Ex-Klan Chief At Holocaust Conference

White Supremacist David Duke Is Among Speakers At Two-Day Meeting Hosted By Iran

(CBS/AP)  Iran hosted Holocaust deniers from around the world on Monday in a conference debating whether the World War II genocide of Jews took place, a meeting that Israel's prime minister condemned as a "sick phenomenon."

The 67 participants from 30 countries included former U.S. Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

The New York Times reported that Duke, a white supremacist, was expected to claim that Germany built no gas chambers or extermination camps during World War II.

"Depicting Jews as the overwhelming victims of the Holocaust gave the moral high ground to the Allies as victors of the war and allowed Jews to establish a state on the occupied land of Palestine," Duke said, according to the summary of the paper he will deliver, the Times reported.

Duke told BBC cameras in Tehran that he is not a Holocaust denier.

"I'm a Holocaust questioner," he told the BBC. "But I'm here to defend freedom of speech."

Other attendees include a number of Western Holocaust skeptics who have been prosecuted in Europe for publishing their theories casting doubt on whether 6 million Jews were killed by the Nazis or whether gas chambers were ever used.

"The number of victims at the Auschwitz concentration camp could be about 2,007," Australian Frederick Toben told the conference, according to a Farsi translation of his comments. "The railroad to the camp did not have enough capacity to transfer large numbers of Jews."

The two-day conference was initiated by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in an apparent attempt to burnish his status at home and abroad as a tough opponent of Israel.

The hard-liner president has described the Holocaust as a "myth" and called for Israel to be wiped off the map. Earlier this year, his government backed an exhibition of anti-Israel cartoons in a show of defiance after Danish cartoons caricaturing Islam's prophet Muhammad were published in Europe, raising an outcry among Muslims.

Organizers and participants touted the conference as a scholarly gathering aimed at discussing the Holocaust away from Western taboos and the restrictions imposed on scholars in Europe. In Germany, Austria and France, it is illegal to deny aspects of the Holocaust.

Duke, a former Louisiana state representative, praised Ahmadinejad for his "courage" in holding a conference "to offer free speech for the worlds most repressed idea: Holocaust revisionism."

"In Europe you can freely question, ridicule, and deny Jesus Christ. The same is true for the prophet Muhammad, and nothing will happen to you," he said in his speech. "But offer a single question of the smallest part of the Holocaust and you face prison."

Also among the participants were two rabbis and four other members of the group Jews United Against Zionism, who were dressed in the traditional long black coats and black hats of ultra-Orthodox Jews. The group rejects the creation of Israel on the grounds that it violates Jewish law.

Rabbi Ahron Kohen urged participants not to deny the Holocaust. "If we say that this crime did not happen, it is a humiliation and insult to the victims," he said, according to the Farsi translation.

But he added that Zionists have used the Holocaust to "give legitimacy to their illegitimate project," the creation of Israel.

[Syndicate]

There is no logical reaqsoning to haveing such a conferance. During world war II 6 million jews were murdered by the nazis. Some call it a holoacaust. Regardless of what you call it it happened. The nazis tried to exterminate the jews. Perhaps we should call it the jewish genocide, but that would probably cause historical confusions since the jews have genocide attemted on them so many times. The muslims should pay for the nazis crimes because they were a nazi ally.

[grazinggoat]

Delicate and sensitive issue here. Quite delicate issue. Why NOT all jews are united under this banner of holocaust?

In the same time why nothing is said about the 50-60 millions Europeans (non-jews) killed at the same time (20-25 million russians)?

[cathaleen]

This conference is insane. Why do we pander to these crazies? We should just ignore them - because this is nuts.

[grazinggoat]

buSHrock1 is becomingmore reasonable. He is asking the impeachment of el-presidente Walking-Liar Bush. That is a good step forward Bushrots1.
We're having an effect on you, slowly but surely.

[bunzzee]

What about the Native American Indians...wasn't that a genocide as well...we as human beings should all be ashamed at our willingness to kill in the name religion, expansionism or whatever you might want to label it...the very sad truth to it all is that it is getting worse...look at our young men who live by the rules of gangs...killing is an achievment of manhood or a way to proove bravery...I am sickened by the waste of something so precious...life...I don't understand why we, as civilized, are not learning from all this hatred and death just because we are deemed to be white,black, red, yellow, christian, jew, muslim, buddist, atheist,or whatever makes us different...

