(John - feel free to move this if necessary; I couldn't decide which section was best)
http://www.ae911truth.org/events/eurotour/
Richard Gage is coming to the UK, and unfortunately I won't be in London to watch this amazing spectacle in idiocy.
If anyone watched the BBC documentary last week on WTC7, Richard Gage was the twit who thinks that the Towers should have behaved the same way as some cardboard boxes - i.e. no collapse. (It should still be on BBC iPlayer, and is worth a watch).
I'd love to think someone could go who could ask decent questions about his preposterous claims.
Sadly I cannot make this. Who at UCL is hosting this I wonder? Seems he is getting a hearing at Universities all over Europe.
One problem with going anyway is that when you try to discuss the truth with 'truthers' they just start to say you are brainwashed if you don't agree with them.
Oddly enough, and I am no engineer, I remember seeing the second plane hit live on TV and my very first reaction was that the buidlings would come down. It seemed obvious given where they were hit that they would be massively structurally compromised.
The lead engineer on the original construction even talks about not having designed in for that level of impact. I think they worked on the possibility of an older smaller Boeing.
It is worth noting the way the truthers arguments/'facts' have changed over time (see Loose Change versions 1, 2 and now I think 3) Originally they were all wound up that no steel structure building had ever come down except for demolition, and quoted a B52 hitting the empire state. Of course, when the fact that it was a B25 came out and therefore an order of magnitude smaller than a 52 or the Jets that hit WTC, they apparently removed that reference.
The WTC 7 conspiracy is just as ludicrous and the one that a lot of truthers fall back on. Of course one very good question is to ask why in the heck bother with a subsidiary building on the site when the 'conspiracy' had already succeeded in bringing down the two landmark ones anyway?
Actually, perhaps ignoring them is best? Given that logical factual discussion/argument appears to make no difference to them, how on earth would one make any difference. Perhaps standing outside handing out leaflets promoting Screw Loose Change might help a bit?
Good luck anyone who does go!!
come on guys surely life is too short to go to flat earth society meetings ?
Just think of it as a cheap comedy showOriginally Posted by stewgreen
Just sent this to the Facilities Director at UCL. I would not pass a law against free speech, but there are plenty of places they could go other than an academic institution! Just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it was in the Darwin Theatre!
To:
r.furter@ucl.ac.uk
Dear Mr. Furter,
Although I am a supporter of freedom of speech, I am astonished that UCL has allowed its facilities to be hijacked by the so called 9/11 'truth' movement.
I understand that Richard Gage is due to give a talk at the Darwin Lecture Theatre tonight. How ironic that it should in a place named after one of the greatest searchers for real truth!
This man perpetrates the most ridiculous and obscene twaddle concerning the attack on the World Trade Centre. To give him space at an academic institution is a sorry joke. These people could easily have hired a commercial space.
Do you have no ethical policy whatsoever when it comes to hiring out University facilities? If not perhaps you may wish to consider introducing one in future.
Having been exposed to the so called 'truth' movement, and studied its claims in some depth, these people are dangerously spreading utterly false information.
May I suggest that, at the very least, you ensure a prominent notice outside the Theatre tonight with a disclaimer to the effect that the University in no way endorses the views being expressed, and that people attending should be encouraged to research this subject properly as opposed to buying into the ludicrous conspiracy theory.
I really hope that you will, if unable to cancel it, take some action in order to counter this complete and utter twaddle peddling.
Many thanks,
Oooohh!!
Nice!
Thanks for trying something.
My local scientific society, which consists (as far as I know) entirely of rationalists and at least mostly of atheists, rents the crypt of a church for its meetings. This is purely a commercial arrangement, and neither reflects badly on the church nor implies endorsement of our views by Christians. How would we feel, I wonder, if a member of the congregation wrote a similar letter to the one above saying that the church should not allow us to rent its facilities?
Trinoc, I would hope that you would find somewhere else to go, although I am aware that some areas have shortages of meeting places and so would sympathise in that case. However, are you spreading complete untruths? I doubt it. Are you a bunch of known nutcases? Possibly!
Like I say the University could say no and they could easily go somewhere else in London.
Don't think you are comparing apples with apples.
What we are spreading are untruths according to the beliefs of people who worship upstairs.
Freedom of speech means supporting the right of people to say things you detest. Simply defending people who agree with you is not good enough.
That is a commercial arrangement.
Also, christian scientists do exist. I'm sure if you were renting the place specifically to disprove the existence of god, the renters may have some opinion on the matter.
An appearance at a university should carry information as to whether the university supports the views held or not. The views of this man are so unscientific as to be ridiculous, and for an educational establishment to be promoting them is quite disheartening.
ETA: I am also satisfied with this as a response in the absence of anyone being available to go and ask the man questions, and to ensure that the mis-information he gives out is at least challenged.
I'll reserve judgement until you tell us tomorrow whether any impression was given that the university endorsed the talk, or whether they were simply renting out the theatre.
Oh, and tell me if you see my friend Tony who looks a lot like Chris Bonnington, and who is a fervent 9/11 conspiracy believer.
Did you read my OP?
(First sentence)
D'oh ... sorry, forgot that bit (the thread has been going for a while).
Still, if anybody goes, I'd be interested to hear whether the university supports, disowns, or simply has no comment on the content of the talk.
The University replied as folows:
Richard Furter has passed your message concerning tonight's lecture to me as Room Bookings Manager. I am sorry that this event has caused offence. We are extremely careful about who uses our premises and the topics under discussion. In regard to the subject matter this evening this is of course not endorsed by UCL and I do not believe that in the publicity we are mentioned other than as the venue provider. We will certainly monitor reaction to the content over the next couple of days as the UCL does not wish to be involved in adverse publicity.Thank you for taking the time to contact us.Best wishes.Alec Gray
I have replied that clearly they were not careful in this instance, and emphasising that Gage and his fellow 'truthers' base their ludicrous assertion son no fact or evidence whatsoever. I have suggested that they are more careful in future.
Of course, they were not endorsing it, but by allowing their space to be used, and I repeat, of all places in the Darwin Theatre, they were giving it credibility by association.
No idea what they mean by monitoring response in the next couple of days but if anyone wants to add their tuppencehapenny worth then an email or two to Mr. Furter may not go amiss.
Cheers, DD
P.S. have you shown your mate Tony Screw Loose Change - it worked very well with a buddy of mine who was getting sucked in.
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