BE -- "death wish for the planet" why the internet?

[Thomas Eckhardt]

> So, to take one such reflection as the one Pynchon endorses, for
> example the Bush People caused the attack, is to miss the point.

Of course. And I, for one, wouldn't argue that this is the case.

A few by no means conclusive observations:

The term "conspiracy theory" is, as usual, misleading with regard to 
9/11. Quite obviously the debate is about the official or government 
conspiracy theory against competing conspiracy theories. I use the term 
neutrally: A theory has to explain phenomena, and some do this better 
than others. With regard to the September 11 attacks there are open 
questions that have not been satisfactorily answered. Relatedly there 
are also many "strange coincidences" that have not been satisfactorily 
explained. Except by conincidence theories.

There are also good arguments to be made against some of the conspiracy 
theories. For example, as David Morris said, the theory of controlled 
demolition requires the rigging of the buildings with explosives. Apart 
from the logistical difficulties such a task would pose, there would 
have to be many people involved. I find this highly improbable. On the 
other hand, NIST seems to have conceded that WTC7 was in free fall:

One of the more disheartening developments of the years since 2001 has 
been that people who express doubts about the official version of world 
historical events (like 9/11 or the Maidan shootings) and point to 
unanswered questions or even, in the case of the Maidan shootings, to 
scientific analysis, are being called conspiracy theorists in the 
derogatory sense the term has assumed not least due to the efforts of 
the CIA in the aftermath of the JFK assassination. Nobody in the media 
seems to have heard about false flags, Gladio or "Operation Northwoods". 
These are not conspiray theories, these are conspiracy facts. But 
surely, this has all changed...

On to BE:

One source for the conspiracy stuff related to 9/11 in BE is Michael 
Ruppert's "Crossing the Rubicon" (Pynchon could have found the 
information about the Israeli chip only there or, less likely, in 
Ruppert's online magazine "From the Wilderness", as I demonstrated at 
the link below).

https://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=1312&msg=178509

I assume that Pynchon took the information about the put options on 
United and American Airlines from Ruppert as well. These are discussed 
in some detail on p. 323-324.

The put options are mentioned for the first time immediately before the 
attacks take place. On the very same page the alleged random-number 
anomaly at the parapsychological Global Consciousness Project is alluded 
to for the first time (BE, 315). An explanation follows on p. 341 where 
the anomaly is nicely linked to the possibility that outside forces 
could have entered Deep Archer. The stock market fluctuations are also 
mentioned once again on that page.

For the GCP and the controversy around the anomaly in generated random 
numbers on 9/11, see Wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Consciousness_Project

There is lot of other material out there, of course. More information 
about this from people in the know would be appreciated.

I find it interesting that Pynchon mentions the put options and the GCP 
matter together two times, although they are completely different 
beasts: One points to foreknowledge and thus conspiracy, the other to 
the existence of a global consciousness with prophetic gifts. The key 
word here may be "anomaly" not "conspiracy".

The occurrence of both anomalies is not put into question in Pynchon's 
narrative. This, however, does not mean a lot, because Pynchon's 
narrative also supports the "Montauk Project" which is, err, a wacky 
conspiracy theory.

I note that Pynchon does not refer to other "strange coincidences", like 
WTC7 (Wiki: "the only steel skyscraper in the world to have collapsed 
from fire") or the complete and utter failure of the secret services and 
American air defense.

Immediately after the event, a lively discussion on conspiracy theories 
regarding 9/11 begins. It starts with March Kelleher:

"'It's the Reichstag fire,' she greets Maxine." (BE, 317)

No "How are you?", no "Is everything all right?" -- March wastes no time.

She sees 9/11 as an inside job designed to implement fascism in the US 
-- a subject that is of central importance for the deep-political strand 
of VL and linked there to continuity of government measures with a view 
to the Iran-Contra-Hearings (see below). From March's POV, there can be 
no doubt that the "Nazis in Washington" aka "Bush and the gang" did it.

