The Whole Equals the Sum of the Parts...?

 It makes sense.  If you want to know how many pieces of fruit you have, you add your four apples, six oranges, and three plums.  You then know that you have thirteen pieces of fruit.  The whole equals the sum of the parts. 

Taken individually, the conspiracy theories that are out there right now sound a little nutty.  The theorists either seem to be making a big deal about nothing, or seem to be saying things that are too crazy to be true.  I am admittedly a very opinionated person when it comes to politics.  I absolutely love to research history, have been known to watch C-SPAN for hours, engross myself in politicians' voting records (especially the ones who represent me), and don't take any one's word for anything, whether it's the politicians or the conspiracy theorists. 

I have become increasingly alarmed at the state of affairs in the United States and abroad, and decided to check out the most recent conspiracy theories, and see what the sum of the parts was.

The Missouri Information Analysis Center put out a report on February 20, 2009 concerning the militia movement in Missouri and across the United States. It describes the evolution of the modern militia movement since its birth in the 1980's. It also suggests that they often subscribe to radical ideologies, most often stemming from Christian views, and opposing abortion, immigration and federal taxes. It further states that it is "not uncommon" for members to support third party candidates, naming former presidential candidates Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin, and Bob Barr, specifically.

Other indicators of a militia member are:

Christian Identity

Sovereign Citizen (States Rights Advocates)

Anti-Abortion

Tax Resisters

Anti-Immigration

Anyone concerned with upholding the Constitution, specifically the 1st, 2nd and 10th Amendments.

In a similar report, the Department of Homeland Security "provides definitions for key terms and phrases that often appear in DHS analysis that addresses the nature and scope of the threat that domestic, non-Islamic extremism poses to the United States." Among the 46 terms and phrases are:

Alternative media: A term used to describe various information sources that provide a forum for interpretations of events and issues that differ radically from those presented in mass media products and outlets.

Animal rights extremism: A movement of groups or individuals who ascribe equal value to all living organisms and seek to end the perceived abuse and suffering of animals...

Antiabortion extremism: A movement of groups or individuals who are virulently antiabortion and advocate violence against providers of abortion-related services...Some cite various racist and anti-Semitic beliefs to justify their criminal activities.

Anti-immigration extremism: A movement of groups or individuals who are vehemently opposed to illegal immigration, particularly along the U.S. southwest border with Mexico...They are highly critical of the U.S. Government's response to illegal immigration and oppose government programs that are designed to extend "rights" to illegal aliens, such as issuing driver's licenses or national identification cards, and providing in-state tuition, medical benefits, or public education.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, you might be a domestic terrorist if.....

*you are a U.S. military veteran returning from duty in Iraq or Afghanistan

*you believe in "end times" prophecies

*you believe in state's rights

*you are against abortion

*you are against illegal immigration

*you believe in the 2nd Amendment

*you criticize any of the free trade agreements the U.S. has made

*you are against same-sex marriage

*you believe that an economic collapse is happening

*you think that the U.S. may declare martial law someday

*you believe that the U.S. is creating detention camps

*you stockpile food, ammunition or weapons

*you believe that illegal immigrants are taking away American jobs

*you believe "New World Order" conspiracy theories

A much more controversial subject, even among conspiracy theorists, is the existence of FEMA camps, and/or what they might be used to do. Even radio talk show host Glenn Beck has changed his position on this topic, going from a believer to an unbeliever literally overnight. A YouTube search for "FEMA camps" will bring up many videos, some are done with what seems to be a sincere desire to know the truth, but many with an obvious slant one way or the other.

The theory is this: that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is building and remodeling hundreds of sites to be used to imprison enemies of the state (see above), perhaps indefinitely (see below). Conspiracy theorists argue back and forth with those trying to debunk the "proof" that has spread over the Internet. The only mainstream media coverage of anything resembling a FEMA camp that I have found in my search is in the link below. However, I am not a big believer that the mainstream media reports only the truth, or that they even know the truth. Just because it's not reported on CNN or NBC doesn't mean it's untrue.

There are so many other things that I wanted to talk about, but they'll have to wait for another hub.  I am interested to know what you are thinking, though.  Are you more likely to believe what you read and see in the mainstream media, or what you hear from the likes of Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Neal Boortz?  Or do you think they've all got it wrong, and the conspiracy theorists are right to be paranoid?  Leave a comment below.