Editing David Duke

{{Important}}
{{Villain_Infobox
|name = David Duke
|Image = David_Duke.jpg
|fullname = David Ernest Duke
|alias = Dr. Duke<br>Dr. David Duke, PhD<br>David DuKKKe<br>James Konrad<br>Dorothy Vanderbilt<br>Mohammed X
|origin = Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
|occupation = Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan (formerly)<br>Louisiana House Representative (formerly)<br>Antisemitic propagandist<br>
|skills = Relations with prominent anti-Semites<br>Manipulation<br>Cult status<br>
|hobby = Insulting Jews<br>Promoting conspiracies<br>Attending antisemitic events<br>
|goals = Become Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan (succeeded)<br>
Become President of the United States (failed)<br>
Become a U.S. Senator (failed)<br>
Spread his influence and help the Alt-Right (failed)<br>
|crimes = [[Racism]]<br>[[Xenophobia]]<br>[[Holocaust denial]]<br>Tax fraud<br>[[Hate Speech]]<br>[[Negrophobia]]<br>[[Propaganda]]<br>[[Blood Libel|Blood libel]]<br>[[Anti-Semitism]]<br>[[Misogyny]]<br>[[Homophobia]]<br>[[Transphobia]]<br>[[Sexism]]<br>[[Islamophobia]]<br>[[Anti-Native American Sentiment]]<br>[[Polonophobia]]<br>[[Acephobia]]<br>[[Biphobia]]
|type of villain = Antisemitic Hatemonger
}}
{{Quote|Our clear goal must be the advancement of the white race and separation of the white and black races. This goal must include freeing of the American media and government from subservient Jewish interests.|Duke in a KKK newsletter in November 1998.}}

'''David Ernest Duke''' (July 1, 1950) is a prominent American [[White supremacy|white supremacist]], white separatist, former Grand Wizard of the [[Ku Klux Klan|Knights of the Ku Klux Klan]], antisemitic conspiracy theorist, [[Holocaust denial|holocaust denier]], convicted felon, and politician.He was formerly a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1989 to 1992, and ran for President in 1989 and 1992. He also ran for the United States Senate in 1990, 1996, and 2016.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/08/05/488802494/former-kkk-leader-david-duke-says-of-course-trump-voters-are-his-voters Former KKK Leader David Duke Says 'Of Course' Trump Voters Are His Voters], ''NPR''</ref><ref>[https://sjlmag.com/2016/07/28/here-we-go-again-anti-semitic-former-klan-leader-david-duke-running-for-senate/ Here we go again: Anti-Semitic former Klan leader David Duke running for Senate], ''Southern Jewish Life''</ref>

==History==
David Duke was born on July 1<sup>st</sup>, 1950 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He and his family from time to time relocated around the world; they lived in Tulsa, Amsterdam, and Louisiana. He attended John Kennedy Senior High School in New Orleans and attended Louisiana State University shortly after. Some time in his late teenage years, he met [[William Luther Pierce]], who would be instrumental in Duke's hateful beliefs. He was a member of various white supremacist clubs at LSU, and got a Bachelor of the Arts degree. Not long after he graduated from college, he joined the [[American Nazi Party]].

Shortly after, he founded the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (KKKK), and registered himself as "Grand Wizard". To make it appear as if the KKKK was a "white rights advocacy group", David Duke changed the uniform from the ghostly Klansman robes to normal business suits, and at the instruction of a follower, changed the title of the head of the KKKK from "Grand Wizard" to "National Director". David Duke claimed he left the Klan because of many members "doing stupid and violent things", and appointed [[Thomas Robb]] as his successor in leading the group.

David Duke would then on go to run for various political offices; only winning one position as Louisiana State Representative, and losing against a landslide against two Democratic nominees in the general election for Governor and Senator from Louisiana. After pursuing politics for a time, David Duke would then emphasize on his [[anti-Semitism|antisemitism]], and become a prominent hate-mongerer against Jews via media, radio, and internet.

