can't wait to read what you have linked to. So hopeful dorit doesn't have her sick way with him like she did with this writer .
Posted by: Maybe I will rejoin KOS now | December 06, 2015 at 02:29 AM
There is nothing "theoretical" about Poul Thornsen being a wanted felon, Merck being sued over the efficacy of the mumps component of the MMR, or the revelations of William Thompson.
I am not a conspiracy theorist. I'm a conspiracy realist.
Posted by: Annie | December 06, 2015 at 02:24 AM
To add my 2 cents' worth to some already excellent commentary: I would define a false flag as a highly-publicized act of public violence either staged or spun in furtherance of a political agenda. In the case of mass shootings and their subset, school shootings, there can be no doubt that one agenda to be promoted is gun control.
There has been some very serious independent research into the Sandy Hook incident by experts who cannot be easily dismissed. A few months ago a U. of Minnesota emeritus professor named James Fetzer put together a compilation of research by various authors. When Amazon immediately censored the book, he responded by making it available free at http://www.rense.com/general96/NobodyDiedAtSandyHook.pdf While the conclusions may be initially hard to swallow, I urge people to at least take a look at some of the hard evidence presented.
And to be drawn into this area of study may not be such a departure at that. For if mass shootings - real or staged - are part of a political agenda, the biased portrayal of some shooters as autistic (starting with Virginia Tech in 2007) might well be another part of the same agenda. In the big picture, it's all tied together, as several others on this list have already observed.
Posted by: Rae | December 06, 2015 at 12:19 AM
Boy! Those in power sure are hot over Cap and Trade and global warming thing!
My guess is they got a greedy taste of how easy it was to fool us over the hole in the ozone lie.
Being in government one lesson they must learn is to get a bull dog grip on to whatever they want or doing and eventually it will come their way? My guess?? Theory ---??
This week they had some nut even claiming that the crisis in the Mid East is global warming related.
In the past decade Saudi Arabia by the way -- the incident of diabetes has been rapidly rising. You can bet if that disease is rising so is all the auto immune diseases with it, and if auto immune diseases are rising, so is mental illness. Cause mental illness is also related to brain inflammation. When you get mental illness it leads to drugs and distortions in reality, and religion is what often is the most distorted.
You see where I am going with this.
As far as the twin towers A jet plane full of religious nuts probably suffering from soft brain injuries due to vaccines crashed into that building tearing a big hole in it, breaking and tearing those steel supports - and lots of jet fuel that burned hot. IT later collapsed bringing the extra weight from the floors above down - and started a chain reaction that pancaked all the way down to the ground. What is amazing to me is that those towers stood as long as they did. Human beings really can build and do amazing things if they are not strapped to a mental illness.
So now we have religious nuts that are vaccine injuries is darn scary enough - don't you think?
And a government that can't stop thinking about all the money they could make off of cap and trade - and oh, yeah get those guns out of all our hands so the religious nuts can then pick us off with swords, knives and bombs instead of guns.
That is really scary, probably true -- the zombies have reached adulthood, oh dear!
Posted by: Benedetta | December 05, 2015 at 10:55 PM
We all saw the airplanes crash into the towers. Passengers used their cell phones to call loved ones and tell them that the planes were being hijacked. These planes carried thousands of gallons of fuel, which permeated the buildings via elevator shafts and caught on fire. It's quite plausible to me that the buildings would collapse under those circumstances, and in the process spew large amounts of dust and debris. It is far less plausible to me that someone from the govt put explosives in the buildings, knowing that the planes would crash into the building and set off the explosives. What cock-a-mamey reason could the govt have had to do such a thing?
Of course, I'm not an engineer. But people far more knowledgeable than me say that the plane crashes caused the buildings to collapse, such as in this article:
Debunking the 9/11 Myths: Special Report - The World Trade Center
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a6384/debunking-911-myths-world-trade-center/
Some may speculate that the authors were paid off? But to me the article is credible. Even though I have grown to dislike the word "debunking" because of how it is applied to vaccine injuries.
