The most dangerous and symptomatic conspiracy theory circulating today is that of “9/11 truthers.”  9/11 “denial,” or more precisely, the belief that the Bush Administration had prior knowledge, if not direct responsibility, for the 9/11 attacks has precisely the same structure and analogous consequences, despite the differing historical scales of the respective events, as Holocaust denial.  Just as Holocaust denial is in fact a justification of the Holocaust and incitement to carry out another one, so 9/11 denial suggests that, insofar as Bush (and, by extension, conservatives, or the “right,” or Republicans…or Americans) “in reality” has responsibility through omission or commission for the acts, they really had it coming, and, by pretending otherwise, are bringing such catastrophes down upon themselves yet again.  Like all conspiracy theories, 9/11 denial is both a caricature and weirdly logical conclusion of the fundamental Enlightenment distinction between those who are bullied or fooled into believing what “they” (rulers, priests) say, on the one hand, and those, on the other, who “see through” such deceptions and proudly declare the truth.   more...