Conspiracy theory

A conspiracy theory is a belief that the official report on a major event is inaccurate or blatantly false in order to cover up an unattractive occurrence. Generally, conspiracy theories are dismissed by the public as nonsense. Some of the most notable are:

• FDR knowing about the Attack on Pearl Harbor in advance and encouraging it so America could get in the war; that officers ignored evidence that the attack had started.
• Various theories surrounding UFOs, alien abduction, and governments "covering up" the existence of extraterrestrials. Usually this is associated with supposed alien sightings at Roswell, NM
• The theory that the Apollo 11 lunar landing, commanded by Neil Armstrong, on July 20, 1969, was fake. Supporters analyze photographs, and often claim that satellite photographs of Area 51 resemble a movie studio.
• Various 9/11 conspiracy theories.
• "Birthers" conspiracy; People who advocate Obama prove his birth in the U.S. as demanded by the Constitution. Obama created this conspiracy to hide his past history by refusing to release his long-form birth certificate.
• Various theories regarding JFK's assassination.
• The George W. Bush presidential campaign conspired to rig the election in 2000. See also: Bush v. Gore
• The George W. Bush presidential campaign conspired with Diebold and other electronic voting machine manufacturers to rig the election in 2004. (See article: Diebold)
• The so-called "vast right-wing conspiracy" as described by Hillary Rodham Clinton.
• The theory that a neocon cabal controlled the Bush Administration and was responsible for the War in Iraq.
• The idea that all paleontologists are falsifying evidence to make the Earth appear older than 6000 years
• The Jews are conspiring to destroy civilization. (Very popular theory in Europe from the Middle Ages on, seems to have lost a lot of currency outside the Middle East since the Holocaust.)
• Denial of the Holocaust's existence and/or claims of exaggeration. Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is among this theory's supporters.
• The theory that the Iraq War was started by Big Oil in order to gain access to cheap petroleum.
• Various theories regarding population control, including a supposed deliberate conspiracy to make foods and the environment unsafe, legalization of abortion and contraception to prevent population growth, and jets spraying toxic "chemtrails" over rural areas. Usually supporters claim ease of controlling smaller groups of people.
• A "New World Order" brought about by a one-world government with a global currency. Usually this is combined with premillenialist and/or dispensationalist views of the Biblical Book of Revelation. Implanted RFID chips, mandated by the Antichrist and used for financial purposes, are thought to be the "Mark of the Beast."
• The influence of secret societies, fraternal organizations, and various religious groups. Freemasons, the Illuminati, the United Nations, the Catholic Church, Judaism, and the Catholic "Society of Jesus" (Jesuits) are popular targets. Often these groups are accused of being behind so-called "shadow governments." FEMA has been accused of being a "shadow government" as well.
• Various claims regarding the income tax, including the ratification process of the Sixteenth Amendment. The legitimacy of the Federal Reserve and the IRS are questioned by these people, and most favor a return to the gold standard.
• A supposed part-human, part-reptile (or part-alien) bloodline with politically- and financially-powerful members. Former British soccer player David Icke promotes these theories.

Common elements of Conspiracy Theories

The target blamed for everything may change, but most destructive conspiracy theories believe the same things:

• The world is divided into 'us' and 'them'. We are "good," and they are "evil."
• Our opponents are evil and subversive... possibly not even human.
• "They" are responsible for our troubles – We are blameless and without fault.
• Time is running out, and we must act immediately to avoid disaster.

Conspiracy theories provide an important element of certainty in a world that seems random and perverse. Believing that a small, evil group controls everything is actually more reassuring to some minds than believing things just happen by random circumstance. Often it can be entertaining, and many documentaries and TV specials have been produced about conspiracy theories.