← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Valley Forge
Thread ID: 14004 | Posts: 3 | Started: 2004-06-01
2004-06-01 23:16 | User Profile
[COLOR=Blue][SIZE=5][B][SIZE=4]Duke draws support from fractured far-right groups[/SIZE][/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]
By CAIN BURDEAU Associated Press Writer KENNER, La. -- Fresh out of prison for bilking supporters, former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke hosted a weekend gathering of enthusiastic backers eager to hear him as he lashed out at Jews, blacks, immigrants and the "Zionist-controlled media."
About 250 of them chanted "Duke! Duke!" as he took the stage Saturday night during his "unity and leadership conference." None cared that he had just served time for swindling contributors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a direct mail scheme.
"It was essentially a political conviction," said Paul Fromm, director of the Canadian Association for Free Expression.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, a watchdog group that monitors hate groups, has identified Fromm as a Holocaust denier and said the Memorial Day weekend conference was a gathering for like-minded white supremacists and right-wing groups.
The Web site for the Duke-founded European-American Unity and Rights Organization identified participants as leaders of Stormfront, the National Alliance and the British National Party.
"I think the congress is intended to deflect attention from Duke's conviction for bilking his supporters and it's a publicity stunt pure and simple to make him look like a candidate rather than a convict," said Lance Hill, director the Southern Institute for Education and Research.
Despite Duke's legal travails, some extremists apparently still hold hope that he can unite and lead a political movement.
Don Black, the creator of Stormfront, one of the first white nationalist Internet sites, praised Duke for his political savvy.
"He's demonstrated that he's been the lead man in the past," Black said. "I believe the conference represents the beginning of a viable political movement for white America."
But those who monitor Duke's activities have their doubts.
"He seems to have survived this fall from grace - in terms of being convicted of mail and tax fraud. He's still being looked to as a leader because right now there is a void in leadership in the white supremacist world," said Marilyn Mayo of the Anti-Defamation League.
"He has talked about running for office again, but it seems unlikely that he'll be accepted by any mainstream party," Mayo said. "It's not that he's come full-circle, it's just that he's out in the open with the views that he's always held."
Duke rose to national prominence after winning a state House seat in suburban New Orleans in 1989,
2004-06-02 00:49 | User Profile
Listen to the audio speeches!
[url]http://www.davidduke.com/conference/[/url]
Stormfront thread about the meeting: [url]http://www.stormfront.org/forum/showthread.php?t=135000[/url]
2004-06-02 03:03 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Valley Forge][COLOR=Blue][SIZE=5][B][SIZE=4]Duke draws support from fractured far-right groups[/SIZE][/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]
"I think the congress is intended to deflect attention from Duke's conviction for bilking his supporters and it's a publicity stunt pure and simple to make him look like a candidate rather than a convict," said Lance Hill, director the Southern Institute for Education and Research.
It is really touching to hear all this concern for Duke contributors.
Compared to other politicians, I can't believe Duke was significantly worse. Except this is where mavericks (Traficant was another) get singled out.
Obviously you can see that a key part of the "get-Duke" strategy was to try to discredit him in the eyes of the movement.
Despite Duke's legal travails, some extremists apparently still hold hope that he can unite and lead a political movement.
Don Black, the creator of Stormfront, one of the first white nationalist Internet sites, praised Duke for his political savvy.
"He's demonstrated that he's been the lead man in the past," Black said. "I believe the conference represents the beginning of a viable political movement for white America."
But those who monitor Duke's activities have their doubts.
"He seems to have survived this fall from grace - in terms of being convicted of mail and tax fraud. He's still being looked to as a leader because right now there is a void in leadership in the white supremacist world," said Marilyn Mayo of the Anti-Defamation League.
They're clearly worried, but trying to play it down. Certainly right about the void though. And actually there has never been a leader remotely like Duke, in the past or now, IMO.
"He has talked about running for office again, but it seems unlikely that he'll be accepted by any mainstream party," Mayo said. "It's not that he's come full-circle, it's just that he's out in the open with the views that he's always held."
Duke rose to national prominence after winning a state House seat in suburban New Orleans in 1989,[/QUOTE]
He even got veiled good reviews in National Review. You can bet the neocons will never let this happen again. Its the third party route from here on in.