Prior to last night, I’d never heard the name Alex Jones, although I knew of his petition on the White House website asking that British commentator Piers Morgan be deported from the United States. Morgan, who for some inexplicable reason was given his own primetime show on CNN, has made some strong statements about the need for more gun control in the US, and Jones took offense. With nothing better on at the time, I decided to watch Morgan’s show last night, thinking it would be interesting to see a serious, well-reasoned, thoughtful gun advocate cut down an arrogant, pompous Brit who is not even a proper journalist (he worked for tabloids and was involved in the Daily Mirror hacking scandal in the UK).
As it turned out, I had it completely backwards. Morgan introduced Jones and after that could hardly get a word in. Jones started ranting — not discussing, not listening, not answering questions — and within a very few minutes I actually began to fear for Morgan’s safety. Jones raved about guns, banks, 9/11, Prozac, foreign governments, Hitler, sharks, and the media, at one point even mocking Morgan’s accent. Erratic, disjointed thinking. Highly agitated. Paranoid. The idea that someone like him has a virtual arsenal at home (more than 50 guns) was deeply disturbing. The idea that there are thousands of people across the country just like him — bone-chilling.
Jones exemplifies why we need more gun control, better background checks, and checks for emotional/mental stability.
I’ve never liked nor respected Piers Morgan, but I have to give him credit for knowing all he had to do to make his case was put Jones on the air.
Good grief PT. I tried to watch the videos but that guy is just too much to bear. I’ll bet peaceful gun owners all over the country are cringing at the thought of him being considered as representing them! 😯
That crumpling sound you hear is me making a tin hat for Jones.
Ha! He needs one. He is a complete fool. Paranoid and spreading irrational fear and conspiracies. I tried to watch the later show that night and made it less than a minute. I came in during one of his rants and just could not last. I have a Youtube Canadian friend that idolizes this guy… and I see him believing all these idiotic conspiracies.
I couldn’t watch it either, Izaak. No way.
My good friend and fellow blogger, The Erstwhile Conservative, also posted on this. Rather than comment here I will provide a link to his blog which has already garnered my and other comments.
I see Duane didn’t say much either. The videos speak for themselves. Jones is a nut case. If gun owners are serious about protecting their Second Amendment rights, they’d better find some rational people to present their case.
So tired of nut cases and extremists – where do these people come from?
So much for hoping for middle ground and common sense in the new year. UGH
Morgan is a smart business man, I’ve always said that. As far as his opinions, who cares what he or celebrities think?
Nuts are everywhere these days – and the media loves to stoke drama
Morgan loves to stoke drama more than most (probably why CNN hired him). His primary experience is with tabloids, where sensationalism is the entire reason for being. I sure he had that in mind when he set up this interview, but it doesn’t make Jones any less a nut.
I was only able to listen to a few minutes of this interview. Jones is a whack job through & through, yet he gets attention [and respect?] in this country! None of what he says makes any sense– which I suppose is the real takeaway from this interview. We live in a country where nonsense and nut cases are the news. Just great.
Morgan doesn’t report the news; he strives mightily to make it. Last night he succeeded in a big, big way. He’ll probably get a bonus from CNN for this.
Talk about need for nut control – have you seen that guy who seems to think that school shooting either didn’t happen or was a sham?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-fau-prof-newtown-20130107,0,4267958.story
This country needs to seriously focus on mental health issues – and the media needs to stop encouraging these whack jobs.
Holy cow! I don’t even know what to say …
I don’t know much about Piers Morgan but I will say that this guy Alex Jones is frightening! The thought of how many hot-tempered loose cannons in America own guns scares me. His facts were disjointed and random and he could barely stay in his seat. I wouldn’t want to bump into someone like THAT in the streets on a bad day. Thankfully, I live in Canada!
Lucky you. Canada seems so much more civilized in so many ways.
I don’t have any idea who this guy is, but just because he’s really P.O’d doesn’t mean he’s wrong about the second amendment. Piers brought out a figurative BBQ, poured lighter fluid on it, and watched it burn. Probably the most intersting Piers has been lately. I don’t know, I don’t watch CNN because they are so full of it.
The second amendment was written specifically to protect American people from a tyrannical government. This government is eroding our rights one by one, and I do not trust them. It that’s tin foil hattery, so be it. I’ll put my spring designs up for sale on ebay. (already have an order for two tricorn ones). 🙂
Tin foil tricorns. Stylin’!! I hadn’t thought beyond a simple cone or helmet.
I have to disagree with you on the Second Amendment. We no longer have state militias and these days there’s no way average citizens have the firepower to stand up to the U.S. military. Furthermore, a lot of that citizen firepower is being used against fellow citizens who also have constitutional rights (life!). There’s a lot about our government that I don’t like or trust either, but I don’t for one minute think a gun (or 50 guns) is going to change it.
He always brings a smile to my lips…