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The Truth Is…

I didn’t plan on writing more about life here after the shooting in Sandy Hook. My blog is focused on cat rescue and the challenges of living within a multiple-cat household, but something happened today that must write about.

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©2012 Robin A.F. Olson.

This post is regarding people who call themselves “truthers” or conspiracy theorists. They play detective, purportedly sniffing tiny “details” out of a tragedy that when taken out of context or when twisted about to suit their agenda and strung together with bits of dried up tape and spit, turn into their version of “the truth.” They supposedly get their data from credible news outlets or mysterious unnamed “sources.” They make things up. They see something in a photo that only their twisted perception can reveal.

Their capacity for self-deception is breathtaking. They crave attention, yet calling them “truthers” is a misnomer since they clearly perpetuate lies and only hurt people who are REALLY involved.

The case in point is what happened here in Sandy Hook.

Suddenly these bullies are appearing out of the woodwork and I will not give them yet MORE publicity by saying who they are. They declare that the shootings didn’t happen at all-that the kids aren’t dead! The 20, 6-year old kids are fine. They’re alive.

They say the shooting was faked, portrayed by “crisis actors,” not “real people” (these actors DO exist, but they are used for Emergency Training seminars, etc. These folks concur-they had no role in what happened—DUH!). They are determined to prove that the situation was used to push tougher gun control laws. Really?

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©2012 Robin A.F. Olson.

Wow. If the U.S. Government was that creative do you think the economy would be in such dire straits? No way! They’d open a movie studio to rival Paramount Pictures. They’d be profitable, save the economy and we'd all have jobs being hired out to be actors in the next, as-yet-to-happen faux-tragedy to befall our Country!

To be behind an event like this would be a logistical nightmare. Who has time for such tomfoolery with everything else going on in this Country? They’d have to hire a shitload of actors, who would have to be made up of PEOPLE I KNOW. One such person is someone I’ve known for over 30 YEARS. I find it impossible to believe that my dear friend, who is the Lieutenant in a local police department, who was one of the First Responders, was an actor. Bullshit. That what he saw was phony. Bullshit. The fact that he will probably need to go on a paid leave of absence after what he saw-NOT bullshit.

The other thing that makes my blood boil are the attacks on another person I know here in town named Eugene “Gene” Rosen. You may recall that Gene was the gentleman who lived down the street from Sandy Hook Elementary. Victoria Soto’s surviving students took refuge in his driveway after the massacre. Gene just happened to be home feeding his cats. When he discovered the children, he opened up his home and his heart to these kids until they could be reunited with their parents. What a good deed. How could such kindness be seen as merely staged dramatics? Disgusting!

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©2012 Robin A.F. Olson.

Gene is a Pet Sitter and I’ve known him for years. Gene is a sweet, gentle person who loves animals. We serve together on the newly formed Advisory Council for the Newtown Animal Care & Control Center. I just saw him a few days ago at our last meeting. He was very quiet, clearly distressed by what has befallen him and this was BEFORE the “truthers” started attacking him.

What these “truthers” are saying is that Gene is an actor; that Gene did despicable things to the children that I will not repeat. They make outrageous claims stating they can do so because they have proof. Oh really? Do they KNOW Gene? NO. Do they live here in town? NO! Are they being “mean boys and girls,” picking on an innocent senior citizen? YES!

What I say is this: there is too much heartbreak in Newtown and we're ALL struggling to find a way to move forward. We were blessed by so many people across the world who selflessly gave their love and support, food, toys, gifts, and donations.

As always happens, those good intentions begin to fall to the wayside and people go on with their lives as the days pass. That's not a problem. It's appropriate, but the invasion of “truthers” reminds us that the flip side of compassion is stained with cruelty.

We’re still here. We’re still hurting, but we’re taking time to heal, surrounded by people we know, love and trust—our community.

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©2012 Robin A.F. Olson.

