9-11 Truth holds one-year anniversary meeting
911Truth.org executive director visited the 9-11 Truth of Central Iowa meeting in Adel Monday, Sept. 14 offering suggestions on how citizens can be pro-active with their government to demand the truth behind the events of 9-11.



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(Gold9472: Congratulations to Janice.)

By: Amber Williams
09/18/2008

911Truth.org executive director visited the 9-11 Truth of Central Iowa meeting in Adel Monday, Sept. 14 offering suggestions on how citizens can be pro-active with their government to demand the truth behind the events of 9-11.

Few things are free in this world. And, as the old motto goes, not even freedom is free.

But the 9-11 Truth of Central Iowa first annual film festival was free. Its organizers said that's because information is power, so they give it away. In fact, they gave away more than 700 free DVDs, each documentary depicting different questions and theories about the truth about the events of September 11, 2001.

And, so the story goes: it was a dark and stormy night last week, Thursday, September 11. A handful of people stood beneath the glowing marquee at Varsity Theatre in Des Moines' Drake University neighborhood. They came to see the show and to remember 9-11. Gradually, the group of viewers grew, one by one, as they came in out of the rain, shaking off their coats, and stood in the popcorn line.

People from throughout the Des Moines area, as far as Ames, Ankeny and Altoona, signed their names to a mailing list in the lobby, all curious about what the group's about. In fact, almost 200 people filled the seats to watch "Zero: An Investigation Into 9-11" on the big screen, which inspired an uproarious applause when the lights came on.

The documentary film, produced by Italian company Telemaco, explores witness testimonies backed by scientific evidence which directly conflicts with the U.S. government's account of 9-11. In the film, interviewees, ranging from college professors, architects, a Nobel-prize winner and eye-witness survivors, tell a different tale than the "9-11 Commissioners Report."

"Zero" is just one of several similar videos the 9-11 Truth of Central Iowa group has been viewing since its inception one year ago. It is one of 250 groups that have formed all over the world. Organizer and college professor James Hufferd, of Adel was in awe of the turn-out on Sept. 11, and has seen his meetings grow from five guests, on its first night, to as many as 50 in recent months.

"We've had our ups and downs, but things are growing, and I think they will keep growing from here on out," Hufferd said. "Our mission is to learn and distribute information based on facts."

At the groups one-year anniversary meeting Monday, Sept. 15, at the Adel Public Library, Hufferd welcomed about 25 people, one of whom was Janice Matthews, executive director of the 9-11 Truth international organization based in Kansas.

Despite a self-proclaimed "far right wing" heckler from Perry who was among the crowd, all listened attentively as Matthews explained the initiatives of the movement.

"The issues surrounding 9-11, and its consequences, affect each of us, and as a fellow Midwesterner, I am encouraged to hear of so many people asking questions and wanting to consider the ramifications of policies and societal changes since 9-11," Matthews said. "This is an each-one-teach-one kind of process, and we each must persist in pressing our points if we are to correct our country's present course."

Due to her national activism efforts since 2001, Matthews became the outreach coordinator for 911Truth.org in 2004, shortly after the movement was born. In 2006, she became the executive director and the organization's only paid employee.

"We don't know the answers," Matthews admitted. "All we know is that we don't know things we should; the events of 9-11 have never been handled as a criminal matter; justice has not been served; and the families still want closure."

After her presentation, the group discussed different ideas one person can do to mobilize the 9-11 Truth agenda, such as various low- to no-cost advertising campaigns, boycotts, community resources and non-violent acts of civil disobedience.

"It amazes me what we can accomplish with so little in the way of resources, but rather sheer perseverance and persistence," Matthews said. "The Central Iowa movement is exciting. This small group of dedicated activists was able to turn out 175 people for a movie-showing last week on the seventh anniversary of 9-11. Only 150 showed up at the Boston showing. I think that's very exciting.

"Iowa is fortunate to have so many dedicated Americans willing to sacrifice their time, energy and resources to truly participate in Constitutional Democracy," she added. "As they say, democracy is not a spectator sport."

To learn more about the 9-11 Truth movement, visit www.911truth.org. The next local meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21, at the Adel Public Library.