Self Evident: Behold a Pale Horse pp. 70, 71

 "WC/Author's Note: So now you know. This chapter could only come in the beginning. Your preconceived ideas had to be shattered in order for you to understand the rest of this book."

Let's recap the situation: the entire previous chapter, Cooper claims, was not written by him. It was a document that Cooper claims was in the possession of Naval Intelligence in 1969 and was found in an IBM copier on 7 July 1986 which was purchased at a surplus sale. The document itself was dated May 1979 and details the plan the Bilderberg Group adopted during their first meeting in 1954. The dates are confusing, but ultimately they do not matter. What matters is that this chapter is presented as a "found document." I'll repeat the analogy that I used in the beginning: Cooper is portraying this chapter in the same way that Tolkien presents The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as not his writing but his interpretation of a found book, "The Red Book of Westmarch." 

The important difference is that Tolkien isn't trying to convince us that his writing is a recounting of historical facts, nor is he trying to call us to action. These are very important differences. Cooper is not only trying to convince us that this document is accurate but he's also trying to get us to fight the system. The chapter is claiming that this is what they are doing to us and once aware we know how to fight it. Tolkien isn't trying to get us to rise up against the East, in fact, he was adamant that his book was no allegory as he despised allegorical writing. 

Cooper claims in the quote at the top that this chapter should shatter our preconceived notions so that the rest of the book can make sense. That makes sense. In my dissertation (and book--fingers crossed) my first chapter is spent explaining why the past attempts at defining "conspiracy theory" have been incorrect or mistaken; then I give my definition while the rest of the book operates under that new definition of the term. As a matter of book writing syntax(?) his chapter placement makes sense, if only this chapter did what he says it does. 

I'm not going to spend this post re-litigating the entire chapter. Scroll down for that. I will say that based on what we have read the only preconceived notion that I've had shattered is the myth of this book. Quiet Weapons for Silent Wars is supposed to be this great monolith of conspiracy literature. The Wu-Tang Clan mentions it, Jay Z, there's a rapper that even calls himself William Cooper after this guy because of this book. I mentioned in the introduction to this series that the book was a conspiracist bible for the 90s militia movement, it's up there along with the "Turner Diaries," in Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy McVeigh's favorite books. Now I wonder if any of these people have ever read it.

Of course, that might not be fair--I have a certain eye when reading these books that most people do not have. However, Cooper is not making any concrete claims. Re-think the chapter: all he's said is that "they" created a system to track us, using economic models, computers, the UPC code, and it is all wrapped up in an analogy toward electronics. The point of this is to drive us toward accepting a draft for a war that we have yet to experience. Cooper isn't (so far) on the neophobia of John Robison, it is not that he doesn't like that the times are changing, he seems earnest in his claims that malice underlies the new technology. It is just that he has yet to make the connection other than "UPC plus computer means the Illuminati are tracking us." 

"Many will argue that "Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars" is only a bogus conglomeration of words for which the writer has never taken credit or responsibility. Those who do so ignore the self-evident truths contained within the document. They ignore these truths because they are an indictment of their own ignorance, which they cannot face."

I know that there is a difference between the way I would use the term "self-evident" and the way that non-academics use the term. For me, a sentence in logic is a self-evident truth: P v ~P = T. The rules of disjunction make this necessary. I'm aware that Cooper using the phrase "self-evident" is a reference to the Declaration of Independence more than it communicates actual meaning. However, Cooper hasn't given us a single truth, and not just because I disagree finding his claims unsupported. He hasn't given us a truth because there simply aren't any. He's described situations, that I think he believes, he's kind of edged around describing a plan--but what in here could be described as a truth? If you want to argue that "they" are lying to us--sure, I'm in agreement, but he's barely made that claim and he hasn't described anything that could be considered "the real story."

This chapter is vague by conspiracy theory standards and that is a high bar to clear. Cooper apparently doesn't think so, "The message is this: You must accept that you have been cattle -- which is slavery --or you must prepare to fight, and if necessary die to preserve your God-given right to Freedom."

First, Cooper could just write "slave" or "cattle." Don't do the one and then explain it with the other unless you have real contempt for your audience's ability to understand. 

Second, Cooper has not explained what freedoms of mine have been threatened or removed. This theme was more veiled in "None Dare Call it Conspiracy" but it was still present. It's the same thing that the Tea Party claimed when Obama was president--but no one has ever been able to list what freedom it is that I am losing or that I lost. Cooper is writing for the anti-UN militia movement who believed that invasion was imminent, so if I am being charitable, he could be writing for that. Yet, this invasion never came and it still has not.  

There is no truth here and there's been barely any information. As a purported "found document" alleged to be for recruits in the silent war it doesn't make sense. You would not give the recruits the full vision that Cooper thinks is here. It doesn't make practical sense that "they" would do this. 

Next week we will open chapter 2: "Secret Societies and the New World Order."