The Hounding of Dr. James Tracy: An honorable man who deserves your support

by Jim Fetzer and Dr. Eowyn

Hound (verb): To harass, persecute, or pursue relentlessly.

18 days ago, on January 25, 2016, warrior for Sandy Hook truth Dr. James Tracy announced on his Memory Hole Blog the instauration of the James Tracy Legal Defense Fund.

The purpose of the James Tracy Legal Defense Fund is stated as follows:

Academic freedom and free speech are the basic and shared tenets of free and democratic societies. On January 6, 2016 Florida Atlantic University terminated Dr. James Tracy’s tenured position as Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, ostensibly for failing to fill out and file paperwork in a timely manner. Tracy began his employment at FAU as Assistant Professor in 2002, and was granted tenure in 2008. His 13-year record of teaching, research, and service-oriented contributions at the South Florida university has been consistently adjudged as excellent by his peers.   

Many observers contend that Tracy’s firing stemmed from his articles and commentary made on his personal blog, Memory Hole, interrogating the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre of December 14, 2012 and similar controversial events. Beginning in early 2013 Dr. Tracy became a target of many mainstream journalistic outlets that have routinely failed to provide objective and responsible investigative coverage of such incidents. Dr. Tracy’s abrupt termination suggests a broader affront to free speech and academic freedom not only at FAU, but for free thinkers throughout the US and world.   

The James Tracy Legal Defense Fund was established as a nonprofit entity by Dr. James Tracy and other concerned scholars in January 2016. The central purpose of the Tracy Legal Defense Fund is to generate revenue toward retaining competent legal representation for researching and ascertaining the facts pertinent to Dr. Tracy’s case.

Florida Atlantic University first moved to terminate tenured professor Tracy on 16 December 2015, less than a week after the (Florida) Sun-Sentinel saw fit to publish an op/ed by Lenny and Veronique Pozner, parents of alleged Sandy Hook child victim Noah. In their op/ed, the Pozners accused Tracy of “harassment” by sending a certified letter demanding that Lenny produce proof that Noah really is dead. The Pozners’ allegation has been repeated by countless subsequent news reports and readers’ comments, including an “expert” on academic tenure who was interviewed on air by NBC and cited Tracy’s alleged “harassment” as sufficient grounds for a university firing a tenured professor.

In writing the op/ed, the Pozners’ intent was evidenced by the word “target” in the title of their Sun-Sentinel op/ed: “Sandy Hook Massacre 3rd Anniversary: Two parents target FAU conspiracy theorist”. Target for what? — to get Tracy fired, an objective in which the Pozners succeeded. To quote from their op/ed:

Although FAU issued a “reprimand” to Tracy for the irresponsible and insensitive comments he made in late 2012, he has shown no remorse and continues to conceive conspiracy theories out of each new mass shooting . . . . It is time FAU reassess if their priorities properly reflect the best interests of their staff, donors and — most importantly — their students. 

The Pozners accuse Tracy of “harassment” on the grounds that he had sent a registered letter to Lenny Pozner, which they claimed demanded proof that Noah was really dead, a demand, they asserted, that caused them “pain and anguish.” As they wrote in their op/ed:

In fact, Tracy is among those who have personally sought to cause our family pain and anguish by publicly demonizing our attempts to keep cherished photos of our slain son from falling into the hands of conspiracy theorists.  

Tracy even sent us a certified letter demanding proof that Noah once lived, that we were his parents, and that we were the rightful owner of his photographic image. We found this so outrageous and unsettling that we filed a police report for harassment. 

But Tracy did no such thing. Instead, his letter to Lenny was a request for evidence that Lenny indeed has copyright ownership of Noah’s photographic images. Claiming copyright, Lenny has successfully prevailed on YouTube and WordPress to remove videos and blogs containing Noah’s images, including Tracy’s memoryholeblog.com.  Lenny’s claim to copyright is questionable on multiple grounds, because many images of Noah are already published in countless news reports, as well as on a Facebook page that Lenny had set up to memorialize Noah. Just “google” Noah Pozner and you will find plenty of his images on the Internet.

