Insane, deranged, crazy. In the hands of a tyrant, these aren't mere words, not impartial descriptions of thought or behavior. They're weapons. After all, there's nothing more damning, more completely dehumanizing than to call

someone crazy. The conspiracy theory thing, I'm just utterly shocked that they could try to make this,

it's, it's, you know how people wear tinfoil hats? I think they're wearing tinfoil condoms.

I'm not sure because they seem so crazy.

There's always been crazy conspiracy theories.

I think we've all got uncles over the Thanksgiving dinner

who's told us crazy stuff.

It started with the 9-11 truthers.

Crazy.

Then the birthers, crazy.

That the Bush administration could perhaps have had something to do with 9-11.

Facilitating 9-11, encouraging the actions that took place on 9-11.

That is insane.

That is literally insane. But sometimes crazy isn't just a figure of speech.

Sometimes it's a diagnosis.

And as long as there have been those willing to diagnose others as insane,

there have been those who have sought to use this as a label for their political enemies.

And why not?

Once diagnosed as mentally unsound, political dissidents can be treated as we have always treated those we dismiss as crazy.

They can be locked away, drugged, and subjected to all manner of torture in the name of treatment.

Now, the idea that would-be rulers would cynically use the lunatic cudgel against their

political enemies is bad enough. But what if the reality is the complete opposite of what is

...