Professor James Tracy of the Department of Communications at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, where this author has been an Adjunct Professor of History and Political Science since 1989, has become the center of a massive controversy in the past few days. Let me inform my readers that I do not know Professor Tracy, have never met him, and did not even know what he looked like until this controversy erupted!
Tracy has claimed that he believes that the Sandy Hook Elementary School Massacre of December 14 in Newtown, Connecticut, was a staged event conjured up by a conspiracy of the Obama Administration in cahoots with the news media and trained actors, and that since there is no released photographic evidence of the riddled bodies of 20 children and six teachers and administrators, therefore the event never happened!
This is obviously a lunatic theory, a conspiracy theory that believes that the government and the news media work together to lie to the American people, and to cause staged events to add to the power of the American government at all levels, in their aim to take away the civil liberties of the American population. It is never explained why the news media would collaborate in such a conspiracy, as criticism of government is a regular situation by the news media all across the country!
Tracy is intellectually dishonest, and in his heart of hearts, he knows that what he has done is horrific, irresponsible, reckless, unforgivable, and only feeds gun fanatics who wish to act in a manner similar to Alex Jones, who went on Piers Morgan’s show on CNN, and ranted and raved about plans to begin another “1776” event, through an armed uprising against government authorities.
Tracy is feeding paranoia, adding his title as a professor to promotion of conspiracy theories, and is undermining respect for our government leadership at all levels. He is acting as a demagogue, a man who incites crazies with his nutty utterances on his blog and in emails.
But the problem is that some would say this man should be fired by the university, which has taken the proper stand to separate themselves from his reckless, irresponsible statements, but point out that his viewpoints are not associated with the university, therefore upholding his First Amendment rights to freedom of speech.
The best thing that could happen, but is unlikely to occur, is that Tracy, a tenured Associate Professor, choose to resign from Florida Atlantic University, but his notoriety makes it unlikely that he would be picked up by another university, and this is his livelihood. Freedom of expression and academic freedom cannot be violated nor abrogated!
So we must be willing to tolerate his outrageous statements in the name of civil liberties, and know that he will certainly be living a life of discomfort for his utterances, and his lack of concern for the harm he is doing to the families of the 20 children and six teachers and administrators who were tragic victims nearly a month ago!
But despite anger, no one should threaten his life, or write hateful emails to this professor, but instead ignore him as quickly as possible, as that is ultimately what Professor Tracy feeds on—attention, although of a negative variety—which makes one wonder about his own mental state, and the hope that he does not have ownership of any guns or other assault weapons!
On his theory, maybe we should apply the same criteria to prove that he is really a tenured professor as there has not been any photographic evidence that he earned his academic credentials.
If he did announce this in a public forum, however, there is evidence that he is a crackpot ; )
I had a hearty laugh to your statement about photographic evidence of Tracy earning his academic credentials. It is sad that a professor would stoop to this ridiculous, wing nut accusation, and it does not add to his reputation!
The “Progressive Professor”? Are you kidding?
Another “progressive” who never met a pornographer whose free speech rights he wouldn’t defend to the death is formulating ways to attack rank and file people who ask questions about important events rather than powerful people who don’t want them answered.
The Main Stream Media coverage of Sandy Hook has been disgraceful, contradictory, inconsistent and in many respects incomprehensible. Tracy and others are right to ask questions. The US government hasn’t told the truth about anything since the Spanish American War and it the conformist, intellectually calcified people who call for the silencing of independent voices that are complicit in decades of corruption and unnecessary wars. Because of Sandy Hook we’re faced with a proposed transfer of power from millions of the ruled to a handful of rulers. Instead of talking about increased taxes, diminished healthcare, an invasion of third world primitives and 20 million unemployed Americans, we’re talking about magazine capacity.
After years of illegally funneling weapons to Mexican Drug Cartels and leaving our borders open to an invasion by them, this administration now wants to disarm American citizens and shift the balance of power from them to the criminal gangs on whose behalf the Obama Administration has acted.
Redeem your mind from the pawnshop of authority and learn how to ask questions before it is too late.
As always, you have a right to your opinion, but not the facts.
To claim that the Sandy Hook Massacre never occurred, and to say we have never known the truth since the Spanish American War, and that everything that occurs is a vast coverup and conspiracy, shows delusion.
And to use the term “primitives” does not flatter you, I am sorry to say.
I challenge authority, but when it makes sense, not automatic denial of any truth ever, as you seem to believe.
Thanks for your comment, however, as it promotes debate and thought.
Associate Professor James Tracy has failed the first requirement of academe: have the facts. When he writes that it is not unreasonable to suggest that the episode may not have happened, it is obligatory that the he provide a reason for his suggestion. Conspiratorial surmise is not a reason.
So, from the start, Tracy demonstrates that his political paranoia has corrupted academic standards of factuality and honesty. I believe that, as a tenured professor and an American citizen, he has every right to express his views; and enrolled students have every right to take classes from other professors.
You are misstating the professor’s statements when you write: “Tracy has claimed that he believes that the Sandy Hook Elementary School Massacre of December 14 in Newtown, Connecticut, was a staged event conjured up by a conspiracy of the Obama Administration in cahoots with the news media and trained actors, and that since there is no released photographic evidence of the riddled bodies of 20 children and six teachers and administrators, therefore the event never happened!”
I don’t agree with Tracy’s analysis, but he has not said what you claim he said. This is ironic because you posit yourself as the serious, reasonable academic by way of this blog and your criticism, but you fail to accurately describe the work that you claim to critique. Instead you blatantly construct a straw man. I don’t see how your fallacies are less problematic than Tracy’s.
James Tracy wanted to use this horrific tragedy to have his 15 minutes. He and other conspiracy theorists
enjoy believing that nothing is as it appears in the press. If Mr.Tracy is so concerned about the press and the government, he should have become a journalist or a politician and tried to make a difference.
But it’s easier to sit at home in front of his computer and hide behind the Internet.
He is a reckless coward. Would not appear on CNN as requested by Anderson Cooper but goes on Alex Jones Show on 1/18
I must say, Eric, that you are in a “parallel universe” if you are claiming that James Tracy did not say what he said on MEMORY HOLE, his blog. He has now “modified” what he wrote and said at the beginning, but that is simply protecting his own self interest, which is understandable, but he did not contribute anything but heartache to the families who lost their children, and the families of the teachers and administrators lost that day.
Christine, I absolutely agree with what you are saying. For ANYONE to go on a show hosted by Alex Jones, who put on an outrageous performance on Piers Morgan’s show on CNN, and wanted Morgan deported simply because he utilized freedom of speech, the First Amendment, makes one wonder about the judgment of Professor Tracy, who should have the courage to go on Anderson Cooper and face serious questioning.