Posted by: Twyla | December 05, 2015 at 08:27 PM
I will throw my two cents into the storm: I believe a great deal of credit for my current views on the state of the world and the issues of this article I owe to my long following of the vaccine issue through AoA, Safe Minds, and others. I believe it is true that once the veil has fallen from your eyes for good reason, you begin to look at other, perhaps less personally devastating, less close to your very gut fears-- in a more critically assessing frame of mind. I think "waking up" to government corruption and collusion in one area makes it faster, at least, to wake up to other instances. If something is a true false flag, it does not mean that no one was maimed, killed, or injured. But it does mean that the corruption, collusion, and crimes against humanity are just that much worse. I don't like being called a conspiracy theorist. And because of that, I just want to urge everyone to go slow in casting any stones. Thank you, Dan and thank you, Bayareamom.
Posted by: Denise Anderstrom Douglass | December 05, 2015 at 08:25 PM
Dan: Wow. You haven't exaggerated a bit about this fine piece. Thank you so much for making us aware of it. He pulls no punches. Are we nearing a tipping point? DK is part of the MSM, correct? Astonishing and powerful. As for 9/11, (and I agree that the question may be a distraction from what AoA is about) there is no other plausible explanation for building 7 than controlled demolition, and multiple architects, engineers, and scientists agree with this. Not before or since has a steel structure, such as a skyscraper, collapsed due to fire, absent explosives. It is not possible. Fire, absent sophisticated explosives, simply does not reach temperatures high enough to deform, let alone melt, steel. As to who, what, when, and where, and why, that is an entirely different question. But the important thing is, we should celebrate the good doctor writing this article, and the Daily Kos publishing it. An early Christmas gift of truth.
Posted by: Gary Ogden | December 05, 2015 at 08:23 PM
@Dan,
I'm no expert re what actually happened on 9/11, but I have to say that I know enough to know that the event did NOT happen in the manner in which we've been told.
Here are some links you may want to review:
This first link is to an interview of Sibel Edmonds, a former FBI translator, now whistle-blower re 9/11:
http://www.wanttoknow.info/911whistlebloweredmonds
SNIP:
"JH: Ms. Edmonds, what I'll do is invite you to tell us whatever you would like--your stint with the FBI--and what the brouhaha with Ashcroft and company is all about.
SE: I started working for the Bureau immediately after 9/11 and I was performing translations for several languages: Farsi, Turkish, and Azerbaijani. And I do have top-secret clearance. And after I started working for the Bureau, most of my translation duties included translations of documents and investigations that actually started way before 9/11.
During my work there I came across some very significant issues that I started reporting in December of 2001 to the mid-level management within the FBI. They said to basically leave it alone, because if they were to get into those issues it would end up being a can of worms. And after I didn't see any response from this mid-level bureaucratic management I took it to higher levels all the way up to [assistant director] Dale Watson and Director Mueller. And, again, I was asked not to take this any further and just let it be. And if I didn't do that they would retaliate against me.
In March 2002 I took this issue to the Senate Judiciary Committee and also I filed it with the Department of Justice Inspector General's office. And as per the Senate Judiciary Committee's request the IG started an expedited investigation on these serious issues; and they promised the Senate Judiciary Committee that their report for these investigations would be out by fall 2002 latest. And here we are in April 2004 and this report is not being made public, and they are citing "state privilege" and "national security" for not making this report public...
"On October 18th 2002 Attorney General Ashcroft came out personally, in public, asserted this rare "state secret privilege" on everything that had to do with my case. And they cited "diplomatic relations" and certain "foreign relations" that would be "at stake" if I were to take this issue and make it public. And, since then, this has been acting as a gag on my case.
I testified before the [9/11] commission on February 11th 2004. I have been waiting for this report that they [the Attorney General's office] have been blocking for a year and a half from becoming public. The information I requested under the Freedom of Information Act has been blocked for two years. And I have been campaigning for the past three months trying to get the Senate Judiciary Committee that has the oversight authority and responsibility to start its own public hearings. However, this request is again being blocked. Now they [AG] are citing this upcoming election as reason. And here I am."
