http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Rosie_pledges_allegiance_to_seeking_911_0402.html

Rosie pledges allegiance to seeking 'truth' about 9/11 despite mocking attacks from right

Despite an avalanche of criticism from the right, talk show host Rosie O'Donnell is pressing on with her calls for continued investigation of the events surrounding September 11.

At her eponymous blog, O'Donnell devotes "2 whole paragraphs" to the controversial topic.

"9/11 affected me deeply, as I know it did many Americans," O'Donnell blogs. "The falling of the twin towers served to remind me that many of the assumptions Americans have about their lives are rooted in false feelings of security. In light of this reminder, I have begun doing exactly what this country, at its best, allows for me to do: inquire. Investigate. America is great in so many ways, one of which is the freedom to speak, and indeed think, freely. I have, of late, begun exercising the rights bestowed upon me by the democratic system I value, and the exercising of these rights has taken the form of an inquiry into what happened five years ago, an inquiry that resists the dominant explanations and that dares to entertain ideas that push me to the edge of what is bearable. I have come to no conclusions and, given the scope of the subject, will not for some time."

O'Donnell adds, "If the very act of asking is so destabilizing for people, than I have to wonder whether the fabric of our democracy is indeed so raveled it is beyond salvage. My own belief is that the act of asking is itself reparative, because it brings to life the values on which our constitution rests. I am, therefore, pledging my allegiance, hand over heart, trying, as always, for a rigorous truth."

At the National Review, Stephen Spruiell slams O'Donnell by suggesting that she needs to seek psychiatric help.

"First came the blog post in which Rosie floated the insane conspiracy theory that World Trade Center 7 was blown up by the government," Spruiell writes. "Then came her meltdown on The View when co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck confronted her about it."

Spruiell advises his readers to check out "Popular Mechanics' thorough debunking of all flavors of 9/11 conspiracy theories if you need a reminder of how truly insane this is," before linking to the magazine's response to O'Donnell published last week. "Instead of going to therapy every day, this clearly unwell person is hosting a television show on a major American network," Spruiell adds.

However, many websites devoted to 9/11 "truth" have argued that the magazine's "debunking" was less than thorough. According to Information Liberation, "The Orwellian doublethink one would have to exhibit to believe this trash is surreal."

Editor in chief James Meigs of Popular Mechanics dismissed theories that Building 7 might have been destroyed by bombs in what might be perceived as a haphazard way, saying, "You don't need to go into fanciful explanations of bombs and mysterious things. That building fell because of the attacks of 9/11."

In response, Information Liberation mocked, "You see foolish theorists, the one factor you forgot was the 'attacks of 9/11'! The 'attacks of 9/11' is what caused WTC 7 to collapse! It had nothing to do with those 'mysterious things' called bombs (You know the things which go BOOM and are used to demolish buildings? You probably don't, they're very mysterious). So there you have it, the 'attacks if 9/11' is what caused the collapse, thank you Inside Edition and Popular Mechanics for enlightening us all."

Other right leaning blogs have been hammering at O'Donnell for weeks, while most popular Democratic blogs have steered clear of the topic almost altogether.

One conservative blog, The Razor, posted a mock "Rosie O'Donnell Rant Advisory System" which ranges from a "calm" green alert, meaning that she is "in a cheeseburger daze [with a] low risk of idiocy" to a red "deranged" alert signifying that she "advocates conspiracy theory [and] joins tinfoil hat crowd."

According to an AOL poll widely linked on right leaning blogs, most viewers believe O'Donnell "crossed the line." At press time, out of a total 261,652 votes, the call for ABC to fire Rosie stands at 62% to 38%.

Last week, an Albany newspaper reported that Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), a candidate for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, has plans to investigate "a few, specific discrepancies in the public record" regarding the events of 9/11.

"He also said that as chairman of a House subcommittee on domestic policy, he plans to launch an investigation of "a narrow portion" of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks," Dan Higgins reported for the Times Union. "He offered few details, but said his subcommittee would be looking at 'a few, specific discrepancies in the public record.' The 9/11 Commission that published its final report in 2004 never resolved some conflicting facts, Kucinich said. He announced his own look at 9/11 in answer to a question from an audience member. The man complained that the 9/11 Commission was too tied to the Bush administration to offer an unbiased report, and Kucinich agreed."