All of which means Noah’s images are already in the public domain, which makes Lenny’s copyright infringement complaints highly selective. He doesn’t want some bloggers and YouTubers to publish those images, but it’s okay if others do–including the people who put up an iconic image of Noah as one of the victims of another school shooting thousands of miles away in Peshawar, Pakistan, two years after Sandy Hook. In other words, given the wide availability of Noah’s images on the Internet, it was not unreasonable for Tracy to ask that Lenny produce proof of his copyright claim. That precisely was the objective of the March 30, 2015 letter that Tracy sent to Lenny via USPS certified mail, which was certified in order that Tracy be assured that his letter was properly delivered and received. Here is the letter he sent:

In his letter, Tracy recounted that he had received an email from his Internet service provider of Lenny’s copyright infringement complaint for an image of Noah that was published in a January 2, 2015 post on memoryholeblog.com. Tracy noted then that the image in question, “in addition to its broad circulation following the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre event on December 14, 2012, was published by the BBC and numerous other outlets, receiving similar worldwide circulation due to its inclusion in worldwide coverage of the December 16, 2014 Taliban attack on the Army Public School and Degree College in Peshawar Pakistan.”

Tracy then said that he had complied with Lenny’s request and “voluntarily removed the image in question.” However, since Lenny has made numerous similar copyright complaints, all directed against “parties that have publicly questioned and analyzed the Sandy Hook massacre event,” which has “the potential weight to stifle free speech and the traffic of ideas,” Tracy therefore asks the following from Lenny:

“1. Proof of your identity via copy of a government-issued document, such as a state driver’s license or passport.  

2. Proof of your relationship to the deceased party, Noah Pozner, whose alleged photograph appears in the image in question referenced above. 

3. Proof of your ownership of said image via the signed and notarized statement from a qualified licensed forensic expert substantiating your legal ownership of said image, including the date and time of the image’s capture.” 

Please note that nowhere in Tracy’s letter did he “demand proof that Noah once lived” or question whether Noah really is dead, but that’s exactly what the Pozners’ op/ed accused Tracy of doing. And on the basis of that false accusation, the Pozners urged Florida Atlantic University to “reassess” its “priorities,” which resulted in FAU’s termination of Tracy’s employment.

If you were James Tracy, having lost you tenured professorship on account of the Pozners’ outright misrepresentation of what you wrote in a letter, would you not appeal? And since Tracy is no longer employed, if you were him, would you not seek donations by good-hearted people in order to mount a legal defense? Tracy did just that, and on January 25, 2016, he notified the readers of Memory Hole Blog — his personal, university-unaffiliated blog–of the James Tracy Legal Defense Fund. Where else would he give public notice of the fund?

But even that effort is now blocked. Tracy received a letter from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), dated February 1, 2016, that FDACS had “received information” that Tracy may be in violation of a Florida law, Solicitation of Contributions Act, because he had not registered with the FDACS “prior to soliciting contributions from the public in Florida.” Failure to comply with that law may subject Tracy “to a cease and desist order and fines up to $1000 per violation.”

Please consider donating to the James Tracy Legal Defense Fund, no matter how small a sum, if only to send a message to Tracy that he is not alone in this fight. Moonrockbooks.com, which has republished Nobody Died at Sandy Hook, which amazon.com banned, and has now published And Nobody Died in Boston, Either (to both of which James Tracy contributed chapters) have already donated $3,000 to the fund, and will be donating more. There are therefore at least three ways you can donate:

• By sending a check.  

• With your credit card. 

• Via the Fundly Campaign

Or by buying Moon Rock Books. To donate, click here. Thank you for your support and generosity.

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32 thoughts on “The Hounding of Dr. James Tracy: An honorable man who deserves your support”

  1. What a masterful analytical mind you have — you know exceedingly little about me, yet you feel able to extrapolate all those traits. I have no financial stake in the documentary, but because I am unwilling to spend any time reading a book based on inaccurate information and illogically composed, you insist on denigrating my intelligence. Why would any intelligent person read and believe your book? I know that what happened at Sandy Hook was real — I have eyewitness accounts from people I know and trust. I do not trust a blowhard such as yourself to give an accurate account of the events. I have taken time and effort to give you information, but you have disregarded it because you are fixated on your conspiracy theories. And really, Dr. Eowyn?

  2. Skies and Steve,
    I am going to take some responsibility here. I lobbied very hard to have Steve12 removed from this blog.
    Unlike Skies, I support this decision. I could go in to the horrible things Steve12 has said and the claims he has made, but Moderator is right, there is no possibility that does not include him being a very intelligent Evil Minion, the most dangerous kind.
    I'll tell you what, Steve. How about you come on my show and debate me. On Skype.
    Show your face. I take that risk, though I use another name, even though YOU HAVE SPECIFICALLY THREATENED PEOPLE ON THIS FORUM!!!
    You have claimed to be a Zionist Operative many times, and that you have the power and the will to harm people.
    Despite that, I call you out. Show your face you self admitted despicable scum.
    And Moderator, I think that number he keeps posting is a way for his overlords to use a program that counts his posted comments so he can be paid.
    How about, if he is so interested in his Free Speech rights, tell him he can only post without his little bar code.

