Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by J Readings (talk | contribs) at 03:49, 7 March 2008 (→Political and economics advocacy: rmv redundant language). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

G. Edward Griffin (b. November 7 1931) is an American film producer, publisher, author, and political lecturer. While he describes his documentaries on controversial topics like the Federal Reserve, the Supreme Court, cancer, Noah's ark, terrorism, subversion, and foreign policy as the output of "a plain vanilla researcher", he also agrees with the Los Angeles Daily News characterizing him as "Crusader Rabbit". Griffin's promotion and advocacy of Laetrile as a killer of cancer cells has not been accepted by the majority of the scientific community.

Early life

Griffin was born in Detroit on November 7 1931, and became a child actor on local radio in 1942. By 1947 he was emceeing at WJR (CBS), and continued as announcer at WUOM and station manager at WWJ-TV (NBC), 1950–1955. He earned his bachelor's from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 1953, majoring in speech and communications. Griffin served in the U.S. Army from 1954-1956 reaching the rank of sergeant.

When George Wallace ran for U.S. president in 1968, Griffin served as a writer for Wallace's vice presidential candidate, Curtis LeMay. In the next year, Griffin began producing films for American Media of Los Angeles (later moving to Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village, California). He also became a member of the Pacific Coast Pioneer Broadcasters group.

Political and economics advocacy

Griffin has been a longtime member and officer of the conservative John Birch Society and a contributing editor to its magazine, The New American. Since the 1960s, Griffin has spoken and written extensively on the conspirational theory of history espoused by the John Birch Society, including communist and capitalist cabals involving banking system, American foreign policy, the Supreme Court and the United Nations. In 1975 he wrote a sympathetic biography of JBS founder Robert W. Welch which was well received by members of the organization.

Griffin enrolled in the College for Financial Planning in Denver, Colorado to study equity and money markets in preparation for his book on the Federal Reserve. He became a Certified Financial Planner in 1989, and described the U.S. money system in his 1993 movie and 1994 book, The Creature from Jekyll Island. The title refers to his depiction of a November 1910 meeting at Jekyll Island, Georgia, of seven bankers and economic policymakers who represented the financial elite of the western world. The meeting was described by Forbes founder B. C. Forbes as "the real birth of the present Federal Reserve System." The book inspired the Telly Award-winning documentary Fiat Empire. Griffin was also interviewed for the film.

Griffin's work stresses the point which Federal Reserve chair Marriner Eccles made in Congressional testimony in 1941: "If there were no debts in our money system, there wouldn't be any money." Griffin argued against the debt-based fiat money system on several grounds, such as its devouring of individual prosperity and its perpetuation of war. He also described the framework by which central bankers have been observed to underwrite both sides of an ongoing war or revolution. Griffin says that the United Nations, the Council on Foreign Relations and the World Bank are working to destroy American sovereignty through a system of world military and financial control, and argues that the United States should leave the United Nations. Internet investigative reporter David Marchant criticized the book as being largely inaccurate, claiming "People who are thick take it as the bible of international finance. They think, 'I'm poor because the rich man is keeping me down and the government is keeping me down.'"

A popular book on the Federal Reserve, The Creature from Jekyll Island has been on business bestseller lists. Griffin's dreams of a free-market, private-money system superior to the Fed caused economist Bernard von NotHaus to deploy such a system in 1998. Griffin states that von NotHaus's private silver certificates, known as Liberty Dollars, are "real money".

Griffin was interviewed for the controversial anti-Fed documentary film America: Freedom to Fascism.

Health advocacy

In 1974, Griffin wrote the controversial book World Without Cancer, and released it as a documentary video. It proposed that cancer is a metabolic disease facilitated by the lack of Laetrile (called "Vitamin B₁₇" by its American developer), a view accepted by few scientists. Because the theory had been labeled "quackery" by the American Cancer Society, as well as the FDA and the American Medical Association, Griffin charged those groups with a "hidden economic and power agenda". He claimed that the suppression of laetrile based cancer treatment is a political move by organizations that depend on the cancer business, in order to protect themselves. A critical review in the American Journal of Public Health called this view a "conspiracy" theory and assessed: "Although the book is an emotional plea for the unrestricted use of the Laetrile as an anti-tumor agent, the scientific evidence to justify such a policy does not appear within it." Griffin's websites refer visitors to doctors, clinics, and hospitals with alternative cancer treatments, including sellers of laetrile, a product of apricot seeds. He does not sell laetrile directly.