I believe that her POV is ironized by the niceties-be-damned 
single-mindedness she displays as well as by the over-the-top rhetoric.

Maxine answers that probably the government was caught by surprise, 
"more like Pearl Harbour," and does generally not give much credence to 
March's theory. She is about to become "March's official doubter." (BE, 323)

The reader may feel reminded of PNAC's wish for a "new Pearl Harbour" -- 
which of course does not mean that Perle, Wolfowitz etc. actively 
planned for such an event.

March expands her view on p. 321-322. Her statement is, apart from the 
Reichstag fire interpretation of events, remarkably complex (I seem to 
remember that Monte Davis pointed this out: "But there is always the 
other thing. Our yearning. (...)"), and should be looked at more 
closely. In any case, her POV is not invalidated by the implied author, 
even if he might be mocking her a little elsewhere.

Maxine on the other hand doesn't "know what to believe." (BE, 323 -- 
Here we also find the rather outrageous paragraph about "anti-compassion 
insurance" referring to the story about the Stinger crew and the snipers 
on the rooftops which Pynchon made up but which is real, if once removed 
from reality, because mediated by film, within the narrative.)

On 323 Horst returns to the put options. Maxine meanhwile, at her 
parents' place, begins to voice doubts of her own regarding the camera 
angle on 9/11.

Which leads to Brooke vehemently attacking her sister:

"Whose side are you on, are you an American or what are you?"

Expressing doubts about the offical version of events makes one 
un-American? We can safely assume that the implied author does not share 
this view.

Then comes Ernie, whom I (mis-)quoted in my previous post (It is "So 
suddenly *here* were all these strange coincidences" not "there".)

A lively discussion, as I said. I would argue that the textual evidence 
sugggests that the implied author seems to think that there are 
questions that have not been satisfactorily answered by the official 
narrative.

Which is, of course, just what I think...


As the discussion started with the internet as an element of COG 
measures, it may be interesting to note that COG measures were actually 
implemented on 9/11:

"Contingency plans for continuity of government measures had been 
implemented." Commission Report, 326.

See also p. 38 of the report and this footnote to the sentence on p. 326:

"The 9/11 crisis tested the US governments plans and capabilities to 
ensure the continuity of constitutional government and the continuity of 
government operations and the continuity of government operations. We 
did not investigate this topic, except as needed in order to understand 
the activities and communicatons of key officials on 9/11."

Which measures? Don't ask.

Compare this famous scene from the Iran-Contra-Hearings, also available 
on youtube:

"[Congressman Jack] Brooks: Colonel North, in your work at the N.S.C. 
were you not assigned, at one time, to work on plans for the continuity 
of government in the event of a major disaster?

Brendan Sullivan [North's counsel, agitatedly]: Mr. Chairman?

[Senator Daniel] Inouye: I believe that question touches upon a highly 
sensitive and classified area so may I request that you not touch upon that?

Brooks: I was particularly concerned, Mr. Chairman, because I read in 
Miami papers, and several others, that there had been a plan developed, 
by that same agency, a contingency plan in the event of emergency, that 
would suspend the American constitution. And I was deeply concerned 
about it and wondered if that was an area in which he had worked. I 
believe that it was and I wanted to get his confirmation.

Inouye: May I most respectfully request that that matter not be touched 
upon at this stage. If we wish to get into this, I'm certain 
arrangements can be made for an executive session."

Wiki, "Rex 84"

Lots of loose associations regarding COG, 9/11 and the possibility of 
American fascism in VL and BE, surely. No conspiracy theory endorsed, 
surely. But lots of factual detail as well. North supposedly tracked 
dissidents with PROMIS software. North/Iran-Contra/Rex 84 is an 
important subject in VL. COG measures have been implemented in the 
course of the attacks on September 11.

BE is decidedly not only a novel about family in a time of national 
crisis. It is about the danger of fascism in America.

Which tends to be downplayed. Perhaps understandably so.


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Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l