The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

If ‘Crazy’ Were a Political Philosophy, Its Spokesman Would Be Alex Jones

Posted on | January 9, 2013 | 42 Comments

Remember when Alex Jones sicced a mob of kooks on Michelle Malkin during the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver?

“She wants to put us in camps!”

Crazy is not a political philosophy, and neither is anger. So, naturally, when anti-gun fanatic Piers Morgan wants a “typical” spokesman for Second Amendment rights, he brings on the permanently angry Alex Jones, who begins his rant with some signifying jive:

“[W]e did it to point out that this is globalism, and the mega banks that control the planet and brag they have taken over — in Bloomberg, AP, Reuters, you name it — brag that they’re going to get our guns as well. They’ve taken everybody’s guns, but the Swiss and the American people and when they get our guns, they can have their world tyranny while the government buys 1.6 billion bullets, armored vehicles, tanks, helicopters, predator drones, armed now in U.S. skies, being used to arrest people in North Dakota.”

Your key phrase there is “mega banks that control the planet.” This is classic kook-talk, the kind of paranoid stuff like Zeitgeist that inspired Jared Loughner. Recall that Zeitgeist not only demonized bankers, but also suggested that 9/11 was a hoax.

These are the ideas that circulate on the kook fringe, and Alex Jones first became notorious as a promoter of 9/11 Truther craziness.

His appetite for kook-fringe conspiracy theories discredits Alex Jones, as does his implacable raging anger. The only reason Piers Morgan had Jones on CNN was in order to discredit the Second Amendment by saying, “See how dangerously crazy these gun nuts are?”

Ranting about the “New World Order” doesn’t win arguments.

UPDATE: Allahpundit:

Last night’s cable-news car crash reminded me of how reporters used to go to tea-party rallies and seek out the nuttiest people they could find for self-discrediting quotes and photos. A cheap tactic to smear the whole group, but an effective one. Took Morgan awhile but somehow he figured out that insulting soft-spoken gun-rights advocates to their faces is less persuasive than letting a guy famous for 9/11 conspiracy theories shriek about guns and 1776 and the New World Order on camera for 15 minutes.

Hey, if Glenn Beck thinks you’re a paranoid kook . . .

Comments

42 Responses to “If ‘Crazy’ Were a Political Philosophy, Its Spokesman Would Be Alex Jones”

  1. Freddie Sykes
    January 9th, 2013 @ 3:35 pm

    I always thought that his petition to deport a specific individual had the bad odor of a Bill of Attainder.

  2. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    January 9th, 2013 @ 3:46 pm
  3. Red Dawn
    January 9th, 2013 @ 3:47 pm

    He’s definitely detrimental because his nonsense clouds, obscures, and fogs over the key, core issues we need to be taking seriously and working to resolve.

  4. Jim Maki
    January 9th, 2013 @ 3:56 pm

    And yet minting a $1,000,000,000,000 coin is the poster child for normality?

  5. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    January 9th, 2013 @ 4:11 pm

    He is a narcissist. Anyone putting themselves out there into the public has to have a little of that, but he is way heavy on the love of his own voice, and way light on intellect and restraint.

  6. richard mcenroe
    January 9th, 2013 @ 4:27 pm

    The StatzMedia had to turn to Alex Jones. Buchanan’s bile is all worn and old….

  7. Steve Skubinna
    January 9th, 2013 @ 4:33 pm

    Odd how typical right winger Alex Jones talks a lot like other typical right wingers. You know, the Occupy folks, Truthers, Noam Chomsky, Jared Loughner… perhaps Morgan, to provide much needed balance, should interview the popular face of the Democrats, Fred Phelps. That way the mainstream Dems could get their ideas out there as well.

  8. Mike G.
    January 9th, 2013 @ 4:49 pm

    Alex Jones is a nut, but he was interviewed by someone as nutty as he is. Piers Morgan was on CNN International today and twice in the segment, he said that Americans can walk into any Wal-Mart and buy a machine gun…those were his words. Regardless of the fact that Americans haven’t been able to buy machine guns or automatic weapons for over 80 years.

  9. Adjoran
    January 9th, 2013 @ 4:53 pm

    As Hail Mary plays go, it’s not bad.

    Morgan has one of the lowest rated shows on cable talk (outside Current TV of course). I think he was averaging under 150,000 viewers. That’s not enough for him (OR CNN) to live on for long. BUT there are plenty more dumbass leftists out there who do not watch. As evidence, note that the wild-eyed leftist totalitarian Obama was reelected.

    So Morgan’s recent rants are a cleverly designed publicity stunt. The outrage gets his noxious views way more attention than the 150K or less who tune in, and may attract more brain-dead automatons to him and CNN. Alex Jones is a nice touch because he reinforces every lefty and CNN stereotype of conservatives, Republicans, gun-owners, and patriots.

    It’s just like little weasels like Friedersdorf and Weigel “punching up” – it works.

  10. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    January 9th, 2013 @ 4:58 pm

    http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/2012/12/remember-piers-morgan-is-laughing-all.html Piers Morgan, making money off the blood of little children.