David Duke was convicted in 2002 of felony fraud. He falsely told supporters that he was in financial trouble; he was not in financial trouble and was in fact financially secure, and even used it for recreational gambling. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison and served the sentence at FCI Big Spring, Texas.<ref name = fraud>[https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/19/us/david-duke-pleads-guilty-to-tax-charge-and-fraud.html David Duke Pleads Guilty To Tax Charge And Fraud], ''The New York Times''</ref>

David Duke attended a college in Ukraine; the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, or MAUP. He received a Doctor of Philosophy degree. As a result, claims to have a PhD in history. However, the university is not sanctioned, nor recognized by the Ukrainian government, and the university itself has a reputation for spreading antisemitic message. This is further backed with his doctoral thesis being titled "Zionism as a Form of Ethnic Supremacism".

In the 2010s; near the 2016 United States presidential election cycle, Duke has associated himself with the [[Alt-Right]]. When asked about [[Donald Trump]], his stance has not been consistent. He praised Trump due to various stances, but has also harshly berated him online for Trump's support of Israel.

He attended the highly infamous [[Unite the Right rally]] in 2017, where he said he came to "fulfill the promises of Donald Trump". However, he also later repeatedly insulted him online for his support of Israel.<ref>[https://wjla.com/news/local/david-duke-speakers-unite-the-right-rally-dc David Duke among planned speakers for 'Unite the Right' rally in D.C.], ''WJLA''</ref><ref>[https://www.vox.com/2017/8/12/16138358/charlottesville-protests-david-duke-kkk "Why we voted for Donald Trump": David Duke explains the white supremacist Charlottesville protests], ''Vox''</ref>

David Duke donated an uncertain amount to Tulsi Gabbard in the 2020 Democratic primaries. He cited Ilhan Omar as the "most important member of congress" in what he perceived as full-on antisemitism on her part after she made comments criticizing current Israeli Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]].<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/david-duke-endorses-tulsi-gabbard-for-president-she-says-no-thanks/ Tulsi Gabbard rejects David Duke endorsement for president], ''The Times of Israel''</ref><ref>[https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-david-duke-a97b8b2d48c163c5965c2574ccbbe3d3 David Duke praises Rep. Ilhan Omar], ''AP News''</ref> However, when Gabbard withdraw from the presidential race, Duke once again declared support for Donald Trump.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/kkk-trump-david-duke-tucker-carlson-election-2020-a9609491.html Former KKK leader endorses Trump for president again – and Tucker Carlson for VP], ''The Independent''</ref>

==Villainy==

Duke, as previously mentioned, is ''very ''antisemitic; he has praised [[Adolf Hitler]] on numerous occasions and is a [[The Holocaust|Holocaust]] denier. He often accuses the Jewish community of trying to infiltrate the government, which he describes as a "Zionist-Occupied Government" and spread their beliefs across the world to attain total control. David Duke almost obsessively posts antisemitic posts on Twitter, usually accusing Jews of many historically significant and damaging crimes.

David Duke also has a criminal history. He was arrested in 1972 for inciting a riot. As previously mentioned, he plead guilty in 2002 to felony tax fraud and using his supporters' donations for recreational gambling. As a result, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison. and was arrested in the Czech Republic in 2009 for attending a Neo-Nazi rally.<ref>[https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2009/david-duke-charged-prague-holocaust-denial DAVID DUKE CHARGED IN PRAGUE WITH HOLOCAUST DENIAL], Southern Poverty Law Center</ref> He was also kicked out of Italy, due to an order in the Schengen Area to bar him from having residence within.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-italy-kukluxklan/italian-court-moves-to-expel-former-ku-klux-klan-leader-idUKBRE9B40T120131205 Italian court moves to expel former Ku Klux Klan leader], ''Reuters''</ref>

Duke is active on ''[[Stormfront (website)|Stormfront]]'' and is good friends with its founder, [[Don Black]]. He also has ties to [[Nick Griffin]] and the [[BNP|British National Party]]. 

He also frequently visits European countries, as well as countries with an antisemitic presence to sell his books and to give speeches to antisemitic viewers. He notably visited Damascus and spoke on a local radio, and talked about his belief in the "Zionist-Occupied Government" to critical acclaim from residents living there. He also met personally with Iranian president [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]] to openly discuss the Holocaust, to both denying it.

