If A Tree Falls in the Forest

A number of years ago, I briefly dated a journalist. Although there was not much of a romantic chemistry between the two of us, she was so intelligent and knowledgeable that I always looked forward to our dates, if for no other reason than the intellectual stimulation they provided.

One story she told me in particular stuck with me.

During her college years, she was a member of a mock U.N. group, perhaps the Security Council. They would hold sessions, debate issues, and pass resolutions. She related that on one occasion, in order to illustrate a point she was trying to make, she referred to events that took place in Jordan in September, 1970, when the Hashemite Kingdom moved to suppress the activity of Palestinian organizations based at the time in Jordan. The events later became known as Black September. I do not recall what point my friend was trying to prove by bringing up this incident, but it does not much matter in the present context.

My friends' colleagues at the council had not heard of the events and denied that any such incident had ever occurred. My friend assured them that they had indeed occurred.

What happened next is the fascinating part: the representatives present decided to hold a vote and rule on whether the events known as Black September had occurred or not. My friend protested: "You cannot vote on whether something took place or not! The fact that you have not heard of the events and are not aware of them does not give you the power to vote them out of existence!"

No matter. The vote was held, and, it was decided, by a count of 14-1, that no such events as those known as Black September ever took place.