9/11 And Air America

by Shelton F. Lankford, Pilots For 9/11 Truth

When I signed up for the first Air America cruise, one of my goals was to challenge the open-minded, progressive listeners and radio hosts on 9/11 Truth, or rather the lack of it in their program content. My elevator speech was to the effect that, by attacking all the monsters that have been unleashed by the Bush administration piecemeal - Iraq, Patriot Act, Spying, Torture, Rendition, gutting the Constitution, etc. , it was like attacking a giant squid by grappling with each of its tentacles individually. We don't have enough arms, strength, or endurance to do it. By ignoring 9/11, we, in effect, ignore the body and brain of the monster, and have no hope of defeating it. It isn't a point that is original with me, but I don't mind stealing in an emergency - this is it.

Imagine my elation when one of the hosts, Richard Greene, to whom I had never listened, stood up in the introductory panel and said words to the effect that in order to stop the crimes that are ongoing and that are stealing our country away from us, we must confront and expose 9/11 as a false flag operation. I leapt to my feet and applauded wildly. I was joined by several others. I don't think he was prepared for the response his statement got, and he rapidly set up an impromptu session to show Zeitgeist, Part II and hold a discussion about the issue tonight.

The session went off in front of a couple of hundred people who were about 1/3 9/11 doubters, and the rest divided between government defenders and those who just didn't know what to think. I think it is safe to say that most have now either came over to the doubter category or are well on their way. Early in the discussion following the film, I stood up and announced myself a member of Pilots for 9/11 Truth, outlined the relevant FDR evidence of the flight of American 77, and referred them to the Pilots site for more information, along with the Alan Miller site Patriotsquestion911.com.

Can you imagine a cruise ship abuzz with conversations about 9/11? I was hugged at dinner evening of the 26th by a retired Presbyterian minister who took my web site links and thanked me profusely for speaking out. Said he had been troubled by 9/11 but didn't know where to get information. He does now. I sat next to a man who was questioned by the FBI four times because he was a frequent flyer between LA and Boston. The FBI claimed he had been seated next to two of the hijackers more than once. He said he had a photographic memory for faces and that it was not possible he had ever had a seat-mate who was one of the 19 without remembering it. I met a Move-on.org organizer from Whidby Island who was intensely interested in the subject and who wanted me to contact a woman behind a new web venture by Moveon. Richard Greene, whose show is called CLOUT, is interested in talking more about the subject and lining up shows, and I plan to put him in touch with Rob for an interview on his show. A woman approached me who is a friend of Ted Muga.

Best cruise....EVER!

Progressives are fired up, motivated, and receptive. Don't ever assume how someone feels about the subject. After today's Canopy Tour (high-lining traverses over a rain forest canopy and aguave plantation) I mentioned the 9/11 event to a guy and he said he had been wrestling with the question of whether he should raise the subject. I told him some things that had him slack-jawed and hankering for more.

Written evening of the 26th.

The rest of the week, I was engaged by many people asking questions or voicing support and thanking me for the work of p49t, which I pass on to you. I will put Rob in touch with Richard Greene for a possible interview. There is a poll on the site now running in favor of a MIHOP scenario. http://www.airamerica.com/clout/ .

Marc Greene, the President of AAR, was not eager to encourage talk about 9/11 but didn't quash it. I had good conversations with Randi Rhodes, who was traveling in company with Willie Nelson's wife Annie, who joined the conversation. I was able to convey our appreciation to Willie for speaking out recently. Randi has treated the subject a number of times on her show. I also was able to talk to Thom Hartmann, who has repeatedly challenged the official story on his show before and after AAR. I challenged him politely on his references to 9/11 in his new book "Cracking the Code" for referring to the hijackers as though they were actually what the government said they were instead of patsy myths created for effect. I encouraged him to use "alleged" in referring to elements of the official story instead of defaulting to the myth as truth.

I had dinner with Jim Hightower who seemed well-versed on 9/11 as an inside job, although I have never heard him mention it. Every table I was at had a majority who were 9/11 OCT doubters. Lots of people sought me out for questions or just to express themselves on the subject. One coordinator for Move-on.org said she planned to ask the national organization to involve themselves in the issue and refer them to the Pilots site.

As an aside, Marc Greene did some informal polling of the group. O'Bama was the overwhelming favorite of the group, but when he asked who people were initially for, Kucinich was the overwhelming favorite followed by Edwards. They were settling for OBama.

When he asked how many were atheists - almost every hand went up.

Not a bad week at all. They plan another such cruise in November because of the success of this one, which was sold out.

SFL

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