Griffin's productions referenced the work of biochemist Dr. Dean Burk, head and chief chemist of the Cytochemistry Section of the National Cancer Institute, who served for over 30 years. Funded by the McNaughton Foundation, Burk described his experiments to Griffin as showing that Laetrile and glucosidase set "the cancer cells dying off like flies". A systematic review of 36 reports containing laetrile intervention data found no controlled clinical trials, no reliable evidence for the effectiveness of laetrile, and considerable doubt about its safety.

Griffin has served on the board of directors of the National Health Federation and The International Association of Cancer Victors and Friends and is the founder and President of The Cancer Cure Foundation.

Noah's ark

In 1992, Griffin wrote and narrated the documentary The Discovery of Noah's Ark, based on merchant marine officer David Fasold's book, "The Ark of Noah". The film claimed that the original Noah's ark continued to exist in fossil form about 17 miles from Mount Ararat in Turkey, based on photographic, radar and metal detector evidence. Griffin also noted that towns in the area had names that related to biblical story of the flood. He proposed a theory that the flood might have been huge tides caused by a gravitational interaction between Earth and a large celestial body coming close to the earth. Fasold later changed his views, doubting that the structure was Noah's Ark, and proposing that it was a natural rock formation that ancients had believed was an ark.

For his work on the documentary Griffin received a Telly Award for excellence in television production.

Bibliography

• The Fearful Master: A Second Look at the United Nations. Boston, MA: Western Islands Publishers. 1964. ISBN 0882791028. OCLC 414277.
• The Grand Design: A Lecture on U.S. Foreign Policy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Grand Design. 1968. OCLC 6207421.
• The Great Prison Break: The Supreme Court Leads the Way. Boston, MA: Western Islands Publishers. 1968. OCLC 220369.
• A Memorandum on Supreme Court Decisions: Summaries of Key Decisions of the United States Supreme Court as Related to the Impeachment of the Chief Justice. Belmont, MA. 1968. OCLC 432181.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• More Deadly Than War: The Communist Revolution in America. American Media. 1969. {{cite book}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
• Nog erger dan oorlog. More Deadly Than War (in Dutch). 's-Gravenhage, the Netherlands: Stichting Voorlichting Buitenland. 1970. OCLC 63810377.
• This is the John Birch Society: An Invitation to Membership (1st ed. (2d ed. 1972, 3d ed. 1981 Western Islands) ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: American Media. 1970. OCLC 83825. {{cite book}}: External link in |edition= (help)
• The Capitalist Conspiracy: An Inside View of International Banking (1st ed. (2d ed. 1982 Huntington Beach Patriots) ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: American Media. 1971. OCLC 3263688. {{cite book}}: |format= requires |url= (help); External link in |edition= (help)
• World Without Cancer: The Story of Vitamin B₁₇ (1st ed., reprinted 1976, 1977 (2d ed. 1997, reprinted 2001, 2006) ed.). American Media. 1974. ISBN 0912986093. {{cite book}}: External link in |edition= (help)
• The Life and Words of Robert Welch, Founder of the John Birch Society. E. Merrill Root (introduction). Thousand Oaks, CA: American Media. 1975. ISBN 9780912986074. OCLC 1530499.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
• Wilcox Collection of Contemporary Political Movements, ed. (1986). Ephemeral Materials, 1976-1986. Westlake Village, CA: Americans for Medical Freedom. OCLC 18761098. {{cite book}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
• 'n Wereld sonder kanker?. World Without Cancer (in Afrikaans). trans. Herselman, J.T. Windhoek, Namibia: Eros Uitgewers. 1988. ISBN 9780620128179. OCLC 122266652.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
• The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve (1st ed. (2d ed. 1995, 3d ed. 1998 American Media, 4th ed. 2002, now in 6th ed.) ed.). Appelton, WI: American Opinion Publishing. 1994. ISBN 0912986166. OCLC 31354943. {{cite book}}: External link in |edition= (help)
• Private Papers Pertaining to Laetrile. Westlake Village, CA: American Media. 1997. ISBN 9780912986203. OCLC 61633861.
• Mane o umidasu kaibutsu: renpo junbi seido to iu sodaina sagi shisutemu. The Creature From Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve (in Japanese). trans. Yoshida, Toshiko. Tokyo, Japan: Soshisha. 2005. ISBN 9784794214546. OCLC 68047341.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
• (2005) A world without cancer in German (Eine Welt ohne Krebs) ISBN-10: 3938516151 ISBN-13: 978-3938516157
• (2006) The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve in German (Die Kreatur von Jekyll Island) ISBN-10: 3938516283 ISBN-13: 978-3938516287