There are people out there who have too much time on their hands, who probably never got picked to be part of any team, who are paranoid, maybe a few French fries short of a Happy Meal™? They sit around looking to make trouble, to get attention, to stir things up, to make people who are in obvious pain, feel like they have to defend themselves about a situation that does not require defending.

They say; “we need to see photos of the bodies” because it can’t have really happened if there are no photos of bodies, yet if there WERE photos of those tiny figures under white sheets they’d say; “Oh those are mannequins, that’s not real. Show us the bloody, broken, heaps of flesh. Then we’ll believe it’s real.”

“But it could all be Photoshopped®,” they’d say next.

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©2012 Robin A.F. Olson.

They will always come up with some reason for why they can’t believe it. A mountain of photos or miles of video will never satisfy them. Hopefully NO ONE will feel like they need to feed this ugly beast. There is nothing to prove. We don’t need to see photos of little corpses lined up in rows waiting to be taken to the morgue. I’m okay with NEVER seeing that. Why aren’t they?

Are there some “facts” that seem odd? Did someone believe they saw more than one shooter run away from the building after the massacre on a video? Can’t all that be faked, too? DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT THE DETAILS ARE? DOES IT CHANGE THE FACT THAT DOZENS OF PEOPLE WERE MURDERED A MONTH AGO?

I say to you “truthers” to rename yourselves-“the kids that didn’t get enough attention from their parents, who have nothing better to do than stand cowering behind Freedom of Speech, then shout out whatever hateful, disturbing, UNTRUE things just to get a rise out of us.”

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©2012 Robin A.F. Olson.

Yes, you got a rise out of me, but here’s one for you.

I dare any of you “truthers” to stop your foolishness and apologize to the people of this town. Beg for forgiveness before the rest of the world turns their backs on you, shunning you for the cowards and hateful people you are. Shame, shame, SHAME ON YOU!

What slays me is that all this energy could have been spent finding a way to protect our kids, to protect our people, so they can go see a movie or go to the Mall and not be scared shitless they might DIE going on a simple outing.

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©2012 Robin A.F. Olson.

All this energy could have been used to share loving-kindness with each other or ask; “how can we soothe your aching heart?” instead of “show me the photos of the dead people so I can believe it’s true.”

But that would be too much to ask for, just plain decent behavior between fellow human beings. No, some of us have to piss in the pot and make life suck for everyone and make someone like Gene end up getting threats. He and his poor wife are afraid for their lives! Is that right? Pick on an innocent person?

This is APPALLING and it needs to stop. Some of us need to GROW UP and find a new way to get attention, if that’s such a precious commodity, and they need to LEAVE THE PEOPLE OF NEWTOWN ALONE. Leave decent brokenhearted people alone to grieve one of the worst tragedies to befall us in recent times.

Go find another tragedy to pick apart because the truth of what really happened here got my fellow Newtowners international media attention that NONE OF US WANTED. Are you so desperate to attach yourself to this story that you'd say or do anything to get some press? That's just depraved.

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©2012 Robin A.F. Olson.

The truth is, you don’t know jack about what “really” happened here and you can ask a million pissant questions, but it doesn’t make you a better person for doing so and it will never amount to anything more than static, irritating noise. We ALL enjoy the power of Freedom of Speech but that doesn't mean we ALL have to say EVERY STUPID THING that comes into our head.

I have better things to do with my time. I suggest you do the same.

Comments

Robin, I come from a very different background than most people here, and I honestly cannot wrap my mind around how people think, speak, and act here.  Every day I am uncomprehending of how people hurt those they don't even know, call down doom on anyone who doesn't agree with them, advocate violence toward anyone who isn't like them, etc.  So none of what you describe surprises me in the least, though it does appall me and pretty much make me embarrassed to be a part of the human race.  I would apologize on behalf of these extremely hurtful, sociopathic people if I could, but sadly, that is a responsibility that falls on their shoulders, individually and collectively; and I'm not holding my breath waiting for them, or so many millions of others in this society, to become compassionate, educated, gentle, or caring.

