Post by Boojum on Nov 10, 2007 23:44:40 GMT
In this thread I'm going to outline how David Icke repackages very old far right themes in shiny new age packaging.
Why does it matter?[/u]
There are two seperate groups of people that generally argue this. The first doesn't see the issue with people within the new age community espousing antisemitic conspiracy theories. Fuck 'em. The second however is worth addressing. In essence, this group argues that David Icke is an isolated laughing stock and so it's not worth giving him any attention. While well-meaning, I believe this view is misguided. In essence, the danger posed by Icke is that he introduces far right themes to people who wouldn't be prepared to listen if it came in more traditional fascist format.
David Icke and Antisemitism[/u]
In his 1995 book, And the Truth Shall Set You Free... Icke makes extensive use of the notorious antisemitic forgery, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. (For information on this document, see this resource page- ddickerson.igc.org/protocols.html which gives the full background). Icke attempts to defend himself against charges of antisemitism by stating on page 57
In the very late 1800's, a controversial document came to light called the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion". I call them the Illuminati Protocols, and I quote many extracts from them in The Robots' Rebellion. Some say they were a forgery made public only to discredit Jews, and I use the term "Illuminati Protocols" to get away from the Jewish emphasis. If they were a forgery, something that is quite possible, what were they a forgery of, and by whom?
This is just not good enough. Firstly, you can't use a forged text which has as it's core purpose the promotion of antisemitic hatred, and escape that by simply changing the word "Jews" to "Illuminati" when it arises. Secondly, Icke's supposed question has been largely answered, as far back as 1921. He's either ignoring that or hasn't even done the most basic research.
And, actually, Icke's views on Jews are very close to the most traditional antisemitic conspiracy theorising. On page 130 he states:
I strongly believe that a small Jewish clique which has contempt for the marse of Jewish people worked with non-Jews to create the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the Second World War. This Jewish/non-Jewish Elite used the First World War to secure the Balfour Declaration and the principle of the Jewish State of Israel (for which, given the genetic history of most Jewish people, there is absolutely no justification on historical grounds or any other). They then dominated the Versailles Peace Conference and created the circumstances which made the Second World War inevitable. They financed Hitler to power in 1933 and made the funds available for his rearmament.
In fact he adds to traditional Nazi theory by blaming the Jews for World War 2 as well as the traditional mention of the Russian Revolution.
Shamlessly, considering his previous comments, on page 137 he blames the Jews for antisemitism.
Jewish people are simply wonderful when they allow themselves to be who they really are. They have such a contribution to make to the good of the world. But I have rarely met one who really loves themself or does not carry the burden of inherited guilt. My friends, it is all about control. It's time to let it go. Jewish people (who, like the rest of us, are evolving consciousnesses which happen to be experiencing a Jewish lifetime), will never be free until they step out of the mental and emotional control of this tiny clique, which uses them in the most merciless ways to advance its own sick and diabolical ambitions, in league with an equally sick clique of non-Jews.
So, to round up, Icke uses an antisemitic forgery as a major foundation of his ideology. He claims that Jews planned World War 2. And he blames Jews for antisemitism. Even if he does believe that the Jews he's referring to are actually shapeshifting lizards (and I believe he does), that in no way lessens the virulent antisemitism of what he claims.
Icke and Holocaust Denial[/u]
Icke openly defends Holocaust Denial in the book. On page 127 he states that
The same attitude that suppressed the challenge to the manipulation of World War Two, today sees people vilified and jailed for questioning some of the official versions of the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. If you do that, no one listens to the evidence because this is lost in the tidal wave of vilification and condemnation. If people want to believe that all those who question the official line are Nazis and apologists for the Hitler regime, or anti-Jewish, then they must go ahead and do so. But I'll tell them this. They are kidding themselves, because that isn't true. It simply isn't.