Filmography

Produced

• Katanga: The Untold Story (Videotape). 1962.
• Anarchy U.S.A.: In the Name of Civil Rights (DVD, Documentary). John Birch Society. 1966.
• The Grand Design: A Lecture on U.S. Foreign Policy. 1968.
• The Truth About Communism: Only the Brave are Free (Videotape). 1968.
• More Deadly Than War: The Communist revolution in America. American Media. 1969. OCLC 5549058. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
• The Capitalist Conspiracy: An Inside View of International Banking (Documentary). American Media. 1971. OCLC 5558340.
• World Without Cancer: The Story of Vitamin B₁₇. American Media. 1974. OCLC 5604983. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
• American Media (distributor), Westlake Village, CA (1982). No Place to Hide: The Strategy and Tactics of Terrorism. Alexandria, VA: Western Goals Foundation. OCLC 19993388. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
• WBTV (1982). No Place to Hide: The Strategy and Tactics of Terrorism. Alexandria, VA: Western Goals Foundation. OCLC 10744020. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
• The Subversion Factor: A History of Treason in Modern America (Vol. 1: Moles in High Places, Vol. 2: Open Gates of Troy). Westlake Village, CA: American Media. 1983. OCLC 36968013. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
• Bezmenov, Yuri; Griffin, G. Edward (1984). Soviet Subversion of the Free Press: A Conversation with Yuri Bezmenov (Videotape). Westlake Village, CA: American Media. OCLC 45810551.
• Griffin, G. Edward; Solis, Willy (1985). The Red Reality in Central America (Videotape). Westlake Village, CA: American Media. OCLC 37023488.
• The Discovery of Noah's Ark: The Whole Story. Westlake Village, CA: American Media. 1992. OCLC 29511807. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
• Griffin, G. Edward; Shurtleff, Howard (1994). The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve. John Birch Society. OCLC 36245861. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
• Hidden Agenda: Real Conspiracies that Affect our Lives Today (Vol. 1: Capitalist Conspiracy (1971); Vol. 2: Subversion Factor (1983); Vol. 3: The Truth About Communism (1968); Vol. 4: Anarchy U.S.A. (1966); Vol. 5: Katanga (1962); Vol. 6: No Place to Hide (1982)) (Videotape). Venice, CA: Knowledge 20/20. 2001. OCLC 49289908.
• UFO-TV (distributor) (2004). The Discovery of Noah's Ark: The Whole Story. Venice, CA: Knowledge 20/20. OCLC 59007573. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
• Griffin, Edward G. (executive producer); Dill, David; Gazecki, William; Rubin, Aviel D (2004). Invisible Ballots: A Temptation for Electronic Vote Fraud (DVD). Westlake Village, CA: American Media and Reality Zone. ISBN 9780912986425. OCLC 56844390.
• Griffin, Edward G. (executive producer); Dill, David; Gazecki, William; Harris, Bev; Mercuri, Rebecca; Rubin, Aviel D (2004). Invisible Ballots: A Temptation for Electronic Vote Fraud (Videotape). Westlake Village, CA: American Media and Reality Zone. ISBN 9780912986432. OCLC 65199460.
• Jaeger, James; Baehr, Theodore; Griffin, G. Edward; Paul, Ron; Vieira, Edwin (2007). Fiat Empire: Why the Federal Reserve Violates the U.S. Constitution (DVD). Beverly Hills, CA: Cornerstone-Matrixx Entertainment. OCLC 192133806.

