In case anyone is wondering how a room full of otherwise sane, adult, college-educated professionals can go absolutely ape shit over the mere mention of "9/11" and "our government" in the same paragraph, I offer this excellent article from the latest issue of The Republic of East Vancouver by Kevin Potvin. In "WTC 7 is 9/11 Key," Potkin begins

Yesterday I posted a "diary" (as they are called) at DailyKos.com (http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/9/162136/7528) about Hustler's recent coverage of 9/11. I've been a member and contributor there for about a year. I honestly wanted to see what the reaction would be among these liberal, progressive, netroot political activists. Attached is a PDF copy of the diary and a few of the many comments.

There were the usual accusations of tinfoil-hatted lunacy along with the usual name-calling and arrogance without a whif of willingness to engage in a meaningful discussion.

The experience taught me an important lesson about how deep lies the need for denial among otherwise intelligent, liberal, moral and empathetic people. But we knew that. They're human, after all. What struck me was the direct relationship between the violence of their reaction and their admirable political activisim: If elements of our government were responsible for 9/11, if indeed control of our government and nation is to some degree outside the democratic process, then the activists of DailyKos haven't much to live for and have been made to appear monumentally foolish, insipid, even clownish. In a way, their comments to me were protestations of their importance, attempts at affirmation fueled by an underlying fear about that they may be sadly, profoundly unimportant.