Top Obama Czar: Infiltrate all 'conspiracy theorists'

Just came across this article on WND. I know many people do not care for the site, but judge the article for what it says about Cass Sunstein's desire to ban conspiracy theories.

Source:
In a lengthy academic paper, President Obama's regulatory czar, Cass Sunstein, argued the U.S. government should ban "conspiracy theorizing." Among the beliefs Sunstein would ban is advocating that the theory of global warming is a deliberate fraud. Sunstein also recommended the government send agents to infiltrate "extremists who supply conspiracy theories" to disrupt the efforts of the "extremists" to propagate their theories.

The subject of the story plays into what I've read on ATS many times before of government agents patrolling the boards as disinfo agents. But the mere suggestion of banning conspiracy theories is madness to me in that it directly violates the First Amendment.
Link to the article: Top Obama czar: Infiltrate all 'conspiracy theorists'

They can do as they please and no one is going to stop them

reply to post by exlibertateveritas


this is appalling...it is against the constitution to not allow us our first amendment rights...if he wants censorship lets send his butt to china...

So does the list of conspiracy theories Sunstein wants to be banned indicate there is some truth to them? Not sure what to think about this all, but thought there would be a lot of people on these boards that would find it interesting. All I can say is that the suggestion of controlling the thoughts of people by the government should be one of the last straws. I know this isn't the first administration to be so sinister, but how long until we break the shackles and free ourselves of sinister administrations?

Originally posted by chrisd250
reply to post by exlibertateveritas

 

this is appalling...it is against the constitution to not allow us our first amendment rights...if he wants censorship lets send his butt to china...

Damn straight. It seems to be what they want, so why not send them there? I wonder if this will start a movement to have him removed like Van Jones was.

Hey so does this mean the Official Story of 911 is banned too??

No matter which way you break it down, some people conspired to attack the WTC that day.

Someone nervous? Banning conspiracy theories, how funny Since when is that a governmental issue? Someone must have found out a truth the administration is trying to hide.

Found something which may be a better source.
papers.ssrn.com...

Here's the abstract of the paper written by Sunstein.

Many millions of people hold conspiracy theories; they believe that powerful people have worked together in order to withhold the truth about some important practice or some terrible event. A recent example is the belief, widespread in some parts of the world, that the attacks of 9/11 were carried out not by Al Qaeda, but by Israel or the United States. Those who subscribe to conspiracy theories may create serious risks, including risks of violence, and the existence of such theories raises significant challenges for policy and law. The first challenge is to understand the mechanisms by which conspiracy theories prosper; the second challenge is to understand how such theories might be undermined. Such theories typically spread as a result of identifiable cognitive blunders, operating in conjunction with informational and reputational influences. A distinctive feature of conspiracy theories is their self-sealing quality. Conspiracy theorists are not likely to be persuaded by an attempt to dispel their theories; they may even characterize that very attempt as further proof of the conspiracy. Because those who hold conspiracy theories typically suffer from a crippled epistemology, in accordance with which it is rational to hold such theories, the best response consists in cognitive infiltration of extremist groups. Various policy dilemmas, such as the question whether it is better for government to rebut conspiracy theories or to ignore them, are explored in this light.

The scary thing about this is not that this gent wants to "ban" conspiracy theorys or any of that.

The scary thing is that the President of the United States is actually being advised by some tool who will actually spend the time to write a 30 page paper on the topic.

I'm about halfway through this essay of his and it's nothing too bad. Sure it's the general "I don't see it, JFK 9/11 were just as the government said it was" attitude; I don't see anything too imposing. I'll finish it though before making any real judgements.

This would have been interesting if it wasn't from WND. Sorry, it's most likely made up crap.

Originally posted by exlibertateveritas
Just came across this article on WND. I know many people do not care for the site, but judge the article for what it says about Cass Sunstein's desire to ban conspiracy theories.

Source:
In a lengthy academic paper, President Obama's regulatory czar, Cass Sunstein, argued the U.S. government should ban "conspiracy theorizing." Among the beliefs Sunstein would ban is advocating that the theory of global warming is a deliberate fraud. Sunstein also recommended the government send agents to infiltrate "extremists who supply conspiracy theories" to disrupt the efforts of the "extremists" to propagate their theories.

The subject of the story plays into what I've read on ATS many times before of government agents patrolling the boards as disinfo agents. But the mere suggestion of banning conspiracy theories is madness to me in that it directly violates the First Amendment.
Link to the article: Top Obama czar: Infiltrate all 'conspiracy theorists'

We Must Tell everyone to Defends Internet Forums and Social Networks from Government disinfo agents!

[edit on 14-1-2010 by masonicon]

Originally posted by whatukno
This would have been interesting if it wasn't from WND. Sorry, it's most likely made up crap.

You are absolutely the most oppositional person I have come across on the net. Is there anyone that you agree with? The government is moving to end things like ATS and you just twiddle your thumbs and whistle. WAKE UP!

Does anyone honestly think that this site hasn't already been infiltrated?
It would be soo easy to do why wouldn't they is my question. I operate off of the assumption that they have been infiltrated and I don't give a damn. Come and get me boys. When the time is right, they will know exactly where to start looking. Remember that!

reply to post by whatukno


Well, it's spun a TAD but he said the government COULD ban conspiracy theories but it would probably be a bad idea.
However he says putting government (or third party) agents into places such as this to undermine conspiracy theories by planting doubts and raising valid questions is a good option.

Take a look at my post man, it's part of an essay he wrote a couple years back.

Does anyone honestly think that this site hasn't already been infiltrated?
It would be soo easy to do why wouldn't they is my question. I operate off of the assumption that they have been infiltrated and I don't give a damn. Come and get me boys. When the time is right, they will know exactly where to start looking. Remember that!

Conspiracy theorists are now extremists? I believe we have idiots running the country. They can call me any name they want, I will read wtf I want and they can suck my ****. Welcome to America you fascist f***s.

reply to post by av8r007


1) They can't "end ATS" that would be a violation of the 1st Amendment.

2) Maybe I'm so confrontational because I do actually think for myself and don't let any website make my mind up for me. I just don't buy every story that comes down the pike. It's not being confrontational, it's just not being a stooge.

reply to post by whatukno


Of course they can't end it under the 1st amendment, but in the essay which surely will become policy or already has they want to infiltrate with disinfo agents. We are being called extremists because we think outside the box and don't tow the government line.

WRT to you thinking for yourself, you seem to support most things the government does. I hardly if ever see you angry about all the fascist and tyrannical things the government is attempting these days. The list is so long, but between the power grabs, unconstitutional laws, and dangerous thinking by those in government I can almost no longer bear it.

[edit on 14-1-2010 by av8r007]

reply to post by av8r007


Seems like and do are two completely different things, It may seem that I support most things the government does, but in truth, I support only those things that further my own personal agenda, everything else, well, there is no everything else. (insert evil laugh here)