By Zoélie Bérubé

Six years after the Sandy Hook shooting, Alex Jones was all alone in his living room, sipping on his homemade coffee and eating his peanut butter toasts. It was a Tuesday morning, more precisely April 17,2018, and Alex was just having his breakfast before going to work. As he was turning on the television to watch the morning news, he heard two big knocks coming from the front door. Two police officers told him he was put under arrest for saying his opinion about the Sandy Hook shooting from 2012. He would never have thought something he said such a long time ago would find him to court one day.

 

In America, freedom of speech is important and promoted. Americans are encouraged to speak aloud on what they believe in. A question that can be asked is ; How far can freedom of speech go? To the point where someone’s opinion can hurt other people’s feelings or stop them from living their lives fully without feeling ashamed or persecuted, it should not be said publicly.

 

It was not the first time that the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was brought to court because of his sayings. Even though the First Amendment prohibits everyone from punishing someone for his sayings, the judges in Connecticut put this Amendment on pause for Alex’s 2018 trial. He said publicly that the 2012 shooting in the elementary school Sandy Hook was a whole make-up scene made by anti-gun activist and that no one’s child died in real life.

 

According to Andrew P. Napolitano, USA TODAY Network writer, the parents of the murdered children sued Alex Jones for defamation and mental distress. The court and many people argued that the parents sued Alex more for a question of money than for mental distress. Alex is a wealthy guy because he is an actor and he also owns InfoWars, a website that posts fake news and conspiracy theory. He is well-known for talking about taboo subjects. He also has the most views in the world of podcasts.

 

According to the 14th Amendment, even if freedom of speech is encouraged, it should not take anyone’s life or liberty and not persecute them. Voltaire once said, «  I disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.«  That is what Alex Jones is fighting for right now in Connecticut. The amount of money that he will owe to the families is still not known but for the moment, a billion dollars is on the table.

 

 

Many countries do not have access to freedom of speech at all. It is important for the countries who have the right to it to fight hard to keep this human right accessible. Although Americans thought they could say anything they wanted, the whole Alex Jones case made them realize that not everything can be said without a punishment. As far as freedom of speech is important, it should always be said in a polite way where no one could be hurt by any remark. In Jones case, it is not easy to say if he will continue talking about such subjects, but his attitude and personality show that he will continue.

 

Mediagraphy:

 

Amnesty International. «  We’ve Been Defending the Right to Freedom of Expression since 1961. «  Amnesty International, 31 Oct. 2022, https://amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/freedom-of-expression/

 

Napolitano, Andrew P. «  Alex Jones and the Freedom of Speech: Napolitano.«  New Jersey Herald, 20 Oct. 2022, https://www.njherald.com/story/opinion/2022/10/20/alex-jones-and-the-freedom-of-speech/69577197007/