  3. RIP Free Speech. Even here.

    You, moderator, know better than anyone that I did not say anything even approaching uncivil. I mean, other posters are protesting your decision.

    What could be so bad that you need to ban me?

    What are you hiding?

    Y.99389.

  4. @ The Moderator

    That's unfortunate.

    Steve12 didn't drag me into the conversation. I have (or had) my reasons for talking to him, and last I checked he was civil and wasn't harassing anyone so deletions seem unwarranted.

    The lack of faith is disappointing, but I won't contest the decision.

  5. Skies,
    There are only two possibilities. Either Steve12 is what he says he is, or is a very sophisticated liar. In EITHER case his threats and psy op style total lies mean that he does not contribute to this blog. The possibility that he is paid by post and reply is too great to allow him to continue polluting our conversation and dragging good people like you in to a useless and off topic dialogue. Our time is better spent elsewhere.
    Steve12, go away, and do not post any more here.
    Don't like it? Email Jim.
    I try not to feel hatred for anyone, but boy do you make that hard.

  6. @ Steve12

    I find difficult to believe a mere persecution complex explains your motives.

    I wonder if they tell you it's for national security, or whether there is some other means of persuasion.

    There must be more substantial incentive involved. Usually that means big bucks, and maybe an extra bonus for a job well done. Although, I'm not ruling out mind control just yet.

    If you're willing to share, I'd love to hear everything you can tell us about your job. How they motivate, etc.

  7. David Norton
    Thanks for being with us.
    Quite a bt of trolling does get the boot, but many of the old trolls, like Steve12 here, simply gave up when they learned they couldn't just fill up threads.
    This comment, and Goldstein's received replies and were short, so I left them for people to see.
    These comments are much more informative and interesting now that there is room for good people to feel their contributions will not be buried in garbage.

  8. Note that "Emmanuel Goldstein" copies and pastes the same comment twice in one thread. He also has copied and pasted that same rant on 10 other articles by Dr. Fetzer in different places and as a response to many different people.
    He does this regularly! It must take an extraordinary amount of time. I have been simply moderating them off because whoever EG is, he is a dreadful human being. There is no reason to offer him this forum. Plus it is hoped he is encouraged to do something productive.
    I have left these rants up because Jim responded, and because I suppose we might as well show what he has to say once.
    Mr. Goldstein, I will simply continue to moderate off your comments in the future, so why don't you take your gorgeous, athletically built, brilliant 63 year old self and your 14 percent body fat, and start a club for evil trolls or something.
    You're not interesting, really, only sad and tiring.

  9. Notice that Dr. Fetzer has adapted a different behavior. Instead of deleting the posts of a blue eyed, 5' 11", 175 pound, 63-year-old male, with an athletic muscular build, 14% body fat, TransUnion score of 816 and an Equifax score of 814 he’s insulting people and accusing them of various things, including crimes.

    "Emmanuel Goldstein is widely believed to be a pseudonym for Judy Wood” ??? Widely believed by whom? Certainly not Dr. Fetzer. He knows better. But of course telling the truth is not his strong point – as illustrated throughout his post. But the question remains, why isn’t Dr. Fetzer going to be called as an “expert witness” for the Matthew Mills trial? Perhaps he doesn’t want to be caught lying under oath. Dr. Fetzer will not make his claims under oath with penalty of criminal charges. Why else does he not take any legal action? Instead, he promotes disinformation about other people.

    If Dr. Fetzer truly believes that Mr. Lenny Pozner is guilty of something, why hasn’t Dr. Fetzer filed legal charges or at least reported the crime and what he knows about it? (Note: A police report is a sworn statement.) I'm sure Dr. Fetzer knows that it is a crime to defraud the government (or an employee of the government, especially in the legal system). But it’s not a crime now to promote false propaganda ad nauseum.

    If Dr. Fetzer receives legal notification to provide evidence that Dr. Wood has “posted hundreds of attacks ” on him, he would be in legal trouble. (screen shot time)

    However, the original point remains. Dr. Tracy was fired for using university resources for personal use and was trying to cover it up, as outlined in his termination letter. If Dr. Tracy worked for Walmart and sat in the back room writing articles, books, and managing a rather large blog (that attempts to manage public opinion), WalMart would fire him too.

  10. @ Steve12

    I think we'd all be willing to hear you out. You almost seem more reasonable than others in your group. So what's your beef with James Tracy?

    I recall you saying you admired his efforts. Yet in all the threads you continue to attack him. Explain the contradiction there.

  11. Notice that Dr. Fetzer has adapted a different behavior. Instead of deleting the posts of a blue eyed, 5' 11", 175 pound, 63-year-old male, with an athletic muscular build, 14% body fat, TransUnion score of 816 and an Equifax score of 814 he’s insulting people and accusing them of various things, including crimes.