Narrated

External links

• Reality Zone
• G. Edward Griffin at IMDb

References

1. ^ Who's Who in America 1994 (48th ed. ed.). Marquis Who's Who. 1993. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
2. ^ "T.O.'s Griffin All Booked Up With Writing, Film Projects". Daily News of Los Angeles. 1995-05-22. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
3. ^ Griffin, G. Edward (2006-04-07). "A World Without Cancer - The Story Of Vitamin B17" (video). Retrieved 2008-02-29.
4. ^ Milazzo, Stefania; Lejeune, Stephane; Ernst, Edzard (June 2007). "Laetrile for cancer: a systematic review of the clinical evidence". Supportive Care in Cancer. 15 (6): 583–95. doi:10.1007/s00520-006-0168-9. PMID 17106659.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
5. "Speaker Bio - G. Edward Griffin". Chicago Resource Expo. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
6. ^ Sayre, Nora (1996). Sixties Going on Seventies. Rutgers University Press. p. 98. ISBN 0813521939.
7. Aune, James Arnt (2001). Selling the Free Market: The Rhetoric of Economic Correctness. Guilford Press. pp. 140–1. ISBN 1572307579.
8. ^ Steele, Karen Dorn, and Morlin, Bill (2000-09-02). "Get-rich pitch 'bogus': Seven states have determined Global Prosperity is an illegal pyramid scheme". The Spokesman Review. Retrieved 2008-03-05.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
9. Stone, Barbara S. ((Feb., 1974)). "The John Birch Society: A Profile". The Journal of Politics. 36 (1). {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
10. "Dirty Deeds: The Dorean Group promised hundreds of homeowners that their mortgages would go away. Guess what? They didn't". East Bay Express. 2006-04-05. Retrieved 2008-03-06. {{cite news}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Unknown parameter |;ast= ignored (help)
11. Bourgoin, Suzanne Michele, and Byers, Paula K (1998). Encyclopedia of World Biography. Gale. ISBN 0787625566.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
12. Thornton, James (1993-12-13). "Remembering Robert Welch". John Birch Society. Retrieved 2008-03-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
13. Jasper, William F. (1999-12-06). "Americanism's Standard-bear". John Birch Society. Retrieved 2008-03-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
14. ^ "Tiger Financial News Network: Contributors". Tiger Financial News Network. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
15. ^ Heath, Hari (June 2003). "Money? It's not what you think it is". Idaho Observer. Retrieved 2008-03-03. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
16. "Feeding the God of War". The New American. 2002-09-09. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
17. Gurumurthy, S (2007-12-28). "US Fed an Enigma Wrapped in a Mystery". Business Line.
18. "Fiat Empire". MEC Films. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
19. "What's New at MEC". MEC Films. September 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
20. "Business vs. government: in his book The Big Ripoff, Timothy Carney blows away the deception that Big Business and the government are adversaries and that the government defends the average citizen". The New American. 2007-01-22. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
21. Gavin, Robert (2004-11-28). "The man who shaped the Federal Reserve". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
22. USA Daily Staff (2007-08-22). "Paul Out to Slay The Creature from Jekyll Island". USA Daily. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
23. "Bestselling business books". Calgary Herald. 2006-07-04. p. F5.
24. "Best-selling business books, April 14". Rocky Mountain News. 2007-04-14. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
25. Chevreau, Jonathan (1999-11-11). "Paper notes need 'real' backing". National Post.
26. "Edward Griffin: Filmography". New York Times. Baseline StudioSystems, All Media Guide. 2006. Retrieved 2008-03-05.
27. ^ Lagnado, Lucette (2000-03-22). "Laetrile Makes a Comeback Selling to Patients Online". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
28. "Controversial Cancer Drug Laetrile Enters Political Realms". Middlesboro Daily News. 1977-08-10. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
29. "New Library Books". Books. Grand Forks Herald. 2003-07-13. p. 4. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
30. Landau, Emanuel, Ph.D. (July 1976). "World without Cancer; the Story of Vitamin B₁₇" (PDF). American Journal of Public Health. 66 (7): 696. ISSN 0090-0036. Retrieved 2008-03-05. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
31. "List of Clinics in the United States Offering Alternative Therapies". Cure Research Foundation. 2003-08-15. Retrieved 2008-03-05.
32. Jones, Marianna (1976-10-11). "Cure or fraud?". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
33. Griffin, G. Edward (1974). World Without Cancer. Retrieved 2008-02-29. 'When we add laetrile to a cancer culture under the microscope,' said Burk, 'providing the enzyme glucosidase also is present, we can see the cancer cells dying off like flies.'
34. "The Discovery of Noah's Ark". Reality Zone. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
35. Lorence D. Collins and David Fasold (1996). "Bogus 'Noah's Ark' from Turkey Exposed as a Common Geologic Structure". Journal of Geoscience Education. 44.
36. Pockley, Peter (6 November 1994), "Theory blown out of the water", Australian Sun-Herald
37. Clifton, Brad (9 April 1997), "Doubts sank faith in Ark", The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
38. "Discover of Noah's Ark". Reality Zone. Retrieved 2008-03-06.

• 1931 births
• Living people
• American anti-communists
• American authors
• American documentary filmmakers
• American economics writers
• American film producers
• American political writers
• Conspiracy theories
• People from California
• University of Michigan alumni