In other words, not only did were Jews responsible for the Holocaust, they also lie about it. He returns to the subject again on page 135, where he describes teaching schoolchildren of the facts of the Holocaust as "indoctrination":
Why do we play a part in suppressing alternative information to the official line of the Second World War? How is it right that while this fierce suppression goes on, free copies of the Spielberg film, Schindler's List, are given to schools to indoctrinate children with the unchallenged version of events. And why do we, who say we oppose tyranny and demand freedom of speech, allow people to go to prison and be vilified, and magazines to be closed down on the spot, for suggesting another version of history.
Believe it or not, that's just what Icke put in the book. According to the Evening Standard, Icke's publisher actually stopped him putting in more direct holocaust revisionist material. (The article is reproduced here- www2.ca.nizkor.org/ftp.cgi/orgs/british/combat-18/press/evening-standard.052695)
David Icke & His Fascist Friends[/u]
(Much of the information for this comes either from the previously mentioned Standard article.
Nexus New Times Magazine- A far right magazine from Australia that specialises in conspiracy theorys. It often prints articles from members of the US Militia movement and antisemitic articles about the history of banking. Icke admits that their UK sales representative, Marcus Allen was given a copy of the manuscript to ATTSSYF before publication.
William Cooper- Icke accepts that Cooper's Behold a Pale Horse is a major inspiration for his book, The Robot's Rebellion. Cooper is one of the main inspirations for the US Militia movement. At the back of Behold a Pale Horse, Cooper reproduces the Protocols in full.
Combat 18- Or, to give them their full name, Combat Group Adolf Hitler. C18's magazine Putsch gave Icke's public meeting in Glastonbuy, 1995, a very positive review. This is what they had to say:
He began to talk about the big conspiracy by a group of bankers, media moguls, etc. - always being clever enough not to mention what all these had in common
Even if Icke doesn't believe that his books are antisemitic, you'd think praise by an openly Neonazi group would give him pause for thought. But apparently not.
Conclusion
I think I've demonstrated here that Icke is undoubtably a member of the far right. If you hear of him speaking in your area, there are several things to do. Firstly, make sure the venue know exactly what kind of speaker they are hosting. Secondly, if the meeting goes ahead, turn up with leaflets and make sure attendees are fully aware of Icke's antisemitism. That way, Icke will only be reaching his fellow antisemites, as opposed to creating new ones.
Why does it matter?[/u]
There are two seperate groups of people that generally argue this. The first doesn't see the issue with people within the new age community espousing antisemitic conspiracy theories. Fuck 'em. The second however is worth addressing. In essence, this group argues that David Icke is an isolated laughing stock and so it's not worth giving him any attention. While well-meaning, I believe this view is misguided. In essence, the danger posed by Icke is that he introduces far right themes to people who wouldn't be prepared to listen if it came in more traditional fascist format.
David Icke and Antisemitism[/u]
In his 1995 book, And the Truth Shall Set You Free... Icke makes extensive use of the notorious antisemitic forgery, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. (For information on this document, see this resource page- ddickerson.igc.org/protocols.html which gives the full background). Icke attempts to defend himself against charges of antisemitism by stating on page 57
In the very late 1800's, a controversial document came to light called the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion". I call them the Illuminati Protocols, and I quote many extracts from them in The Robots' Rebellion. Some say they were a forgery made public only to discredit Jews, and I use the term "Illuminati Protocols" to get away from the Jewish emphasis. If they were a forgery, something that is quite possible, what were they a forgery of, and by whom?
This is just not good enough. Firstly, you can't use a forged text which has as it's core purpose the promotion of antisemitic hatred, and escape that by simply changing the word "Jews" to "Illuminati" when it arises. Secondly, Icke's supposed question has been largely answered, as far back as 1921. He's either ignoring that or hasn't even done the most basic research.
And, actually, Icke's views on Jews are very close to the most traditional antisemitic conspiracy theorising. On page 130 he states:
I strongly believe that a small Jewish clique which has contempt for the marse of Jewish people worked with non-Jews to create the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the Second World War. This Jewish/non-Jewish Elite used the First World War to secure the Balfour Declaration and the principle of the Jewish State of Israel (for which, given the genetic history of most Jewish people, there is absolutely no justification on historical grounds or any other). They then dominated the Versailles Peace Conference and created the circumstances which made the Second World War inevitable. They financed Hitler to power in 1933 and made the funds available for his rearmament.
