From: Monte Davis 

"Dave Ings"  wrote:

>"Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by
>incompetence".

A favorite of mine, too, for many years.

It also transforms into a challenge to most conspiracy theories:
"Given what you know of human nature [i.e. incompetence], do you
really believe that the Elders of Zion [or Illuminati, or Knights Templar,
or Trilateral Commission, or grassy-knoll plotters, or Opus Dei, or moon
hoaxers, or Crichton's enviro-scaremongers, or other shadowy malicious
group] could keep a secret this long?"

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5