— a “conspiracy theorist”!
As a spectator (with whiplash), allow me 2 toss in my 2 sense…
The following is a list of TIME’s “10 Most Popular Conspiracy Theories of all TIME”.
SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION
I don’t see the Elliott Smith case listed… Oh…it’s probably because not enough TIME has gone by, or that it isn’t a popular topic of conversation in some quarters. Or — maybe it’s really because the “conspiracy” angle just doesn’t have a place in this discussion. It might help sell a documentary (once inserted afterward as bonus material) that many Elliott Smith fans in particular do not consider “balanced”, but no need to invoke the appellation of “conspiracy theorist (terrorist)”. Well – Hell!&n
bsp; On the other hand, why not? In light of every other term being bandied about. Except —
bsp; On the other hand, why not? In light of every other term being bandied about. Except —
I don’t recall anyone on this blog promoting a “conspiracy theory” beyond the accumulative effect of idiosyncratic human behavior (well… amped up, for sure). I understand Alyson’s explanation of why she has continued to focus on the case. It remains open for investigation, and not as a “suicide” – for whatever reason – there it stands. Not only has the mode of death been difficult to determine, the amount of distorted information is difficult to address.
Representatives of law enforcement are routinely overwhelmed by the gross human tragedy they encounter daily. And according to a reputable source of mine (we all have them), the pitfalls presented in this case are pretty typical of what they must confront in the process of an investigation.
Mr. Reyes reminds us that in the US, people are innocent until proven guilty. Mr. Smith was a US citizen. Perhaps he, too, should be considered innocent until proven guilty. Because no matter how negligible one might interpret the 3 pieces of evidence observed by the coroner, they now stand in the way of a tidy conclusion. The focus on Elliott Smith in this blog is about a lack of resolution in a case that, although not typical by any standard, is still not atypical of the stalled cogs of an investigative machine — not to mention that the case is cobbled together by the fact that Smith viewed life from the multi-dimensional, kaleidoscopic lens of an artist who was also an existentialist (Ay! the only thing those people talk about is the futility of life!) – Egads! You aren’t going to find too many other folks out there ready or willing to hang on that limb with ES. He was a pearl diver, man. (I mix my metaphors, yes) But, who goes that deep? He made it way too easy for himself to be misinterpreted.
That the case hangs in limbo due to lack of evidence, lack of participation, lack of interest, lack of manpower, et al. is a common scenario in investigations into undetermined deaths. Throw on top of that the lack of depth of interpretation, the forced necessity of dancing around the legalities of lawsuits (the estate was sued by Chiba in 2004), and the terrible pain of losing a loved one — people, of course, are going to follow the path of least resistance…they are human. And regarding the actions of the police; their jobs almost require them to move on. There are many other “Elliotts” in other people’s lives, and they can’t give each death the full attention deserved without slighting someone else’s loved one.
Mr. Reyes intimates that, according to his source, a mere technicality holds this case in place in an uncanny, well-balanced conundrum. If that is the case, and a shove – or, rather, impetus — for moving it to one side or the other is necessary to free it then instead of “Why should we bother?” — we should be asking — why not? Why not, if for no other reason than to obtain an uneasy truce, as delineated by the truth? If the limbo is simply due to a “simple” technicality, then the result of a full, reasonable investigation might be a closed case; whether for symbolic reasons, or for the very concrete reason of allowing the memory of one of the principals involved to rest, and the other to carry on as fully as the result of the conclusion of the investigation will allow.
That Smith is dead and can’t be brought back is no argument for allowing the “hands off” treatment. This isn’t about necromancy. It’s about addressing the balance.
The only conspiracies here are human nature, silence, and acceptance of status quo — “that’s just how things are”. We don’t know the intricacies of all of the facts and hearsay, but to allow things to “be” merely because of a consensus that this somehow excuses the rest of us citizens from the pursuit of truth – if that’s really what the conspiracy is, then it’s a killer. Truth – justice — is not some lofty ideal. Denying it kills trust and distorts reality for the rest of us.
If I were to propose a theory on Smith’s death, I’d say that denial was at the root on both sides of the argument: his lack of tolerance for it, and the pervasive acceptance of denial based on taking the path of least resistance. “A distorted reality is a necessity to be free…” says it all.
Mr. Reyes has created a documentary that presents a version of subjective reality that many feel they can hang their doubts upon and many others feel is incomplete. Couple this with the fact that there hasn’t been wide distribution of his creation, makes for a still wide-open interpretation of the conclusions he said he has drawn for himself. It’s interesting that he brought up Nosferatu in his comments to Iman (yes, I realize they were a subjective description). Nosferatu plagued the living with his desperate need for life force… a symbiotic relationship between host and parasite. And Iman and Alyson brought up sycophants. You could interchange the terms. When you invite Nosferatu/ sycophan
ts in on their own terms, all hell breaks loose.
ts in on their own terms, all hell breaks loose.
Which reminds me… more vampires. “Kali the Destroyer” the calligraphy (in Smith’s own hand) that appeared on E’s arm not long before his death… Kali: the slayer of vampires and demons — who — while in the process of destroying that which destroyed became a rampaging vampire herself (follow me folks!) until Shiva (passive potential – Hoo boy!) threw himself under her feet to stop her, and she came to her senses. Okay, that’s a more than elementary way to tell the tale, and not a full treatment, but, nonetheless, it is the gist of a tale of redemption, and it was Elliott’s choice of symbolism (not mine) for covering up those marks on his left arm. Smith was on his way back up. (Shine on me, baby!) Don’t dismiss it.
You can’t discuss the various aspects of his case without laying out all subjective angles. Conspiracy merely implies more than one person acting in harmony. For all it implies, that is what it is. And I’d venture to say that is not an implication beyond the pale. Whether you’re talking about law enforcement, the family and friends — on both “sides” — all separate factions not acting as one — but, by default becoming a single force that holds this conundrum in the balance, whatever their separate motivations might be.
With the case hanging in limbo as it does, that part of Smith’s legacy will never die. Not fair… and far from balanced.