But How Can They Keep Something So Big, Secret- For So Long...

During my recurring ill health the past two weeks (one kick ass flu, virus, bug whatever...) I once again got to looking at American Ground Zero-  a truly exceptional book, photographically and otherwise, documenting one of the most deviously deceptive, secretive, and yes, murderous programs ever unleashed on the American public. No one downwind of the hundreds, thousands of atomic tests has ever "officially" died of radiation poisoning. And yet their cancer rates went off the charts (just like the needles on their geiger counters) shortly after those tests started to occur. As for the thousands of livestock, cattle and sheep that just dropped dead where they stood or were born without vital body organs- "malnourishment." Think of it, in Chernobyl they at least made some effort to lead people out of harm's way- the good ol' US of A knowingly let its children play in radioactive fallout for years (to "protect" us from those very Russians).

These down winders, test workers and soldiers were expendable guinea pigs who were sentenced to slow and agonizingly painful deaths of the most horrific magnitude imaginable. And our government will never own up to the fact that they were directly responsible, despite the damning evidence, both overwhelming and indisputable. Fortunately, the entire text of Carole Gallagher's extensive research is available online- just read a few of the seemingly endless interviews and you will quickly come to realize what nonsense even allegedly "educated" people are so fond and capable of spewing, gems like: But how can the government keep something so big, secret for so long!?

Christ- it's not even the right question! Governments don't have to keep it secret; yes, secrets get out every damn day! All they have to do is... deny- and governments manufacture denial at will. It's the one public relations ploy any government in the world, rich or poor, "democratic" or authoritarian, can rightly claim to practice with absolute expertise from day one. Deny, deny, deny- human nature and human frailty will do the rest. But don't take my word, make the time, read the stories of people deemed expendable in the worst possible way, then decide if you believe the honest to god word of these salt of the earth, true blue Americans...

This is more than a cautionary tale. It is a revelation of something apocalyptic. The Soviet Union was condemned by the world for keeping Chernobyl a three day secret. Our nuclear tests in Nevada were kept a 30 year secret. Our respected scientists, engineers, and administrations were the guilty parties and we, the American people, were kept wholly ignorant of peril without precedent..."   -Studs Terkel