The "Facts" Keep Changing About the Boston Bombings -- And It"s Fueling a Conspiracy Theory Industry

Important details like the suspects" weapons, NYC plans and the shootout keep changing.

In the aftermath of massive, complicated crimes it’s not uncommon for a bit of crucial information to be immediately put forward by police, only to be contradicted later on. While it’s understandable that initial leads and assertions might end up being wrong in a dynamic situation like the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing, wholesale contradictions can encourage skepticism of the motives of those releasing inaccuracies — as with initial, false reports that Osama bin Laden hid behind his wife when U.S. forces shot him. Another effect of changing details can be to encourage conspiracy theorists who latch onto inconsistencies, and to undermine trust in authorities.

Now, almost a week after the Tsarnaev brothers fought a rolling street battle with dozens of heavily armed police officers, we learned Wednesday night that they had only a single handgun, according to sources who spoke with ABC News and the AP, something that directly contradicts what officials had previously said.

Here are some of the biggest changes to facts released in this investigation:

• Suspects’ arms – After the manhunt, Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said the brothers were “heavily armed” and numerous reports detailed a fairly extensive arsenal. According to a New York Times report from April 21 citing a law enforcement official, “The authorities found an M-4 carbine rifle … two handguns and a BB gun.” Now unnamed sources say there was only a single 9mm pistol between the two brothers. Indeed, photos of the shootout suggest only one brother had a weapon.


• Boat gunfight? – Police initially reported that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev fired on police when they found him hiding in a boat Friday night. “It was back and forth … yes — he was firing,” Watertown Police Chief Ed Deveau told CNN Saturday (though the FBI cautioned at the time that only federal authorities had official information). In its definitive “tick tock” of the events, the Washington Post reported that the suspect inside the boat “was shooting back.” But later, the Washington Post and the AP reported yesterday that Tsarnaev was unarmed when police found him after what what was described as a gunfight. As it turns out, police may have been spooked by an errant shot, and fired into the boat, but apparently zero shots came out.


• 7 -Eleven and the MIT officer – Initial reports suggested the brothers tried to hold up a 7-Eleven, and then killed an MIT officer who either responded to the robbery or just happened to be in the area. But days later, authorities revealed that the holdup was committed by different suspects and the confusion was caused by the close proximity of the two events. It’s still unknown exactly why the brothers killed the police officer.


• Carjacking – Some reports indicate that the person whom the brothers carjacked escapedwhile they inexplicably went into a store to buy snacks, while others say the brothers let the victim go because he wasn’t American. It’s also still unclear which brother stole the black SUV, and which drove the Honda that followed.


• Trip to NYC - What the suspects did after the bombing remains a mystery, but one detail that emerged was that they were planning to head to New York City — to party. That’s what New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said yesterday. But today, NBC News reports the brothers discussed trying to detonate a bomb in Times Square, but that the plan was not well developed and “aspirational at most.”

We’ll update this post as more examples emerge.

 

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The "Facts" Keep Changing About the Boston Bombings -- And It"s Fueling a Conspiracy Theory Industry

Changing in the Face of Change

by Zen Gardner

Things change more than we think. Way more and in more ways. Even when we’re aware of the underlying reality of constant change, we reference new changes by our memory and perception of old changes. Those are based on previous reference points. And they’re all in transition.

We’re judging change by points of attachment. That cannot be very accurate. Nor fully conscious.

I’m continually shocked to realize how attached I am to my various “points of view” while thinking I’m not. But that’s how the mind is wired and what we’re up against.

The Subtle Reflex

Simply put, everything’s shifting. And in shifting ways. In a shifting perception of change. What I realized I was comparing to was an emotional imprint. I was looking back to different periods of time in my life in comparison to what I’m going through now. Consciously conjuring up old impressions in contrast to a current experience.

All relative.

And for whatever reason. Understanding, nostalgia, encouragement, comparison. There’s so much that flows through our minds as we seek meaning and definition.

