New Times Derides Alternative Theories of Zebuhr's Shooting

[stickdog]

http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2006/03/department_of_c.asp

Department of Conspiracy Theories: Uptown shooting was a government black-op!

It has been hard to avoid the news coverage of the murder of Michael Zebuhr, the 25-year-old graduate student from South Carolina who was shot twice in the head as he walked down an Uptown street with his mother on March 18. Zebuhr, it seemed, was the very unfortunate victim of two cold-blooded muggers.

Or was he? On the internet discussion boards, a competing theory has emerged. Zebuhr, the thinking here goes, was not a random victim; he was, rather, the target of a government black-op.

So why would the government want to kill a promising young bioengineering student about whom no one can seem to utter a negative word? Because, you naive dolt, Zebuhr was a member of 9/11 Scholars for Truth, an organization of students and academics who believe the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were orchestrated by rogue elements within the U.S. government.

The bottom of this article links to an email from Jim Fetzer that says:

This afternoon I had the chance to speak with the homicide detective who is investigating the death of Michael Zebuhr, a student member of Scholars for 9/11 Truth. I explained that many members of the society were concerned that this killing might have had something to do with his association with Scholars. The detective informed me that substantial progress has been made and implied that they have suspects in custody. He told me it was a rather long story, which will soon be in the public domain, but that nothing about this death suggested any connection to his membership in S9/11T. I expressed my appreciation for the work the department is doing in solving the crime and explained that I was confident that the members of the society would be relieved to know that there seems to be no connection between his membership and his death. It is my opinion that what I was told is accurate and complete relative to my inquiry and that we are going to know much more very soon.

I'll be very interested to hear this promised "upcoming long story that will soon be in the public domain." Zebuhr's death may very well prove to be nothing more than a random tragedy. Such horrific events DO sometimes happen quite randomly, of course.

However, this is a crime in which, at least according to Minnesota media reports up until today:

1) the location was a neighborhood that has never seen a remotely similar crime,
2) the setting was an at least reasonably busy street location on a busy weekend night,
3) a decently large group rather than an individual or pair was targeted,
4) a cold blooded murder was committed for no discernible reason relating to the supposed robbery,
5) there were TWO shots to the head of a single, supposedly inactive bystander,
6) the assailants who committed this single senseless murder ignored all other witnesses,
7) execution-capable purse snatchers worked in pairs with a waiting get-away vehicle,
8) no descriptions/photos of the perps have been released despite reported nearby security cameras and witnesses, and
9) there have been no reported suspects or leads almost two weeks later.

Once we all know what Fetzer knows, this might not even be a issue for reasonable discussion, but until that point, I fail to see why anybody who is merely questioning this bizarre tragedy should be made the target of catty derision.

[theobscure]

1. It seems clear....

The Charlie Sheen dust-up did nothing to lend any credibility to even the possibility that the official version of 9/11 should be questioned by average Americans. In fact, I'm beginning to think that this is actually a boon, perhaps strategically intended, to shut down any momentum the truth movement might have been gaining.

The fact that this story suddenly appeared in a mainstream media outlet but quickly went away could encourage people that they can continue safely dismissing the possibility from real consideration. They could say to themselves that, "if there was anything to it, they would start covering it on the news."

[JackRiddler]

It's all seed planting...

As always until now.

It's also kind of ridiculous that we have to depend on Sheen or other celebrities. But there it is. At this stage, we do.

Thanks to Sheen, a couple of million people more than before can't get this weird and corrosive idea out of their heads. The seed of cognitive dissonance has been planted. They will read. They will weigh. They will digest good evidence, or bad, or a mix. They will get used to the idea, and reach conclusions (right or wrong). Over two to six months, a new crop of skeptics blooms. They in turn seed more, additively, until another unexpected breakthrough brings a new leap, to a higher plateau. And so on...

Do we have "enough time"?

The process may have already reached a point where the next numbered, stage-managed attack has been delayed... and delayed... Iran (and the necessary pretext for Iran) may be off the agenda, for now, and for this kind of offensive-minded regime retreat on any front generally signals a crack-up. The risk of a new performance seems too high, given the price of failure. The consensus among elites after the fact seems far less likely than it would have after 9/11, which actually averted a stock crash and fulfilled a giant wish-list. Those reserves are tapped now, the next number will not bring a comparable overall profit.

Every other week I like to view things optimistically.

[theobscure]

6. thanks for the optimism n/t

[JackRiddler]

4. It's all seed planting...

As always until now.

It's also kind of ridiculous that we have to depend on Sheen or other celebrities. But there it is. At this stage, we do.

Thanks to Sheen, a couple of million people more than before can't get this weird and corrosive idea out of their heads. The seed of cognitive dissonance has been planted. They will read. They will weigh. They will digest good evidence, or bad, or a mix. They will get used to the idea, and reach conclusions (right or wrong). Over two to six months, a new crop of skeptics blooms. They in turn seed more, additively, until another unexpected breakthrough brings a new leap, to a higher plateau. And so on...

Do we have "enough time"?

The process may have already reached a point where the next numbered, stage-managed attack has been delayed... and delayed... Iran (and the necessary pretext for Iran) may be off the agenda, for now, and for this kind of offensive-minded regime retreat on any front generally signals a crack-up. The risk of a new performance seems too high, given the price of failure. The consensus among elites after the fact seems far less likely than it would have after 9/11, which actually averted a stock crash and fulfilled a giant wish-list. Those reserves are tapped now, the next number will not bring a comparable overall profit.

Every other week I like to view things optimistically.

[dailykoff]

2. They're called right wing death squads

and they always seem to protect U.S. corporate interests in Latin America and now Iraq.

But don't worry anybody, it couldn't happen here.

[HamdenRice]

3. One more bizarre factor: Somali (Muslim) gunmen

Probably just a coincidence, but considering that 9/11 is about Islamic terrorists committing mass murder, it is strange at a 9/11 truth movement member would also be killed by a Somli (and presumptively Muslim) gang:

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=121354

Because of the possible link to a Somali gang, a group calling itself the Somali Justice Advocacy Center is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder. Justice Center Executive Director Omar Jamal reminded people that the smallest thing can make a difference in this case, " we tell them, whatever you know sometimes you think is not relevant to the crime, but please call the police and share that information with police."

[spooked911]

5. Somali linked to Al Qaeda

A Somali patsy?

"Federal investigators say Abdi, a 32-year-old Somali native, bragged that blowing up an Ohio shopping center was his goal."

"A four-count indictment, returned by a grand jury in Columbus, Ohio, charges that Abdi conspired with al Qaeda member Iyman Faris and others to detonate a bomb at the unidentified shopping mall after he obtained military-style training in Ethiopia. Faris is now imprisoned for never-acted-on plans to sabotage the Brooklyn Bridge."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/14/terror/main622950.shtml