But, like, what’s even the point of discussing this? Why does it even matter?

This is actually something Parenti directly addresses in the lecture I linked you, since it is something Chomsky and others say. He responds to a lot of similar criticisms in that lecture. Basically there’s a reason that they have gone and continue to go to great pains to conceal the truth and smear anybody who questions the narrative. A popular American president getting offed by the unelected national security state would massively undermine the legitimacy of the government and illusions about it being democratic. It’s not some nothing burger.