Monday, April 08, 2013

The Weird Things Some Americans Believe

(The image above is from The Atlantic Wire.)

Americans seem to love conspiracy theories, some really wacky ones. Public Policy Polling did a survey of some of these conspiracy theories between March 27th and 30th, by polling a nationwide sample of 1,247 registered voters (yes, these people actually vote in our elections). The survey had a margin of error of 2.8 points. I give you the percentage who say they believe in a certain conspiracy theory, and the percentage who say they are unsure if it's true or not (which is nearly as bad):

DO YOU BELIEVE SHAPE-SHIFTING REPTILIAN PEOPLE CONTROL OUR WORLD BY TAKING HUMAN FORM AND GAINING POLITICAL POWER?
Yes...............4%
Unsure...............7%

DO YOU BELIEVE PAUL McCARTNEY DIED IN A CAR CRASH IN 1966 AND WAS REPLACED BY A LOOKALIKE?
Yes...............5%
Unsure...............14%

DO YOU BELIEVE EXHAUST SEEN IN THE SKY BEHIND AIRPLANES IS ACTUALLY CHEMICALS SPRAYED BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR SINISTER REASONS?
Yes...............5%
Unsure...............8%

DO YOU BELIEVE OSAMA BIN LADEN IS STILL ALIVE?
Yes...............6%
Unsure...............11%

DO YOU BELIEVE THE MOON LANDING WAS FAKED?
Yes...............7%
Unsure...............9%

DO YOU BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT ADDS FLUORIDE TO THE WATER FOR A MORE SINISTER REASON THAN DENTAL HEALTH?
Yes...............9%
Unsure...............17%

DO YOU BELIEVE THE U.S. GOVERNMENT KNOWINGLY ALLOWED THE 9/11 ATTACKS TO HAPPEN?
Yes...............11%
Unsure...............11%

DO YOU BELIEVE PRESIDENT OBAMA IS THE ANTI-CHRIST?
Yes...............13%
Unsure...............13%

DO YOU BELIEVE THE CIA DISTRIBUTED CRACK COCAINE INTO AMERICA IN THE 1980s?
Yes...............14%
Unsure...............30%

DO YOU BELIEVE IN BIGFOOT OR SASQUATCH?
Yes...............14%
Unsure...............14%

DO YOU BELIEVE THE PHARMACEUTICAL AND MEDICAL INDUSTRIES ARE IN LEAGUE TO INVENT NEW DISEASES TO MAKE MONEY?
Yes...............15%
Unsure...............16%

DO YOU BELIEVE THE MEDIA OR GOVERNMENT ADDS SECRET MIND-CONTROLLING TECHNOLOGY TO TV BROADCASTS?
Yes...............15%
Unsure...............15%

DO YOU BELIEVE THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN CHILDHOOD VACCINES AND AUTISM?
Yes...............20%
Unsure...............34%

DO YOU BELIEVE A UFO CRASHED AT ROSWELL IN 1947 AND THE GOVERNMENT COVERED IT UP?
Yes...............21%
Unsure...............32%

DO YOU BELIEVE SADDAM HUSSEIN WAS INVOLVED IN THE 9/11 ATTACKS?
Yes...............28%
Unsure...............22%

DO YOU BELIEVE A SECRETIVE POWER ELITE IS CONSPIRING TO RULE THE WORLD THROUGH AN AUTHORITARIAN WORLD GOVERNMENT?
Yes...............28%
Unsure...............25%

DO YOU BELIEVE ALIENS EXIST?
Yes...............29%
Unsure...............24%

DO YOU BELIEVE GLOBAL WARMING IS A HOAX?
Yes...............37%
Unsure...............12%

DO YOU BELIEVE LEE HARVEY OSWALD DID NOT ACT ALONE IN KILLING JFK?
Yes...............51%
Unsure...............24%

2 comments:

  1. I have my doubts about JFKs assassination too and I am a rational, logical, progressive, agnostic, military brat whose father had a top secret clearance. He was the one who gave me reason to doubt the findings of the Warren Commission. I have seen many interviews with experts and eye-witnesses and there is way too much conflicting information. We won't know what really happened for at least a hundred years so I will never really know what happened in my lifetime. Dang! At least I am not alone.

    ReplyDelete
  2. GB-
    I respect your opinion, and I have many friends that agree with you -- but for myself, I have never heard or seen any evidence that convinces me that Oswald did not act alone.

    ReplyDelete

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