Link to Sibel Edmonds' Deposition in Ohio re 9/11:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCW9crAKEfA
Interview of Pilot Patrick Smith re 9/11:
http://undicisettembre.blogspot.it/2014/11/an-interview-with-airline-pilot-patrick.html
http://patriotsquestion911.com/pilots.html
http://pilotsfor911truth.org/
Posted by: Bayareamom | December 05, 2015 at 06:50 PM
In the polls that show a majority believe Oswald didn't act alone, I would have probably answered in the minority pre- and maybe even post-9/11--even though I watched Building 7 come down behind a reporter on the scene right after she just told me it had collapsed a few minutes earlier...it took me a long while to attempt to sort out the events in my memory with what is out there in discussion online...which was some time after I attempted to really look into what happened to my daughter--but I've already posted here that I'm too far gone now to believe "the official" media, especially anything they really give a lot of attention to, and I'm in an unpleasant place where all sources are suspect, at least at some times or other.
This quote raises many concerns for me (on top of ones already raised by the difficulty in knowing what's real and what's agenda...on top of the ones that should be raised by the possibility of real and intense suffering inflicted on some by somebody...):
"If a center for the developmentally disabled can be the target of a terrorist attack, then any place in American can be the target of a terrorist attack."
And this after we sold out on so many Constitutional protections of our rights...to "keep us safe"...
But when I read that now, the words "any place in America can be the target" stand out, when I'm wondering about agenda. The Inland Regional Center partners with private donors if I understand correctly? SB 277 is telling private school what they have to require in the case of vaccination? I just wouldn't be surprised if the government moves toward "the right and need" to have a presence (or control) in "any place" (every place) they choose...
If you define health by vaccination uptake, our kids are very healthy...if you define safety by the number of armed guards around you...
Posted by: Jeannette Bishop | December 05, 2015 at 05:49 PM
Re the scope of the conversations here...I think it's important to understanding to look at issues within a broad social context. AOA has done a good job of facilitating that, which is one of many reasons why AOA is such an excellent resource.
In order to solve a crime, one has to examine the whole crime scene. There is nothing the criminals would like more than for us to be ignorant of the big picture.
Posted by: Linda1 | December 05, 2015 at 05:48 PM
BayareaMom, your Dad's rules are wonderful, as are your thoughtful posts. I remember wondering where the rest of the plane was at the pentagon. Smoke and mirrors. Thank You for your thoughtful posts.
Posted by: Sun~Rose | December 05, 2015 at 05:30 PM
I like Linda1's comment that "it is more a case of carefully woven tangled webs meant to deceive, that of course, are never simple by design." The simplest explanation if, as you say and as the evidence seems to support, the damage at the Pentagon stands on its own without orchestration, is that none of the damage at the other sites was orchestrated. But, as Linda1 says, the tangled web of deception is never simple by design. Hey, if people actually orchestrated any of 911, they surely thought through all the best ways to hide the orchestration, including this supporting evidence that the Pentagon damage needs no other explanation than the plane crash. People like me who really don't want to believe anything nefarious about 911 other than horrible terrorism will jump at the opportunity to ignore people trying to elucidate what they think is the truth and what I absolutely hope is not the truth.
Posted by: Betty Bona | December 05, 2015 at 03:36 PM
If 911 was orchestrated, what better way to hide any orchestration than by leaving the Pentagon damage to the plane crash. "See, the plane crash alone is a perfectly reasonable explanation of the damage at the Pentagon, so the same must be true of the WTC. Those conspiracy theorists are nuts and dangerous as well." I'm not saying there is orchestration because I don't know, but the argument that the lack of evidence for orchestration at the Pentagon proves no orchestration at other sites is not very logical.
Posted by: Betty Bona | December 05, 2015 at 03:15 PM
bayareamom -- what about the pentagon though? a plane flew into it and can account for all the damage there.
Posted by: Dan Olmsted | December 05, 2015 at 02:33 PM
One more:
http://www.ae911truth.org/
http://www1.ae911truth.org/home/645-psychology-experts-speak-out-why-is-the-911-evidence-difficult-for-some-to-accept-.html
SNIP:
"It’s often difficult for people who are aware of the evidence for the controlled demolition of the WTC skyscrapers to understand why so many Americans are unwilling to rationally discuss this vital information. For over ten years now, 9/11 Truth advocates have been trying to get relatives, friends, and strangers to listen to the undeniable facts that point to the need for a real 9/11 investigation. We often encounter emotional resistance, which poses the question: “Why is the evidence so difficult for so many people to accept?” In the new documentary, “9/11 Explosive Evidence – Experts Speak Out,” AE911Truth petition signers with psychological expertise step forward with answers.
