-Caveat Lector- http://www.newsmakingnews.com/vmcannonrussell3,22,01.htm#by Barbara Hartwell To: NewsMakingNews From: Barbara Hartwell © 2000 Legal Defense and Research Fund PO Box 832 Woodstock NY 12498 Martin Cannon's letter to Kurt Billings, published by NewsMakingNews seems to have sparked quite a hot-bed of controversy. The issues being debated: Free speech vs. censorship. Quackery vs. professional credibility. Fact vs. myth. All are examined in reference to the CIA's infamous MKULTRA project in which untold numbers of hapless American and Canadian citizens were violated in one of the most nefarious of government- sponsored black operations in United States history. I know as well as anyone could about some of these violations: I --and certain members of my family-- were among these hapless victims. Since I have a personal and professional interest in all these issues, I'd like to add my two cents and join in the debate. When I first read Martin Cannon's letter to Kurt Billings what leaped out at me was the unmitigated nastiness and outright malice of Cannon's assault on the character and professional credibility of Billings. Cannon's letter seems to have blown in like the proverbial ill wind, suddenly and with the gale force of a blood vendetta, landing with a reverberating splat ! on the front page of NewsMakingNews. Mr. Cannon says he just "happened across" Kurt's site, "following a link provided on NewsMakingNews. He makes it clear that he does not know Kurt; that he has never until that moment heard of Kurt, nor previously read any of his published material. Yet he seems hell-bent on leading a crusade to have Kurt Billings pilloried in the public square. I had to wonder: Why ? It's true that Kurt happens to be a good friend of mine, as well as a colleague and researcher whose work I respect. So I won't deny there's an element of personal concern and empathy involved. But I should also say that I would --and have-- come forward in the defense of anyone whose reputation I believed was being unjustly defamed, whether that person was a friend or not. Just as I have not hesitated to publicly confront those people --even when they happen to be my family and closest friends--when I find it necessary to loudly proclaim my disagreement with their actions, their opinions or their published writings. Stating her position in the controversy over libel and censorship, journalist Virginia McCollough first responds to Kurt Billings's request to remove the "slanderous" letter by Martin Cannon from the NewsMakingNews site by pointing out that "judgments about [the] mental stability" of authors have historically not been the determining factor in publishing --or censoring-- their work. Good point, and I don't disagree. But though Kurt labels Cannon a "psychopath" based on Cannon's self-described, presumably tongue-in-cheek curriculum vitae --which may or may not contain elements of truth-- (and on that I won't venture a personal opinion ) sanity and madness are secondary considerations in attempting to ascertain whether Cannon libeled Billings-- or whether he was merely exercising his first amendment right to freedom of speech. I think it's fair to say that there may be a thin line between free speech and libel. However, the line that separates madness from malice may be more of a crevasse (and a legal one at that.) Malice, or the absence thereof, is the issue which, in my opinion, needs to be addressed. Ergo: Did Martin Cannon act with intent of malice to defame Kurt Billings ? >From the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual: "Libel is injury to reputation. Words that expose a person to public hatred, shame, disgrace or ridicule or induce an ill opinion of a person are libelous. Actions for civil libel result mainly from news stories that allege crime, fraud, dishonorable conduct, or stories that defame the subject professionally, causing financial loss either personally or to a business. There is only one complete and unconditional defense to a civil action for libel: that the facts stated are PROVABLY TRUE. " [ Emphasis in the original ] And, from A Modern Dictionary of Legal Usage, a definition of libel: "A deliberate, untrue, derogatory statement; a defamatory imputation made by one person about another, which if published, can be a ground for a civil action in damages." Now, in the light of civil law, let's examine some of Cannon's comments in his letter to Billings. (I will emphasize the key words and phrases with upper case text. Emphasis is mine unless otherwise indicated. ) Cannon writes: "People like you, whose heads are