But Have You Heard About?

What did you think of todays' episode?

Today on Spooky Conspiracy Theory Monday, Matt and I talk about if the hauntings of the infamous house in Amityville, New York. 
There are so many haunted house stories in the US, but how many are real? How many were imagined for a court case? Amityville Horror Story is based on a real house that you can drive by if you're ever in the Long Island neighborhood. 
The facts that are wildly known: In the early morning hours of November 13, 1974, a man named Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot and killed his mother, father, and four siblings while they slept in their suburban home at 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, NY. DeFeo was convicted for their murders, and he remains incarcerated today.
The Lutzs moved in within a year of those murders, and by day 28 they ran from the house, leaving all of their belongings when they did. But, were the things they said happened while they were there...real? Tune in to hear about some of the history that definitely wasn't in that Ryan Reynolds movie. 

What did you think of todays' episode?

My friend Becky joins me again to talk about the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, Katherine Switzer, and not only the big deal of women running, but having that level playing field of opportunities for girls and women to be involved in not just running, but all sports. When were women allowed to compete in the Olympics for running? What distances were acceptable? What did people think would happen to women if they started running long distances? Tune in to find out!

What did you think of todays' episode?

What is scarier to a child than your mom finding out you didn't do your chores when you came home from school? Your mom threatening that La Llorona is going to get you and drown you like she did her own children. Hands down. But, what exactly does this spooky legend entail? What is the origin of her tale? We are joined again by Erika to talk about some Texas native legends including La Llorona, the Donkey Lady, and is Courtney a believer or a skeptic? Tune in to find out!
Spoiler, I'm a big a scaredy cat and I don't mess with anything, but...kinda skeptic on these legends. What is your take on this?

What did you think of todays' episode?

Are you looking for a spooky conspiracy theory? Have we got the cure for your Monday needs! Meet the Fox Sisters; they propelled seances and modern day spiritualism to new heights in the 1850s throughout America, all before turning 20. But, was this all just an April Fool's prank that carried on for 40 years too long, or was their older sister Leah really a medium? We may not know the answers to these questions, but at least we had fun discussing these New York native sisters and how it opened the door for people like Miss Cleo.

What did you think of todays' episode?

A cannon, the Alamo, the yellow rose of Texas--all things that I know I learned in 7th grade Teas history. But, why exactly did Texians want their independence from Mexico? Was Santa Anna a dictator? Were they taxing without representation? My friend Nic and I talk about not only the founding fathers of Texas, but how Americans that came to settle in Texas didn't follow the rules on immigration and wanted independence so they could continue slavery once Mexico outlawed it. Tune in as we talk about which founding fathers were okay with slavery (all of them honestly), who owned slaves (all but one), who came up the phrase "Remember the Alamo" if only a handful of women survived--and seeing how poorly I can keep my facts straight after drinking a mimosa or two. 

What did you think of todays' episode?

Presidencies and conspiracy theories are not new; but the first attempted assassination of a sitting president would definitely start a new one. On January 30, 1835, Richard Lawrence attempted to assassinate sitting president Andrew Jackson at a funeral for a South Carolina Congressman. Both of his guns misfired--a 1 in 125,000 coincidence--and left Jackson alive. Though Jackson supposedly beat him with a cane until other onlookers at the funeral were able to wrestle him into submission. While this seems like a cut and dry case, Jackson himself thought it was a conspiracy theory hatched by a sitting Senator from Mississippi and even accused him. 
Want to learn more about this early American conspiracy theory? Catch out this week's episode!

What did you think of todays' episode?

America's past is dark and more terrifying than a new American Horror Show season. Throughout the 20th century, the government sanctioned sterilization of many citizens due to eugenics. As my guest Paola and I go into detail about, the US government sanctioned the forced sterilization of its citizens based off of the pseudoscience of Eugenics. History wise, eugenic focused sterilization started in the US in Indiana in 1907. This became public policy that gave the government the right “to sterilize unwilling and unwitting people.” These policies listed the “insane,” the “feeble-minded,” the “dependent,” and the “diseased” as incapable of regulating their own reproductive abilities, therefore justifying government-forced sterilizations. Legitimizing sterilization for certain groups led to further exploitation, as group divisions were made along race and class lines, as Paola and I discuss. Even the 1927 Supreme Court case of Buck vs Bell upheld a court's decision that the government or family could force sterilize in certain situations. This case is infamous for Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’s thundering conclusion: “Three generations of imbeciles are enough.” 

If you ever feel you shouldn't trust the government when it comes to doctors, your suspicions aren't off. 

What did you think of todays' episode?

On this week's conspiracy theory edition of But Have You Heard About, I am joined by Matt to talk about a decades old conspiracy theory: Paul McCartney died in a fiery car crash in 1966 and a guy named Billy Shears replaced him as not only a stand-in for the Beatles, but for his life. This is one of those theories I could believe at the time, but not for decades long. Beatlemaniacs that are into this theory use lyrics from albums after the supposed crash, as well as imagery from album covers. Are you also swayed to think Paul is not really Paul, or that the tin foil hat needs to be taken off on this theory? Tune in and let us know!

What did you think of todays' episode?

If you've never heard about the coup in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1898, you aren't alone. Most of this event hadn't even been pieced together, or recognized, until the past two decades. I invited my friend Anna back to the show again to talk about this much needed history conversation. 

Racial tensions rising in the south, especially in Wilmington, North Carolina--a city with 55% of the population being Black--it was almost a keg waiting to blow. We talk about the events leading up to not only the takeover of the Wilmington local government, but the burning of the Black owned newspaper in the city, which is now just a parking lot for a church. No sign. Nothing. And those that instigated the coup are honored as prominent members of North Carolina's history for other merits. It is lost pieces of history like these that need to be taught along with what has already been taught. With the coup in Wilmington, instigated by white supremacists, it gave rise throughout the South to use intimidating tactics in voting, and other racially motivated movements. 

What did you think of todays' episode?

We've all heard about Flat Earthers, but have you heard about Hollow Earthers? While mostly out of fashion, there were multiple scientists that believed in either the theory that the Earth has possible planets inside of it, or that we live inside another planet. Notably, Edmund Halley (namesake for Halley's comet) was able to use the science at his time to theorize that there were planets inside Earth. This isn't as wild of a ride as other conspiracy theories, but it's still a trip...to the center of the Earth, or something like that.

Whether it's concave or convex, I'm still vexed.