The Death Star Theory
“Steve is, by far, the most influential member [of the alternative 9/11 research community],” says James Fetzer, the man who, along with Jones, formed in 2005 the first academic 9/11 group, the Scholars for 9/11 Truth. “But, while he likes to think what he practices is science and not politics—its not. And what it is … is completely destructive!”
Fetzer’s beef with Jones arose when he felt Jones was being dismissive of other theories. “I have a Ph.D. in the history and philosophy of science,” Fetzer says. “I know well that scientific inquiry is handicapped if you don’t consider the full range of alternative explanations.”
How broad is this range? For Fetzer, Jones’ controlled-demolition theory unfairly cuts out other ideas, such as the possibility that a directed energy beam, possibly from outer space, hit the towers.
Since Jones’ theory was more “palatable” than others, Fetzer says Jones won over contributors from the original group into a new group, the Scholars for 9/11 Truth and Justice. Fetzer also claims Jones sabotaged a 2007 9/11 conference he organized by convincing presenter Frank Greening, a Canadian physicist, not to attend.
While Jones is ordinarily mild-mannered, he quickly grows frustrated hearing Fetzer’s allegations. His good humor disappears, and Jones asks if any theory Fetzer supports can be backed up with an experiment.
Greening sides with Jones. He says he didn’t attend Fetzer’s conference because, at the last minute, Fetzer reneged on covering Greening’s travel expenses—and not because of anything Jones did. But Greening acknowledges that Jones is more politically savvy than he lets on beneath his goodnatured, absent-minded-professor faade.
“He comes across as very meek and mild,” Greening says. “I’ve seen another side of him.” Greening says that, while Jones calls for scientific scrutiny of his theories, when actually challenged he becomes defensive and dismissive of scientific criticism.
Greening, who has
a Ph.D. in chemistry and 20-plus years’ research experience in
radio-analytical chemistry at Ontario Power Generation, says Jones has
never seriously considered his arguments.
For one, Greening
cites aluminum experts whose research shows that molten aluminum (such
as what could have resulted from the melting heat of jet fuel) falling
from extreme heights could have a reaction that would be similar to
what Jones attributes to nano-thermite. Greening balks at the
experiments Jones uses to refute this claim.
“Jones just
gently poured molten aluminum on some rusty girders, and said, ‘I
hereby discredit Greening,’” Greening says, pointing out that the
experiment called for the aluminum to be dropped from greater than 6
feet. He also notes how Jones quickly leapt to the conclusion that the
presence of sulphur in building rubble is evidence of nano-thermite
before even considering other sources, such as diesel fuel from the
building’s generators. This pattern of jumping to the conspiratorial
conclusion is what disturbs Greening about Jones’ methods.
“If
history proves him correct, people will say he’s a hero, and he stuck
to his guns in the face of ridicule and pressure from everyone to drop
it,” Greening says. “And I think he sees himself that way, like he’s a
prophet of some top secret he’s revealed. The other side of the coin is
that his work is sometimes sloppy. He’s stubborn in admitting error and
he jumps to conclusions.”
We All Fall Down
Science
can be violent. Trying to carve out the truth from conflicting accounts
means some theories get cut down, and at times, even the scientist
espousing the theory can be silenced.
Cut off from his
university hardly means that Jones is done seeking the truth. And while
a man of science, his drive to continue his search is as informed by
his faith as it ever was. “The truth cuts its way, and it is getting
out,” Jones says, noting his colleague James Farrer is currently giving
presentations on the nano-thermite research in Europe.
Yet,
even as he pursues truth, he has serious doubts about whether Americans
will ever accept his account, and even if they did, if they would ever
hold anyone accountable.
“I believe in God, so I know there
will be justice someday,” Jones says. “People that allow their leaders
to get away with, well, murder—the whole country becomes due for
justice. You see this in the Book of Mormon, you see it in the
Roman Empire … all these empires get to the point where the tyrant is
doing stuff and the citizens do nothing and pretty soon …” Jones says,
as he wiped his hands apart, “the empire crumbles.”
For links to Jones' research, articles criticizing his theories, and more, read the related story, Cuts Both Ways.