Licensed clinical psychologist Robert Hopper, Ph.D., explains: “9/11 Truth challenges some of our most fundamental beliefs about our government and about our country. When beliefs are challenged or when two beliefs are inconsistent, cognitive dissonance is created. 9/11 Truth challenges [our] beliefs that our country protects and keeps us safe and that America is the ‘good guy.’ When this happens, fear and anxiety are created. In response, our psychological defenses kick in [to] protect us from these emotions. Denial, which is probably the most primitive psychological defense, is the one most likely to kick in when our beliefs are challenged.”
Does the above sound at all familiar to you, Dan? DENIAL and FEAR - two very potent emotions which also permeates the entire vaccine debate as well.
"...the more I realize the instinctive wildness of man's nature and imagination and the propensity for doing both good and evil, the more I think that the opposite may be true - that it is more a case of carefully woven tangled webs meant to deceive, that of course, are never simple by design."
Everything that is happening in the World we now live in, is connected...
Posted by: Bayareamom | December 05, 2015 at 02:15 PM
"I no longer consider mainstream media to be a proponent of truth - regarding anything.
If the government is willing to compromise the health of pregnant women and children, I would hazard to suggest that they are capable of similar atrocities with regards to any other of their mandates."
I quite agree. I have stated repeatedly via numerous comments at this forum that my own paradigm shift occurred several years ago - the year 2007, to be exact. And, again, I have also shared the three sentences (no, make that four) that my father used to say to me when I was a little girl:
1) This world is not as it seems;
2) There are deeper meanings behind every word spoken and with every deed performed;
3) People are not always who and what they seem.
He also used to say at times that "timing is everything."
I have learned, especially after these past several years, to take each and every one of those quotes as deep as it gets.
I think I understand (I said I THINK), Dan, why you may be hesitant re speaking of certain so-called conspiracy theories. I, for one, am on board with you re Sandy Hook. While there may be a bit more to that story than meets the eye, I do believe Sandy Hook occurred as it has been reported for the most part.
On the other hand, Dan, don't be quite so certain you know what happened on 9/11.
On the day that 9/11 occurred, I found myself on the phone with my cousin. He lives in upstate New York. At the time 9/11 occurred, he was working as an architect for a major architectural firm in NYC. I called him immediately, because I knew that during the week he stayed in the city while working before making the long commute back home.
Fortunately, I was able to reach him by phone; he was okay, thank goodness, but then he told me something that just sent chills down my spine. He explained that he and his co-workers actually saw the Towers go down. He explained that the way those towers fell could not have happened via the way the MSM was reporting.
He explained that he understood as an architect how those structures were built and knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that no building made of steel had EVER gone down like that, even if a plane were to fly directly into it. He explained that the fuel's temperature from those jets could not have taken down those buildings in the manner in which they fell.
My cousin is about as mainstream and as conservative a guy as you'd want to find. He is not into conspiracy theories. Just last year, I spent a bit of time sending him emails about the whole vaccine issue and he was willing to give me a bit of an open ear, but he would only go so far. To be fair, he maintained an open mind and eventually, had to admit that he never knew some of the facts I presented to him re the 'other side' to vaccines.
I come from a VERY, VERY conservative family background. I know in my heart that I just cannot speak about some of these events my family has witnessed, to most of my immediate family members.
There are people out there, Dan, that know certain truths; that know beyond a shadow of a doubt that most things in and of this world, are not as they seem. For various reasons, most people who have had what I would call, certain highly traumatic events occur, would never dare to speak openly about those things, for fear of ridicule. Some are willing and courageous enough to dare to speak out; some, such as myself, will only share what I've seen with a few others of whom I know will be open to what I have to share.
I do know and fully comprehend the plethora of reasons so many individuals do not want to accept certain so called conspiracy theories. I am not a conspiracy theorist. Unfortunately, there are those individuals who will take ANY event and spin it into some sort of wild conspiracy theory, when the truth is far, far from that wildly spun tale.
