African American Conspiracy Theories

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African American Conspiracy Theories
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A different axis

• Last week JFK assassination massive and society
  wide conspiracy theory
• This week - conspiracy theories held by smaller
  group, one historically oppressed, and who may
  have more concrete foundation for suspicion
• Not the only group we might examine feminist
  conspiracy theories
• AA CTs reveal some fascinating specifics and
  some general characteristics to illuminate the
  workings of conspiracy theory beliefs

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Standard in black America?

• For instance, Hurricane Katrina 2005
• Kanye Wests views on George Bush Spike Lee chips
  in on Katrina
• While Liz Claiborne refuses to sell clothes to
  black women
• And OJ Simpson is the victim of a conspiracy
• Origins? Watch documentary extract

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Recent prominence

• Reverend Jeremiah Wright controversy
• Pastor of the Trinity United Church, Chicago,
  attended by Obama
• His Autobiography is titled after one of Wrights
  sermons (The Audacity of Hope)
• Wright especially made claims that AIDs was a
  disease created specifically to kill black people

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AIDS2005 studyWidespread doubts about origins
common in black community50 believe
deliberateSuspicion of targeting black
raceTopic we will return to
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Tuskegee Syphilis study

• Study of a group of 400 infected black men by
  the CDC via Tuskegee Institute, Al.
• Cure found 1947, but was deliberately withheld
  from subjects
• Revealed 1960s, not stopped until 1972
• Frequently quoted example of the real used to
  justify CT (if they did this, then why not X?)
• Reckoned by some to have led to continuing
  mistrust of medicine by black people

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Drug Conspiracy

• 1980s influx of crack cocaine into American
  cities hit black community hard, doubled crime
  rate, doubled murder rate for young men,
  increased child mortality
• Gary Webb, author of Dark Alliance alleged was
  result of CIA drug running to fund Contra rebels
  against Marxist Nicaragua
• Forced an investigation by CIA, found accusations
  unwarranted
• But widely accepted as true among black
  Americans, and has now attained undeniable
  plausibility another Tuskegee

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Relationship to black heritage

• Slavery and suspicion
• Racism and institutionalised, legal, status as
  second class. Catch a cab?
• Mistrustful relationship to state
• Murders of leaders (MX, MLK, Panthers)
• Rodney King
• Conspiracy Theories from the oppressed does a
  different standard apply?
• More on COINTELPRO

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Disseminators Nation of Islam

• Aka the Black Muslims are a frequent source and
  promoter of black conspiracy theories
• Anti-semitic classic CT. Examples
• More militant voices still Khalid Muhammad
• Draws on the Afrocentric arguments of Leonard
  Jeffries about Africa as the root of all
  civilisation
• (clip) stolen history of Kings. Conspiracy of
  silence about Black Egypt and Black Greece.
• Hidden history of black Presidents

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Disseminators Hip Hop

• Lost Children of Babylon afrocentrism
• Wu-Tang Clan (Ol Dirty Bastard speaks aka
  Russell Jones)
• Immortal Technique note is about 9/11
• And a back flip
• Alicia Keyes 'Gangsta rap' was a ploy to
  convince black people to kill each other.
  'Gangsta rap' didn't exist. Later response

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Disseminators 2 for a dollar

• KFC Churches Chicken among others
• Why food? Why these foods?
• Tropic Fantasy the Ballbuster or spermkiller
• Very intimate and trusting relationship to modern
  food, especially cheap, fast food
• Threat to virility claimed, itself a peculiar
  reflection of a white prejudice/fantasy about
  black male sexuality

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Obama Rebound

• Conspiracy Theories about Obama
• Is a Muslim
• His Oath of Office flub
• Refuses to salute flag
• The Birther conspiracy theories
• During campaign, the Fight the Smears website
• Obama conspiracies website tracks them
• Obama secret socialist (already seen Glenn
  Beck, so here is Pat Buchanan)

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Conclusions

• Heritage of slavery in American life, deep
  suspicions black/white it established
• This historical basis for suspicion and doubt
  resonates through black CTs Peter Knight calls
  them a popular sociology, offer mythic
  illustrations of meaning behind real issues
• Anita Waters ethnosociologies?
• What explanations does she reject? What
  explanation does she provide? How does her view
  characterise CT believers and CTs as bases for
  action?