  11. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    January 9th, 2013 @ 4:59 pm
  12. bruce
    January 9th, 2013 @ 5:07 pm

    Yeah Steve. ‘Fred Phelps is a Democrat, WTF?’ say the young liberal genuises online who imagine all Dems are spoilt urban brats like themselves.

  13. Freddie Sykes
    January 9th, 2013 @ 5:20 pm

    I just hope that I am not expected to make change, How many $3 bills would it take?

  14. jwallin
    January 9th, 2013 @ 5:24 pm

    Well the way he puts it is kinda kooktastic but his point should be considered.

    The majority of Obama’s financial cabinet and advisers are all from companies that have been bailed out or are being bailed out or have had problems and are leveraged to the gills with sovereign debt like MF Global was. (and look how well that turned out)

    Of course, everyone will say that they no longer work for those banks/investment houses but come on. Really? Really? They don’t have a vested interest in making sure that their ex-companies don’t get stepped on or put on trial? Or that the banks don’t have plenty of reasons to make the country jump to it’s tune? Or maybe funnel some more tax free dough their way?

    They know what’s coming if this mess isn’t fixed and some of the first casualties in situations like this are the bankers and other thieves. That’s where the head chopping starts. Look at every other collapse and financial disaster that got so bad the peasants took to the streets.

    Guns make Bankers nervous. They don’t care whose hands they’re in.

    Yeah Alex is over the top and not the best example of cool, calm and collected but that’s because he’s been paying attention and knows where the money leads from and to.

    The UN is another one. Those 3rd world tin pot dictators’ diplomats would like nothing more than to loot and pillage this country, as to them it would be “reparations”. Plus they might come out with some power and some taxes to boot. Thing is they don’t like the idea of Free Americans who might object to their plans and physically remove their fellow travelers in American local governments who are implementing those plans slowly but surely.

    Guns make tyrants nervous too.

  15. Steve T
    January 9th, 2013 @ 5:24 pm

    Today’s CC post are maps of the 2012 US Presidential Election by County – to include trending maps…

    http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2013/01/maps-of-2012-us-presidential-election.html

  16. Rob Crawford
    January 9th, 2013 @ 5:44 pm

    I’m actually surprised Morgan and Jones didn’t find something they could agree on — Jew hatred.

  17. Rob Crawford
    January 9th, 2013 @ 5:45 pm

    I got some $4s with the face of Harry Morgan on them, if that will help.

  18. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    January 9th, 2013 @ 6:31 pm
  19. K-Bob
    January 9th, 2013 @ 6:50 pm

    You put a question mark at the end of your statement.

  20. K-Bob
    January 9th, 2013 @ 6:55 pm

    And Glenn Beck is trying to make hey out of this, as well. This, in the midst of Beck evidently claiming he’s starting a new, “libertarian” news service.

    Sounds more like an excuse to keep playing off of the fringe kooks instead of covering the news. Also, it sets Beck up to have some sort of excuse for his failure to follow through on the Restoration movement he was trying to start, and also an excuse for slamming decent candidates next time around, and supporting bizarre, useless ones, like he did with Jon “I endorse Obama” Huntsman.

    Jones, Beck, and of course Gawker, are nothing more than camp followers in this war. If you have to shoot at someone for trying to grab your guns, you can be sure they’ll try like hell to make money off of your sacrifice.

  21. Beto_Ochoa
    January 9th, 2013 @ 7:34 pm

    Actually, automatic weapons are still legal to own, very expensive, heavily regulated and available to anyone who has a clean record and the blessings of their county sheriff.

  22. KingShamus-(D)
    January 9th, 2013 @ 7:34 pm

    Quick tip: If you are a 9/11 truther–Loose Change enthusiast–global conspiracy theorist, please stay away.

  23. Mike G.
    January 9th, 2013 @ 8:04 pm

    But the fact remains that you CANNOT walk into the Wal-Mart and buy one. Also, I could be mistaken, but doesn’t one have to have a class three license and pass a serious FBI/BATF background check? And I heard or read somewhere that it takes up to six months for the check.

  24. Mike G.
    January 9th, 2013 @ 8:17 pm

    And lets not forget that you can’t buy one manufactured after May, 1986, plus you must pay a $200 tax on the weapon and keep the tax receipt in a secure place at all times, plus the BATF can inspect you at any time.

  25. Quartermaster
    January 9th, 2013 @ 8:24 pm

    Can someone take a bit of time from the right wing raving that normally occurs here and tell me which of those two is supposed to be the raving lunatic? I had a very difficult time telling the difference.

  26. richard mcenroe
    January 9th, 2013 @ 8:46 pm

    He SAYS that, but will the bastard post any addresses? Damn limey poufter tease…

  27. Garym
    January 9th, 2013 @ 8:49 pm

    +1

  28. Jally
    January 9th, 2013 @ 8:50 pm

    Anyone who believes anything the lying sacks of garbage in the Republican and Democratic parties, or their mouthpieces in the official corporate media, say, is a freaking idiot.

