Brotherhood of Alcoholics plans to return New Mexico, California, Nevada, and Arizona, to Mexico

Company ‘gives away’ Southwest to Mexico. Vodka ad shows ‘Absolut world’ in which California, Arizona, others secede. A new ad for Absolut vodka reconfigures North America according to the aspirations of many Mexicans, who believe the U.S. Southwest was stolen and should be returned. Over a redrawn map of the U.S., the ad by the Swedish Absolut Spirits Co. declares, “In an Absolut World,” noted columnist and blogger Michelle Malkin. Major Hispanic civil rights groups in the U.S., such as the National Council of La Raza, are tied to movements advocating a “reconquista,” or reconquest, of territory lost when Mexico signed the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo at the end of the Mexican-American War. Malkin points out the Mexico City-based firm that created the ad, Teran, says its philosophy is advocating “disruption” as a “tool for change” and “agent of growth.” The firm encourages “overturning assumptions and prejudices that get in the way of imagining new possibilities and visionary ideas that help create a larger share of the future.” As WND reported in 2006, Rep. Charles Norwood, R-Ga., called on La Raza to renounce its support of the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan – which sees “The Race” as part of an ethnic group that one day will reclaim Aztlan, the mythical birthplace of the Aztecs. In Chicano folklore, Aztlan includes California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and parts of Colorado and Texas. In 2002, a prominent Chicano activist and University of California at Riverside professor, Armando Navarro, told WND he believed secession is inevitable if demographic and social trends continue. “If in 50 years most of our people are subordinated, powerless, exploited and impoverished, then I will say to you that there are all kinds of possibilities for movements to develop like the ones that we’ve witnessed in the last few years all over the world, from Yugoslavia to Chechnya,” Navarro said. “A secessionist movement is not something that you can put away and say it is never going to happen in the United States,” he contended. “Time and history change.” Navarro said one could argue “that while Mexico lost the war in 1848, it will probably win it in the 21st century, in terms of the numbers,” “But that is not a reality based on what Mexico does, it’s based on what this country does,” he insisted. In a 1995 speech to Chicano activists, Navarro said demographic trends are leading to “a transfer of power” to the ethnic Mexican community in the Southwest. He notes that most studies show that within the next 20 to 30 years Latinos will comprise more than 50 percent of the population of California. This fact, and other cultural and social developments, are opening the door for “self-determination” and even “the idea of an Aztlan,” he said in his speech.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=60642

It’s All A Conspiracy — The Government, Big Business And The Freemasons Are All Out To Get Us — They Want To Use Their Influence To Control World Affairs — Scary, Isn’t It?

Conspiracy Theories Are Actually Laughable Myths

Thankfully, it isn’t true. But a growing sub-culture has emerged in recent years, and thanks to the power of the Internet it’s easier than ever for these outlandish ideas to spread. Conspiracy theories are no longer relegated to isolated communities of crackpots. Now they’re endorsed by world leaders such as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and actor Charlie Sheen. As laughable as some of these theories are, there is a sizable portion of the population that believes there’s some big secret being kept by the powers that be. Whether it’s UFOs, the JFK assassination, the 9/11 truth movement or untold secrets about the life of Jesus Christ, there is always something to rally around. The most popular theories used to be the JFK assassination and UFOs. But since 9/11, an entire movement has spawned, and their mission is the supposed truth about what happened. The truth, however, is never as grand as we would like it to be. What seems more exciting? That 19 men armed only with box cutters and extreme determination were able to strike at the heart of American pride? Or that a shadowy group of power mongers orchestrated the attacks in an elaborate conspiracy to pursue its agenda? It’s only natural to assume that such a big event must have an equally big cause. But more often than not, the claims of the conspiracy theorists don’t stand up to the facts. Most crackpots trying to push their theories rely on crafty arguments and deceptive presentations. As Creationists who try to prove their faulty beliefs, conspiracy theories are riddled with ad hominum attacks, shaky foundations, straw man arguments, over-generalizations and outright falsehoods. Just look at the best selling 9/11 conspiracy film “Loose Change.” While their presentation seems slick and legitimate, it’s worth noting that the makers are not experts. The people they find to support their claims may have credentials, but they pick and choose the details and ignore key facts that disprove their claims. This film, coupled with many other 9/11 conspiracy theorists, caused such a stir that the magazine “Popular Mechanics” devoted an entire issue to debunking every one of their claims. And what did the makers of “Loose Change” do in response? They did what all conspiracy theorists do and ignored it. So why do people devote themselves to these beliefs when the facts directly contradict their theories? It usually has to do with the level of emotional investment people put into these theories. It becomes like a religion to them, and anybody who questions their beliefs is a heretic in their eyes. Nobody likes to be proven wrong, and nobody likes to accept a less fanciful version of their world. Others, however, hold onto their beliefs for more personal reasons. The heart of all conspiracy theories revolves around a public wary of the people in power. It’s not a coincidence that the government bears the blunt end of every major theory. Often, the theorists will portray anybody in a position of power as a tyrannical despot. Even in our democratic system there is an innate fear that we live in a sort of neo-fascist state. And nothing short of a flat-out admission of the truth will satisfy conspiracy buffs. Now that’s not to say we shouldn’t be skeptical of the government, but not everyone in a position of power is a tyrant. Most are honest civil servants. There is an exception every now and then, but by and large those in power do have the people’s interests at heart. They have to or they don’t get voted into office. That’s the beauty of our democracy despite its many shortcomings. Most other theories rely on governments keeping secrets. And this, by far, is their most laughable assumption. Governments, especially ones such as ours, are terrible at keeping secrets. The second something big comes up, people rush to the nearest newspaper to talk about it. And whenever the government does try to keep a secret, it rarely lasts. Even the ones kept during wartime eventually get out. To think that any part of the government is capable of covering up something as big as 9/11 or the JFK assassination is grossly overestimating their competence. Just look at the Watergate scandal. If the government couldn’t cover that up, do you expect them to be capable of covering up something big such as 9/11? Most people who believe in these conspiracy theories genuinely believe they’re right. No amount of evidence to the contrary will convince them otherwise. Even if they do great harm in turning great tragedies like 9/11 into an agenda, they’ll keep doing what they do until they choose to accept the facts over fanciful myths.

http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/2008/02/27/column__conspiracy_theories_are_actually_laughable_myths

Points to debate:

(a)
Are all conspiracy theorists “kooks” or “mad tin-foil-hatters”?
(b)
Have real conspiracies ever existed in history?
(c)
Are some conspiracy theories more probable than other conspiracy theories?
(d)
Are conspiracy theorists always wrong, or are they sometimes right?
(e)
When the local sheriff suspects murder, is this a conspiracy theory?

Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects

U.F.O. sightings are approximately ten times more likely in sparsely populated states like New Mexico, Alaska, and Utah, than they are in the built up regions of Illinois, New Jersey or New York.