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+--- Thread: In memory of 9/11 activist Tod Fletcher (/thread-13149.html)
In memory of 9/11 activist Tod Fletcher - Tracy Riddle - 09-10-2014
http://www.globalresearch.ca/in-memory-of-911-activist-tod-fletcher-a-life-of-service-1952-2014/5407016
In Memory of 9/11 Activist Tod Fletcher: A Life of Service (1952-2014)
By David Ray Griffin
Global Research, October 08, 2014
Thomas ("Tod") Christopher Fletcher was born in Alameda County, California, February 27, 1952. In 1980, while at Berkeley, Tod married Susan Elizabeth Peabody, a graduate student and later a teacher of English Literature.
Tod enrolled in the Berkeley Masters program in Geography, where he completed his thesis in 1982 ("The Mono Basin in the Nineteenth Century: Discovery, Settlement, Land Use," 1982).
He then worked for several years towards his doctorate and completed all but his dissertation. But then a chronic illness, known as hypersensitivity to the environment, with which Susan had become afflicted, became so bad that she became bedridden. Wanting to take care of her himself, he could search for teaching positions only close to home. He taught at UC Berkeley until funding for the university was slashed, after which he taught at some junior colleges.
Tod published a book, "Paiute, Prospector, Pioneer: A History of the Bodie-Mono Lake Area in the Nineteenth Century" (Artemisia Press, 1987). In 2014, he was invited to give a lecture about this book at a conference to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the historic decision to protect Mono Lake. When he explained that he would not be able to attend, because he could not leave Susan for such a long period, the organizers told him that if he wrote the lecture, they would read it aloud, and this worked out.
In the years before 9/11, Tod wrote articles about the ecological crisis and the anti-globalization movement. These can be found at the Daily Battle website under his name or that of Max Kolskegg, Will Guest, and I. Berg.
Having sensed earlier than most of us the falsity of the government's explanation of what had happened on 9/11, he said: "I never fell for the official explanation. I've been researching and writing about 9/11 since 9/12."
Tod first contacted me about 9/11 in 2005 or 2006 and wrote the first Amazon review of my "Christian Faith the Truth behind 9/11," which he called "Griffin's Best Book on 9/11." He then wrote Amazon reviews for all of my subsequent books, both those on 9/11 and those on other topics, all of which were excellent. For example, although he was not a philosophy major, he wrote one of the two best reviews of my "Unsnarling the World-Knot: Consciousness Freedom, and the Mind-Body Problem."
He also volunteered to critique all of my essays and lectures, providing always-helpful suggestions for improvement. I first met him face to face a few years later, when we had a 2 or 3 hour conversation. I then met him again in 2011 when he participated in the conference in Claremont about my thought. There he presented a paper entitled "An Appreciation of Dr. David Ray Griffin's Contribution to 9/11 Research," which was then included in the resulting book, "Reason and Reenchantment: The Philosophical, Religious, and Political Thought of David Ray Griffin." Although he normally would not do anything that required him to be away from home overnight, he made an exception in this case (which was possible then, before Susan's illness had become so much worse). I greatly appreciated his making this exception.
In addition, after I decided following an illness in 2010 not to do more radio interviews, Tod, who had for awhile had his own radio show, helped to do many of the interviews that I had been invited to give.
Tod's other projects included helping Fred Burks with PEERS and the Want To Know website; conducting interviews published on KPFA's Guns and Butter program with Bonnie Faulkner; and writing essays for the Journal of 9/11 Studies and for the well-known news-site, Global Research, run by Canadian economist Michel Chossudovsky.
Since 2011, Tod has been a participant in the work of the panel for Consensus 9/11, which presents evidence contradicting the official account of 9/11. This September, the Consensus 9/11 website featured Tod's recent KPFA interview, "The Pentagon Attack in Context."
Many of us will miss Tod, I especially, as Tod, in addition to all his previous help, aided me the past 3 years working on a book on global warming ("Unprecedented: Can Civilization Survive the CO2 Crisis"), spending many hours a week on the task. Besides being a great proof-reader, he seemed to know almost everything. I was greatly looking forward to sending the book to Tod so that he could see the fruits of our labors in final form.
Tod's final act was as selfless as the rest of his life. After 28 years of suffering, Susan's hypersensitivity had escalated to an intolerable degree, as she was made sick by everything in her environment, including her own clothes. Being in agony all the time, Susan needed help to end her life, and Tod did not wish to live on without her.
