It has been a little more than a month since the nation was shaken by the Newtown, Conn. shooting that left 20 children and six adults dead. In good American tradition it didn’t take long for conspiracy theorists to rationalize a greater meaning behind the tragedy. And like most of these theories, it lacks a key element — truth.

In the days following the second deadliest shooting in the nation’s history, several videos and commentary have gone viral claiming this was a hoax by the government and media to enforce stricter gun control laws.

To add evidence to their theory, in the weeks following the shooting, President Obama responded to the nation-wide debate on gun control by unveiling a historic series of proposals geared to wane gun violence within the nation.

Amid the skepticism, people like James Tracy have gained a sense of notoriety by broadcasting his claims.

The tenured history professor at Florida Atlantic University said, “While it sounds like an outrageous claim, one is left to inquire whether the Sandy Hook shooting ever took place-at least in the way law enforcement authorities and the nation’s news media have described,” he wrote in his blog post on memoryholeblog.com.

He claims the tragedy was nothing more than government and lobbying efforts to address our nation’s long debate over gun control laws.

A video produced by an unknown person has also gone viral making similar claims to Tracy.

One of the many false claims involves a photo with President Obama and a little girl backstage at a Newtown vigil two days after the shooting.

The video claims the girl is 6-year-old Emilie Parker, a child murdered in the massacre when in fact it was the dead girl’s sister.

The girl’s parents confirmed that.

Also the video added insult to injury by claiming Robbie Parker, the parent of a murdered child, was putting on an act while reading a statement in front of the press. It claims he had a joyful spirit and was making jokes prior to “getting into character” to appear sad and sullen.

It is impossible to fathom what these parents are going through emotionally.

How they deal with loss is completely different from the next person, so it is unfair to say Parker parent is not grieving because he is not crying 24 hours a day.

History has proven that conspiracy theorists are just as American as apple pie. From the assassination of John F. Kennedy to the Sept. 11 attacks, groups of people believe in government and media cover ups for whatever reason. Some cases may have a slimmer of truth to them.

However, in the Newtown, Conn. case, simply put — I just don’t buy it.

As an avid viewer of ABC’s hit show “Scandal,” would it surprise me if the government were in cahoots with the media to curb what is public knowledge?

Of course not, but it ultimately comes to what is fact and what is just imagination.

• Kelcie Mccrae, Senior Editor