Entertainment?

The author of the Swallowing the Camel blog gives an interview on Jonathan Kay's book, in which she spends quite a lot of the time talking about us. She refers to us, in a somewhat favorable way as an "entertainment" blog, not a "primary debunking resource" and then scolds us and others for not being nice to Truthers, saying that we should be respectful.

OK, let me respond to that. I would have to agree that I wouldn't refer to us specifically as a debunking site, since that is only part of of what we do. As a primary resource I would recommend 9/11 Myths, 9/11 Debunking or the JREF forum. That does not mean, however, that we are not a debunking resource. We have done over 4,000 posts in the last 5 years, probably over a thousand of them on what you would refer to as "debunking" issues. Yes, that is one of the limits of the blog format that the 100+ posts we have done on nano-thermite don't immediately pop up. You have to search for them.

As far as "entertainment", yes, both Pat and I try to present things in a lively and entertaining manner, let's face it, Truthers can be pretty funny, and it can be pretty dry discussing the finer points of thermite for the 500th time. There is very little new in the "truth" movement, it has been 10 years after all, so yes, long ago we moved on to writing mostly about the sociological aspects of the movement, Kay did in his book.

As far as whether we are civil? Well, I will be the first to admit that we do not like truthers. They are dishonest, paranoid, and often stupid and reprehensible people. Yes, there are some that aren't too bad, and I will be at least civil to them, but in general it is stupid for me to sit here and pretend that I have respect for them, because I don't. They call us far worse names all the time, to the point of vague threats that we will be killed after the revolution, and it does not bother me at all. There is no point getting upset at those who are not tied to reality. I have tried debating Truthers in a civil and respectful manner, but it is pointless. You cannot debate conspiracy theorists. It is like debating a religious fanatic, you cannot debate beliefs which are not falsifiable.