    "Emmanuel Goldstein is widely believed to be a pseudonym for Judy Wood” ??? Widely believed by whom? Certainly not Dr. Fetzer. He knows better. But of course telling the truth is not his strong point – as illustrated throughout his post. But the question remains, why isn’t Dr. Fetzer going to be called as an “expert witness” for the Matthew Mills trial? Perhaps he doesn’t want to be caught lying under oath. Dr. Fetzer will not make his claims under oath with penalty of criminal charges. Why else does he not take any legal action? Instead, he promotes disinformation about other people.

    If Dr. Fetzer truly believes that Mr. Lenny Pozner is guilty of something, why hasn’t Dr. Fetzer filed legal charges or at least reported the crime and what he knows about it? (Note: A police report is a sworn statement.) I'm sure Dr. Fetzer knows that it is a crime to defraud the government (or an employee of the government, especially in the legal system). But it’s not a crime now to promote false propaganda ad nauseum.

    If Dr. Fetzer receives legal notification to provide evidence that Dr. Wood has “posted hundreds of attacks ” on him, he would be in legal trouble. (screen shot time)

    However, the original point remains. Dr. Tracy was fired for using university resources for personal use and was trying to cover it up, as outlined in his termination letter. If Dr. Tracy worked for Walmart and sat in the back room writing articles, books, and managing a rather large blog (that attempts to manage public opinion), WalMart would fire him too.

  12. HAPPY VALENTINE, Dr. Fetzer, Dr. Ewoyn, and Dr. Tracy. We all know the vast amounts of money and ease you could be enjoying IF you were not giving your efforts and talent, and income, to protecting us from the rotten lying thieving scumbags, who want to kill us all, in the most visious ways possible. Read the words of Abraham Foxman, dob5/1/40, about their intent and methods.

  13. Cathy Reich,

    This is what you got from the post? — that we used "Lenny" to refer to Lenny Pozner? Pathetic.

    We use "Lenny" to differentiate him from two other Pozners mentioned in this post: Veronique and Noah.

  14. "Emmanuel Goldstein" is widely believed to be a pseudonym for Judy Wood, who has been running a limited-hang-out about 9/11. She denies she has a theory, but maintains that the Twin Towers were taken out by the use of directed, free-energy technology. I published a 5-STAR review on amazon.com observing that she has not ruled out the use of mini/micro nukes—which she and her fans have attacked (as of today) OVER 6,000 TIMES.

    I had observed that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) had produced studies of dust across Manhattan that revealed the presence of elements—Barium, Strontium, Lanthanum, Tritium and more—in quantities and correlations that would not have been present had this not been a nuclear event. On a previous occasion, I responded to a post by her sock-puppet, Thomas Potter, with “reply all” and one of my replies bounced from the office of the ADL.

    She has posted hundreds of attacks upon me and now, in a grotesque display of her lack of ethics and propriety, she extends her smears to James Tracy, a decent and honorable man who has been unjustly punished for exposing the Sandy Hook hoax. This is as revealing as any smear she has undertaken in the past.

    Judy appears to feel a sense of kinship with Lenny, since they are both engaged in efforts to mislead the public about serious events. Lenny fears that exposing the hoax may force him to have to return more than $1,000,000 he has received from a sympathetic but gullible public and might even be prosecuted for fraud.

    Judy has been attacking me for exposing her theory of "space beams" as incapable of coping with the USGS dust studies, where she suppresses data that falsifies her theory. And she hopes that no one will notice that she will not address the WHO and the WHY of 9/11 at all. They share many traits in common.

  15. Cathy Reich appears to have a financial stake in a film, "Newtown", which extends the fraud being perpetrated on the American public. She admits that she has never read NOBODY DIED AT SANDY HOOK, which is a perfect illustration of the shallow, pseudo-intellectual approach of bleeding-heart liberals who don't know the difference between the true and the false and are unwilling to exert the least effort to find out.

  16. To Dr James Tracy (via Jim's blog),

    Sir, you have won my admiration. I will do what I can which may just be buying a book. A small mistake in protocol IMO could have been overlooked with ethe Florida officials giving you a friendly reminder. I WILL not vist or do business with Florida-based companies again until the Florida officialdom gives me some hope of kindness in their conduct. Kindness is SO old-fashioned these days.

  17. I was going to contribute $100.00, but when I went to the Fundly site I get another page called "Ever button" or something like that and while it claims to have a high level of security the lock in he right hand conner does not appear, so I have no indication that my personal information would be secure or private.

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