Alex Jones: Difference between revisions
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{{Villain_Infobox | {{Villain_Infobox | ||
|Image = Alex Jones.jpg | |Image = Alex Jones Portrait (cropped).jpg | ||
|fullname = Alexander Emerick Jones | |fullname = Alexander Emerick Jones | ||
|alias = The Most Paranoid Man in America<br>The King of Conspiracy Theories | |alias = The Most Paranoid Man in America<br>The King of Conspiracy Theories | ||
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|type of villain = Delusional Hatemonger | |type of villain = Delusional Hatemonger | ||
|goals = Continue spreading conspiracy theories (ongoing) | |goals = Continue spreading conspiracy theories (ongoing) | ||
|crimes = [[Hate Speech]]<br>[[Defamation]]<br>[[Islamophobia]]<br>[[Xenophobia]]<br>[[Homophobia]]<br>[[Transphobia]]<br>[[Misogyny]]<br>[[Anti-Semitism]]<br>[[Negrophobia]]<br>Sexual | |crimes = [[Hate Speech]]<br>[[Defamation]]<br>[[Doxxing]]<br>[[Islamophobia]]<br>[[Xenophobia]]<br>[[Homophobia]]<br>[[Acephobia]]<br>[[Transphobia]]<br>[[Misogyny]]<br>[[Anti-Semitism]]<br>[[Negrophobia]]<br>[[Hispanophobia]]<br>[[Sexual Harassment]]<br>[[Ableism]]<br>[[Ukrainophobia]]<br>[[Polonophobia]]<br>Embezzlement<br>[[COVID denialism]]<br>[[Americophobia]]<br>[[Hate crime]]s<br>Submitting false statements<br>Making [[Death Threats|death threats]]<br>[[Anti-Native American Sentiment]] | ||
|hobby = Producing documentaries<br>Promoting conspiracy theories | |hobby = Producing documentaries<br>Promoting conspiracy theories | ||
}}{{Quote|I'm here to tell you, 1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms! It doesn't matter how many lemmings you get out there on the street, begging to have their guns taken. We will not relinquish them! Do you understand?|Jones during a 2013 CNN appearance.}} | }}{{Quote|I'm here to tell you, 1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms! It doesn't matter how many lemmings you get out there on the street, begging to have their guns taken. We will not relinquish them! Do you understand?|Jones during a 2013 CNN appearance.}} | ||
'''Alexander Emerick | '''Alexander Emerick Jones''' (born February 11, 1974) also known as '''Alex Jones''' is an American far-right radio show host and highly prominent conspiracy theorist. | ||
Jones hosts ''The Alex Jones Show'' from Austin, Texas, which the Genesis Communications Network syndicates across the United States and online. Jones' website, ''[[InfoWars]]'', promotes conspiracy theories and fake news, as do his other websites, ''NewsWars'' and ''PrisonPlanet''. | Jones hosts ''The Alex Jones Show'' from Austin, Texas, which the Genesis Communications Network syndicates across the United States and online. Jones' website, ''[[InfoWars]]'', promotes conspiracy theories and fake news, as do his other websites, ''NewsWars'', ''Banned.Video'' and ''PrisonPlanet''. | ||
Jones has provided a platform and support for white nationalists, as well as serving as an "entry point" to their ideology. He has also promoted conspiracy theories alleging that the United States government either concealed information about or outright falsified | Jones has provided a platform and support for white nationalists, as well as serving as an "entry point" to their ideology. He has also promoted conspiracy theories alleging that the United States government either concealed information about or outright falsified the [[Adam Lanza|2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School]] [[Mass Shooting|mass shooting]], [[the Oklahoma City Bombing]], the [[September 11 attacks]], and the 1969 Moon landing. He has claimed that several governments and big businesses have colluded to create a "New World Order" through "manufactured economic crises, sophisticated surveillance tech and—above all—inside-job terror attacks that fuel exploitable hysteria". | ||
Mainstream sources have described Jones as a conservative, far-right, [[Alt-Right]], and a conspiracy theorist, but Jones himself has described himself as a paleoconservative and a libertarian. | Mainstream sources have described Jones as a conservative, far-right, [[Alt-Right]], and a conspiracy theorist, but Jones himself has described himself as a paleoconservative and a libertarian. | ||
A longtime critic of Republican and Democratic foreign and security policy, Jones supported [[Donald Trump]]'s 2016 presidential bid and continued to support him as a savior from an alleged criminal bipartisan cabal controlling the federal government (similar to [[QAnon]]), despite falling out over several of Trump's policies, including airstrikes against the [[Bashar al-Assad|Assad]] regime of Syria. A staunch supporter of Trump's reelection, Jones supported the false claims of electoral fraud in the 2020 presidential election, and on January 6, 2021, was a speaker at a rally in Lafayette Square Park supporting Trump, which preceded the [[2021 United States Capitol storming|storming of the United States Capitol]]. | A longtime critic of Republican and Democratic foreign and security policy, Jones supported [[Donald Trump]]'s 2016 presidential bid and continued to support him as a savior from an alleged criminal bipartisan cabal controlling the federal government (similar to the [[QAnon]] far right conspiracy theory), despite falling out over several of Trump's policies, including airstrikes against the [[Bashar al-Assad|Assad]] regime of Syria. A staunch supporter of Trump's reelection, Jones supported the false claims of electoral fraud in the 2020 presidential election, and on January 6, 2021, was a speaker at a rally in Lafayette Square Park supporting Trump, which preceded the [[2021 United States Capitol storming|storming of the United States Capitol]]. | ||
