Feb. 20, Duke seniors Strouse Campbell and Ross Cunning provided a free screening of "Improbable Collapse: The Demolition of Our Republic." The documentary film, billed as "the first film to look at the events of Sept. 11, 2001 from a strictly scientific perspective," was shown in Richard White Auditorium. A few Duke Conservative Union members decided to stop by and see what the local "loony Left" has been up to recently, knowing that the documentary would likely contain about as much fact as your typical Michael Moore film. At first, we were bemused, believing that no one could possibly entertain such an abominable theory. However, when we discovered that Campbell and Cunning were indeed serious, as was the crowd that nearly filled White Lecture Hall, we could no longer take the event lightly.
In a broader context, proponents of 9/11 conspiracy theories, like those who use similar ones to deny the Holocaust and to advance racial hatemongering, show a general disregard for the inescapable truth. In addition, the theories are nearly without fail born from a political vendetta. Let us not pretend that the spread of such ideas is inconsequential. By attempting to blame anyone but terrorists for what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, conspiracy theorists issue a grave insult to every innocent person who perished on that day, to every hero who made the ultimate sacrifice and to every brave soldier who answered our country's call after our nation was attacked. With the freedom of speech that this country cherishes comes responsibility-responsibility to use this freedom wisely, and responsibility to hold accountable those who misuse it. It is a sad indicator of campus political culture that the promulgation of such malicious filth is met with little resistance. The DCU calls on all members of the Duke community to reject this radicalism.
Peter Magnuson
President, Duke Conservative Union
Trinity '07
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