But on the other hand, there are other events which are not as they appear, such as the issue with vaccines. People have been so wildly indoctrinated into this false belief that vaccines are the savior of humanity, when nothing could be further from the truth.
You're a journalist, correct, Dan? To ME, a journalist learns, or should be trained to learn, to keep one's bias from any story, unless and/or until, he/she has delved sufficiently into any particular story and uncovers the whole truth (as much as is possible).
It's not easy to have to SEE and FEEL that the world you once believed existed, never really existed!
I agree with the comment, "I applaud your work, but don't be too quick to dismiss the work of others."
There's a saying that goes something like, "Your mind is only as good as an open umbrella - it's only good when it stays open."
Lessons to be learned by all...
Posted by: Bayareamom | December 05, 2015 at 01:27 PM
Dear Dan-
Thank you! for calling attention to this stunning article on Daily Kos. I am gobsmacked (flabbergasted?) that this is out there.
Finally the split is opening in the vaccine fascist amp. Salon v Daily Koz? Whoda thunk it?
I urge everyone to read, post, e-mail to your school board, state reps, federal reps:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/12/3/1456339/-The-Pharma-Bulls-are-Loose-and-it-s-the-End-of-American-Democracy
Posted by: Ottoschnaut | December 05, 2015 at 01:00 PM
Thanks for the feedback. I will look at the material you cite and anything else you want to point out. It is a crazy world out there. As to the comment that we "raise other debates" at AOA, to the detriment of our common interests, i would say that we try to stay focused on the rise of autism and related disorders, and their environmental roots -- on "the age of autism." Sometimes comment threads or a post here and there does bring in issues that the writer believes to be analogous or related But I do think if you scroll back for a month or two you will see us stay pretty clearly on message. -- dan
Posted by: Dan Olmsted | December 05, 2015 at 12:52 PM
"...i do think we need to retain our critical faculties and not sign up for ideas that, as i said, "lack good evidence"
I agree, Dan. The only problem is the government has these large garbage cans that they like to roll into their meeting rooms so they can discard good evidence. We know at least some evidence has been destroyed (or they've tried). It stands to reason that if they've done it once...
I think that Sandy Hook and all these other tragedies have happened. But like the reports of Dr. Bradstreet's tragic death that really happened, I am not at all certain if the public has been told the truth of the circumstances surrounding these events. Lie to me once and after that I have trouble believing anything you say. That goes for people and government officials (who are supposed to be people, but sometimes I wonder about that too - really).
I don't know about occam's razor. I'm not sure, but the more I realize the instinctive wildness of man's nature and imagination and the propensity for doing both good and evil, the more I think that the opposite may be true - that it is more a case of carefully woven tangled webs meant to deceive, that of course, are never simple by design.
Posted by: Linda1 | December 05, 2015 at 12:27 PM
While I would agree not to sign up for "false flag" theories that "lack good evidence", several of them, including the video I referenced were enough to illicit a paradigm change on my part.
Once again: 9/11:
Explosive Evidence - Experts Speak Out (Free 1-hour version) AE911Truth.org
http://rethink911.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddz2mw2vaEg#t=2093
Again, I'm not talking about some person with a youtube account expounding on their theories. This is a full length documentary examining experts' reactions to the implausibility of the government/media reporting of the events of that day.
I no longer consider mainstream media to be a proponent of truth - regarding anything.
If the government is willing to compromise the health of pregnant women and children, I would hazard to suggest that they are capable of similar atrocities with regards to any other of their mandates.
Posted by: Louise Stanley | December 05, 2015 at 11:50 AM
Someone close to me gets angry at me for dismissing 9/11 conspiracy theories. I tell him that I have not dismissed the theories and realize that we may have been fed something less than the full truth, but I just can't focus my attention on that issue and prefer to leave it to others. He is angry with me for my position, partly because he has listened to all my concerns about vaccines, GMOs, etc. I don't feel qualified to determine if there is merit to the argument that 9/11 was staged, and I don't think I am capable of being trained to be qualified without years and years of education. Still, I will not dismiss these positions as crackpot theories because I simply don't have the background to do that analysis, and I know from the vaccine arena that things are not always as they seem. I can't get on board with the people who say Sandy Hook never actually occurred, but I can believe that the story we are told may be different than the reality. I do suspect that is true for Columbine. Events and the way things truly are have so often been manipulated in many arenas for many reasons such as power and money. Although I may not be willing to join certain "conspiracy theorists" factions, I will not dismiss them out of hand. Even if their full argument is not supportable, a portion of what they believe may be reality.