With elegant simplicity, he wrote two other friends and me by regular mail, telling us that by the time the letters were received, he and Susan would be in a better place. Then on September 30, he took Susan to Point Reyes National Seashore, where they moved on together.
I will miss Tod terribly as an assistant, a colleague, and a friend. He was one of the finest human beings I have been blessed to know.
In memory of 9/11 activist Tod Fletcher - Magda Hassan - 09-10-2014
Dear friends, Most subscribers to this list will recognize the name Tod Fletcher from the weekly news summaries we send out. I'm very sad to inform you that Tod is no longer with us. Though I found the news articles each week (with help from many supporters) and chose the ones to be summarized, Tod did the summarizing on these articles for many years. He did great work with PEERS and WantToKnow.info from 2007 until his recent death. He was also a dedicated researcher and advocate for bringing the truth out on the tragic events of 9/11. Tod's wife Susan had major struggles with severe chronic fatigue syndrome and numerous hypersensitivities for nearly three decades, to the point that she was bed-ridden much of that time. Her pain and suffering was such that she contemplated suicide several times. She even attempted it once about 10 years ago, saved only when Tod found her and rushed her to the emergency room. The two were very close, and Tod spent much of his time caring for her. Below is the letter I received in the from Tod on September 30th. It was dated Sept. 28, 2014.
Dear Fred, Susan has reached the point at which she requires release, and as she can't effect this herself, I must help her, as I promised her long ago I would do. But helping her will make me a criminal in deed as well as thought, and I don't expect I'd be fairly or mercifully treated. So I am going to accompany Susan to the world beyond. By the time you read this, we will have made our passage. I am indeed sorry for the difficulties this will make for you. I never intended to give you little "notice" should I quit, but Susan's sudden worsening was beyond my control. I don't need, I imagine, to say what a great pleasure and privilege it was to work with you all these years. Nor to say, be happy for us, for we are at peace at last. Our love to you,
Tod and Susan
I was shocked to receive this letter. I made some calls to the authorities a couple hours after receiving it. They would not confirm any information other than to next of kin, but it became very clear in our conversations that the bodies had been found at Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County, CA, about an hour north of San Francisco. What a sad and tragic ending to the lives of these two caring souls. Tod worked closely with Prof. David Ray Griffin, one of the most prominent voices in the 9/11 truth movement. I called Prof. Griffin the day after I received the above letter. He was also greatly saddened by the news, particularly as Tod played an invaluable role in editing his soon-to-be-published book Unprecedented: Can Civilization Survive the CO2 Crisis. Tod was the chief editor of numerous books on 9/11 by Prof. Griffin and even stepped in for him to do interviews when Prof. Griffin was not available. Tod also wrote an excellent summary of Prof. Griffin's 9/11 work. As a respected member of the 9/11 truth movement, Tod was on the 9/11 Consensus Panel. He authored many articles about 9/11 and how it fit into the greater context of our world. Well before 9/11, he wrote articles about the ecological crisis and the anti-globalization movement. These can be found at the Daily Battle website under either his name or under Max Kolskegg, Will Guest and I. Berg. These articles were informed by his background in physical geography, in which he was a graduate student. In years past, he taught at the University of California and several junior colleges. You can listen to Tod in a recent interview on KPFA's Guns and Butter Program with Bonnie Faulkner, or in a 2011 interview with 9/11 whistleblower and former lab director Kevin Ryan. He also worked with the Journal of 9/11 Studies, where he co-authored in 2012 an article on the 9/11 Pentagon attack. He additionally contributed to the globalresearch.ca website, where you can read a 2009 article he published, titled "Osama Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive?" Tod did all this in spite of the incredible constraints placed upon his time due to Susan's illness. Susan earned graduate degrees in English literature, and had taught classes at UC. Her own pursuits were short-circuited by her limiting health condition. Please join me in sending a heartfelt thank you to Tod for all his great work with PEERS and with many others. And let us send very best wishes to these two caring souls wherever they are. With sadness and warm wishes,Tod and Susan
Fred Burks for PEERS and WantToKnow.info
In memory of 9/11 activist Tod Fletcher - Lauren Johnson - 09-10-2014
Tod and Susan Fletcher, RIP
In memory of 9/11 activist Tod Fletcher - Peter Lemkin - 09-10-2014
Why do the good die young?! Sigh. Very sad news.....