[mjv2944]

How can anyone be so stupid as to deny that the Holocaust never happened. It was probably the most documented happenings of WWII. The Iranians wonder why people question the legitimacy of their government. Whats really scary is that they are developing nukes.

[observantx]

My father in law was with Patton in WW2. He helped open up one of the camps after the Nazis fled. He didn%u2019t like to talk about it. He just said it was the most horrific thing he had ever seen.

So much for Mr. Ahmadinejad%u2019s %u201Cmyth%u201D. Let us keep in mind that it just wasn%u2019t Jews in the camps. There were gypsies, the crippled or infirm, and just about anyone else who wasn%u2019t one of the blond blue eyed ubermensch.

[mjv2944]

bunzzee
You are right, Americans should be ashamed of what we did to our Native Americans and how we are still treating them today. But big business had to be taken care of, even over 125 years ago, no matter what the price.

[djberson]

Iran wants to provide a "scientific forum" for holocaust discussion?? Since when has Iran been interested in contributing the advancement of science?? Nothing beneficial to humanity has come out of that filthy *** of a country in thousands of years. So now THIS is how Iran allocates its funds and resources? Not toward any endeavor even closely resembling legitimate humanitarian, medical, or scientific initiatives?? Thank you Iran and President Jerky-clown-lowlife.... for your great and ongoing contribution to the global community.

[clestes-2009]

How the hell does Bushrots endless blather about Iraq end up here?? Nevermind, it is clear he is already mindless, exhausted his too few brain cells when writing the only post he submits.


Another example of how Ahmadinejad is running wild and free, due mostly to the fact that no one is able to rein him in. We have lost all credibility, Britain has no credibility and Europe is willing to sit back and do and say nothing.

Isreal of course is panic striken, but what else can one expect.

Another foreign policy failure here. This should never have gotten so far as to the international meeting.

Good job Condi. You are really on the ball here. By the what do you do, really? I can remember no foreign policies successes during your reign.

[sy2502]

Instead of using money to advance the interests of the Iranian people, to bring his country out of the stone-age, and to improve the quality of life, this imbecil is wasting it in nukes and "scientific analysis" of a historic issue that has nothing to do with his country or his people. I can see Germany, France, or Italy organizing something like that, because that's where these things happened, not Iran, that has nothing to do with it! But then, Germany, France and Italy don't need to, because everybody there already knows what really happened.

[rafterman1]

Eisenhower ordered local commanders to march German citizens through the death camps to see the horror and to document everything. He said he wanted to make sure that no one in the future could deny what happened there - that it just wasn't a case of the victors exagerating the evilness of their enemies.

I guess that attempt was in vain. And its not just Iran either. Holocaust deniers are still quite active these days all over the world. Apparently, you CAN argue against photographs, films, confessions and thousands of eye witnesses. But, as the deniers say (and as Richard Pryor once joked), are you going to believe me or your lyin' eyes?

[rafterman1]

Oh good. The "Dukester" is there too. Now, the lineup of losers is complete.

[themooniac]

David Duke? Wow! That speaks volumes about the type of American the Iranians would like some intellectual input from....

[syphlis]

maybe its just me, but he looks a lot like Steve Buscemi in that photograph haha

[antoniof123]

Maybe it is just me but is the whole world lost its mind.

[observantx]

David Duke? Wow, talk about an authorative source and an exemplar of research and scholarship. Is he going to wear his cute little cross burning dress with the pointy hood? I hope so. It will make a great photo op.

[edjohn66]

The conference is a good idea.

Not because it is posing as "scientific" or pretending to be anything other than a propaganda tool; free speech is the best way for idiots and criminals to show just how ridiculious their beliefs truly are. What better way to scare away support for Iran than have them host a gathering of loons and nuts?

I've met a few people who deny the Holocaust. When talking to them, their only real argument is a conspiricy-theory idea about how the truth MUST be something different, or else there would be no problem with asking questions about it.

The world is better off letting these morons hang themselves with their own words.

[rudy654-2009]

Hopefully David Duke will stay and live in Iran. He likes them and they like him. It's true love. I hope he never gets back into the U.S.

[stezzer]

A white supremacist invited to Iran? What next, Iranians joining the Klan?

This conference is just a shindig for losers.