In fact he adds to traditional Nazi theory by blaming the Jews for World War 2 as well as the traditional mention of the Russian Revolution.
Shamlessly, considering his previous comments, on page 137 he blames the Jews for antisemitism.
Jewish people are simply wonderful when they allow themselves to be who they really are. They have such a contribution to make to the good of the world. But I have rarely met one who really loves themself or does not carry the burden of inherited guilt. My friends, it is all about control. It's time to let it go. Jewish people (who, like the rest of us, are evolving consciousnesses which happen to be experiencing a Jewish lifetime), will never be free until they step out of the mental and emotional control of this tiny clique, which uses them in the most merciless ways to advance its own sick and diabolical ambitions, in league with an equally sick clique of non-Jews.
So, to round up, Icke uses an antisemitic forgery as a major foundation of his ideology. He claims that Jews planned World War 2. And he blames Jews for antisemitism. Even if he does believe that the Jews he's referring to are actually shapeshifting lizards (and I believe he does), that in no way lessens the virulent antisemitism of what he claims.
Icke and Holocaust Denial[/u]
Icke openly defends Holocaust Denial in the book. On page 127 he states that
The same attitude that suppressed the challenge to the manipulation of World War Two, today sees people vilified and jailed for questioning some of the official versions of the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. If you do that, no one listens to the evidence because this is lost in the tidal wave of vilification and condemnation. If people want to believe that all those who question the official line are Nazis and apologists for the Hitler regime, or anti-Jewish, then they must go ahead and do so. But I'll tell them this. They are kidding themselves, because that isn't true. It simply isn't.
In other words, not only did were Jews responsible for the Holocaust, they also lie about it. He returns to the subject again on page 135, where he describes teaching schoolchildren of the facts of the Holocaust as "indoctrination":
Why do we play a part in suppressing alternative information to the official line of the Second World War? How is it right that while this fierce suppression goes on, free copies of the Spielberg film, Schindler's List, are given to schools to indoctrinate children with the unchallenged version of events. And why do we, who say we oppose tyranny and demand freedom of speech, allow people to go to prison and be vilified, and magazines to be closed down on the spot, for suggesting another version of history.
Believe it or not, that's just what Icke put in the book. According to the Evening Standard, Icke's publisher actually stopped him putting in more direct holocaust revisionist material. (The article is reproduced here- www2.ca.nizkor.org/ftp.cgi/orgs/british/combat-18/press/evening-standard.052695)
David Icke & His Fascist Friends[/u]
(Much of the information for this comes either from the previously mentioned Standard article.
Nexus New Times Magazine- A far right magazine from Australia that specialises in conspiracy theorys. It often prints articles from members of the US Militia movement and antisemitic articles about the history of banking. Icke admits that their UK sales representative, Marcus Allen was given a copy of the manuscript to ATTSSYF before publication.
William Cooper- Icke accepts that Cooper's Behold a Pale Horse is a major inspiration for his book, The Robot's Rebellion. Cooper is one of the main inspirations for the US Militia movement. At the back of Behold a Pale Horse, Cooper reproduces the Protocols in full.
Combat 18- Or, to give them their full name, Combat Group Adolf Hitler. C18's magazine Putsch gave Icke's public meeting in Glastonbuy, 1995, a very positive review. This is what they had to say:
He began to talk about the big conspiracy by a group of bankers, media moguls, etc. - always being clever enough not to mention what all these had in common
Even if Icke doesn't believe that his books are antisemitic, you'd think praise by an openly Neonazi group would give him pause for thought. But apparently not.
Conclusion
I think I've demonstrated here that Icke is undoubtably a member of the far right. If you hear of him speaking in your area, there are several things to do. Firstly, make sure the venue know exactly what kind of speaker they are hosting. Secondly, if the meeting goes ahead, turn up with leaflets and make sure attendees are fully aware of Icke's antisemitism. That way, Icke will only be reaching his fellow antisemites, as opposed to creating new ones.