James H. Fetzer

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Fetzer in 2004
Some dare call it
Conspiracy
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What THEY don't want
you to know!
Sheeple wakers

James H. "Uncle" Fetzer (1940–) is a retired philosopher and all-around conspiracy theorist. From the 1970s into the 1990s, he published a number of well-regarded works on the philosophy of science, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence. By the late 1990s, however, he had morphed into a full-time conspiracy theorist. He has authored three entire collections of John F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theory books, co-authored a book that claims Senator Paul Wellstone's plane crash was actually a political assassination, promoted moon landing hoax conspiracy theories, and bolstered his support of holocaust denial with claims that Israel was secretly involved in everything from the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre to 9/11.[1][2] Naturally, TV shows hosted by intellectual giants such as Jerry Springer, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, and Jesse Ventura have given Fetzer and his views a comfy guest chair.

Veterans Today[edit]

Fetzer is editor of Veterans Today, a website that promotes itself as a "military veterans and foreign affairs journal." According to the Southern Poverty Law Center:[3]

But start reading the posts, and you'll find something else entirely: myriad claims that there was a conspiracy behind 9/11 (Israel orchestrated it, in cahoots with the American government), that the American government is a puppet (of Israel), that the Holocaust never happened or was greatly exaggerated (Jews made it up to manipulate non-Jews), and, most recently, that Julian Assange, the man behind Wikileaks, is a pawn (of Israel).

Notice a theme there? Yet Fetzer dismisses suggestions of an unhealthy obsession with Jews as merely "research" into "controversial subjects" like the Holocaust and "possible Israeli complicity" in events like 9/11.[4]

He'd prefer to be called an "American philosopher"[edit]

Yes, he's the guy who co-founded Scholars for 9/11 Truth. But before going completely batshit insane in the late 1990s, Fetzer was an acclaimed professor who specialized in the philosophy of science, artificial intelligence and computer science, at one point receiving a fellowship from the National Science Foundation. Arguing that these earlier academic accomplishments lend weight to his present views, he dislikes being called a conspiracy theorist. To this end, Fetzer has tried to hijack Wikipedia's 9/11 article and even his own Wikipedia bio — sometimes successfully.[5]

Sandy Hook Lawsuit[edit]

Fetzer was sued in Wisconsin for defamation and libel by Leonard Pozner, a father of a child who died in the Sandy Hook massacre, primarily for his book, Nobody Died At Sandy Hook: It was a FEMA Drill to Promote Gun Control.[6][7] Fetzer represented himself pro se in the case because he stated it was impossible to find a lawyer to represent him. "Nobody wants to touch" their case, Fetzer said.[8] Fetzer actually argued in Court that the original reasons he called the death certificate a fake were untrue, but then went on to claim that because many variations of the death certificate had been released (including with and without an embossed seal, with handwritten numbers at the top, or with a redaction of the social security number) that the certificates were fabricated. Handwritten differences and variations in the seal on the death certificate was apparently sufficient evidence for Fetzer to claim that Noah Pozner didn't exist. The judge in the case said there was no question of fact in dispute, and granted summary judgment against Fetzer in favor of Mr. Pozner in the libel case on the issue of liability, allowing it to proceed to a jury to consider damages. Pozner sought $1 million in damages against Fetzer and co-defendant Mike Palecek,[8] and was awarded $450,000 in damages by a jury.[9] Fetzer indicated he intended to appeal the verdict.[10]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Jovan Byford. Conspiracy Theories: A Critical Introduction. Palgrave Macmillan; 12 October 2011
  2. And I Suppose We Didn't Go To the Moon, Either? The Beatles, the Holocaust & Other Mass Illusions by James H Fetzer & Michael Palecek (2015) Moon Rock Books. ISBN 1512222267.
  3. Buyer Beware: Veterans Today and its Anti-Israel Agenda Southern Poverty Law Center
  4. Is 9/11 Research Anti-Semitic? James H. Fetzer, June 17, 2009
  5. James Henry Fetzer – Wikipedia NOT veteranstoday.com
  6. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/18/nyregion/sandy-hook-victim-court-ruling.html
  7. Nobody Died at Sandy Hook: It was a FEMA Drill to Promote Gun Gontrol by by James H Fetzer & Michael Palecek (2016) Moon Rock Books. ISBN 0692644172.
  8. 8.0 8.1 https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime-and-courts/judge-rules-against-sandy-hook-denier-from-dane-county-trial/article_b790c442-ba2e-5ca1-a69b-5df2f474396d.html
  9. Jury awards $450,000 to father of Sandy Hook victim in defamation case by Susan Svrluga (Oct. 16, 2019 at 5:52 p.m. PDT) The Washington Post.
  10. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/16/us/sandy-hook-defamation.html