Posted by: Betty Bona | December 05, 2015 at 11:46 AM
It's important to investigate the current vaccine madness as a piece of a global agenda to dumb-down, disable or outright kill via vaccines, GMO food, pesticides, fluoride in the water supply, biological as well as conventional warfare in a bid to depopulate the world. Rational thinking people have great difficulty fathoming or explaining such an unspeakable evil. Evil by its nature is not logical. As a side note, the book "Nobody Died at Sandy Hook" by Jim Fetzer was banned by Amazon. Why? The CDC Whistleblower's revelations were effectively banned by the MSM. Why?
Posted by: Catherine | December 05, 2015 at 11:42 AM
There has been a series of articles on here over the last couple of months raising other debates, such as just recently abortion, instead of maintaining focus on the primary subject, and they only serve to split the unity of those campaigning against the perversion of the science behind autism.
Posted by: Science is pure. | December 05, 2015 at 11:29 AM
Dan, Linda1 is right. My vaccine injury happened sixty-two years ago, and the UK authorities have indulged in a litany of targeted violence against me and my family to cover up that fact, because even the contributors to this blog don't know that 'They' have KNOWN VACCINES CAUSE AUTISM FOR AT LEAST 62 YEARS! And doesn't that make it look like a conspiracy?
Posted by: Grace Green | December 05, 2015 at 11:11 AM
thanks for these thoughtful comments. and linda thanks for telling time by my column -- it makes me realize i better not miss a week! i wouldn't dismiss anything out of hand -- otherwise i never would have realize that vaccines cause autism despite the fact that the mainstream positions it as a disproven crank theory! -- but i do think we need to retain our critical faculties and not sign up for ideas that, as i said, "lack good evidence." if good evidence emerges that sandy hook didn't happen, i'll consider it. but it's pretty far down the list of possibilities, wouldn't you agree? meanwhile i try to apply occam's razor -- the simplest explanation is usually correct. the simplest explanation for sandy hook is that it actually happened. the mental gymnastics necessary to provide "evidence" that it didn't puts one in the nadia comanece category. and the facts necessary to falsify the "sandy hook didn't happen" theory are readily at hand. i think the same applies to san bernardino and the belief that a cruise missile hit the pentagon. let's stick to the coverup of vaccine injury, why don't we? it's real, and there IS "good evidence" for it. grouping it with theories for which -- at least to date -- there is not "good evidence" can, i fear, undercut the seriousness with which the case for a vaccine conspiracy/coverup is taken.
Posted by: Dan Olmsted | December 05, 2015 at 10:33 AM
I somehow woke up thinking it was Sunday, but when I clicked for my morning reading, before AOA came up, I realized, no, I didn't read Dan's Weekly Wrap yet, it must be Saturday :o).
I looked up "false flag". It's just what I thought it was - a covert operation done by a government or other entity to manipulate the public, sometimes to go to war. The perpetrators pose as an enemy, using the enemy's flag. Many examples throughout history.
Ten years ago I would have thought such a thing impossible. But after seeing our Congress lie repeatedly, after seeing Thompson's confession and attempt at whistleblowing ignored, knowing that our government is allowing millions of children to be injected with the MMR when their own research showed that the drug is linked to autism, knowing that they tried to discard and hide that research, knowing that the FDA's own research concluded that the Dtap causes recipients to be silent carriers and then went along with the "cocooning" deception, knowing how they are now trying to deny that DTAP ever caused any deaths and disability, knowing that they knew about thimerosal and fought to keep it in vaccines and are sending thimerosal loaded vaccines to innocents in Africa and other developing countries and are giving it in flu shots to American babies and pregnant women while at the same time promoting the lie that thimerosal has been "removed" from childhood vaccines, knowing that the CDC has been behind the seedy "professionals" on street corners across America pushing vaccines on pregnant women for what? 10 years now? when the FDA has never approved even one vaccine for use during pregnancy, knowing that vaccines interfere with genetic expression in deleterious ways that they know full well can lead to death, knowing about all the other definite plotting and planning they're doing to drug people worldwide for power and profit (and who knows what else), seeing how they deliberately lied repeatedly about good people like Dr. Wakefield and Jenny McCarthy, knowing that they lied to the world to get us into at least 2 wars where millions of people were killed and we are still witnessing the fallout from destabilization of regions that we had no business bombing, knowing that there are secret prisons where people are held for years, knowing that our government has engaged in torture, knowing that ongoing drone attacks in countries around the globe have killed countless innocents...