    Government, and the US federal government in particular, is the greatest threat to human freedom on the planet. If you support the ruling parties, you are an enemy of the constitution, an enemy of the people of the United States and an enemy of human freedom.

  29. Steve Skubinna
    January 9th, 2013 @ 8:51 pm

    Oh no, you misunderstand. Both of them are moderate right wingers. We’re just mocking anyone who would suggest that Jones or Morgan are not representative of our worldview.

    Also, that guy down by the bus station, the one shrieking at six foot tall invisible talking wombats? Perfectly representative right winger.

    Jim Jones? David Koresh? Gallagher? All typical right wingers.

  30. Stogie Chomper
    January 9th, 2013 @ 9:03 pm

    Alex Jones is a Kook with a capital K. He was one of the first blowhards to bloviate about 911 being “an inside job.” To Jones, all the world is one giant, unfolding conspiracy.

  31. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    January 9th, 2013 @ 9:24 pm

    That is definitely BSC too. I mean bat shit crazy, although the BSC ranking Notre Dame #1 was bat shit crazy too.

  32. DaveO
    January 9th, 2013 @ 9:59 pm

    To continue the irony meme – I’d like to see Cindy Sheehan brought on Morgan’s show and allowed to display all her crazy – and watch all the Prognazis call her a flaming TEA Partier.

    When Alex Jones was after GWB, the Left loved him.

  33. Joe
    January 9th, 2013 @ 10:19 pm

    “Nonsense clouds” my ass, those are CHEMTRAILS!

  34. Crazies Need Not Apply | The Lonely Conservative
    January 10th, 2013 @ 12:15 am

    […] conspiracy theories to make our case. All we need to do is get the facts out there. But, we have the loony Alex Jones making us all look guilty by association.Your key phrase there is “mega banks that control the planet.” This is classic kook-talk, the […]

  35. K-Bob
    January 10th, 2013 @ 12:30 am

    Counties will be mad at you for ‘outing’ where they live.

  36. Shawny Lee
    January 10th, 2013 @ 5:08 am

    So, is this the new normal? Is this how mentally and emotionally well adjusted, accepting and compliant we are supposed to sound in response to all the horrendously negative changes taking place in our country? I don’t know guys, nationalized healthcare, indefinite detention, soveriegn nations being summarily flipped over to Muslim Brotherhood control one after the other, (and in Libya we were arming and training some of the very same rebel terrorists who were killing our soldiers in Afghanistan). Remember that conspiracy about the census folks GPS painting all of our front doors and the military weapons expert “loon” who said the only reason he could think of for doing that was if we were launching drones in U.S. airspace? A president with his own personal kill list who will allow no congressional oversight for how it is used. 80 plus Communists in congress, many Muslim and Marxist sympathizers infiltrated into every level of all three branches of our government…….Americans betrayed and left to die in Benghazi………You can call me bat shit crazy all day long but I’m angry and 4 years ago every one who kept saying, that’s crazy talk, that’s tin foil hat shit, that’s fearmongering, that’s conspiracy crap…..well, where the hell are we now and which “core issues” have we even raised, let alone resolved? Is it before or after the order to relinquish our weapons that it might not be construed as “nutty” to stand the hell up and yell like we’re angry about it? Cause I’m already there.

  37. Animal’s Daily News | Animal Magnetism
    January 10th, 2013 @ 7:28 am

    […] parade of crazy?  Simply this:  He was invited to represent the American gun-owning public on the Piers Morgan show, for the benefit of both of Morgan’s viewers.  […]

  38. Quartermaster
    January 10th, 2013 @ 7:51 am

    LOL!

  39. Noted lunatic AKA Alex Jones, is the last person I want defending my right to keep and bear arms « The Daley Gator
    January 10th, 2013 @ 10:28 am

    […] to them in any way. In fact, I would say that most of us agree with The Other McCain’s summation of Alex the Loony  Crazy is not an ideology Crazy is not a political philosophy, and neither is anger. So, […]

  40. Notes on Hip: Hanson as Sontag : The Other McCain
    January 10th, 2013 @ 11:45 am

    […] don’t really understand how we got to where we are, and thus are left sulking helplessly (or ranting in impotent frustration) at their own failures. You can’t solve your problem if you don’t understand you […]

  41. Send Lawyers, Guns, And Money… [Updated Below] « The Camp Of The Saints
    January 10th, 2013 @ 7:56 pm

    […] the Piers Morgan versus Alex Jones confrontation, Stacy makes all of the important points about it: Morgan’s reason for the invite and Jones’s background [including his vile attack on […]

  42. FMJRA 2.0: Modern Love : The Other McCain
    January 12th, 2013 @ 1:01 pm

    […] 2.0: Modern LovePosted on | January 12, 2013 | No Comments– compiled by Wombat-sochoIf ‘Crazy’ Were a Political Philosophy, Its Spokesman Would Be Alex JonesThe (Perhaps Slightly Less) Lonely ConservativeAnimal MagnetismThe Daley GatorThe Camp of the […]