[jamieb]

Watergate "Scandal". From wikipedia: "On September 15, a grand jury indicted them, as well as Hunt and Liddy,[9] for conspiracy, burglary, and violation of federal wiretapping laws."

I find it interesting that when the Watergate "Conspiracy Theory" was proven, two things happened:

1. The perpetrators were charged with conspiracy (proving it was a conspiracy), and yet:

2. The Watergate Conspiracy was henceforth known as the Watergate Scandal.

In the Iran-Contra "Affair", "Fawn Hall, Oliver North's secretary was given immunity from prosecution on charges of conspiracy and destroying documents in exchange for her testimony."

Again:

1. Perpetrators charged with conspiracy.

2. The conspiracy is henceforth known as The Iran-Contra Affair.

Rinse, repeat.

[derleth]

You're being dishonest. That isn't what 'conspiracy theory' means and you know it. Noun phrases aren't defined by taking their words one by one; they have to be understood as a unit.

[jamieb]

Wikipedia again:

"Originally a neutral term, since the mid-1960s it has acquired a somewhat derogatory meaning, implying a paranoid tendency to see the influence of some malign covert agency in events.[5] The term is sometimes used to automatically dismiss claims that are deemed ridiculous, misconceived, paranoid, unfounded, outlandish or irrational.[6][page needed] A proven conspiracy theory, such as the notion that United States President Richard Nixon and his aides conspired to cover up Watergate, is usually referred to as something else, such as investigative journalism or historical analysis."

Ironic, isn't it, that since the time when genuine conspiracies at the highest level have come to light, the term has been successfully modified in the general vernacular to mean a ridiculous or paranoid idea.

I'm not falling for the redefinition. You're welcome to.

[derleth]

Nobody's falling for anything except the people who think English is controlled by a secret cabal.