Dallas Museum Gives Conspiracy the Money Theories a Run
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A maims doh. SE FieNcilico %ad.), F.mair. and Chloride SAN FRANCISCO Dallas museum gives conspiracy Free speech goes EXAMINER amok in displays debunking America theories a run for By David Barbosa &w YORK mss * * Sunday. May 28. 1995 C-9 DALLAS — The voice coming from the television monitor tells of a vast conspiracy to control the White House. It says the Warren the money Commission Report was "born piracy Museum, an exhibit space long before the president was as- hat opened last month just three sassinated." It even asserts that blocks from Dealey Plaza, where Lee Harvey Oswald is still alive. Kennedy was killed in 1963. Make another selection on one In highly conspiratorial tones, of six video monitors and the omi- the museum traces America's his- nous voice will declare that the tory of assassinations back to the "umbrella man," who is seen in the age of Andrew Jackson, who was most complete film footage taken the target of a failed attempt on his of the assassination, actually shot a life. poison dart into President John F. The museum is the pet project Kennedy's throat and that the of a Harvard-educated architect, White House is controlled by a RR. Cutler, a self-proclaimed "as- group of financiers, warmongers sasainologist." Cutler, 81, who Is and government bureaucrats, la- from a -wealthy family that made beled the "Professional War Ma- its money in the fertilizer business, chine." says he has spent about $400,000 Glance to the left or right, and on the museum, which promotes there is a 108-foot-long mural cov- and displays his theories. ered with abstract bloodstains that The museum is in the right is meant to illustrate several more place. City officials say about 6 far-out theories, all of which co- million people visit the Dealey Pla- alesce around one overarching con- za area each year. More than 1,200 spiracy: a conspiracy that binds all people have visited the museum conspiracies, from the death of since it opened April 4. Mary Jo Kopechne at Chappa- "If we could export the Kennedy quiddick (a plot to keep Sen. Ed- assassination to Japan," said one ward Kennedy from the presiden- cy), to the downing of Korean Air- of the museum's three staff mem- bers, Ron Rice, "we'd be instant lines Flight 007 (a CIA plot to prolong the Cold War). millionaires." It's really strange' Assassination sites "It's really strange," Linda Mc- In recent years, attendance has Cabe of nearby Plano said recently nearly doubled at the Sixth Floor, as she turned away from a monitor. the permanent exhibit on the Ken- "I think you'd really have to be into nedy legacy that opened in 1989 in, conspiracies to come here." the former Texas School Book De- Another visitor advised on a • pository, on the floor from which • comment card, "Seek help." the Warren Commission said Os- wald shot Kennedy. Several ph- The videos are part of the Con- I • • • •••••••••,',",M7:*1-.•.`">,"'IWIpz,6.... "'"WATISVM 457";0)..,,DMF.,.454f7,477M'7,-."MM7 A maims doh. SE FieNcilico %ad.), F.mair. and Chloride SAN FRANCISCO Dallas museum gives conspiracy Free speech goes EXAMINER amok in displays debunking America theories a run for By David Barbosa &w YORK mss * * Sunday. May 28. 1995 C-9 DALLAS — The voice coming from the television monitor tells of a vast conspiracy to control the White House. It says the Warren the money Commission Report was "born piracy Museum, an exhibit space long before the president was as- hat opened last month just three sassinated." It even asserts that blocks from Dealey Plaza, where Lee Harvey Oswald is still alive. Kennedy was killed in 1963. Make another selection on one In highly conspiratorial tones, of six video monitors and the omi- the museum traces America's his- nous voice will declare that the tory of assassinations back to the "umbrella man," who is seen in the age of Andrew Jackson, who was most complete film footage taken the target of a failed attempt on his of the assassination, actually shot a life. poison dart into President John F. The museum is the pet project Kennedy's throat and that the of a Harvard-educated architect, White House is controlled by a RR. Cutler, a self-proclaimed "as- group of financiers, warmongers sasainologist." Cutler, 81, who Is and government bureaucrats, la- from a -wealthy family that made beled the "Professional War Ma- its money in the fertilizer business, chine." says he has spent about $400,000 Glance to the left or right, and on the museum, which promotes there is a 108-foot-long mural cov- and displays his theories. ered with abstract bloodstains that The museum is in the right is meant to illustrate