==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
Dubbed "the most paranoid man in America" by ''Rolling Stone'' and the "king of conspiracy" by CNN, radio talk show host, “documentary”-maker and webmaster Alex Jones is notorious for epic rants about “New World Order” plots for world government, enforced [[eugenics]], secret [[concentration camps]], militarized police and behind-the-scenes control by a global corporate cabal. In his estimation, the only way to avert this dystopian future is if true patriots resist before it is too late, and his tens of thousands of acolytes are taking heed, building bunkers, hoarding food and investing in precious metals – and, in some cases, resorting to violence. | Dubbed "the most paranoid man in America" by ''Rolling Stone'' and the "king of conspiracy" by CNN, radio talk show host, “documentary”-maker and webmaster Alex Jones is notorious for epic rants about “New World Order” plots for world government, enforced [[eugenics]], secret [[concentration camps]], militarized police and behind-the-scenes control by a global corporate cabal. In his estimation, the only way to avert this dystopian future is if true patriots resist before it is too late, and his tens of thousands of acolytes are taking heed, building bunkers, hoarding food and investing in precious metals – and, in some cases, resorting to violence. | ||
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While this style plays well with his acolytes, it has notably failed in several high-profile media appearances. During a January 2013 gun control discussion with CNN's Piers Morgan following the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Jones practically foamed at the mouth while shouting Morgan down. | While this style plays well with his acolytes, it has notably failed in several high-profile media appearances. During a January 2013 gun control discussion with CNN's Piers Morgan following the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Jones practically foamed at the mouth while shouting Morgan down. | ||
Invited on the show partly as a result of his online petition to deport Morgan, a British citizen, because of Morgan’s support for a nationwide ban on military-style assault weapons, Jones was unrelenting from the start. He dove into a rambling diatribe involving [[Stalin]], [[Hitler]], [[Mao Zedong]], black helicopters, megabanks, rape in India, and psychologists who overprescribe drugs. "I'm here to tell you," he literally shouted, "1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms! It doesn't matter how many lemmings you get out there on the street, begging to have their guns taken. We will not relinquish them! Do you understand?" | Invited on the show partly as a result of his online petition to deport Morgan, a British citizen, because of Morgan’s support for a nationwide ban on military-style assault weapons, Jones was unrelenting from the start. He dove into a rambling diatribe involving [[Stalin]], [[Hitler]], [[Mao Zedong]], black helicopters, megabanks, rape in India, and psychologists who overprescribe drugs. "I'm here to tell you," he literally shouted, "1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms! It doesn't matter how many lemmings you get out there on the street, begging to have their guns taken. We will not relinquish them! Do you understand?"<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ror9v2LwHoY Alex Jones on guns in America (2013)], ''CNN''</ref> | ||
Several months later, in June 2013, an unchastened Jones was at it again during a discussion on the BBC's “Sunday Politics” show about the Bilderberg Group, which was having its annual meeting in Watford, United Kingdom, and is one of Jones' prime villains in the globalist financial conspiracy. As the segment ended with Jones once again shouting at the top of his lungs, exasperated presenter Andrew Neil proclaimed, “You are the worst person I have ever interviewed,” and "We have an idiot on the show today," while twirling his fingers around his ear.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch9gQ9JOe3Y Alex Jones goes nuts on the BBC. Andrew Neil calls him an idiot & 'worst person ever interviewed']</ref> | |||
