You know, prior to the advent of the Internet and especially social media, conspiracy theories didn't seem to run rampant like they do now.

Who was really responsible for John F. Kennedy's assassination and whether or not the moon landing really happened--many still believe it was all done on a Hollywood soundstage--are the big ones I remember from my youth. The Watergate break-in would have made a GREAT conspiracy theory, except that THAT was true.

But in 2024, you can't open a social media platform without getting bombarded by some of the most asinine stories you've ever seen. Here in Kentucky, we do not escape the "conspiracy theory bug." Three, in particular, raised my eyebrows enough to share them with you.

No Gold in Fort Knox

This one goes all the way back to 2015 and maybe even further. It was nine years ago when the late Texas Congressman Ron Paul suggested that all the gold in Fort Knox had been sold off. He also sought to audit the reserves which, at the time, were estimated to total some $317 billion. Based on what was published in The Week at the time, I can only guess that Paul's contention was based on the simple fact that he'd never actually SEEN the gold in Fort Knox. In same story, sources debunked the congressman's wild claim, saying that if all the gold HAD been sold off, the market and perhaps the Federal Reserve would have gone up in flames. A year later, Ron Paul would find a kindred spirit on Facebook:

The Bluegrass Conspiracy

International drug smuggling, dirty cops, high-fallutin' corruption, and money laundering are all themes that run through the story of silver-spoon-born Andrew Thornton who, in 1985, parachuted to his death while carrying tons of cash and about 150 pounds of cocaine. The lifelong adventure seeker couldn't ever seem to pack enough thrills into his existence, and it seems to have ultimately led to his demise. The story unfolds more intricately in author Sally Denton's The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power, Greed, Drugs & Murder. For the casual observer, the viral point of THIS story is what, not who, found and consumed a great deal of Thornton's cocaine. He had four legs, lots of fur, and growled. And his taxidermized body currently resides in Lexington's Kentucky Fun Mall. Yes, this is the story of the Cocaine Bear which is where the "conspiracy theory" aspect of all this lies.

There are some who have wondered if Andrew Thornton is still alive, but there are also those who believe Elvis Presley is still alive, too.

The Secret Missile Silo

I suppose that since multiple cave systems lie beneath Kentucky, it only makes sense that a conspiracy theory about a secret missile silo would find its way into online discourse. It's not like there isn't any room down there. Except, this one is about mysterious TUNNELS that double as silos. However, this one is easily debunked since you can't find anything about it online other than the theories The Lexington Times turned up on Reddit, which appear to have been deleted.

Do I enjoy conspiracy theories? I absolutely do. I regard them as fan fiction and move on.

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