“Look It Up, Check It Out”: REX 84 and the History of an American Conspiracy

[Thomas Eckhardt]

'Oliver North is, hands down, the absolute best choice to lead our NRA 
Board, to fully engage with our members, and to unflinchingly stand and 
fight for the great freedoms he has defended his entire life," NRA executive 
vice president and CEO Wayne LaPierre said in a statement on the pick.'
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/07/politics/nra-oliver-north/index.html

On Oliver North, Rex 84, its historical context and its impact on literature 
("White Noise", "Vineland") and the popular imagination, see:
https://wearethemutants.com/2017/03/13/look-it-up-check-it-out-rex-84-and-the-history-of-an-american-conspiracy/

That is a Pynchon quote in the title:

"‘In the olden days we called it the last roundup,’ DL explained. ‘Liked to 
scare each other with it, thought it was always real enough. The day they’d 
come and break into your house and put everybody in prison camps.
  Not fun or sitcom prison
camps, more like feedlots where we’d all become official, nonhuman 
livestock.’
‘You’ve seen camps like this?’ At once there seeped into the cheery space a 
silence like a stain in the light. Ditzah, at her editing table trembling, 
seemed to turn her body from what DL would say, to present less of a target, 
but DL only answered evenly.
‘Yep, I’ve seen ’em, your mom was in one, you’ll recall, but better than us 
reminiscing and boring you, go to the library sometime and read about it. 
Nixon had machinery for mass detention all in place and set to go. Reagan’s 
got it for when he invades Nicaragua. Look it up, check it out.’"
VL, 264

"Transcripts from the Iran-Contra Hearings in 1987 record the following 
dialogue between Congressman Jack Brooks, Oliver North's attorney Brendan 
Sullivan and Senator Daniel Inouye, the Democratic Chair of the joint 
Senate–House Committee:
[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."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_84

"Ollie for President, he'll get things done."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJMP0FEz51U

Look it up, check it out.