Several months later, in June 2013, an unchastened Jones was at it again during a discussion on the BBC's “Sunday Politics” show about the Bilderberg Group, which was having its annual meeting in Watford, United Kingdom, and is one of Jones' prime villains in the globalist financial conspiracy. As the segment ended with Jones once again shouting at the top of his lungs, exasperated presenter Andrew Neil proclaimed, “You are the worst person I have ever interviewed,” and "We have an idiot on the show today," while twirling his fingers around his ear. | |||
Such meltdowns do little to advance Jones' cause with a mainstream audience. But in his view, most of this audience consists of consumerist "sheeple" who don't think for themselves. He believes that he is speaking truth to power, galvanizing the “sheeple” into joining enlightened liberty-loving patriots (his audience) in opposing the growing tyranny. It's a classic come-on: I know something you don't. Jones manipulates the psychological fears of the vulnerable into complete acceptance of nearly anything he says – regardless of how loony it may be. Wrapping himself in the American flag (the people's flag, not the government's), he invokes Thomas Jefferson and George Washington as his icons. | Such meltdowns do little to advance Jones' cause with a mainstream audience. But in his view, most of this audience consists of consumerist "sheeple" who don't think for themselves. He believes that he is speaking truth to power, galvanizing the “sheeple” into joining enlightened liberty-loving patriots (his audience) in opposing the growing tyranny. It's a classic come-on: I know something you don't. Jones manipulates the psychological fears of the vulnerable into complete acceptance of nearly anything he says – regardless of how loony it may be. Wrapping himself in the American flag (the people's flag, not the government's), he invokes Thomas Jefferson and George Washington as his icons. | ||
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Following the 2016 Republican National Convention, Jones wanted Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to be removed from his Senate seat after he failed to endorse Donald Trump as the Republican presidential candidate. Potential primary challengers Katrina Pierson and Dan Patrick were discussed as replacement Republican candidates for the 2018 Texas election for Senate. | Following the 2016 Republican National Convention, Jones wanted Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to be removed from his Senate seat after he failed to endorse Donald Trump as the Republican presidential candidate. Potential primary challengers Katrina Pierson and Dan Patrick were discussed as replacement Republican candidates for the 2018 Texas election for Senate. | ||
In April 2018, Jones publicly criticized President Trump during a livestream, after Trump announced a military strike against Syria. During the stream, Jones also stated that Trump had not called him during the prior six months. A leaked interview of Jones in January 2019 expressing displeasure over his relationship with Trump was released by the Southern Poverty Law Center in March 2021, with Jones stating "I wish I never would have fucking met Trump ... I'm so sick of fucking Donald Trump, man. God, I'm fucking sick of him." Nevertheless, he backed the president during his re-election campaign in 2020 and called on demonstrations to be held on the premise the election had been "rigged" against Trump, and voiced his support for the [[Stop the Steal movement]]. | In April 2018, Jones publicly criticized President Trump during a livestream, after Trump announced a military strike against Syria. During the stream, Jones also stated that Trump had not called him during the prior six months. A leaked interview of Jones in January 2019 expressing displeasure over his relationship with Trump was released by the Southern Poverty Law Center in March 2021, with Jones stating "I wish I never would have fucking met Trump ... I'm so sick of fucking Donald Trump, man. God, I'm fucking sick of him." Nevertheless, he backed the president during his re-election campaign in 2020 and called on demonstrations to be held on the premise the election had been "rigged" against Trump, and voiced his support for the [[Stop the Steal movement]]. Jones eventually fully withdrew his support for Trump in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After Trump recommended at an August 2021 rally that people choose to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Jones said that Trump was either lying or "not that bright" and "a dumbass". In December 2021, Trump announced that he had received the vaccine. Jones responded by calling him "a terrorist in league with [[Josef Mengele]]" and a member of the New World Order. | ||
===Involvement in the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol=== | ===Involvement in the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol=== | ||
