# How soon until the Tsarnaev brothers were framed conspiracy theory takes root? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 20, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215 "2013-04-20T13:27:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/41 "2013-04-22T19:55:21Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > And then there’s that [Alex Jones](http://www.salon.com/2013/04/19/alex_jones_is_phoning_it_in/) asshole (link to Salon article, not to his site). Which Jones released **before** the culprits were identified – in fact, within 24 hours of the bombing – which should tell you all you need to know. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/42 "2013-04-22T20:03:40Z")
So has Beck dropped his bombshell yet? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/43 "2013-04-22T22:57:33Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > So has Beck dropped his bombshell yet? No, but I’m all prepared with the Air Wick! ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/44 "2013-04-23T09:23:47Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I’ve seen similar theories advanced by other crackpot loons who think 9/11 was a frameup, that vaccines are a sinister government tool to control us etc. > > Crank magnetism has already sucked this story into its orbit. You should take it as inevitable that all bombings, massacres, assassinations, etc. in the US will get a conspriracy theory. Nowadays, even before the smoke clears from wherever it happened. There’s CTs for the Aurora theater and Newtown school massacres, for example. Also for Representative Giffords’ shooting. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if there’s one for the West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion. (I’m not going to waste my time googling for it, though; I’ll just assume it’s out there.) ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/45 "2013-04-23T15:28:01Z")
> [@phantom\_lamb](#): > > Hehe, [the most elaborate “conspiracy!” post I’ve seen so far](http://imgur.com/a/Nx8EU)… > [Warning: VERY graphic picture of dead suspect among the photos] Wow. That’s not even making the slightest effort to be sane, mixing photos of Tamerlan Tsaertev with photos of other suspects, and claiming that the original tweet was right despite it mentioning the NRA, etc. Conspiracy theorists were better in the old days. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/46 "2013-04-23T15:31:30Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Conspiracy theorists were better in the old days. ☹ On the Internet they make up for it on volume. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/47 "2013-04-23T15:58:28Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > [That sounds vaguely familiar](http://www.globalresearch.ca/bin-laden-family-members-evacuated-from-us-in-wake-of-the-9-11-attacks/15186). OT: I saw it first hand. When 9-11 hit, I worked for the government of a small village. I was watching it all go down on TV at the police department. The reaction when bin Ladin was implicated: “Oh shit. Doesn’t one of his brothers live here in town?” Indeed he did. His family didn’t leave the US until the following week, but in the meantime, there was a 24 hour police presence at his house. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/48 "2013-04-23T16:00:40Z")
[NaturalNews](http://www.naturalnews.com/039981_Boston_marathon_suspects_media_blackout.html) never fails to come through. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/49 "2013-04-23T19:48:53Z")
Conspiracy theories are inevitable, but in this case, I’m guessing there will be far fewer loonies saying “They were framed” than well-meaning liberals arguing, “It was OUR fault- we made those poor boys feel like outsiders! We DROVE them to anger, despair and murder!” Katie Roiphe is already peddling that line. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/50 "2013-04-23T20:48:51Z")
I’m currently duking it out with someone on Facebook who thinks it’s a big coverup because the Boston police commissioner referred to the brothers as “the two actors . . . the two individuals.” Because “actor” can’t also mean “one who performs an action,” despite the fact that that definition is the first one in Webster’s. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/51 "2013-04-23T20:52:48Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Katie Roiphe is already peddling that line. I’ll raise you a [Megan Garber](http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/04/the-boston-bombers-were-muslim-so/275154/). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/52 "2013-04-23T20:55:33Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Conspiracy theories are inevitable, but in this case, I’m guessing there will be far fewer loonies saying “They were framed” than well-meaning liberals arguing, “It was OUR fault- we made those poor boys feel like outsiders! We DROVE them to anger, despair and murder!” Not a chance. Like I said, the conspiracy theory lunacy started before the dust even settled and you can find millions and millions of hits if you search for related terms. The “our fault” people have a ton of work to do if they want to catch up. ---
**Author:** ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/53 "2013-04-23T20:59:07Z")
> [@phantom\_lamb](#): > > Hehe, [the most elaborate “conspiracy!” post I’ve seen so far](http://imgur.com/a/Nx8EU)… > [Warning: VERY graphic picture of dead suspect among the photos] Ah, brilliant! 1. Some other individual at the marathon wore a cap with a clipart Punisher skull logo. 2. A modified version of this clipart is used by private security firm Craft International. 3. Thus, someone from Craft International — and not the Tsarnaevs — planted and set off the bomb. 4. An anonymous poster on 4chan claimed to be part of the government coverup. 5. If an anonymous poster on 4chan says something then it’s true. 6. Thus, the government hired Craft International to bomb the Boston Marathon. Also: 1. Here’s a photograph of the elder Tsarnaev in boxing attire. 2. … 3. Profit. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/54 "2013-04-23T21:35:40Z")
So… Beck’s big scoop…? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/55 "2013-04-26T14:53:26Z")
A whole new meme has developed around the Tsarnaev brothers: don’t blame Islam, blame BOXING! > **[The Brain of a Bomber: Did Damage Caused By Boxing Play a Role in the Boston...](https://healthland.time.com/2013/04/23/cte/)** > > Questions about traumatic brain injury and bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev begin to surface > **[Should Neuroscientists Test Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s Brain for CTE?](https://slate.com/technology/2013/04/tamerlan-tsarnaev-cte-the-debate-over-whether-to-test-the-former-boxer-for-signs-of-brain-injury.html)** > > Last Friday, former amateur boxer and presumed Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev perished in a firefight with police. On Saturday, his corpse... > **[Did Boxing Concussions Cause Changes In Tamerlan Tsarnaev?](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dr-robert-cantu-professor_n_3159194)** > > Did Boxing Concussions Cause Changes In Tamerlan Tsarnaev? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215/56 "2013-04-26T15:05:08Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > A whole new meme has developed around the Tsarnaev brothers: don’t blame Islam, blame BOXING! “This terrorism angle is boring. Is there some way we can tie it into a newer, sexier national concern like concussions or oversized sodas or poop cruises?” At least the Healthland piece has some solid reasoning that we can dismiss this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-soon-until-the-tsarnaev-brothers-were-framed-conspiracy-theory-takes-root/656215.md?page=2)