Michael Piper and Final Judgment

[Mark Stapleton]

Jim Phelps and Mike Rago are impressive researchers, imo. Best JFK thread I've seen.

Mark,

Just a brief entry to remind one and all of your initial, hearty endorsement of the work of two (or more) worthless minds that have added to the pollution at the EF swamp.

You'll recall that I quickly shared my informed opinions that Phelps and "Rago" are, at best, mentally deficient, emotionally disturbed trolls. At worst, I noted, they may be agents provocateur.

I informed you that "Rago" is the laughing stock of the legitimate JFK research community. To give credence to anything "he" might proffer is a self-indictment of immense proportions.

And Jim DiEugenio added that, "IMO, Rago's mission is to try and indoctrinate enough people with this nonsense to make us look like fools next year."

I cautioned you, as a friend, NOT to hitch your wagon to "Rago's" white dwarf. And now it appears that "Rago" -- an entity that posts under a number of names on many forums -- has been banned at EF.

Finally, I made a point of submitting the following (in bold) to you:


Here's "Rago" opening the kimono:

"Yes I do think that Oswald was a 'patsy' and an assassin. He probably thought that he was the only assassin. I think he was a willing participant. I do not think that he knew about the other assassins."

"Rago" is a self-admitted ignoramus ("he" celebrates the claim that "he" does not read literary analyses of the assassination). "His" techniques of flooding Internet forums with confrontational -- as opposed to informational -- material, hiding behind aliases, and attempting to establish credentials as a bona fide researcher and then putting forward outlandish theories so as to impugn the minds and motives of the larger research community are those of the agent provocateur.

Are you so desperate, Mark, to find support for your own hypotheses that you run to the arms of the likes of "Rago"?

If you buy "Rago," then how can we trust your judgment on anything?

I don't know who Mr. Rago is, nor am I surprised at his banishment, nor do I agree with all the material he posts about the assassination. That's all you'll get from me Charles. I stand by my earlier comments you alluded to, namely that some of his posts on that thread were impressive. If you and others gasp in horror, there's nothing I can do about that. If you don't trust my judgement, that's your undeniable right.

I think your indignation is a bit harsh on Jim Phelps. Being described as a worthless mind and a mentally deficient, emotionally disturbed troll is not something I would like said about me. Again, I don't know him personally so it's up to him to defend himself, presuming he is not banned from the EF too.