MCO425: Module 5 Blog Assignment

On December 14, 2012, the lives of 20 first graders, six school employees, and his mother were tragically ended at the hands of Adam Lanza. 

The Clearing: Sandy Hook Memorial

The devastating mass shooting that destroyed the lives of countless individuals has been at the center of controversy, as some believe the shooting never actually occurred.

They believe it is a hoax to further the support of gun control, with some extremists even believing it is meant to incite the repeal of the Second Amendment.

Alex Jones is an American far-right radio show host and conspiracy theorist. The shooting had just occurred when he began pushing the idea that it was a hoax, with parents and their deceased children accused of being government actors, or never existing in the first place. 

Due to Jones’ influence over public opinion, victims’ families were subjected to years of torment, threats, and abuse by his followers, being denied the time to properly grieve before they had to defend the death of their loved ones. 

How did Alex Jones persuade hordes of individuals to question and even attack the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting?

1. Fear: Alex Jones profited from the fear of rights being taken away, demeaning this tragedy down to an attempt by the government to seize control of Americans’ guns. The families or loved ones of victims were accused of being actors hired by the government to spread propaganda regarding gun control.
2. The Big Lie: Conspiracy theorists often believe they have to be smart enough to look closely and identify lies and contradictions in the accounts of the event. They studied the spoken accounts of the events and cast extreme doubt upon the smallest inconsistencies. 
3. Extrapolation: Alex Jones would broadcast a small moment in the interview of a victim’s parent, in this moment a small laugh or gasp could be heard, and this would be considered proof of the parent’s deceit. 
4. Slippery slope: Alex Jones influenced the belief that a disdain for gun violence would result in the repeal of the Second Amendment. The idea that enacting stricter gun control laws would inevitably lead to the seizure of all guns owned by American citizens is insinuating that a small step would lead to a plethora of negative outcomes. 

I would say that today, the issue is resolved. Alex Jones has been ordered to pay at least 1.1 billion dollars in defamation damages to the families of Sandy Hook victims and has since acknowledged that the shooting did occur.

This was accomplished by the decade-long battle between Alex Jones and the families of Sandy Hook victims for defamation and the inciting of criminal acts. 

While there are still individuals who deny the events that took place on December 14, 2012, the widespread discussion of the event has sparked conversations regarding social change and the treatment of victims and victims’ families after tragedy occurs. 

Survivors of the Sandy Hook shooting graduated from High School in June of 2024, bringing with them constant reminders of the attack, memories of the friends they lost, and aspirations to help others in similar situations or experiencing similar symptoms of trauma.