Jones partially funded and raised other funds to finance the January 6, 2021 Trump rally in Washington that preceded the 2021 United States Capitol attack. Jones attended the January 5 and 6 rallies at the capitol. | Jones partially funded and raised other funds to finance the January 6, 2021 Trump rally in Washington that preceded the 2021 United States Capitol attack. Jones attended the January 5 and 6 rallies at the capitol. | ||
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The same day, a video of Jones was posted ''InfoWars'', in which he is recorded saying "We declare 1776 against the new world order.... We need to understand we're under attack, and we need to understand this is 21st-century warfare and get on a war-footing...". In the same video, before setting off toward the Capitol building, Jones told the crowd: "We're here to take our rightful country back peacefully, because we're not globalist, antifa criminals. So let's start marching, and I salute you all." When rioters attacked the Capitol, Jones called on them to stop. "Let's not fight the police and give the system what they want," he said. | The same day, a video of Jones was posted ''InfoWars'', in which he is recorded saying "We declare 1776 against the new world order.... We need to understand we're under attack, and we need to understand this is 21st-century warfare and get on a war-footing...". In the same video, before setting off toward the Capitol building, Jones told the crowd: "We're here to take our rightful country back peacefully, because we're not globalist, antifa criminals. So let's start marching, and I salute you all." When rioters attacked the Capitol, Jones called on them to stop. "Let's not fight the police and give the system what they want," he said. | ||
In February 2021, ''The Washington Post'' reported that the FBI was investigating any role Jones might have played in influencing the participation of [[Proud Boys]] | In February 2021, ''The Washington Post'' reported that the FBI was investigating any role Jones might have played in influencing the participation of [[Proud Boys]], [[Boogaloo Boys|Boogaloo movement]] and [[Oath Keepers]] members in the incursion. Jones had previously hosted leaders of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers on his programs. Some members of the groups had been indicted for conspiracy in the incident. | ||
[[Owen Shroyer]], one of Jones's ''Infowars'' co-hosts, was arrested in August 2021 for allegedly being part of the riot. Shroyer had previously given a speech about being "ready to fight" outside the White House the day before. | |||
==Other views and claims== | ==Other views and claims== | ||
*Jones has promoted | *Jones has promoted both the [[Great Replacement]] theories. ''Media Matters'' covered his claim that NFL players protesting during the national anthem were "kneeling to white genocide" and violence against whites, which the SPLC covered in their headlines review.<ref>[https://www.bing.com/search?q=media+matters+alex+jones+kneeling+to+white+genocide&cvid=e3681a0ae72a4b0d89b1834cf036837d&aqs=edge..69i57.8856j0j4&FORM=ANAB01&PC=HCTS Alex Jones: Protesting NFL players are “kneeling to white genocide”], ''Media Matters For America''</ref><ref>[https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2017/09/27/hatewatch-headlines-9272017 Hatewatch Headlines 9/27/2017], ''Southern Poverty Law Center''</ref> | ||
**On October 2, 2017, Jones claimed that Democrats and communists were plotting imminent "white genocide" attacks. His reporting and public views on the topic have received support and coverage from white nationalist publications and groups, such as the AltRight Corporation and the New Zealand National Front. | **On October 2, 2017, Jones claimed that Democrats and communists were plotting imminent "white genocide" attacks. His reporting and public views on the topic have received support and coverage from white nationalist publications and groups, such as the AltRight Corporation and the New Zealand National Front. | ||
*Jones is known for both his [[Anti-vaxxers|opposition to vaccines]], and his views on vaccine controversies. | *Jones is known for both his [[Anti-vaxxers|opposition to vaccines]], and his views on vaccine controversies. | ||
**On June 16, 2017, Vox covered his claim that the introduction of the Sesame Street character Julia, an autistic Muppet, was "designed to normalize autism, a disorder caused by vaccines." | **On June 16, 2017, Vox covered his claim that the introduction of the Sesame Street character Julia, an autistic Muppet, was "designed to normalize autism, a disorder caused by vaccines."<ref>[https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/4/20/15295822/alex-jones-fans-climate-change-vaccines-science I talked to Alex Jones fans about climate change and vaccines. Their views may surprise you.], ''Vox''</ref> | ||
**On November 20, 2017, ''The New Yorker'' quoted Jones as claiming ''InfoWars'' was "defending people's right to not be forcibly infected with vaccines". Critics argue that he endangers "children by convincing their parents that vaccines are dangerous." | **On November 20, 2017, ''The New Yorker'' quoted Jones as claiming ''InfoWars'' was "defending people's right to not be forcibly infected with vaccines". Critics argue that he endangers "children by convincing their parents that vaccines are dangerous."