The Internet-Built Movement of Loose Change and "9/11 Truth"

First, the purpose of this blog post is not to validate or invalidate the theory of the government's involvement of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. I'm far less interested in the actual theory than the movement behind it - the self-proclaimed, "9/11 Truth Movement." Though several theories differ on specifics, the overall implication is that - with much to gain politically - the attacks of 9/11 were orchestrated by members of the Bush administration. Ten years ago even, this kind of theory would probably die very quickly. However, thanks solely to the power of the internet, "9/11 Truth" documentary Loose Change has found a huge audience, and even a certain level of mainstream acceptance. Major publications have reviewed the film, David Lynch showed clips on Dutch television, and Rosie O'Donnell referenced one of the film's arguments on The View. It's not quite a cultural movement, but it still has reached on audience of millions, and even drawn a book refuting its claims, from the editors of Popular Mechanics - which more than you can say about most conspiracy theories.

Of course, the film and the movement's fatal flaw is that it can only draw a small level of suspicion as opposed to proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The phrase, "We may never know what happened on 9/11" is repeated multiple times, while Wikipedia is also cited in multiple instances. The movement is fascinating if ultimately not enlightening. I suggest reading a Salon.com article from last year sheds light on the many facets and opposing theories in the movement. Both that article and a Rolling Stone op-ed even imply a whold different controversey - where the "9/11" conspiracy is actually drummed up by the Bush administration. "[I]f there were any conspiracy here," writes Matt Taibbi in Rolling Stone, "I'd be far more inclined to believe that this whole movement was cooked up by Karl Rove as a kind of mass cyber-provocation, along the lines of Gordon Liddy hiring hippie peace protesters to piss in the lobbies of hotels where campaign reporters were staying."

And, thus, we arrive to the biggest contradiction of all - thanks to the internet, Loose Change and the 9/11 truth movement are able to thrive by reaching a wider audience. Yet, that same medium opens the floodgates to theories that either oppose it or take it in a new direction (blaming it on Satan worship, and denying the existence of al Qaeda, for instance). Thus, there is no concrete theory with which to build an actual movement around.