Note: The views and opinions expressed in blog/editorial posts are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the views or opinions of Misbar.
Few individuals in the media have garnered the infamy that Alex Jones has during the past decade. For years he has tirelessly pursued a crusade of misinformation and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon.
For Those Who Don’t Know…
The “About Alex Jones” section of Infowars.com begins with these telling words:
“Since the beginning of time there have been constant attempts to enslave and subdue the spirit of humanity. From Barbarian hordes streaming down the mountain to the Stasi secret police torturing those who dreamed to be free… In this age of rapidly accelerating technology the threat to our liberties is a very real and present danger. Alex Jones is a unique voice that sifts through the information and exposes the underlying intentions.”
It is clear what Alex Jones presents himself as: a hero, championing free speech against droves of authoritarian forces who aim to stop him and subtly take control of humanity. A man against the odds in a crucial war for liberty. A warrior who stands with a chosen few dedicated to fighting the “New World Order,” the “Deep State,” and all others who would stand in the way of liberation.
In reality, Alex Jones’ spread of misinformation is often dangerous. His modus operandi involves spinning conspiracy theories and throwing accusations at anything and anyone who threatens his worldview in any way. Although Jones allegedly “avoids the political labels of ‘left and right,’” he has an obvious conservative slant.
Rise to Fame
Jones’ career began in his hometown of Austin, Texas, where he worked at a public access television station. Following the Oklahoma City Bombing, Jones started to publicly state his conspiracy theory views. Due to his controversial statements, he was later fired from his job as host of a radio show, but he kept up his momentum by becoming an independent radio personality.
It was after the September 11th terror attacks on the World Trade Center that a turning point in Jones’ career occurred. He stated, with no reservations, that the attacks were orchestrated by the United States Government. Four years later, Jones released the documentary film Martial Law 9-11: The Rise of the Police State, which elaborated on the claim.
From that point forward, the gauntlet was thrown. As Jones rose in popularity with his small (but fanatical) audience, he continued to make the most outrageous claims possible through Infowars. These included (but are not limited to) the following: that the government artificially engineers natural disasters, that the “global elite” uses mind control to subjugate the population, and that the world is ruled by a secret ring of pedophiles. His evidence for such claims has always been dubious at best.
The Descent
Jones perhaps hit his most controversial point when he denounced the Sandy Hook Massacre as a hoax, claiming that the parents of murdered children were actually participants in a conspiracy created to enforce tighter gun control. Following this statement, said parents faced online harassment from Jones’ followers, who said that the massacre had never happened. This was seen by many as cruel behavior towards those who had already experienced an unimaginable tragedy.
A series of defamation lawsuits against Jones resulted in him having to pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars to the families who he had blatantly targeted for harassment. In an exceedingly rare moment of clarity, Jones admitted under oath that he had experienced “psychosis,” which caused him to make the Sandy Hook false claims. Jones then shifted the blame to “the media and corporations” whose lies had allegedly caused him to become completely unable to believe anything they said.
This year, Jones made headlines once again by repeatedly denying the legitimacy of the coronavirus, openly claiming it to be a hoax. Contradictorily, Jones has also touted snake-oil products which he claims boost the immune system and destroy bacteria. The FDA subsequently put out an official warning on the sale of these unregulated products. Infowars has ceased selling those items, but other federally unapproved supplements (such as Brain Force Plus) are for sale on the website.
The Cost of Conspiracies
Due to inciting hate speech, harassment, and spreading dangerous misinformation, Alex Jones was banned from multiple social media platforms (Facebook, Youtube, Spotify, and Instagram) in 2018. However, he quickly rebounded and set up replacement accounts.
This year, the Infowars app was removed from the Android Play Store due to videos contradicting health information about COVID-19. However, this is not to say that Alex Jones and Infowars have been silenced. Infowars still receives millions of visitors every month, and their core base is resolutely dedicated.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, perhaps the most pertinent question to ask regarding Alex Jones is: how aware is he? Does he know what he is doing? Is it a form of twisted performance art? Or does Jones truly believe in the conspiracy theories he espouses?
If the writer of this New York Times article is to be believed, then Jones is tired of doing what he does. However, Jones’ work in the past ten years has cemented his reputation. It’s hard to imagine him doing anything else, and he may feel the same way.