I realized how I frequently use old imprints to gauge comparative changes. Not necessarily bad in themselves as there’s no doubt something to learn, but I shouldn’t compare to times in my life when I was relatively unconscious. That’s the catch.

On top of that, these current vibrational changes are completely new, as am I. Recalling old imprints only reinforces my attachment to them. Good reminders of my unconscious past, but nothing more.

Conscious Climbing

Another analogy might be a rock climber who won’t fully let go of his gear attached to the lower rungs he made in his ascent. He’ll only get so far. As you go higher your perspective shifts phenomenally, but it won’t get to those really inspiring views if he won’t let go of those lower footholds that got him started.

And psychically these memory reference points are embedded in emotions and memory clusters. Very similar to the crystalline knots a massage therapist works out of muscle tissue that then have to be flushed from the system.

Memory can be an anchor. Beware.

But never stop climbing.

Letting Go in a Shifting Reality..or Not

It’s all good…if we let go into this shifting reality. A lot of people are fighting it. I’m seeing it in people I’m close to, and hearing this happening to folks from many sources. We knew the shift was hitting, but as we get further into it and our noses are closer to the details it starts getting very personal.

I should hope so. But when it hits it can be a stinker.

It’s again like the mountain analogy where it’s easy to see the full mountain range from afar but up close to the big climb and vast range of mountains you get all caught up in the foothills and the real climbing work begins as you bear down on the climb ahead. A total change of head.

It’s really a lifestyle shift. Or it should be. That’s what grabs the stubborn souls by the throat. Practicality. If someone doesn’t budge and they keep refusing to acknowledge the evident Truths around them and then yield to those Truths by consciously making the needed changes in their lives, it can be pretty tough.

These include disengaging from the system more, letting go of unfruitful and hindering relationships, adopting a healthier lifestyle both physically and mentally, and preparing spiritually and practically for the upcoming economic and social storm.

Those who refuse to see this will not be peaceful people or happy campers. You can spot them by their stress levels, and a fundamentally angry, confrontational attitude. They also vigorously put down anyone pointing out these evident Truths being made manifest.

You know who they are. Hopefully this will help spot them faster and better, as we don’t need to be subjected to their demeaning behavior or tainted information.

Defying the Control System

There’s really no reason not to disengage from the matrix, at least in stages. Those imaginary handcuffs of the mind are weaker than cooked spaghetti. It’s the habitual fear programming that keeps people from doing the obvious.

That’s the design, to paralyze humanity.

One of the real toughies has to do with relationships. There are many a couple who have diametrically opposed attitudes and perspectives, leaving very lonely and isolated individuals feeling lost in spiritually unfulfilling situations that wear on them pretty heavily. People do wake up all the time, but that type of situation I find particularly saddening and I know it’s taxing on the individual as well as collective consciousness.

There’s no blanket solution, everyone has to go according to how they’re led. But if you’re in one of those relationships, always do everything you can to keep strengthening your spiritual convictions and conscious awakening. Some local meet up groups can be very encouraging. The internet of course is the meeting place for most of us. I’m very blessed with an amazing mate who has gone through much of the same stages of awakening as myself and we now share every nuance together and can really talk about anything and everything.

I’ve also developed many wonderful relationships via the internet that’s an expanding, amazing community of awake, aware and loving souls that I’m so very privileged to know. I know that’s the case with many other people.

Our little email communities are the seed and fruit of the awakening.

Keep on and keep growing!

A Time of Change and a Time to Choose

But overall, it’s a challenge, especially for those caught in compromised situations. Reach out to those in need. Don’t necessarily meddle, but be there for their encouragement and a listening ear.  Just letting someone know you understand and care is so very powerful. As things take shape in people’s lives, more choices present themselves and as consciousness raises we’ll all know what to do, or not to do.

The awakening cannot be thwarted.

More often than not ours is to simply defy the system programming…disobey, disconnect, disengage, from anything they throw at us.

The rest will follow.

No man ever steps in the same river twice. For it is not the same river, and it is not the same man.

There is nothing permanent except change.

- Heraclitus

Much love, Zen

www.zengardner.com

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Changing in the Face of Change