Survey shows majority of Americans suspect cover-ups, distrust federal government
Steve Hammons
December 21, 2007
According to a recent Scripps Howard News Service/Ohio University poll, "Nearly two-thirds of Americans think it is possible that some federal officials had specific warnings of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, but chose to ignore those warnings."
That was the conclusion explored in a Nov. 20, 2007 article by Kevin Crowe, a reporter for Scripps Howard News Service, and Guido H. Stempel III, director of the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio.
Crowe and Stempel noted that in a Scripps Howard/Ohio University survey in July 2006, "more than one-third of Americans thought federal officials assisted in the 9/11 attacks or took no action to stop them so the United States could go to war in the Middle East."
The survey looked at Americans' distrust of the federal government in general and at specific topics like the 9/11 attacks, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, rigging of international oil prices and questions about what the federal government knows about UFOs and extraterrestrial visitation to Earth.
Crowe and Stempel reported that the survey "was conducted by telephone Sept. 24 to Oct. 10 among 811 adult residents of the United States who were selected at random. The survey was conducted by the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University under a grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation and has a margin of error of about 4 percent."
In their article, Crowe and Stempel quote several experts and authors on facts and theories involved that may affect Americans' views on alleged cover-ups and conspiracies.
Of course, when we say "the federal government," we must look at many individuals, groups, departments and agencies as well as forces behind the scenes.
There are many good and honorable people and groups within the federal government. There may also be people and groups that do not fit into these categories.
Two apparently unrelated topics of interest addressed in the survey were the 9/11 attacks and questions about UFOs and extraterrestrial visitation.
Looking at these might provide examples of the reasons for doubts by Americans.
QUESTIONS ABOUT 9/11
Various questions have been raised by the 9/11 Commission, experts, investigators and the general public. These questions apparently have fueled mistrust of the "official story" of the 9/11 attacks.
Some of these questions include, but are not limited to, the following:
FBI agents, intelligence officers, national security officials and international intelligence personnel reportedly were raising red flags about a pending attack, but their intelligence allegedly was not responded to by the appropriate civilian chains of command.
Certain people and groups publicly indicated that "a new Pearl Harbor" was needed to provoke Americans to expand certain military operations and defense spending.
There reportedly was a desire by some to invade Iraq (and possibly Iran and/or Syria) and a justification for the American people and the international community was needed.
Several air defense military maneuvers and training activities were ongoing around the time frame of 9/11. These exercises depleted available U.S. Air Force air assets and caused confusion among military and civilian air traffic controllers and air defense personnel.
Stock market transactions, known as "put options," were made regarding the stock of the two airlines involved prior to the 9/11 attacks. These particular transactions were especially unusual.
Certain officials were reportedly advised not to fly around the time frame of 9/11.
At the Pentagon, the debris and type of damage done to the building is not consistent with the impact of a passenger jet, according to some determinations by experts.
In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the debris field at the alleged impact site seemed inconsistent with the crash of a passenger jet, some people state.
EXTRATERRESTRIAL VISITATION
Since the late 1940s, the sightings of unusual objects in the sky have been a topic of great interest in the U.S. and around the world.
There have been many indications that some of these objects could possibly be related to spacecraft from outside our normal understanding. That is, they may not be conventional human-made craft or other technology.
Some of the questions and discussion about so-called "unidentified flying objects (UFOs)" include, but are not limited to the following:
References to unusual flying objects can be found throughout human history in written material and art.
American WWII pilots reported seeing "foo fighters" during military operations. These were unusual objects flying near U.S. aircraft.
In 1947, Army Air Corps personnel at Roswell Army Air Base in Roswell, New Mexico, apparently concluded that a "flying saucer" that may have been extraterrestrial in origin had crashed nearby.
After that event, some researchers allege that President Harry Truman created a special group of scientists and top military officials to try to understand and coordinate this challenging situation.
There are reports that as part of the evolving developments, further U.S. diplomatic contact was made with more than one extraterrestrial race that was visiting Earth. According to some of these claims, advanced technology was provided to U.S. officials in exchange for cooperation.
Sightings and contacts of various kinds between people around the world and what are alleged to be extraterrestrial activities have been reported in many countries.
Other aspects of the alleged situation involve efforts to prepare the American people, and people around the world, about the surprising development of contact with extraterrestrial civilizations. Books, articles, movies and other communications platforms reportedly have been used to help in this process.
NEED TO KNOW
The concept of "need to know" is one used in various military, intelligence and other circles. That is, some information is sensitive and if a person does not have a need to know it, don't tell them.
Certainly, information security can be important and this has its place. At the same time, freedom of information, knowledge and understanding are also important for us, especially in a democracy. Secrecy can sometimes be unwise, unethical or dangerous.
The distrust of certain elements of the federal government reported in the Scripps Howard News Service/Ohio University poll are both cause for concern and might also be a healthy and natural response to our current situation.
There may very well be valid justifications for this distrust.
As we decide what we have a need to know and what we do not, Americans will undoubtedly continue to be vigilant in protecting their Constitutional rights and liberties, perceiving various internal and external dangers, and maintaining a healthy understanding about the dangers of excessive secrecy and power on the part of the federal government.
Research like that in the Scripps Howard News Service/Ohio University poll can help us "get on the same page" and recognize that many of us are thinking along similar lines.
This might unify us and move us toward success, peace, progress, preparedness and prosperity in the future.
NOTE TO READERS: To learn more about the survey, go to the article on the Web site of the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University.
