In the initial aftermath of the 2011 Tucson shooting, the media speculated that Loughner's political views had been fueled by extremist rhetoric. Records show that Loughner was registered as an independent voter and voted in 2006 and 2008, but not in 2010.[21][22] A YouTube channel under an account called "Classitup10" was linked to Loughner.[23][24] Loughner had also posted a video on YouTube in which he described his school, Pima Community College, as "one of the biggest scams in America". This video led to Loughner being suspended from the school.[25] One classmate stated that Loughner had laughed at a young woman and likened her to a terrorist after she read a poem about getting an abortion.[26][27] Classmates identified Loughner as a nihilist and atheist, and noted that he was critical of religion.[16][20][26][28] An old friend, Bryce Tierney, discussed several of Loughner's views. According to him, Loughner had exhibited a longstanding dislike for Gabrielle Giffords, a Blue Dog Democrat, and he repeatedly derided her as a "fake." This grudge intensified when he attended her August 25, 2007, event and she did not, in his view, sufficiently answer his question: "What is government if words have no meaning?"[20] Loughner kept Gifford's form letter, which thanked him for attending the 2007 event. An envelope in the same box as the letter was scrawled with phrases like "die bitch" and "assassination plans have been made."[29] Loughner was known to believe, and to say, that women should not hold positions of power.[30][31] Loughner's best friend, Zach Osler, disputed speculation by media commentators that Loughner's actions were fueled by partisan politics and rhetoric, insisting, "He did not watch TV, he disliked the news, he didn't listen to political radio, he didn't take sides, he wasn't on the Left, he wasn't on the Right," and instead conspiracy theories had a profound effect on him.[10] Another friend, Zane Gutierrez, later told the New York Times that Loughner's anger would also "well up at the sight of President George W. Bush or in discussing what he considered to be the nefarious designs of government".[31]
Loughner believed in numerous conspiracy theories and espoused views such as: the United States Government was responsible for the September 11 attacks;[31] a New World Order would bring about a one world currency; there would be a 2012 apocalypse; NASA had faked spaceflights; and the government was using mind control to brainwash people by controlling grammar. He was a member of the online conspiracy theory message board Above Top Secret though members of the site did not respond warmly to his posts.[28][32][33][34] Reports appearing after the shooting noted similarities between the statements made by Loughner concerning grammar and mind control and the views of conspiracy theorist David Wynn Miller.[35] Miller stated, "He's just repeating things I've had up on my site the past 11 years."[36][37] According to Zach Osler, the online conspiracy theory film Zeitgeist: The Movie affected Loughner's view of the world.[10][38][39][40]
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