several more place. City officials say about 6 far-out theories, all of which co- million people visit the Dealey Pla- alesce around one overarching con- za area each year. More than 1,200 spiracy: a conspiracy that binds all people have visited the museum conspiracies, from the death of since it opened April 4. Mary Jo Kopechne at Chappa- "If we could export the Kennedy quiddick (a plot to keep Sen. Ed- assassination to Japan," said one ward Kennedy from the presiden- cy), to the downing of Korean Air- of the museum's three staff mem- bers, Ron Rice, "we'd be instant lines Flight 007 (a CIA plot to prolong the Cold War). millionaires." It's really strange' Assassination sites "It's really strange," Linda Mc- In recent years, attendance has Cabe of nearby Plano said recently nearly doubled at the Sixth Floor, as she turned away from a monitor. the permanent exhibit on the Ken- "I think you'd really have to be into nedy legacy that opened in 1989 in, conspiracies to come here." the former Texas School Book De- Another visitor advised on a • pository, on the floor from which • comment card, "Seek help." the Warren Commission said Os- wald shot Kennedy. Several ph- The videos are part of the Con- I • • • •••••••••,',",M7:*1-.•.`">,"'IWIpz,6.... "'"WATISVM 457";0)..,,DMF.,.454f7,477M'7,-."MM7 vete companies now offer tours of "Case Closed," was widely praised "It's a Conspiracy" and "Unsolved other assassination sites, including as a convincing argument that Os- Texas Mysteries" and "Paranoid" the rooming house where Oswald wald worked alone, said Cutler was magazine. stayed. known for constructing one of the Admission is $7 and includes a• But for hard-core theorists, the most thorough maps of Dealey Pla- walking tour with Rice, a former •Conspiracy Museum is the only za. But,. Posner added, "Even police officer who says he has spent place that aggressively examines among conspiracy theorists, he's 18 years researching the assassina- the plot. Whereas the atmosphere not in the mainstream? tion. Apart from the museum's "of- in the Sixth Floor is tight, profes- The museum is short on arti- ficial" theories, Rice has a few of sional and historical, that in the facts and long on suppositions, his own, and will show some fuzzy Conspiracy Museum is loose, free- which are explained in its art work, pictures as proof of his case. thinking and speculative. diagrams and "video kiosks." The On the museum videos, Cutler's Gerald Posner, whose book, bookstore is stacked with titles like voice can be heard saying things like, "Clear the Oswald name of all hear somebody's opinion," said guilt," and, "You must never for- Henry Thomas of Fort Worth. get, the Warren report is a lie." More visitors, though, are like Cutler, who practices Zen, ends Jay Wilson, an oil man from Ste- each voice-over with the word, phens, Ark., who says that al- "ohimsa," meaning not forceful. though he does not accept the mu- While Cutler said one purpose seum's theory of the Kennedy as- of the museum is to help people sassination, he also doubts the come to peace with the events of government version. November 1963, some visitors "There's one thing for sure," he leave more confused than ever or said, turning to his wife, Fay. "We frustrated with the spare displays. know it didn't happen like they "I can't believe I just paid $7 to said it happened." vete companies now offer tours of "Case Closed," was widely praised "It's a Conspiracy" and "Unsolved other assassination sites, including as a convincing argument that Os- Texas Mysteries" and "Paranoid" the rooming house where Oswald wald worked alone, said Cutler was magazine. stayed. known for constructing one of the Admission is $7 and includes a• But for hard-core theorists, the most thorough maps of Dealey Pla- walking tour with Rice, a former •Conspiracy Museum is the only za. But,. Posner added, "Even police officer who says he has spent place that aggressively examines among conspiracy theorists, he's 18 years researching the assassina- the plot. Whereas the atmosphere not in the mainstream? tion. Apart from the museum's "of- in the Sixth Floor is tight, profes- The museum is short on arti- ficial" theories, Rice has a few of sional and historical, that in the facts and long on suppositions, his own, and will show some fuzzy Conspiracy Museum is loose, free- which are explained in its art work, pictures as proof of his case. thinking and speculative. diagrams and "video kiosks." The On the museum videos, Cutler's Gerald Posner, whose book, bookstore is stacked with titles like voice can be heard saying things like, "Clear the Oswald name of all hear somebody's opinion," said guilt," and, "You must never for- Henry Thomas of Fort Worth.