Invitation to be on Kevin Barrett radio show

[RKOwens4]

I emailed Kevin Barrett about some errors he made in a presentation. As evidence that the government is able to keep big secrets, he claims the NSA was founded in 1948 and remained secret until 1990, when in fact it was founded in 1952 and I couldn't find any evidence that it was ever a secret institution, but it was in TV shows like Star Trek since the 1960s, so certainly by then it was publicly known. This isn't really a big deal when it comes to 9/11, but when "truthers" blatantly lye to audiences like this just gets to me. Anyway, he responded (my original email is also mixed in) with:

Email removed for copyright violation. Emailed included invitation to radio show, and claimed the NSA was founded in 1948 and didn't become publicly known until 1990.

Why does fiction not suffice? If the NSA is on TV shows, it's not a secret. Anyway, does Kevin Barrett have some kind of radio show? I'd love to tear apart his lies, but I don't know how good I'd be on a radio show. I'd rather leave that to folks who aren't intimidated by public speaking, like Mark Roberts. Any chance you'd like to go on the radio with Kevin Barrett, Mark? I know he's saving your emails for your eventual trial (lol), but I can email him back if you're interested.

[Gravy]

The NSA was public knowledge in the 1950s. It was, for example, the subject of front-page scandals due to defecting employees/security breaches.

(I also vaguely remember there being an issue with a highway exit sign that said, "NSA" or "National Security Agency." IIRC, the sign was erected early on, but was removed as being too obvious. I could be imagining that, however. :))

Yes, Barrett has radio shows on a couple of crackpot networks. You can see the schedule and get the flavor at his website, mujca.com.

Thanks for thinking of me, but I don't have the desire to appear on his show. He invited me in the past (while simultaneously saying I should be tried and executed), and I told him that I believe he is mentally ill and needs help, not attention.

Barrett is very much on the fringe. I think most people (William Rodriguez excepted), truther and rationalist alike, are wise enough to recognize that he has a serious problem and shouldn't be encouraged.

[JamesB]

Now everyone knows that NSA stands for No Such Agency.

Barrett has 3 radio shows, he has a lot of free time now that he is no longer a part-time college professor. They are all fringe Internet radio though, he has a daytime program he shares with Jim Fetzer (called hilariously the Dynamic Duo) on GCN, and a weekly show on RBN and WTPRN respectively.

[BigAl]

It was so secret that James Bamford was able to write a book about in 1982, The Puzzle Palace. After years of denial, the NSA recognized him for it and what he said has help up pretty well now that some the NSA's activities have been acknowledged.

[tomwaits]

I took Barrett's class on Islam at UW-Madison. Pure coincidence. I signed up for the class and then months later found out there was a whole bunch of controversy over it.

It's pretty sad. He seemed ok when talking about Islam...but then when I found out about his attitude of "no muslim would ever kill people! therefore, it was christians that did it!" really made me question everything he had ever said. How could somebody teach a class about religion at a respected university when he believes something so utterly absurd? His teaching assistants had greater perspective then he did.

[Undesired Walrus]

Barrett is a rubbish Muslim.

[OldTigerCub]

RKO,
Archived news articles about the NSA show up (on the Interweb) as early as 1954, though most require subscription or pay per view to read. The New York Times has several such archived articles. There is a fairly good article online at Time Magazine, though from November of 1967 (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,837440,00.html).
I'm sure there's a whole lot more available out there to counter the claim of "secret until the 1980's" claim, but much of it may have to be researched at the local library.
Hope the link helps your research a little.;)

[CHF]

I could honestly see Kevin Barrett going postal with a 9mm on a crowd of people.

There is nothing to be gained from communicating with such a sick man (or as twoofers would say: a "disinfo" agent).

[jhunter1163]

(I also vaguely remember there being an issue with a highway exit sign that said, "NSA" or "National Security Agency." IIRC, the sign was erected early on, but was removed as being too obvious. I could be imagining that, however. :))

That NSA freeway exit sign still existed in April of 2001. I saw it myself the last time I was down that way. It was just a brown sign that said "NSA" with an arrow. Just for chuckles I took the ramp. I got about 100 yards up the road before being greeted by some very stern MPs. I told them I took the wrong ramp, chuckled feebly, and got the hell out of there.