As for Mr. Rosen, he is a hero to me, and I have expressed this in a post after reading the initiall article about him in the online media.  I'm not at all surprised that he is such a caring person.  Anyone who truly loves cats tends to be that way.  My heart goes out to him; in a sane society, he would be lauded and thanked.  

You do know this post simply makes you one of the 'actors' on their stage.. 

 

It sucks in this day and age the internet gives them a platform where they get to spew what ever they want and it is heard.  Back in the day they had to sit on the sidelines and write pamphelts and have secret meetings in back rooms with lots of coffee and cigaretts and wear tinfoil hats and we didn't have to see them, they didn't intrude on the 'real world'.

Growing up, I was tormented endlessly by my classmates.  My mother told me if you ignore them, they will go away.  Well I did, and they didn't.  So you respond, and it simply adds fuel to the fire.  There is no cure for their type of ignorance and hate, there is no point in trying.

Robin, your post appalled me and I had to google to find out about truthers as I hadn't heard the term before. Sadly, I found on the internet, everything you described and more which made me very sad and despairing of the world we live in.

That people could be cruel enough to make these claims is something I just cannot comprehend. What is wrong wth these people - do they seek some way to make themselves the centre of attention? Or are they just basically evil and wanting to hurt? 

They are turning a knife in the raw wounds of everyone in Sandy Hook. 

I read about what has happened to Gene Rosen and it's terrible. His life has been turned upside down in the aftermath of the shooting in the most despicable way. The poor man must already have been traumatised and now I read that pictures of his home are on the internet, phone calls have been made to his home, emails sent, terrible accusations made.

What a sick bunch of people. I am so sorry for the people of Newtown. 

 

Barbara UK

The folks spouting this vile information don't deserve the credit of being called human. They are evil beings who have no heart, no feelings, and no brain. I cannot imagine how they exist. My sympathy to the brave man who helped the children and is being tormented.

I'm so sorry that this had to be said.. but very proud of what you said and how you laid it out. It makes me ill that people can even IMAGINE that the tragedy was faked, that good innocent people are being targeted by crazy people who are convinced that they and ONLY they know what is really TRUE.. that the rest of us are sheep who wouldn't know a mosquito from an eagle. I wish this would truly make then understand that what they have said and done is hurtful and just plain appalling.. but sadly I don't think they'll ever understand. After all THEY are the ones who know EVERYTHING.. ::rolls her eyes:: What they need to know is compassion, understanding, love and forgiveness... obviously they were off playing when those gifts were handed out.

What a well-written post. I'm so sorry people feel it is acceptable and appropriate to do this. Talk about adding insult to injury!!! 

 

IS there anything that people from out of town can do to help?

The actions by these people are truly appalling.  Fortunately, I think that most people, like me, will simply roll their eyes when they hear the outlandish statemenst being made by the 'Truthers' ('Liars' would be a better name) and ignore them.  Seriously, my response was to roll my eyes and mutter 'Idiots.  Weirdos'.  I never for a second gave any credibility to their ridiculous claims.  I suppose they might influence some people, but I trust that the vast majority of people will have the same response I had, and these silly claims will be but a quickly-forgotten blip in cyberspace.


RIP to the innocent children who were killed.

The actions by these people are truly appalling.  Fortunately, I think that most people, like me, will simply roll their eyes when they hear the outlandish statemenst being made by the 'Truthers' ('Liars' would be a better name) and ignore them.  Seriously, my response was to roll my eyes and mutter 'Idiots.  Weirdos'.  I never for a second gave any credibility to their ridiculous claims.  I suppose they might influence some people, but I trust that the vast majority of people will have the same response I had, and these silly claims will be but a quickly-forgotten blip in cyberspace. 


RIP to the innocent children who were killed.

*hugs tightly* I am so so sorry that this post even had to be written. This was a very terrible thing that happened and for you to have to defend the fact that it was real is insane to me. If people don't want to believe this happened, they turn off the tv and leave those who went through it alone. It's had to even begin to understand the why's behind each shooting, but I can't begin to imagine the pain and suffering of the community that is trying to move on from this. Thank you so much to all those that have tried their best to help the families heal. 