There is no doubt in my mind as to whether our government is capable of staging any kind of covert operation and lying through its collective teeth to anyone about anything. No doubt whatsoever because there is abundant evidence that they already do. Let's not forget that Dr. Jeff Bradstreet was found floating in a North Carolina river with a bullet wound in his chest and the authorities ruled his death a suicide and there has been no reporting about that since. That ought to be enough to make us question what we're told about any crime going forward.
The only question that remains with these events, including the one in California this week, that have been subsequently used to propel political agendas - did they do it? Or did someone else stage this to frame the supposed perpetrators?
Posted by: Linda1 | December 05, 2015 at 09:48 AM
Dan,
Speaking of conspiracy, this morning on the Washington, DC radio station 106.7 FM (a very popular sports station), there was a "public service announcement" (aka PSA) sponsored by both Autism Speaks, and, The Ad Council. The Ad Council is federally funded and now spends about one $Billion dollars yearly for all kinds of "public service" topics including the likes of flu shot promotions, stop littering, stop bullying in schools, etc.
This morning's co-sponsered PSA babbled on, finally citing today's autism rate is 1 in 110 children.
Last week, my local radio station in West Virginia had an almost identical PSA co-sponsered by Autism Speaks and The Ad Council, this time citing today's rate of autism in children in 1 in 150.
SO, we have current propaganda co-sponsored by Autism Speaks and The Ad Council (i.e.the Federal Govt.) flagrantly stating outdated autism prevalence of either 1 in 110 or 1 in 150.
As well known - even cited by the CDC (Centers for Disease Creation) - the latest prevalence in the U.S. has been (data 7-9** years ago) been announced about 1 in 60**, and lately as high as 1 in 45**
**please correct to exact number, thanks.
Summing up, Autism Speaks and The Ad Council (Federal $Dollars) are clearly conspiring to publicly lie (today in December, 2015) when they broadcast false autism rates they jointly co-sponser.
Posted by: david m burd | December 05, 2015 at 09:23 AM
As a Canadian with a vaccine injured child (oral apraxia, loss of motor skills after the 15 months MMR, Tourette's after the 7 year MMR booster) I have to agree with most of your posts; your articles are very enlightening to say the least.
AOA is a wonderful group of people trying to shed light on a subject that government/CDC/pharmaceutical companies want to remain hidden. In my opinion this could be called a conspiracy.
The fact that one such conspiracy exists, does not preclude the existence of others. We all need to wake up about government/industry control of the medical system for financial gain of industry, the agricultural system (with the ever increasing use of pesticides that poison us) for financial gain of industry and, yes, terrorism, for whomever's gain I am not sure.
Just as I was once a vaccine-injury skeptic, I was once a 911 skeptic. The video "9/11 Explosive Evidence Experts Speak Out" changed my mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddz2mw2vaEg
Here, a group of highly trained physicists and architects (including some involved in the initial build of the Twin Towers) reveal that the buildings all collapsed in obvious planned-demolition fashion; straight down from gravity induced free-fall, not in the disordered pattern that would be expected from the asymmetrical damage of plane impact. The third tower that fell later in the day, officially the result of "office furniture fires", fell straight down, in place, in a matter of seconds. Planes were involved, but didn't bring the buildings down.
The conspiracy to hide autism is only one of many.
Dismissal of opposing views without personal and individual investigation will only maintain the status quo.
I applaud your work. Don't be quick to dismiss the work of others.
Posted by: Louise Stanley | December 05, 2015 at 09:15 AM