Best Respectful Terms To Use - "Conspiracy Theorist" "Lone-Nut Proponent"

[Paul May]

To keep a discussion on the JFK assassination respectful, what terms should be used to describe both sides:

Side 1: People who believe in a conspiracy
Side 2: People who say there was no conspiracy

What way do people like to be described? Are terms like "Conspiracy Theorist" or "Lone-Nut Proponent" offensive?

Lone Nut or “Nutter” has never offended me. I do however understand why conspiracy advocates get upset by being called “kooks”.  Yet, many of the thousands of theories brought forward by these people over the years are so blatantly outrageous as to be “kookie”. Kook applies in a pejorative manner. Oh, it’s short and easy to write.

[Walt Cakebread]

Lone Nut or “Nutter” has never offended me. I do however understand why conspiracy advocates get upset by being called “kooks”.  Yet, many of the thousands of theories brought forward by these people over the years are so blatantly outrageous as to be “kookie”. Kook applies in a pejorative manner. Oh, it’s short and easy to write.

Has it occurred to you that one of the best ways to discredit idea is to act as if you agree with the idea, and then add ridiculous and outrageous addendum.

Many of the most ridiculous ideas have been created by agents whose job it is to make " conspiracy theorists" appear to be kooks....

The book  Mortal Error is an excellent example ......

[Paul May]

Yet, Mortal Error has been regurgitated over the years. Donaghue (sp) was an agent?

[Walt Cakebread]

Yet, Mortal Error has been regurgitated over the years. Donaghue (sp) was an agent?

Yes...You've clarified my point.    Mortal Error is a ridiculous bunch of nonsense.... The work of an ( apparent)  kook.   Normally a book like that would have a hard time finding a publisher.....   But when the "kook" has the Feds backing him and paying the bills......No problem.

An Example of the Feds using our tax dollars to publish BS....I give you...The Warren Report.....

[John Iacoletti]

LNers  = Lee Harvey Occam-Oswald

The premise of Occam is that when presented with competing hypotheses that make the same predictions, preference should be given to the one that makes the fewest assumptions.

Here's the problem.  The "Oswald did it" hypothesis is loaded with assumptions.  To wit:

- The assumption that C2766 was the murder weapon
- The assumption that C2766 was owned by Oswald
- The assumption that C2766 was inside the bag that Frazier saw
- The assumption that C2766 was ever inside a blanket in the Paine garage
- The assumption that C2766 was the rifle seen in the backyard photos
- The assumption that C2766 was shipped to PO box 2915
- The assumption that C2766 was picked up by Oswald
- The assumption that the CE142 bag was the same bag Frazier saw
- The assumption that the CE142 bag was on the floor in the "sniper's nest" when it was first discovered
- The assumption that Oswald constructed the CE142 bag
- The assumption that Oswald arranged boxes to create the "sniper's nest"
- The assumption that eyewitnesses (but only eyewitnesses that would tend to incriminate Oswald) are reliable
- The assumption that biased and unfair police lineups are reliable.
- The assumption that the three cartridges found on the sixth floor were used to fire at the motorcade
- The assumption that Oswald fired a rifle that day
- The assumption that an innocent Oswald would have wanted to discuss the events with everybody he could
- The assumption that Oswald was "fleeing" when he left work
- The assumption that Oswald (if he was Whaley's passenger at all) got out of the cab in the 500 block of North Beckley to see if police were at the rooming house
- The assumption that Oswald picked up a revolver at the rooming house
- The assumption that Oswald made a "Communist salute"
- The assumption that the partial palmprint that arrived at the FBI on an index card on November 29 was lifted from C2766
- The assumption that the fibers in the rifle butt-plate came from Oswald's arrest shirt
- The assumption that the bullet found by Tomlinson on an unrelated stretcher at Parkland Hospital was CE399
- The assumption that CE399 was fired at the motorcade
- The assumption that CE399 went through both Kennedy and Connally

The conclusion that actually makes the fewest assumptions is a conclusion of undetermined.

[John Tonkovich]

Well said, Mr. I.

[Bill Chapman]

The premise of Occam is that when presented with competing hypotheses that make the same predictions, preference should be given to the one that makes the fewest assumptions.

Here's the problem.  The "Oswald did it" hypothesis is loaded with assumptions.  To wit:

- The assumption that C2766 was the murder weapon
- The assumption that C2766 was owned by Oswald
- The assumption that C2766 was inside the bag that Frazier saw
- The assumption that C2766 was ever inside a blanket in the Paine garage
- The assumption that C2766 was the rifle seen in the backyard photos
- The assumption that C2766 was shipped to PO box 2915
- The assumption that C2766 was picked up by Oswald
- The assumption that the CE142 bag was the same bag Frazier saw
- The assumption that the CE142 bag was on the floor in the "sniper's nest" when it was first discovered
- The assumption that Oswald constructed the CE142 bag
- The assumption that Oswald arranged boxes to create the "sniper's nest"
- The assumption that eyewitnesses (but only eyewitnesses that would tend to incriminate Oswald) are reliable
- The assumption that biased and unfair police lineups are reliable.
- The assumption that the three cartridges found on the sixth floor were used to fire at the motorcade
- The assumption that Oswald fired a rifle that day
- The assumption that an innocent Oswald would have wanted to discuss the events with everybody he could
- The assumption that Oswald was "fleeing" when he left work
- The assumption that Oswald (if he was Whaley's passenger at all) got out of the cab in the 500 block of North Beckley to see if police were at the rooming house
- The assumption that Oswald picked up a revolver at the rooming house
- The assumption that Oswald made a "Communist salute"
- The assumption that the partial palmprint that arrived at the FBI on an index card on November 29 was lifted from C2766
- The assumption that the fibers in the rifle butt-plate came from Oswald's arrest shirt
- The assumption that the bullet found by Tomlinson on an unrelated stretcher at Parkland Hospital was CE399
- The assumption that CE399 was fired at the motorcade
- The assumption that CE399 went through both Kennedy and Connally

The conclusion that actually makes the fewest assumptions is a conclusion of undetermined.

OMG

[Walt Cakebread]

OMG

No, Chappie,  John is not ON YOUR GOAT....   I'm sure he has no desire to mount your goat.