Most of you miss the point about the Conference.
President of Iran knows Holocaust happened.
But, he created the conference to satisfy two objectives:
1) satisfy Iran%u2019s extreme base (think politics, they do not end in USA) who wants to %u201Cpush Israel to the see)
2) make the world think of the fact that it happened in Germany and why Palestine is to %u201Cpay%u201D for crimes committed by Europeans?
By this clever move, president of Iran just made Iran politically even stronger (not to even mention it is hard to argue conference right %u2026 what happened to free speech, don%u2019t we allow KKK in America? .. heck it is bunch of idiots %u2026 still, we let them march)

As a Polish-American who visited Auschwitz twice and saw thousands of hair, read many books by survivors of Auschwitz (such as %u201CThis way to Gas Ladies and Gentleman%u201D) %u2026 this is ridiculous what is happening in Iran. But it is not %u201Cscary%u201D %u2026 this is all about politics of kicking American colonizers out of Middle east (and then starting all out war against Israel in which Israel would eventually loose without USA support)

The conference is just another tool used to make Iran stronger %u2026 and in their mind make USA weaker, eventually kicking it out of Middle East. (Once they out, there will be not enough oil for tanks and planes to bring them back. Why do you think permanent bases are built in Iraq?_

[titocordero]

Grazinggoat,
Your comment confirms that you continue to be an idiot. What delicate and sensitive issue are you talking about fool? The issue is that this crazed Iranian "leader" is trying to create a win win situation. Wether he cast doubt on Israel by taking away one of their most recent reasons for creating a Jewish state (Holocaust) or by stating if the Holocaust really did happen why should the Palestinians pay for the Nazi terrors afflicted on the Jewish people. Grazinggoat you're an anti-semite racist and as you once tried to state to me "You're the one who can't see the forrest for the trees".

[huskerarmy]

"A white supremacist invited to Iran?"

For what it's worth, Duke is now a registered Republican and considers himself mainstream.

[john_ubele]

This is a promising development. The Holocaust's validity should have been questioned long ago. In most European countries you can be locked up for simply questioning the Holocaust. It's high time that people of the world begin to look at the Holocaust through the lens of reality and not the lens of Jewish obscurity.

[ammermantm]

John_Ubele:

wow, you have got to be kidding.

[huskerarmy]

John Ubele,

Please share your political affiliation with us.

[timetrips1]

I think we should ask Iran to also hold an international conference on the truth of the koran and islamic extremists. Do you think Iran would still be as open minded about free speach for a conference like that.

[john_ubele]

I'm not kidding with you. I'm actually registered with the Constitution Party. If you'd like more information about my political activism then visit my PAC website at www.solpac.org

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
John J. Ubele

[grazinggoat]

cocoricocordero, here you go again.
First: You should accuse those orthodox jews who are sitting at their tribune and giving speaches, of anti-semitism. Why AaahMandyN'Jed would not be allowed to do whatever he wants to do, since this is freedom of expression. But you don't have to listen to what they say.

Second of all: We have been told by our president (walking-Liar) that we were attacked by terrorists and for that he went it alone to Iraq. You stupiddly believed him, (I did not) and finally it was a real steal when everyone discovered there was no WMD or whatsoever. His sole goal was to invade Iraq and settle there if that is possible. (Good Luck!) For so many Walking-Liar is the savior, he's a hero. So his words are kinda sacred-taboo... will you still believe this guy?

The second part of my question is why nobody speakes of the 50-60 million others killed during the war in Europe...?

[rudy654-2009]

Actually those who question the truth of the Holocaust need to have that brain tumor removed from between their ears. Hey I noticed that John Ubele is like \bel (evil) in German. (John Evil) yep that's about right.

[geomantx-2009]

Are you kidding me? How can anyone criticize our foreign policy with this throw-up coming out of Iran? Iran was backwards in 1942 when Russia and USA used Tehran as a supply depot for their unified front againist Hitler. During the Holocaust all the Iranians cared about was making a buck, smoking opium, and weaving baskets. They're just mad because in 1942 they were clueless to what our intellect had already discovered, billons of barrels of oil....the war was only part the reason we were there. Thanks for the chuckle djberson.

[john_ubele]

re: rudy654

You were way off on the translation of my last name. The name translates to Jubilation/ Joy in English. I'll give you a "C" for effort though.

Oh yes, and I hope you enjoy your smoked ham on Christmas :o)

[rudy654-2009]

John Evil-

I give you F for effort. And no, I don't like Schwein, and I especially detest Schweinehund!

