Pilot – Truth is Just as Strange as Fiction
September 11th, 2001. I’m asleep. California is three hours behind New York. I have an anthropology class later in the afternoon that I don’t want to attend. I’m peacefully in bed dreamingâÂ?¦
And then my cell goes off.
“Connie, go turn on the TV.”
“Huh, what, Beatty? I’m asleep.”
“Go turn it on. Someone crashed a plane into the World Trade building. It’s on fire.”
Like the rest of America not directly able to witness the tragedy in person, I watched remotely on TV with the live feeds of the second plane, the towers collapsing, the smoke and the people running in the streets.
May God, the Light which is goodness and truth, ease the souls of those lost that horrible day. May they find a place with no suffering and no pain, and may their loved ones find comfort knowing they have gone to a place of peace.
I remember a strange thought popping into my head as I witnessed the tv feeds. “This seems so familiar. It feels too surreal, like Hollywood Like something I’ve seen in a movie or a tv show before.”
It was. I had seen it in a TV Show.
In March of 2001 the popular X-Files had a spinoff entitled ‘The Lone Gunmen’. Based on 3 supporting characters from the government conspiracy based drama, the Lone Gunmen was a much more lighthearted approach to cover-ups, mysteries, and misdirection.
These three, characters named Melvin Frohike, John Fitzgerald Byers, and Richard Langly, were allies and informants to FBI Agent Fox Mulder. Their show covered the articles posted in their underground periodical ‘The Lone Gunmen’ and the investigation behind these articles. It aired 13 episodes between March and June of 2001 and was cancelled due to low ratings. For many it was just too silly and comedic of a series, especially when compared to the grave nature of its’ parent.
Note those dates: The first episode aired on March 4th of 2001. This pilot episode was entitled, appropriately, ‘Pilot
The plot was quite simple. A government conspiracy was discovered which would simulate a terrorist attack in order to drive up arms sales and spark a massive build up in military spending. This plot involved a remote-controlled plane which was to be crashed into the World Trade Center. To quote the episode, bring down a fully loaded 727 into the middle of New York City and you’ll find a dozen tin-pot dictators all over the world just clamoring to take responsibility, and begging to be smart-bombed.
Again, note the date. March 4th, 2001.
So please. Next time you wish to believe the ‘We had no way of knowing this would happen’ comments the government feeds you, next time you want to believe them when they said ‘Who could have forseen this coming’âÂ?¦
Find the Pilot Episode of the Lone Gunman. It’s on YouTube and also out in boxed set DVD with the rest of the Lone Gunman’s episodes (Though none approach the gravity of this one).
The Truth is Out There.