Ohio University is home to the prestigious Scripps College of Communication and E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.
Please visit my Joint Recon Study Group blog.
That was the conclusion explored in a Nov. 20, 2007 article by Kevin Crowe, a reporter for Scripps Howard News Service, and Guido H. Stempel III, director of the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio.
Crowe and Stempel noted that in a Scripps Howard/Ohio University survey in July 2006, "more than one-third of Americans thought federal officials assisted in the 9/11 attacks or took no action to stop them so the United States could go to war in the Middle East."
The survey looked at Americans' distrust of the federal government in general and at specific topics like the 9/11 attacks, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, rigging of international oil prices and questions about what the federal government knows about UFOs and extraterrestrial visitation to Earth.
Crowe and Stempel reported that the survey "was conducted by telephone Sept. 24 to Oct. 10 among 811 adult residents of the United States who were selected at random. The survey was conducted by the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University under a grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation and has a margin of error of about 4 percent."
In their article, Crowe and Stempel quote several experts and authors on facts and theories involved that may affect Americans' views on alleged cover-ups and conspiracies.
Of course, when we say "the federal government," we must look at many individuals, groups, departments and agencies as well as forces behind the scenes.
There are many good and honorable people and groups within the federal government. There may also be people and groups that do not fit into these categories.
Two apparently unrelated topics of interest addressed in the survey were the 9/11 attacks and questions about UFOs and extraterrestrial visitation.
Looking at these might provide examples of the reasons for doubts by Americans.
QUESTIONS ABOUT 9/11
Various questions have been raised by the 9/11 Commission, experts, investigators and the general public. These questions apparently have fueled mistrust of the "official story" of the 9/11 attacks.
Some of these questions include, but are not limited to, the following:
FBI agents, intelligence officers, national security officials and international intelligence personnel reportedly were raising red flags about a pending attack, but their intelligence allegedly was not responded to by the appropriate civilian chains of command.
Certain people and groups publicly indicated that "a new Pearl Harbor" was needed to provoke Americans to expand certain military operations and defense spending.
There reportedly was a desire by some to invade Iraq (and possibly Iran and/or Syria) and a justification for the American people and the international community was needed.
Several air defense military maneuvers and training activities were ongoing around the time frame of 9/11. These exercises depleted available U.S. Air Force air assets and caused confusion among military and civilian air traffic controllers and air defense personnel.
Stock market transactions, known as "put options," were made regarding the stock of the two airlines involved prior to the 9/11 attacks. These particular transactions were especially unusual.
Certain officials were reportedly advised not to fly around the time frame of 9/11.
At the Pentagon, the debris and type of damage done to the building is not consistent with the impact of a passenger jet, according to some determinations by experts.
In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the debris field at the alleged impact site seemed inconsistent with the crash of a passenger jet, some people state.
EXTRATERRESTRIAL VISITATION
Since the late 1940s, the sightings of unusual objects in the sky have been a topic of great interest in the U.S. and around the world.
There have been many indications that some of these objects could possibly be related to spacecraft from outside our normal understanding. That is, they may not be conventional human-made craft or other technology.
Some of the questions and discussion about so-called "unidentified flying objects (UFOs)" include, but are not limited to the following:
References to unusual flying objects can be found throughout human history in written material and art.
American WWII pilots reported seeing "foo fighters" during military operations. These were unusual objects flying near U.S. aircraft.
In 1947, Army Air Corps personnel at Roswell Army Air Base in Roswell, New Mexico, apparently concluded that a "flying saucer" that may have been extraterrestrial in origin had crashed nearby.
After that event, some researchers allege that President Harry Truman created a special group of scientists and top military officials to try to understand and coordinate this challenging situation.
There are reports that as part of the evolving developments, further U.S. diplomatic contact was made with more than one extraterrestrial race that was visiting Earth. According to some of these claims, advanced technology was provided to U.S. officials in exchange for cooperation.
Sightings and contacts of various kinds between people around the world and what are alleged to be extraterrestrial activities have been reported in many countries.
Other aspects of the alleged situation involve efforts to prepare the American people, and people around the world, about the surprising development of contact with extraterrestrial civilizations. Books, articles, movies and other communications platforms reportedly have been used to help in this process.
NEED TO KNOW
The concept of "need to know" is one used in various military, intelligence and other circles. That is, some information is sensitive and if a person does not have a need to know it, don't tell them.
Certainly, information security can be important and this has its place. At the same time, freedom of information, knowledge and understanding are also important for us, especially in a democracy. Secrecy can sometimes be unwise, unethical or dangerous.
The distrust of certain elements of the federal government reported in the Scripps Howard News Service/Ohio University poll are both cause for concern and might also be a healthy and natural response to our current situation.
There may very well be valid justifications for this distrust.
As we decide what we have a need to know and what we do not, Americans will undoubtedly continue to be vigilant in protecting their Constitutional rights and liberties, perceiving various internal and external dangers, and maintaining a healthy understanding about the dangers of excessive secrecy and power on the part of the federal government.
Research like that in the Scripps Howard News Service/Ohio University poll can help us "get on the same page" and recognize that many of us are thinking along similar lines.
This might unify us and move us toward success, peace, progress, preparedness and prosperity in the future.
NOTE TO READERS: To learn more about the survey, go to the article on the Web site of the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University.
Ohio University is home to the prestigious Scripps College of Communication and E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.
Please visit my Joint Recon Study Group blog.
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