Posted on 07/16/2004 1:51:45 PM PDT by nuconvert
I think at this point, after all the websites posted and all the reiterations across this and related posts to the effect that Bobby is seriously mentally ill, people should at least make some attempt to research the matter and judge for themselves before focusing on the rantings and not the condition of Bobby Fischer. I think with a little reflection, you will come to the same conclusion.
For me, I'm starting to shift to other questions, such as what to do about it. He's almost certainly mentally ill, and continues to make hateful rants that shows he is not improving, and he doesn't recognize how detached from reality he is, so he will never seek help himself. Another big question is, Is he a danger to himself or others? Sure he's mentally ill, but will his hateful rhetoric be taken as merely the ravings of a madman? Probably by most, but obviously not by all, as evidenced in this post. Will he cross the line between words and action? I doubt he is homocidal, but his words may still hurt.
I'm beginning to believe that if he is deported to the US, and gets a fair trial, they will deem his ravings a symptom of his illness, hopefully he will get the treatment that I believe he needs. I'm reluctant that this gets into some free speech issues, but if he is treated by trained professionals who understand his condition, he will be better for it. The John Nash story turned out well, and he also had paranoid delusions and was very anti-semetic in the depths of his delusional state. On the other hand, if he doesn't get a fair trial and/or they don't recognize his illness, and he's thrown into prison as a common criminal, God help him. If you read http://www.ishipress.com/pasadena.htm, and if it isn't just another fantasy of Bobby Fischer, he will not get the fair treatment that the mentally ill deserve, and it will only reinforce his paranoid condition. That would be an ugly ending to the story.
I was going to joke that Bobby could be the subject of a sequel Ron Howard could direct, "An ugly mind", but I am very concerned for this man. I'll reiterate, he has done tons for this country before he slipped off the deep end (granted he's been a big detractor since), and deserves better than cruel treatment in a prison.
US dealing in Cuba Communism = BAD!
How does one "cheat" in chess?
I wish I had time to study chess more closely but with work, family time, etc., there just aren't enough hours in the day. Perhaps Fischer has a point and randomizing the positions of the pieces in the rear bank would help level the playing field for those who have a life!
And thank you Bob and Tooters for the pat on the back. I don’t come here looking for anything more than a healthy discussion and to learn more about this bizarre hero to madman story. When I’m attacked for being too “new” (I don’t see this has any relevance to the discussion), or being a “liberal” (GD Independent is more like it – I try to sort out the events of the world looking at it from all angles), or “unpatriotic” (‘nuff said about that – I want what’s best for my country), it adds nothing to the discussion and I take offence.
I try to look at the big picture, and not limit myself to a particular side, just to understand things better – there’s no reason discussion of a chess genius/madman should be polarizing. But it’s annoying to hear comments that reflect such ignorance, like playing chess with someone who not only brings their queen out early, but doesn’t even know the piece values enough that they’ll take a pawn for a queen, just for the sake of being on attack. Maybe I should just ignore it and let it go, but I like to point out the error in such attacks, and maybe strike back with a little extra, in hopes of discouraging future pointless attacks. But if it’s more about entertainment than reasonable discussion, I’ll play my role in the show. Apologies regarding the ADHD remark – I don’t want to equate that to intellect, but I saw that symptom and thought I might try and drill a point home. And normally I wouldn’t disgrace a veteran if it weren’t for the hateful crap. But I do applaud his service at the same time, and wouldn’t want to discourage anyone to add to the discussion, albeit in a civil manner.
Ah well, back to the subject… This story is fascinating to me, how a genius chess player can focus so much of his life on chess that he has absolutely no people skills, and then gets a hold of some anti-semetic literature and joins a cultish religion that just warps his mind so completely. Almost every day I read something new about it, that well before his 1972 World Championship, when he was on top of his game, he was spouting off anti-semetic crap and hanging pictures of Hitler over his bed. And he had become involved with that bogus religion as early as 1962, with many of the same cult practices as the People's Temple, made infamous by the Jonestown Massacre. By his own words, he recognized the brain-washing tactics they had used against him, but the article I posted (118 above) suggested that he slipped back into that cult.
New questions this brings to mind are, How do these influences completely take over one’s mind, and at such a large scale? We know what happened in Nazi Germany with Hitler, another “charismatic” (barf) supposed genius who himself was influenced by the false legend “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” and authored Mein Kampf to stir the anti-semetic beliefs of the German people to bring himself to power and serve his ends. That same literature influenced Bobby Fischer in his early years.
In search of answers, I’ve come across some grotesque websites about Hitler (with links like “The Hoax of the Twentieth Century”, referring to the Holocaust, right next to “Jew Watch”), but found one more palatable historically accurate: http://www.remember.org/guide/Facts.root.hitler.html
And then, I found a website with archives from the “Ambassador Report” a magazine published by Worldwide Church defectors (alumni and students of Ambassador College, which was subjugated by Worldwide Church, located in Pasadena):
http://www.herbertwarmstrong.com/ar/index.htm
For my fellow chess geeks, this is a treasure trove of how Bobby Fischer, genius of 180 IQ, was mindwashed by this cult. In his own words, “BOBBY FISCHER SPEAKS OUT!”, he intelligently describes how they controlled his mind – any sane thought was that of the devil; false prophecies of the end of the world (fear, panic, guilt) to sucker people in for more money; and don’t question their authority. He identifies Armstrong as an egomaniac who would love to rule the world, and with a massive inferiority complex - dammit Bobby, look inward! And check out the money he gave!
And then sadly, he slips back under their control. In “Chess Champion Becomes Pawn”, Bobby has sued the “Ambassador Report” to put them out of business, but it becomes evident that WCG is behind it. And more evidence of Bobby’s paranoia, followed by a description of “floating” (Bobby’s period of doubt about the cult) and how often despite this doubt, people are dragged back in.
Next, in AR4, after negative media attention to WCG and lessening cooperation from Bobby in a law suit, they dropped him. After this betrayal, Bobby lashed back, and claimed the WCG lawyers were taking their orders from a "Satanical Secret World Government." Quite delusional, don’t you think? In AR26: Speculation of his whereabouts; continued evidence Bobby thinks the Russians and Jews are after him, and continues to warn against a “Satanic Secret World Government”. AR40 updates his whereabouts in 1988, still fearing the KGB is stalking him, still studying chess and a book promoting white supremacy that he has memorized word for word, still reportedly mentally ill, but foreshadowing a comeback to the tournament scene. Finally, AR72 in April 1999 reports his rantings on the radio to that date, and posts an article regarding the sale of Bobby’s property.
Fascinating material that carries this discussion beyond Bobby Fischer, to the subject of mind-control over and above mental illness. All this new stuff serves as a warning to be very critical of what you take in and adopt as your own strongly-held beliefs. Question your beliefs and refine them, even if it makes you uncomfortable. That's my research for the day...It's Saturday Night!
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