Thank you for letters

Last week I wrote an editorial in the Messenger that mentioned conspiracy theories in government. I mentioned that they do and have existed for as long as time.

Probably the most well known turned out to be the believe it or not true story behind the Watergate Scandal in the '70s. What started out as a theory resulted in the resignation of President Nixon in 1974 and the arrest of several people in government.

Tips and inside information were given to several reporters. Media coverage in the New York Times, Time magazine and the Washington Post was extensive. Two reporters from the Washington Post relied heavily on anonymous sources during their investigative reporting. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein found information suggesting knowledge of the misdeeds by the Nixon administration to the American public led deep into the Justice Department, the FBI, the CIA and the White House. The most famous anonymous source was named Deep Throat.

The identity of Deep Throat was one of the biggest mysteries of American politics and journalism for over 30 years. Woodward and Bernstein gave their word they would not reveal his identity until he died or consented to going public.

In 2005 the truth was known. FBI Deputy Director William Mark Felt, Sr., was Deep Throat. He died in 2008 at the age of 95. In his book, A G-Man's Life written before he died (obviously) he wrote: "The bottom line is, we did get the whole truth out. Isn't that what the FBI is suppose to do?"

I do not deal with the FBI on a regular basis even though I do have a few FBI numbers in my Roll-a-dex. I am not asking people to become the Deep Throat of Mille Lacs County. But the bottom line here is also, we want to get the whole truth out.

There were several theories as to the identity of Deep Throat prior to Felt's confession. Some people considered Deep Throat was a compilation of several sources with individual threads of information woven together to become the mastermind of Deep Throat. But Woodward put that theory to rest when he confirmed Felt's identity.

I have received quite a few emails and letters from people writing of various issues they believe to be conspiracy theories. I thank you all for the tips. It may take a while to get to all of them. Several of the "ideas" are better letters written to your Congressmen or Senate or State Representatives. I thank you for your vote of confidence, but I don't think I can do anything about changing the name of the Rum River, or change history books about who should be called Native Americans, or get income taxes abolished. I tried to get Mother's Day and Father's Day switched around once. (Father's Day should be on fishing opener in May and Mother's Day should be in June when school is out. That just makes sense.) But the Governor didn't have much time for that idea.

My point is, thank you for the letters and ideas and theories. Keep them coming. Even if they are only threads of information. I thank you for trusting me. Trust is a two-way street. Confidential sources are confidential sources. Period. In Washington D.C. and in Mille Lacs County. Especially with me.

We want to get the whole truth out.

Peace.