[OldTigerCub]

I could honestly see Kevin Barrett going postal with a 9mm on a crowd of people.

There is nothing to be gained from communicating with such a sick man (or as twoofers would say: a "disinfo" agent).

Good point...Barrett is one of the few who has actually advocated the harrassment or stalking of people whom he terms "criminals", such as police personnel and politicians. In my opinion, some of his statements border on inciting violence, so it would not be a surprise if he were to graduate to the next level and actually resort to violence.

[Jonnyclueless]

A really good friend of mine worked for the NSA. While it was a known agency, it was kind of like area 51 (or is that studio 51?) where it wasn't acknowledged by the government. I believe it was only in the late 80s or early 90s that it became openly acknowledged. Before that it was like the CIA used to be. Everyone knew about it and it was part of many movie plots, but was not acknowledged. He was also working for the agency during the 9/11 attacks and was one of the people that found the warning messages. But he says it takes them several days to go through all that data so by the time they get it, it's a few days old, hence not getting the 9/11 warnings until the 12th (which I assume was expedited).

[Sabrina]

(I also vaguely remember there being an issue with a highway exit sign that said, "NSA" or "National Security Agency." IIRC, the sign was erected early on, but was removed as being too obvious. I could be imagining that, however. :))

There's no EXIT sign now that says that, but there is a sign that indicates the NSA is at the next exit, IIRC. The exit sign itself is for Fort Meade, however.

[afinemadness]

misquoted

[Brainster]

RKO, if you have not had the experience of debating a "Truther" live then it's not all that bad an idea to get some practice on one of their shows; at least nobody will hear it, and it will almost certainly build your confidence level. It's not worth doing a lot, because you're trying to sell Satan worship to the choir; almost no "Truther" will be converted no matter how skillful your arguments and compelling your logic. I try to restrict my radio appearances to mainstream shows because there you might be reaching an undecided audience, and I assume Mark feels the same way.

[FactCheck]

He is simply looking for controversy by having you on. That gets more listeners to his mind numbing show. "Don't feed the troll".

[MarkyX]

I wouldn't waste my time.

You need to remember that these people want you not because of "truth", but because they want content for their shows.

[RKOwens4]

This is getting weird. In his last email he said, regarding the NSA being publicly known in the 1960s, that the agency appearing in fiction doesn't count. So I emailed him back with a link to 373 newspaper articles from 1952-1959 (found on google news' archives) where the NSA is mentioned by name. Still he doesn't accept it, emailing me back saying to "read Bamford about how its existence was classified information for
decades, but graduallly leaked out." The first article was from four months after the NSA's creation! That's not decades, no matter what this Bamford guy says.

I also gave him info debunking some of the other claims he made, like thermite chemical signatures being found in the dust (they weren't) and Osama meeting with a CIA agent in Dubai. He emailed me back saying my facts were "dead wrong", without providing a single piece of counter-evidence. So I sent him a link to Osama denying the Dubai hospital thing, and he responds saying:

You believe a Moonie paper over the most respected paper in France?!
All hail to Reverend Moon!
"Surely you know that Osama also denies being trained and funded by the CIA, right? http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060103-093215-2153r.htm"

Since when do CIA assets admit that they're CIA assets?!?!?!??! sheesh!

In summary, Kevin Barrett seems to accept whatever rumor he hears that fits his mindset and ignores all evidence against it, even if it comes from the person himself (Osama) who his claim is about. That's the Scholars for Truth way. I disagree with Bill O'Reilly on practically everything, but I absolutely agree with what he said when Barrett was on his show - this guy is a total nutjob.

[Brainache]

So I guess we can add RKOwens to Kevin Barret's list of those bound for the scaffold, come the revolution. At least you won't be lonely.

[RKOwens4]

I guess so. Barrett doesn't seem to realize though that a revolution has already happened - the truthers have already been debunked, thoroughly, even if they don't want to admit it.

