Conspiracy Theory

In her best selling book,  The Smear, Sharyl Attikison, coined the term "controversialize" to describe how the media (following the bidding of Washington smear shops) attempts to dismiss any information that conflicts with their prevailing narrative. That's why they consistently label ideas, arguments and even hard facts as the stuff of "conspiracy theory" when those ideas, arguments and facts conflict with the propaganda they are trying to promote.  In many cases, the truth ultimately comes out, but the damage has already been done.

Way back in April of 2020, I joined many observers who suggested that the Wuhan Virology lab may have been the source of COVID-19. All of us who suggested that possibility were dismissed as "conspiracy theorists." The reason: Donald Trump had also suggested the same thing, and nothing that Trump ever said could be anything but a "lie."

Thirteen months later and our supposed experts (think: Anthony Fauci, MD) along with their media shills seem to be changing their tune. Richard Fernandez comments:

Why are Biden and the media suddenly open to the former “conspiracy theory” of a lab origin of the coronavirus pandemic. First it was never purely a conspiracy theory. From the beginning many reputable experts urged the possibility be investigated. What may be happening is the tide is turning within the bureaucratic scientific establishment. As we learn more about the virus and the so-called missing link continues to be missing it is becoming increasingly difficult to blithely accept the original MSM assurance.

What really terrified the dogs chasing the China car was not the lack of science but what to do if they caught it.

WSJ News Exclusive | Intelligence on Sick Staff at Wuhan Lab Fuels Debate on Covid-19 Origin  Three researchers from the Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick enough in November 2019 that they sought hospital care, according to a U.S. intelligence report, fueling debate over Covid-19’s origin.

The virus could have been one of natural origin that was brought back to a laboratory in Wuhan—intentionally or accidentally—and escaped. 

The Biden administration has recommended to the WHO that it lead a fuller investigation into the possibility of a lab leak, backing a call by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who has offered to deploy specialists. An investigation should include other laboratories in Wuhan, not just the WIV, and the team conducting it should include laboratory safety experts, according to a U.S. health official. “We should be able to look at biosafety records and interview staff members,” the official said.

Suddenly. 

You'd think that those who controversialize claims made by their opponents might learn from this and back off just a bit. Maybe other claims that run against the prevailing narrative deserve a little investigation to determine whether or not they have merit. 

Nah, it's much easier to dismiss them as "conspiracy theory" — until they aren't.

UPDATE (27 May 2021):

The editors of the Wall Street Journal report on the Biden administration's attempt to get ahead of the Left's now-failed attempt to quash the Wuhan Lab Leak story. They write:

... it was always reasonable to ask if the virus came from a nearby lab that handled dangerous viruses. On Feb. 6, 2020, Botao Xiao of the South China University of Technology posted a paper concluding the virus “probably originated from a laboratory in Wuhan.” But the Chinese government strictly controls research into Covid-19’s origins, and the molecular biomechanics researcher withdrew his publication.

The Communist Party then went on offense, with Beijing’s ambassador to the U.S. declaring that lab-leak theories were “absolutely crazy” and could “fan up racial discrimination, xenophobia.” After Mr. Cotton responded by calling on China to “open up now to competent international scientists,” the media chose denial: “Tom Cotton keeps repeating a coronavirus conspiracy theory that was already debunked” (Washington Post) and “Senator Tom Cotton Repeats Fringe Theory of Coronavirus Origins” ( New York Times ).The public-health clerisy also set boundaries for allowable discussion. On Feb. 19, 2020, the Lancet published a statement by scientists condemning “conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin.” Although some academics quietly dissented, the document was promoted as proof that the lab possibility was “debunked.”

The Lancet statement was organized by Peter Daszak, whose nonprofit has funded research at the WIV. He had a clear interest in dismissing the lab theory, which could put future research dollars at risk ...

The real scandal is almost always the attempted cover-up, and for over a year the Left and its media allies have attempted a cover-up by controversializing the Wuhan lab origins of COVID-19. They claimed that anyone who argued in its favor was a "conspiracy theorist" who promoted a "debunked" story. Odd how that attack vector is no longer used, now that Biden is president.