===Criminal conviction===
In 2002, Duke was prosecuted for mail fraud and filing false tax returns. He was accused of having defrauded his followers throughout the 1990s by falsely claiming to be in dire financial straits and asking for financial support before using the money they sent him for gambling and business investments.<ref name = fraud></ref> Duke pleaded guilty to the charges in December 2002 and was sentenced to 15 months in prison and fined $10, 000.

==David Duke's antisemitic beliefs==
*Duke is a Holocaust denier.
*As previously mentioned, his belief in a "Zionist-Occupied Government" as well as a plot for world domination.
*He believes that the [[September 11 attacks]] was carried out by the Israeli Mossas in attempt to garner hatred against Arabs, specifically Palestinians, as well as the creation of a "Greater Israel" by expanding into parts of the Middle East.<ref>[https://www.adl.org/resources/report/antisemitic-conspiracies-about-911-endure-20-years-later Antisemitic Conspiracies About 9/11 Endure 20 Years Later], Anti-Defamation League</ref>
*David Duke believes that Jewish people are organizing a [[genocide]] against white people via interracial marriage, immigration, etc. This is commonly known as the "[[Great Replacement]]".
*David Duke believes that Jews had a major role in the [[Jeffrey Epstein|Epstein case]], ranging from them attending his pedophilic gatherings to killing Epstein in his cell.  
*David Duke, as previously stated with Ilhan Omar, commonly mispercieves skepticism of Israel as outright anti-Semitism, and oftentimes speaks out in support.
*Duke expressed support for Holocaust denier [[Ernst Zündel]], a German emigrant in Canada. Duke made a number of statements supporting Zündel and his campaign of Holocaust denial. Zündel was deported from Canada to Germanyand imprisoned in Germany on charges of inciting the masses to ethnic hatred. After Zündel died in August 2017, Duke referred to him as being a "very heroic and courageous European preservationist".
*He was a speaker at the [[International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust]] held in Tehran, Iran in December 2006.<ref>[https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2007/david-duke-iranian-denial-conference DAVID DUKE AT IRANIAN DENIAL CONFERENCE], Southern Poverty Law Center</ref>

==Trivia==
*In the 2018 biographical crime/comedy film ''BlacKkKlansman'', [https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/David_Duke David Duke], played by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topher_Grace Topher Grace], appeared as the main antagonist and was concerned about his appearance in the film. 
*David Duke, apart from his fanatic antisemitism, also espouses anti-Masonic views, and anti-Communism. He has also promoted [[Islamophobia]], [[homophobia]], [[transphobia]], and [[ableism]], among other things.
*Humorously, despite expressing Islamophobia, he has been to Syria and Iran, though in the US census, Arabs and Persians are considered “white”, and historical records suggest that Adolf Hitler considered Iran to be an “Aryan” state.
*He is an adherent of [[Christian Identity]].
*Ironically, David Duke dismissed [[Jason Kessler]] a racist.
**The irony is only pushed further with him having had attended an event he set up.
*David Duke founded a group called the [[NAAWP]] (National Association for the Advancement of White People), a white supremacist organization created in opposition to the NAACP. 
*In the 1991 gubernatorial election in Louisiana, many urged people to vote for Edwin Edwards rather than David Duke, with the slogan "pick the lizard, not the wizard", a reference to Edwards' corruption allegations and Duke's past of being a Klansman.<ref>[https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/07/david-duke-1991-governor-primary-edwards-roemer-slow-burn-transcript.html David Duke’s War Against Two Louisiana Governors], ''Slate''</ref>
*Duke was friends with serial killer [[Joseph Paul Franklin]], a fellow white supremacist whose victims were almost all exclusively Jews and African-Americans.
*He was banned from YouTube in late June 2020 for repeated violation of the platform's policies against hate speech, along with [[Richard Spencer]] and [[Stefan Molyneux]]. Duke's Twitter account was "permanently suspended" at the end of the following month for violating the company's rules on hateful conduct.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/twitter-permanently-bans-former-kkk-leader-david-duke/ Twitter permanently bans former KKK leader David Duke], ''The Times of Israel''</ref>
==References==
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