Teddy Wilson, an aviation and conspiracy theory expert, discusses the anti-chemtrails laws in Tennessee and other states inspired by fringe conspiracy theorists. The podcast explores the origins and prevalence of chemtrails conspiracy theories, debunking claims and highlighting the role of journalists. It also delves into the debate between chemtrails and contrails, dissecting conspiracy theories and online discourse surrounding the topic.
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William Thomas's Chemtrails Obsession
The Santa Fe New Mexican profiled William Thomas's slide from journalist to chemtrails activist after a 1999 assignment about a sick Washington State man.
Thomas quickly appeared on Art Bell and sold a narrative tying contrails to Gulf War illness while claiming mainstream rejection.
insights INSIGHT
Geoengineering Is Real But Controversial
Legitimate geoengineering research exists as a hypothetical climate response but scientists and commentators urge moratoria and governance before deployment.
MIT authors explicitly oppose near-term deployment and call for international oversight.
insights INSIGHT
Tennessee Law Mirrors Conspiracist Language
Tennessee's SB2691 bans intentional atmospheric dispersion to affect weather without naming chemtrails, but uses conspiracist language.
Climate scientists and the Sierra Club say the law is unenforceable and unnecessary.
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Though the “chemtrails” conspiracy theory has long been dismissed by scientists, aviation experts, and other skeptics, the Tennessee legislature has taken it very seriously. On April 11th, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law SB2691, which bans the ‘intentional injection, release, or dispersion’ of chemicals within Tennessee ‘with the express purpose of affecting temperature, weather, or the intensity of the sunlight.” Though the law doesn’t explicitly use the word chemtrails, it was inspired by chemtrail conspiracy theorists.
On this episode we talk to independent journalist Teddy Wilson of Radical Reports about the anti-chemtrails bills in Tennessee and other state legislatures.
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Editing by Corey Klotz. Theme by Nick Sena. Additional music by NAP (https://doomchakratapes.bandcamp.com) & Jake Rockatansky. Theme Vocals by THEY/LIVE (http://instagram.com/theyylivve / https://sptfy.com/QrDm). Cover Art by Pedro Correa: (https://pedrocorrea.com)
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QAA was formerly known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast.
REFERENCES
Radical Reports: Why Are GOP State Lawmakers Introducing Bills Based on Claims by Fringe Conspiracy Theorists?
https://www.radicalreports.org/p/why-are-gop-state-lawmakers-introducing
Some Dare Call It Conspiracy: Chemtrails On Trial
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/chemtrails-on-trial-part-1-8--58112535
To what extent do you believe in the conspiracy theory that the government is using chemicals to control the population (chemtrails)?
https://www.statista.com/statistics/959559/conspiracy-belief-government-control-population-chemtrails/
MIT Technology Review Solar geoengineering could start soon if it starts small
https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/02/05/1087587/solar-geoengineering-could-start-soon-if-it-starts-small/
Aircraft clouds: From chemtrail pseudoscience to the science of contrails
Mètode Science Studies Journal, vol. 8, pp. 181-187, 2018
Universitat de València
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/5117/511766757028/html/
Terrell, Steven. Santa Fe New Mexican. Assignment led journalist/activist into "chemtrail" obsession, 1999
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-santa-fe-new-mexican-chemtrails-1999/133314562/
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