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Sometimes It Is What It Is



In his song “As Time Goes By,” Louis Armstrong sings “A kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh…” Some folks can’t resist imputing hidden special meanings to events which just stand on their own. Here are a few examples:
Sometimes a grassy knoll is not a hiding place for a second gunman – it’s just a grassy knoll.
Sometimes the holocaust is not a story cooked up by the Jews as an excuse to form the nation of Israel – it’s just a horrible historical fact.
Sometimes the debris from an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon is not a crashed UFO – it’s just the debris from an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon.
Sometimes an automobile crash caused by a driver under the influence of drugs is not the assassination of a princess orchestrated by the Royal Family – it’s just a crash caused by a driver under the influence of drugs.
Sometimes a political attack on a philandering president is not a “vast right wing conspiracy” – it’s just a normal opposition tactic.
Sometimes a terrorist attack against symbolic buildings is not something orchestrated by thousands of government employees in order to drag the United States into a middle east war – it’s just a terrible terrorist attack.
Sometimes a Hawaiian birth certificate is not a counterfeit to cover a birth in Kenya – it’s just a true Hawaiian birth certificate.
Sometimes an inspirational presidential speech to school children is not an indoctrination into socialism – it’s just an inspirational presidential speech to school children.
Sometimes a provision to allow patients to speak to their doctors about end of life treatments is not a “death panel” – it’s just a provision to allow patients to speak to their doctors about end of life treatments.
Sometimes a bill to provide health care to all citizens is not a plan to convert the republic to socialism – it’s just a plan to provide health care to all citizens.
Conspiracy theories have been around for a long time, and will probably continue to abound into the far future. It seems to me there are three possible explanations:
1.)    Sometimes there really are conspiracies. An examination of the facts normally brings them into the light of day.
2.)    As with the results of Louis Armstrong’s kiss, sometimes otherwise lucid people can be seduced into believing and doing something they would not normally believe and do. Again, an examination of the facts is in order.
3.)    The really far out theories are usually promulgated by individuals apparently vying for an idiocy trophy. An examination of the facts is a waste of time.
In the meantime, Elvis lives!

I know there are people out there who read these blogs and agree, disagree or have something to add. Please don’t hesitate – click the “comments” button below and let me know what’s on your mind. All the rest of us would like to hear from you.

Glenn

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