Previous | TOC | Print | Next  Rebuking Conspiracism
Conspiracism makes it more difficult to have a serious
constructive political debate in the US because it demonizes
political opponents, making dialogue, and compromise far more
difficult.  As rumors about President Clinton swept across the
nation, the destructive power of conspiracism was amply
illuminated. Many commentators have noted the attacks on Clinton
came from the political right. There has been scant attention to
the institutionalization of a robust alternative media in the
Christian Right and Xenophobic Right. This conspiracist media
network spreads prejudice, scapegoating, and conspiracism within
a subculture that then votes its sincere beliefs based on
misinformation.  The formula for democracy has several related
components: over time, the majority of people, given enough
accurate information and access to a free and open debate, reach
the decisions needed to preserve liberty. Thus democracy depends
not only on ensuring freedom of speech, but