 

I am so sorry the media has bombarded the community with questions and now people are saying it wasn't real. I don't think bodies need to be shown, I don't believe they should be. If you don't trust the media then politely leave those dealing with the situation alone.

 

I wish there was a way to create a bubble so that these hateful word bounced off and never touched this community. *hugs*

Please accept my sincerest apologizes for those that are rude and never learned to keep their mouths shut when they don't have anything nice to say. 

Much love, purrs and cuddles 

=^..^= 

It is sad that you were forced to say this. It is heart warming that you had the grace to do so. It is wonderful that you did it so well. Thank you.

THANK YOU!! You took all my thoughts and wrote them so well! I know too many people who are struggling in Newtown.  Several friends have children who were there that day at Sandy Hook Elementary.  They are trying to figure out what to go to move forward. I agree these "truthers" need to keep their crazy thoughts to themselves and let the town and the nation grieve and remember those lives list that day.  I have a child who was afraid to go to school that Monday after and she is in middle school. She lost a former principal that day whom she loved. I will be sharing your words to others and thank you for saying them! 

That all of you have to endure this.  I firmly believe that the "truthers" are a very, very small bunch, but very, very vocal.  I don't know anybody who thinks that one word of what these un-"truthers" are saying is true.

These truthers all need mental health evaluations, in my opinion.
 

So sorry that a hurting community has to deal with such nonsense!  These "truthers" certainly lack basic critical thinking skills and are in deep denial.

I applaud your article and the way you spelled it out to the "Truthers". These truthers have their own truth - they lack social mores and cannot distinguish between reality and fantasy. Spending too much time watching any media does not constitute a real life. It is time to stop giving them the attention they crave to make their lives meaningful. I grew up next door to Newtown in Bethel and still spend a good deal of time in town attending the movies, house tours, art shows and their great library that has a wonderful genealogy room. Newtown did not deserve this horror and to heap more horror on top of it is sick. I wish Newtown would go back to being the beloved same quiet quaint little town it was. I can never return without knowing how the town and it's residents will never be the same.

Angels come in many forms - some are here on earth - Thank you Gene Rosen for being there for those little ones that day. You were there for a reason - LOVE WINS!

Unfortunately, what are now called "Truthers" were simply called "nutters" in the past or "conspiracy theorists". These people have had the same mentality throughout history. They use tragic events to further their cause of isolating those who are non-white and non-Christian or whatever the popular prejudice of the moment is. Truthers have put out the non-truth that the Holocaust did not exist, that it was made up by the Jewish people to get sympathy and be allowed to take over the world. Truthers have said that 9/11/2001 was an Israeli plot against the USA. Truthers will find plots and scams where none exist to further their agenda, which is to eliminate minorities and control the thoughts of the public. Unfortunately, when I say this, I also sound like a "truther". It's difficult not to get smeared with this particular mess when you try to fight it. There are individual "Truthers" who you meet at the grocery and who tell you that soy milk is a Chinese plot to ruin the reproductive ability of white American men. Really! There are "Truthers" who you meet at church who tell you that the pastor is really in league with the Devil because he wants to help poor people. There are "Truthers" who want to ban books like Harry Potter because they say the books will turn us all into witches and wizards. There are also the same "Truthers" who want to ban Halloween as a holiday and who say that Martin Luther King was not assasinated and Elvis is still alive with John Kennedy. And on and on, blather, blather, blather.  When you meet one of these "Truthers" you feel like you entered the Twilight Zone. It's unfortunate that some of them make intelligent sounding arguments for their "truths" so at first you think you are talking to someone who has a good IQ and total sanity. Then, after a few more sentences,  you realize that you have entered another Universe. The person is a few cards short of a full deck,  and you quickly scramble back to the Here and Now in order to maintain your sanity. My advice is that when you meet a "Truther", no matter where, you simply smile, ignore and walk away. Truth is relative but Truthers are not. They are biased and vicious and not worth wasting time over.

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