A Tale About Alex Jones

Pardon the Interruption

When I was in my 20s, I worked for a House Committee in Texas as the clerk. My responsibility was to take care of the bills filed with the committee, set hearings, manage testimony, and the minutes. 

My office was located in the "dungeon" of the Capitol building. Some knew where the offices were located. A few knew the importance of committee offices. 

Alex Jones knew the importance of the offices in the dungeon. 

My old boss, the chair of the committee, had a bill that dealt with some issue that caught Alex's attention. I don't recall the issue, but it may have been either DNA testing or something to do with records. But during that legislative session, Alex Jones was in my office.

At the time, Alex was a local personality best known for his public access cable TV show.  He grew in popularity in Austin to the point he was voted "Best Austin Talk Radio Host." 

His popularity grew trifold when he began promoting the conspiracy theory that the George W. Bush administration was behind the 9/11 attacks. 

I met him in the beginning of 2001, before 9/11.

When he would stop by, Alex was super nice. He had charisma and I was interested in what he had to say. I listened to a lot of his theories and questions. And I found myself asking the same thing. He made valid points. 

One night I went home and told my girlfriend (ex-wife) about a guy that has been coming around the office and has got me thinking about things. I shared one of the conspiracies that had got me thinking on how black helicopters are flying over certain areas. She stopped me from continuing and replied, "Wait. Alex Jones? You know I broke up with my ex-boyfriend because he was addicted to Alex Jones."

Needless to say, I kept my distance from Alex. 

Before Alex became Alex Jones, he was a one-man show. He carried with him a video camera. He would interview behind a video camera. He would set up a video camera and then record himself provide testimony. 

He would ask permission to set up his camera. It started with him setting up his camera in the back of the committee hearing room, and then it moved to the front corner. He did ask to place his camera on the landing of the dais, but I said no as directed by the chair of the committee. But that didn't stop Alex from placing the camera on the landing focusing on the committee members sitting behind the dais. 

When did Alex Jones begin transforming into the Alex Jones a good percentage of Americans despise? Does he really honestly believe the shit he says? Why does he do this? These are things I think about every time I see a headline with him name on it. 

Recently, the headline that caught my attention read, "Connecticut judge orders Infowars' Alex Jones to pay damages to families of Sandy Hook shooting victims in defamation lawsuits."

Sixteen families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims filed a defamation suit against Jones for spreading false claims.