David Duke
David Ernest Duke (born July 1, 1950) is a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in the United States, and former Louisiana State Representative. He has run for the Louisiana State Senate, Governor of Louisiana, and twice for President of the United States. Duke remains a political activist in opposition to affirmative action, unbridled immigration and any violations of the civil rights of European-Americans.
Duke remains a political activist within what his supporters call the white-nationalist movement in America. He is widely regarded as a white supremacist by a number of organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Youth, the Klan, and first campaigns
David Duke was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but his family moved soon afterwards, and after a short period of living in the Netherlands settled in Louisiana. He became interested in the white nationalist movement at an early age and joined the Klan in 1967. Duke went on to study at Louisiana State University and in 1970 formed a campus-group known as the White Youth Alliance. He was involved in the campus ROTC and a year later he went to Laos and taught English to Laotian military officers.
Duke returned to LSU, graduating in 1974. The same year as his graduation he was elected to Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. He attracted attention for trying to modernize the Klan and turn it into a modern nationalist political force. For example, he changed the title of Grand Wizard to National Director and sported a conservative suit as opposed to the traditional white robe.
In 1976, Duke sought a seat in the Louisiana State Senate as a Democrat. In 1978 he left the Klan, and two years later formed the National Association for the Advancement of White People. In 1988 he ran in the Democratic Party primary for candidate of the President of the United States. After a dismal showing in the Democratic primaries, he appeared on many state ballots as the nominee of the Populist Party, this time receiving approximately 25,000 votes in the 1988 general election.
The state house and campaign for governor
In 1989, he ran as a Republican for a seat in the Louisiana State House of Representatives. He defeated fellow Republican John Treen, the brother of David Treen, the first post-Reconstruction Republican to be elected Governor of Louisiana, by a margin of 51-49 percent. Duke's victory came despite visits to the district in support of John Treen's candidacy by President George H.W. Bush, former President Ronald Reagan, and other GOP notables.
A year later, he challenged incumbent Democratic Senator J. Bennett Johnston in the open primary as a Republican, receiving 44% of the vote (including over 65% of the white vote, according to exit polls). Sen. Johnston was able to win re-election (and thus avoid a direct run-off with Duke) by receiving 53% of the vote. Another Republican party candidate, state senator Ben Baggert, won a mere 3% of the vote.
Duke ran for Governor as a Republican Party candidate. In the open primary, Duke was second to former governor Edwin Edwards in votes; thus he faced Edwards in a run-off. Duke received 32% of the vote in that initial round, pushing incumbent Republican Buddy Roemer down to third place with 27% of the vote, effectively defeating Roemer's bid for re-election. The election garnered national media attention. Duke was able to reach past his small group of devoted admirers by garnering support among mainstream voters.
Most dismissed the reports of Duke's having ties to Nazi and KKK organizations as simple mud-slinging. Between the primary and the run-off election, Duke enjoyed the peak of his notoriety. White civil-rights and conservative organizations from around the country contributed to his campaign fund. At the same time, Duke tried to distance himself from more extreme views in public appearances.
Although Duke lost the election, he notes, "I won my constituency. I won 55% of the white vote."
In 1998 he published his autobiography My Awakening: A Path to Racial Understanding.
In 2002, Duke traveled to eastern Europe to promote his book.
Recent activity
In 2004 David Duke published his latest controversial book: Jewish Supremacism: My Awakening on the Jewish Question. Duke denies the book is motivated by anti-Semitism, but instead exposes the pervasive Jewish supremacism in our culture, which is propogated by the Jewish controlled media and press.
On May 29, 2004, David Duke brought together in New Orleans leaders of the "European Nationalist" movement to sign an agreement that would "mainstream our cause". The New Orleans Protocol signatories pledged to avoid violence and internecine attacks. It was signed by eight European-American civil rights leaders, most representing organizations, including the The National Alliance, and Stormfront. Duke signed on behalf of his new organization, European-American Unity and Rights Organization (EURO).
In 2005, Duke has teamed up with Don Black of Stormfront and now delivers a one-hour webcast six days a week. Listeners of his show can ask their questions by either logging on to Stormfront's forums or sending Duke an e-mail. In addition, he tours Europe and the Middle East, promoting his book and rallying support and funding for EURO.
According to his official website, in September 2005 Duke received a Ph.D. degree from the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management (MAUP), a private university in Ukraine. This decoration has irked many of Duke's enemies, who claim the award was unmerited.
Works
- Duke, David "Jewish Supremacism" (Free Speech Pr, 2003; 350 pages) ISBN 1892796058
- Duke, David "My Awakening" (Free Speech Books, 1998; 736 pages) ISBN 1892796007
References
- Bridges, Tyler "The Rise of David Duke" (Mississippi University Press, 1995; 300 pages) ISBN 0878056785
- Zatarain, Michael "David Duke: Evolution of a Klansman" (Pelican Publishing Company, 1990; Gretna, Louisiana; 304 pages) ISBN 0882898175
External links