filled with RELIGIOUS NONSENSE....are the reason why all the serious MKULTRA researchers seem to have abandoned the field in disgust. " ".....your ASININE page on the New Millennium and Mind Control." "Like most SO-CALLED "CHRISTIANS" you tend to have a very elastic interpretation of the commandment prohibiting FALSE WITNESS. To put it bluntly: You lie and lie and LIE." [Emphasis is Cannon's] " ....your obvious ANTI-CATHOLIC and ANTI-SEMITIC biases....." "I intend to mention YOU [emphasis is Cannon's] by name as an example of a modern-day "Christian" who is STUPID enough to be taken in...." " Unfortunately this field [ research into MKULTRA ] has been completely decimated by RELIGIOUSLY-MOTIVATED CRACKPOTS..." "By tying in Masonic LIBELS, the Illuminati hoax, blatherings about Satanism, the mythical "New World Order" and a variety of none-too-thinly-disguised RELIGIOUS BIGOTRIES, ETHIC-LESS "CHRISTIANS" LIKE YOU have only managed to make serious research into the CIA's behavior modification program seem ridiculous. " "...Stop using sensational, GROUNDLESS CLAIMS AS A SOURCE OF PROFIT. ( I see you make a tidy income with your videos and appearances. ) " Cannon ends his letter by admonishing Billings: " Try to PROVE what you say. " At this point, I think it's appropriate to ask Mr. Cannon if HE can prove what he says about Kurt Billings. Cannon's allegations about Billings include a potpourri of potentially libelous statements -unless of course, Cannon can PROVE them. According to Cannon: Billings is a liar. A religiously-motivated crackpot. An insincere and bogus Christian. A man who "libels" the Masonic Order. A religious bigot. A person lacking ethics. A man who earns his living by bearing false witness and touting groundless claims in order to bilk the public. Anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic. A man so stupid that he cannot reach his own reasonable opinion of the truth by doing his own research. If we believe Martin Cannon, Kurt Billings is no better than a veritable snake-oil-salesman; a mountebank; a huckster devoid of morals, intent upon deceiving the public, and motivated by nothing more than misguided religiosity and financial gain. I for one, do not share Mr. Cannon's opinions. But then, I have good reason to strongly disagree, given that I am well-acquainted with Kurt and have had the opportunity to hear his public talks and radio broadcasts, as well as to discuss with him the field of research in which we are both involved. I formed my opinion regarding Kurt's honesty and good character as well as the quality of his research by getting to know him. Did Mr. Cannon make any attempt to establish even a cursory dialogue with Kurt, before mounting his no-holds-barred assault ? More importantly, what about those people among the general public who have not yet had that opportunity ? Could they be adversely influenced by reading such negatively-charged, defamatory allegations as those being disseminated by Cannon against Kurt Billings ? Virginia McCullough put forth her opinion that Cannon deserves to be placed "on a pedestal dedicated to those who want to learn." As for those who wish to avail themselves of this educational experience, I can only hope that --unlike Mr. Cannon-- they are able to recognize discretion as being the better part of valor. I understand and respect Virginia's defense of free speech and I also share her intolerance of censorship in any form. However, I would not equate a person's rightful attempt to protect himself against character assassination with censorship. I don't believe for a minute that it is Kurt Billings's intent or desire to censor anybody. But the libelous assertions by Martin Cannon about Kurt's character, his religious convictions; his research, his professional credibility and the way in which he earns his living have the potential to do severe and possibly irreparable personal and professional damage. I would be the first to defend Mr. Cannon's right to disagree with Kurt Billings. I would defend his right to state his disagreement or to take issue with Kurt's research; his opinions; or his viewpoints about MKULTRA; the Illuminati; the New World Order; the Masons; etc. in any public forum. But I will not defend what I see as the indefensible: A purposeful and malicious campaign to destroy a man's PERSONAL reputation and honor; disguised as an exercise in intellectual, scholarly discourse and advanced under the protection of free speech. -Barbara Hartwell [EMAIL PROTECTED] <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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