Conspiracy Theorists are Alive and Well in KCK!

Conspiracy theorists are alive and well in Kansas City!

I was thumbing through some magazines on Monday while I was at the pharmacy, waiting for some prescriptions to be filled, when these words ripped my attention away from learning how to get flat abs in only 10 minutes a day:

"You remember 9/11? It was an inside job."

I looked over the top of my magazine to see a guy nodding his head confidently. His voice boomed as he continued, "Yeah, it wasn't done by terrorists at all. It was all an inside job. I saw this thing on TV, a real in-depth program about the twin towers and it was a missile that blew up the buildings. They showed some video in real good detail and if you looked real close, you could see a red laser going right to the towers when the planes got real close. They just made it look like the planes crashed into the towers." People waiting in line with this guy were quiet. And gaping.

"And you know what else? We're all being poisoned. You know how? By fluoride in the water. Everyone drinks water! And you know who's doing it? The government! Yeah, they know that fluoride causes cancer and all sorts of health problems, but they are still putting it in the water. That's why I only drink soda. Oh, and milk."

No one seemed to know quite what to say.

"And you know who's behind all of this? An elite government agency!"

That brings me to what I am thankful for today:

1. I am thankful for conspiracy theorists who share their kooky ideas without fear of retribution, because this means I live in a country that honours freedom of expression. I can expostulate to my heart's delight on any crazy thing I can imagine without the threat of criminalization. I may be ostracized, but I won't be thrown in jail!
2. I am thankful that today, I can vote. Go, Romney/Obama! Oh, right. Whatever....
3. I am thankful that Emi is really understanding the democratic process.This morning, before Ryan headed off to vote, he asked Emi, "Would you rather have a kick in the pants, a kick in the ear, or a kick in the teeth?" Emi firmly answered, "A kick in the pants." And that, my friends, is what makes this election year so special. We get to cast a ballot for our preferred discomfort!