[LastChild]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm

Created by President Truman in 1952, during the Korean War, the NSA is charged with protecting the United States from foreign security threats. The agency was considered so secret that for years the government refused to even confirm its existence. Government insiders used to joke that NSA stood for "No Such Agency."

Now just because people know about its existence doesn’t mean the Government wasn’t trying to keep it secret or all the things they are involved with. Isn’t something like area 51 still considered secret? How long have people been talking about that place and is anyone really sure about everything that goes on there?

What does this one point matter anyway in the scope of going on Barrett's show and debating 9/11? I mean if you are just going to come on here and post all your correspondences with him anyway then why not just go on the show? You shouldn’t make a big deal out of it because even if you went on Barrett's show and he somehow wiped the floor with you there isn’t any debunkers here who would ever admit to it. So what are you worried about?

[16.5]

"You shouldn’t make a big deal out of it because even if you went on Barrett's show and he somehow wiped the floor with you there isn’t any debunkers here who would ever admit to it. So what are you worried about?"

Worried about? Probably winding up on the gallows? Isn't that where Kevin expects all of his enemies to end up?

[Graham2001]

David Khan's 'The Codebreakers'(Amazon Link (http://tinyurl.com/3x27kd)) has an entire chapter devoted to the NSA & its activities (Chapter 17 'N.S.A', pg 374-402 of the 1978 Sphere Edition), the book has a copyright date of 1968, which is well before the 1990 date that Barret has provided.

You might want to track down a copy before you see him.

[Gravy]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm

Created by President Truman in 1952, during the Korean War, the NSA is charged with protecting the United States from foreign security threats. The agency was considered so secret that for years the government refused to even confirm its existence. Government insiders used to joke that NSA stood for "No Such Agency."You are being deliberately ignorant. Do not do that. Try reading post 17 for comprehension.

[LastChild]

You are being deliberately ignorant. Do not do that. Try reading post 17 for comprehension.

I guess it just comes natural to you huh? You're the real deal. Your ignorance is sincere. Keep it up.

[beachnut]

I guess it just comes natural to you huh? You're the real deal. Your ignorance is sincere. Keep it up.
Do you understand anything? Your post is pathetic and ridiculous; beside off topic.

Barrett is a nut case. Your support would be expected.

[PhantomWolf]

Surely you know that Osama also denies being trained and funded by the CIA, right?

Barret needs to read Steve Coll's Ghost Wars (great book, have I recommended it to anyone?) The CIA didn't even know who Bin Laden was until the 90's (well not quite true, he was a name in a file and not a lot else.) If people what to blame an Intelligence Agency for Bin Laden, blame Saudi Arabia's GID, they were the ones funding him and his men and they were very proud of his work in Afghanistan, repeatedly declaring that he was "their man." Bin Laden didn't even get ISI funding, that primarily went to commanders like Hekmayter and his allies. Later a chunk of the CIA and State Department's funding went to Mossaud, but that was a pitance compared to the millions that flowed to the Pushtun Islamic Brotherhood Commanders.

[JamesB]

I also gave him info debunking some of the other claims he made, like thermite chemical signatures being found in the dust (they weren't) and Osama meeting with a CIA agent in Dubai. He emailed me back saying my facts were "dead wrong", without providing a single piece of counter-evidence. So I sent him a link to Osama denying the Dubai hospital thing, and he responds saying:



In summary, Kevin Barrett seems to accept whatever rumor he hears that fits his mindset and ignores all evidence against it, even if it comes from the person himself (Osama) who his claim is about. That's the Scholars for Truth way. I disagree with Bill O'Reilly on practically everything, but I absolutely agree with what he said when Barrett was on his show - this guy is a total nutjob.

One thing I have never understood, if Osama is a CIA operative, why did he then supposedly deny being behind 9/11? What, he didn't get the memo?

[T.A.M.]

Maybe Barrett should have the professor of this course on his show...

http://www.examiner.com/a-1077367~World_Trade_Center_class_teaches_Villa_Jul ie_students_global_perspectives.html

Seems this guy is the "anti-Barrett" in terms of what he teaches students about 9/11.

TAM:)