Posted on 11/24/2015 1:25:42 PM PST by SeekAndFind
There's a difference between a lie and an honest mistake. However slight, it's a crucial distinction in politics, and especially in the campaign of Donald Trump.
On Saturday, the real-estate magnate insisted that after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, he watched news footage of "thousands of thousands of people" celebrating in northern New Jersey -- "where you have large Arab populations," in his words.
Journalists have searched news archives for any evidence of such footage and turned up empty handed. Public officials and law enforcement in New Jersey say Trump's account is utterly false.
But Trump's assertion might not be a bald-faced lie. Psychologists suggest that people unconsciously fabricate memories all the time, and that Trump might have done the same.
"I can't say that he's not lying," said Deryn Strange, a psychologist at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. "But my research, and the research of my colleagues, certainly supports a more charitable interpretation: that this is a false memory."
There is a well-circulated video clip of Palestinians celebrating the attacks in the West Bank, as The Washington Post's Glenn Kessler has reported. Newspapers, including The Post, stated that police had detained some people in northern New Jersey who were allegedly partying on rooftops and watching the mayhem in New York. The Newark Star-Ledger later reported that ârumors of rooftop celebrations of the attack by Muslims here proved unfounded."
Trump might have conflated the two in his mind. "I can easily conceive how he could have developed this memory," Strange said. "All you need is a suggestion."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I think "fabricate" may be too strong a word. The human mind--and human memory--is a funny thing. Especially remembering things from high-stress situations (like we all experienced on and after 9/11).
It's the reason why, if you interview ten eyewitnesses to a crime, you will get ten different stories. And if you interview the same eyewitnesses ten years later, you'll get another ten different stories. It's not that the witnesses are lying, it's that humans are imperfect, and we remember things imperfectly.
Don’t trust what you see with your own eyes.
The PC wizard will tell you your reality.
News reports of muslims in other US locations cheering 9/11 here:
Bookmark
Christie never said that, he just doesn’t remember if it happened or not
Don't know what station but I have never seen the video again or heard a word about it.
"Investigators said at least two of the hijackers, Nawaq Al Hamzi and Salem Al Hamzi are believed to have had addresses in Wayne and Fort Lee, NJ. The apparently rented a mailbox in Fort Lee at Mailboxes Etc. in Jersey City within hours of two jetliners plowing into the World Trade Center. Law enforcement authorities detained and questioned a number of people who were allegedly seen celebrating the attacks and holding tailgate-style parties on rooftops while they watched the devastation on the other side of the river."
See the archived page here:
http://www.barenakedislam.com/2015/11/23/the-washington-post-confirmed-donald-trumps-remarks-about-seeing-muslims-in-nj-celebrating-911/
Nope, also not fabricated:
Sept 18, 2001 - Washingtonpost
In Jersey City, within hours of two jetlinersâ plowing into the World Trade Center, law enforcement authorities detained and questioned a number of people who were allegedly seen celebrating the attacks and holding tailgate-style parties on rooftops while they watched the devastation on the other side of the river.
OTOH, since Palestine doesn't look like Jersey, at all, we all saw the difference and KNEW/remember what's what with this.
You may wish to dispute anything but not the New Jersey part. My nephew a fire captain in Passaic was called on 9/11 as were 50-75 others with engines from Passaic, Essex and Bergen Counties to go to Paterson and other towns including Jersey City to quell riots caused by celebrating Arabs (mainly Palestinians) on 9/11. The Paterson riots arose when black citizen patriots went after the celebrants. Unless the State of New Jersey has destroyed the fire alarm records and call reports, they will prove Trump 100% accurate. (Posted on other threads as well.)
Yes, many of them ended up in the US Post Office in Willingboro, NJ.
IIRC, the government tore the entire building down and built a new one. They decided that they couldn't guarantee a good decontamination of the old building.
You bet they showed the Jersey stuff on NYC/local T.V. !
I remember hearing or reading about those celebrations at the time.
I too saw the Palestinians reacting and giving out candy to celebrate.
He saw them cheering not thousands but these anilmals were cheering.
I saw enough of the savages celebrating after 9/11 to know that all the pc media manipulation will never convince me they should be welcome in this country.
It’s like “WHO DO YOU BELIEVE, ME OR YOUR LYING EYES?” garbage.
I don’t care if it was 50 or 5000 cheering, 1 is too many in my book
My memory is excellent and Trump IS correct!
There are many in the MSM who believe that if they cannot change the nature of people's thoughts and memories, they're not doing their jobs.
They do not consider that the measure of their success is that they are heard. Being "heard" is not enough.
They need to actually demonstrate their ability to change the nature of reality as it is perceived by their viewers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.