[titocordero]

Grazinggoat:
Another ignorant comment by the goat that should be grazing. Who shaved you down and taught you how to use the internet. Go back to your country you racist pig.

[clestes-2009]

This conference is just up David Duke's alley. Right there it lost ALL CREDIBILITY!

[djberson]

Isn't it a bid odd that this conference consists of 1) American and Jew-hating arabs, 2) David Duke - an Arab-hating American, and 3) so-called Jewish rabbis (so-called because if they were Jewish would they really be allowed to travel carte-blanche through a country where Jews have been killed, driven out, and where it has recently been suggested they should wear yellow Jew-identifying badges)??

[agnim]

"Rabbi Ahron Kohen urged participants not to deny the Holocaust. "If we say that this crime did not happen, it is a humiliation and insult to the victims," he said, according to the Farsi translation.

But he added that Zionists have used the Holocaust to "give legitimacy to their illegitimate project," the creation of Israel. "

Wisely stated from one of the wiser Jews and better human.

A state built on the basis of ethnic cleansing is illegitimate by any principle of virtue and human dignity.

All the people indigenous to that region, Jews and Arabs, have legitimate right to be in and share that space.

However, the systematic ethnic cleansing is barbaric, inhuman, and intolerable!
And it doesn't matter who the devil is responsible.

Ethnic cleansing is just diabolical!
And a state built upon such acts of barbarism is like a house built on the sands of the seashore. It's just a matter of time before the wave of bad karma returns to erase such a house.

[oleander8]

Yeah, having David Duke at Ahmadinejad's farce of a conference will really give it credibility. What's the matter? couldn't Mel Gibson make it?

[finewoven]

The next thing you know, Iran%u2019s president will be suggesting that the genocide of Muslims in Bosnia-Herzegovina didn%u2019t happen, and also that America didn%u2019t do anything to stop the bloodletting there. Maybe it is the number of people who where killed that they are disputing; or that Mein Keif wasn%u2019t written by Hitler to support his deranged thinking. These people all deserve each other if they hope to derive some basis of reality on the subject.

[john_ubele]

Dear rudy654,

Thank you for your support, and please visit www.solpac.org

Sincerely,
John J. Ubele :o)

[finewoven]

Agnim, You must have woken up on the right side of the bed today. Are the birds singing all around you? Your rational points are commendable.

[agnim]

Posted by finewoven at 06:46 PM : Dec 11, 2006

LOL

Commend yourself, Woven; because you've awaken and have been able to let the light of wisdom in. LOL

[grazinggoat]

cocoricocordero,
that was it?
is it all you have to say ? no no no, name calling is not allowed over this blog, cocoricocordero. You are supposed to be polite, but seems your mom did do a good job... go back and see her to teach you good manners.

[grazinggoat]

cocoricocordero, obviously your mom did not do a good job, or if she did, well you lost your good manners... in your hatred and intolerence toward others' beliefs.

[finewoven]

Yes, indeed. And if religion were not here to help encapsulate this wisdom, where would we all be?

Then again, how many people do you know that are more or less bored with philosophy? And what does that say about the state of affairs when the "love of wisdom" is so disregarded?

[rudy654-2009]

Sorry Johann Teufel,

I went to your site, but just didn't know how to read Euro-American. Maybe I'll take a language course in that same school where you learned that the Holocaust is a myth.

[gertped]

An Open Letter to David Duke:
Dear Mr. Duke, Since you have been compelled to travel all the way to Tehran in order to enjoy the benefits of Free Speech, please consider staying there so as to further bask in the glories of true Liberty. I , for one, would be happy to subsidize your status as a permanent resident of Iran.

Agnim:

Well said.

[titocordero]

Grazinggoat:
At least my mom was human Grazing "GOAT"

[Syndicate]

Just wanted to tell the protesters in Iran to keep fighting for your rights. Right now is the time to rise up in a peacful manner. Your government has had its hands tied by your president. How hypocritical it would be if it were to critize us for human rights abuses right before he violates your human rights. Your abassaador said the other day to some students "Do i not have a right to free speach" unfortunatley he does in america but you don't in Iran. Demand your rights. Stand up and demand them! Remember all goverments draw their power from the people. Your government is what you choose to make of it. It is time to get rid of these loosers who have tarnished the great history of Persia. You did it once with the Shaw You can do it again. Good Luck.