"It's important to distinguish evidence from opinion." – Professor John Albert Dragstedt.

His sleeves are rolled up, he's back at the chalk board, he's shedding light on "the Architecture of Destruction," the subtitle of his latest DVD. For the third consecutive year, Professor John Albert Dragstedt has brought in Mr. Richard Gage, AIA, to give a lecture as a part of his January term course at St. Mary's College. Prof. Dragstedt's course, "The Mythologies of Capitalism," necessarily deals with difficult, and oftentimes controversial, topics over its intense month-long duration* – and for Prof. Dragstedt, 9/11 is an "unparalleled atrocity" that must be understood, no matter how difficult or controversial. Mr. Gage has made it his goal to contribute to that understanding everywhere from the halls of academia to the halls of Congress.

In Sichel Hall, at 9:15 AM on January 7, only three out of twenty-four students believed that the World Trade Center buildings were destroyed by controlled demolition. By 11:45, fifteen students agreed with the controlled demolition theory. Seven remained unsure, while two still held onto the official story. Students of all viewpoints asked insightful questions. Some typical questions included: "How would someone have gotten all those explosives into the buildings?" and "If 9/11 was a conspiracy involving someone other than al Qaeda, why did Khalid Sheikh Mohammed confess to being the mastermind?" In response, Mr. Gage relayed that the largest elevator modernization project in the world was being undertaken in the Twin Towers during the months prior to 9/11, which could have given the perpetrators unlimited access to the interior columns and beams of the buildings – of course the security company would have to be investigated as well. And as for the alleged confession of 9/11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, Gage noted "Whatever he may or may not have said as the result of being waterboarded 183 times - that doesn't negate the forensic evidence or the laws of physics."

We look forward to returning to Professor Dragstedt's new group of students next January – on the heels of a real investigation commencing in the US Congress.

* The college has a unique intense January term. On-campus January Term classes meet at least as often as a full-credit class during the regular semester, and many travel courses meet over three times as often.