What a crock. Nanothermite is not an explosive as it produces no shockwave. Watch the experiments Jones taped or the one of Ventura's BS show. Jones repeatedly fakes peer review to avoid real academics from criticizing his work. The Journal of 9/11 Studies is pure example of seeking out people who already agree with you to fake the process; badly at that since many of the "peers" are not experts in what they are reviewing. 9/11 Studies is not a field of research. The publisher (Bentham) of the nanothermite article approved a totally computer generated paper (google: CRAP paper); had 3 editors resign because of their nonexistent standards (1 of which was the editor for the Active Nanothermite paper); and has been cited on numerous accounts of spamming for authors, editors, and referees. No truther experts has published a single journal article in a real journal demonstrating the use of any form of thermite or explosives (even in a theoretical sense), or has been able to refute NIST. There is a reason they can't when there are dozens of journals across the globe which handle the fields relevant to the collapses.
This article and the comments are riddled with truther woo. Any person seriously interested in "the truth" will look at the counter arguments found at the JREF 9/11 forums, 9/11myths[dot]com, wtc7lies[dot]googlepages[dot]com, debunking911[dot]com, ae911ruth[dot]info
All that is left in the truth movement are kooks, wilfully ignorant people, and snakeoil salesmen. Look below, 1 guy compares 2 totally different building designs and caps it off with an argument from incredulity while misrepresenting the collapses since all 3 buildings showed signs of fatigue over time, admits the towers weren't in free fall then makes an analogy about free fall (not to mention he himself doesn't even know wtf free fall is as he said its not a speed, then cites a speed 32 m/s; 9.8 m/s^2 in reality). WTC 7 collapsed for over 15 secs. That's way beyond 1/2 resistance.
Another guy make s vague reference to the PNAC document about a "New Pearl Harbor", but like any good little truther doesn't know what the actual recommendations of the PNAC doc are because he never read it himself. Had he, he would know they weren't calling for a new pearl harbor (post hoc fallacy, and a strawman).
OK, bldg 7 had something inside that caused or helped it to fall down.
That doesn't mean the two tall buildings had any help, other than two airplanes hitting them full of people and killing thousands.
Jones can't pull the two appart.
I personally met a structural engineer that investigated the buildings right after they let anyone in. He had no question as to why the two towers fell. They were hit be planes. Steel goes "junk" when it gets hot.
When the 1st tower fell, I wondered how long it would take for the 2nd one to fall.
Tower 7, falling (no one was killed in it) was an other matter.
The structural engineer in question had no really good reason for it to come down.
Go ahead, blame tower 7 on the owner dropping it for insurance, or some government agency storing weapons or something else in tower 7, but anyone that thinks that the two tall towers fell was anything other than the planes is nuts.
I thank God for all the ones that have pushed for the truth ..and stand up for what is right ....And to those who think you can get away with this is so wrong...The Whole Truth will Arise.....
I recently saw a video called 'Missing Links' - a documentary claiming to show 'the definitive truth of 911'...as a Jewish person I was disgusted and offended as it primarily implicated Jewish people as being the architects of the attack. Jewish kamikazis? Give me a break. Or so I thought....this is a frightening film. There are irrefutable facts presented in this documentary that will enrage anyone who sees it - regardless of your faith or nationality. I am more disgusted and offended now - for terrifyingly different reasons. Unbelievable.
"sounds of explosions on 9/11, molten steel at the site, steel beams shooting out horizontally like missiles from the buildings, and the sloppy federal explanations about what happened at World Trade Center 7, the third building that collapsed and the only one that did so without being hit by any planes. "
Well, yeah. We SAW those things happen.
How many idiots does it take to keep a conspiracy going? The same amount that it takes to energize "birthers" or talk about the "grassy knoll".
WTC 7 had about 1/3 of its base knocked out by the flaming debris that hit it....and it didn't help that fuel was stored in the basement.
For all of you Jones supporters: PLEASE give me your email addresses. I'd like to send you some phish, some Nigerian scams, some fun emails to "send to everyone in your address book".
WHY? Because you're gullible enough to fall for those, too.
City Weekly: what happened to journalism, what happened to questioning Jones' theories by looking at the available proof that he's wrong? Are you that desperate, City Weekly, that you think only outliers read you?
Sign me: disgusted