Why The Oath Keepers Are Helping Infowars

Most reporters who entrench themselves in a story like the Ferguson protests risk the chance of being injured or arrested — but not if you work for Infowars. The conspiracy theory website has essentially hired bodyguards for its reporters on the scene in Missouri. According to CBS News, several Oath Keepers are protecting Infowars reporters from any potential violence. The presence of the militaristic group, who were armed with assault rifles and flak jackets, made both police and protesters uneasy, and raised questions over why exactly they're protecting Infowars journalists.

According to a report by Infowars, two of its reporters, Joe Biggs and Jakari Jackson, arrived in Ferguson after the shooting on Sunday night to cover the developments. They were met and supervised by Oath Keepers, who were "exercising their right to open carry." The leader of the group, who went by "John," explained their mission to Raw Story: "There were problems here, there were people who got hurt. We needed to be prepared for that."

Infowars is the brainchild of Alex Jones, who is known for his syndicated radio program, The Alex Jones Show. The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled Jones an "extremist" and called him "the most prolific conspiracy theorist in contemporary America." Jones is perhaps best known for propagating the theory that 9/11 was an inside job orchestrated by the Bush administration, and he earned his "extremist" title when he suggested that the Sandy Hook shooting was a hoax perpetrated by anti-gun advocates. Infowars is just another platform for Jones to spew his extreme anti-government theories and views.

But what does it have to do with the Oath Keepers?

Amid the unrest that has erupted surrounding the one-year anniversary of Michael Brown's death in Ferguson, members of the Oath Keepers have appeared on the scene, adding to the tension in the air. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said in a statement that "Their presence was both unnecessary and inflammatory."

According to its website, Oath Keepers is a "non-partisan association of current and formerly serving military, police, and first responders who pledge to fulfill the oath all military and police take to 'defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.'" In reality, the Oath Keepers, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has called a "fiercely anti-government, militaristic group," is a right-wing organization that helps promote the conservative agenda, particularly when it comes to the Second Amendment.

In other words, its views align pretty seamlessly with those of Alex Jones. In fact, if Jones had been involved with the military or law enforcement, he'd probably be a member himself. Instead, the two have been using the situation in Ferguson to help promote each other's agendas. Of course, on the Oath Keepers' end, they're providing physical protection for Infowars' journalists. So what is Infowars doing in return?

Even to someone completely unfamiliar with either party, the Infowars report on the Oath Keepers is clearly nothing more than a thinly-veiled PR tool for the organization. The story argues that the black community wants the Oath Keepers there, and goes on to say that its heavily-armed members were actually educating the crowds on their constitutional rights and urging peaceful demonstrations. In fact, the story claims that the only reason anyone is questioning their presence is because the liberal media is painting the organization out to be militant rabble-rousers.

But nobody has to say anything, really, because the members pretty much speak for themselves.