<ref>[https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/11/20/jordan-kleppers-comic-conspiracy Jordan Klepper's Comic Conspiracy], ''The New Yorker''</ref> | ||
**Jones has specifically disputed the safety and effectiveness of MMR vaccines. | **Jones has specifically disputed the safety and effectiveness of MMR vaccines.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/feb/06/anti-vaccine-activists-waging-primordial-cosmic-war-despite-measles-backlash Anti-vaccine activists waging 'primordial cosmic war' despite measles backlash], ''The Guardian''</ref> | ||
**After Donald Trump recommended at an August 2021 rally that people choose to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Jones | **After Donald Trump recommended at an August 2021 rally that people choose to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Jones accused him of being "one of the most evil men who ever lived" and "[[Josef Mengele]] 2.0".<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2021/12/26/alex-jones-slams-donald-trump-for-telling-the-truth-about-the-covid-19-vaccine/?sh=6eba8e242e3b Alex Jones Slams Donald Trump For Telling The Truth About The COVID-19 Vaccine], ''Forbes''</ref> | ||
*While Jones initially supported [[QAnon]], Right Wing Watch reported that he had ceased to support QAnon by May 2018, declaring the source "completely compromised". In 2021, after the Capitol attack, Jones denounced believers of the QAnon conspiracy theory on ''InfoWars''. | **During a December 2021 episode of ''InfoWars'', Jones called the coronavirus vaccine an "experimental, Nuremberg Code-violating vaccine" and made references to a "Satanic alien attack". | ||
*While Jones initially supported [[QAnon]],<ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/how-storm-biggest-fake-news-story-796725 How 'the Storm' Became the Biggest Fake News Story of 2018], ''Newsweek''</ref> Right Wing Watch reported that he had ceased to support QAnon by May 2018, declaring the source "completely compromised".<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/stick-a-fork-in-qanon-alex-jones-and-jerome-corsi-claim-that-qanon-has-been-completely-compromised/ Stick A Fork In QAnon: Alex Jones And Jerome Corsi Claim That QAnon Has Been 'Completely Compromised'], ''Right Wing Watch''</ref> In 2021, after the Capitol attack, Jones denounced believers of the QAnon conspiracy theory on ''InfoWars''.<ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/alex-jones-qanon-rant-viral-infowars-1560394 Alex Jones' QAnon rant watched over two million times: "I'm sick of it!"], ''Newsweek''</ref> | |||
*He has promoted [[COVID denialism]] and has described COVID-19 as a "hoax" a number of times. | *He has promoted [[COVID denialism]] and has described COVID-19 as a "hoax" a number of times. | ||
*Jones was also the main proponent of "[[ | *Jones was also the main proponent of "[[Pizzagate]]", a conspiracy theory claiming that Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party were running a child [[Human Trafficking|human trafficking]] ring out of the basement of the Comet Ping Pong pizzeria in Washington D.C. This lead to a man named [[Edgar Maddison Welch]] entering the restaurant with a semi-automatic rifle on December 4, 2016 and opening fire; thankfully, no one was injured. | ||
*Jones has also claimed on a few occasions that the [[Communist Party of China]] has gained control of the Democratic Party and that China’s current paramount leader, [[Xi Jinping]], "owns" Hollywood. | *Jones has also claimed on a few occasions that the [[Communist Party of China]] has gained control of the Democratic Party and that China’s current paramount leader, [[Xi Jinping]], "owns" Hollywood. | ||
==References== | |||
[[Category:Modern Villains]] | [[Category:Modern Villains]] | ||
[[Category:Living Villains]] | [[Category:Living Villains]] | ||
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[[Category:Propagandist]] | [[Category:Propagandist]] | ||
[[Category:Con Artists]] | [[Category:Con Artists]] | ||
[[Category:Internet Related Pages]] | [[Category:Internet Related Pages]] | ||
[[Category:Internet Memes]] | [[Category:Internet Memes]] | ||
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[[Category:Jingoists]] | [[Category:Jingoists]] | ||
[[Category:Extremists]] | [[Category:Extremists]] | ||
[[Category:Anti- | [[Category:Anti-Semitic]] | ||
[[Category:Perverts]] | [[Category:Perverts]] | ||
[[Category:Corrupting Influence]] | [[Category:Corrupting Influence]] | ||
[[Category:Faux Affably Evil]] | |||
[[Category:Liars]] | |||
[[Category:Mentally Ill]] | |||
[[Category:Embezzlers]] | |||
[[Category:Artistic]] | |||
[[Category:Spoiled Brats]] | |||
[[Category:Failure-Intolerant]] | |||
[[Category:Misanthropes]] | |||
[[Category:YouTubers]] | |||