Having it both ways?

I am reading a book describing a conspiracy surrounding the disaster in New York on 9/11.  The critics of the book call the author, and a huge number of persons that believe it, Conspiracy Theorists.  They call the people who critically analyze such events as Pearl Harbour and the JFK, RFK and MLK assassinations - Conspiracy Theorists.  This moniker is designed to tar the analysts as nuts or at least delusional, blowing them off rather than addressing the issues they raise.

Let me say right here that I am not a Conspiracy Theorist, as defined by the right-leaning pundits.  I believe in empirical research and the right to pursue the truth.  However, if I am proved wrong by facts, not innuendo, then so be it.  But you cannot prove me wrong by just lumping me into a pile labeled "Conspiracy Theorists".

But let's look at the other side of the coin.  In November, Fred Litwin and his so called Free Thinkers are showing a movie that labels the Occupy movement in the US and, I assume by association, those in Canada as conspiracies by militant groups who want to destroy democracy, or at least destroy capitalism.  I am not naive enough to think that there are no radical elements in the "Occupy" camps, but the fact that conservatives tout this as a conspiracy seems to me to be a stretch.

But regardless of who is right and who is wrong, the makers of this film, a conservative non-profit organization whose goal, strangely, is citizen-action, and those who blindly believe it must be, by their own definition, Conspiracy Theorists.

Where was I on 9/11?

I had planned to post this yesterday on 9/11 but was tied up with other duties.  People seem to want to know where I was on that fateful day in 2001.

I remember the time frame well.  I traveled frequently to New York and generally stayed at the Marriott World Trade Center Hotel.  My mother was concerned that I was there.  I was not, thankfully.

I was in San Antonio Texas at an oil industry conference.  The conference had begun on Monday September 10.  The attendees were mostly exploration engineers and geologists - lookers but not purchasers.  Tuesday was always the big day because that was when the executives arrived and deals would be stuck.  The conference started at 8 AM and I was due on the floor at 9 AM.  As I was leaving my hotel, I noted the crowd around a lobby TV set.  They were looking at images of a fire in one of the towers of the World Trade Center.  I did not want to be late for my meetings so I rushed to the conference site.

At about 9:05 AM and announcement came on over the PA system in the hall asking us all to stay calm and vacate the aisles of the trade show area.  There were cell phones going off all over the floor.  About three minutes later a gaggle of armed guards entered the room and started to gather up all the executives.  They were led out of the building to a fleet of waiting limos; I assume there to whisk them to the airport to return to Houston or wherever.

Geez!

By the time I was back to my hotel, the skies were clear of all transportation.  The trade show was cut short and here I was in San Antonio and no way to get out.  The rental cars were sold out and trains and buses were packed.  Not knowing how long this would last, I set about calling my family to make sure they knew I was OK and to cancel dinner appointments for Thursday in Ottawa.  Turns out it was six or seven days before I could get a seat to go home.

San Antonio is a nice city but there are only so many times that you can eat ice cream on the Riverwalk or visit the Alamo before it all grows a bit tedious.