David Icke: Difference between revisions

Icke contends that the universe consists of "vibrational" energy and infinite dimensions sharing the same space.<ref name="WardNH" /><ref name="Doyle17Feb2006" />{{sfn|Icke|1999|pp=26–27}} He claims that there is an inter-dimensional race of reptilian beings, the [[Archon (Gnosticism)|Archons]] or [[Anunnaki]], which have hijacked the Earth. Further, a genetically modified human–Archon hybrid race of [[reptilian conspiracy theory|reptilian]] [[Shapeshifting|shape-shifters]] – the [[#reptoid|Babylonian Brotherhood]], [[New World Order (conspiracy theory)#Illuminati|Illuminati]] or "[[elite]]" – manipulate events to keep humans in fear, so that the Archons can feed off the resulting "[[Energy (esotericism)|negative energy]]".<ref name="WardNH" />{{sfn |Lewis |Kahn |2010 |p=82}}{{sfn |Icke |1999 |pp=19–25, 40}}<ref name="NS2014">{{Cite news |last=Lynskey |first=Dorian |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/lifestyle/2014/11/psycho-lizards-saturn-godlike-genius-david-icke |title=Psycho lizards from Saturn: The godlike genius of David Icke! |work=New Statesman |date=6 November 2014 |access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref> He claims that many public figures belong to the Babylonian Brotherhood and propel humanity towards a global [[fascist]] state or [[New World Order (conspiracy theory)|New World Order]], a [[post-truth]] era ending freedom of speech.{{sfn |Barkun |2003 |p=103}}<ref name="WardNH" /><ref name="Neil20May2016" /><ref name="LEPredpilled">{{Cite web |last=Widdas |first=Henry |title=Being 'red-pilled' by David Icke has never been so entertaining... and terrifying |url=https://www.lep.co.uk/whats-on/theatre/being-red-pilled-by-david-icke-has-never-been-so-entertaining-and-terrifying-1-9120860 |website=[[Lancashire Evening Post]] |access-date=15 June 2018 |date=17 April 2018}}</ref> He sees the only way to defeat such "Archontic" influence is for people to wake up to the truth and fill their hearts with love.<ref name="WardNH" /> Critics have accused Icke of being antisemitic and a [[Holocaust denier]], due to his endorsement of ''The Protocols of the Elders of Zion'' as well as his identification of the Jewish [[Rothschild family]] as reptilians, with his theories of reptilians servingbeing alleged to serve as a deliberate "code", something which Icke has denied.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Hume |first=Tim |date=2022-11-04 |title=‘Lizard Elite’ Conspiracy Theorist Banned from 26 European Countries |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d3qa8/david-icke-european-ban |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=Vice |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Karp |first=Paul |date=2019-02-20 |title=Conspiracy theorist David Icke hits back after Australia revokes visa |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/feb/20/conspiracy-theorist-david-icke-hits-back-after-australia-revokes-visa |access-date=2024-04-09 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=2022-11-04 |title=David Icke: Conspiracy theorist banned from Netherlands |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63511142 |access-date=2024-04-09 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="off" /><ref name="RosenbergTab" /><ref name="DW Berlin" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Allington |first=Daniel |last2=Buarque |first2=Beatriz L |last3=Barker Flores |first3=Daniel |date=February 2021 |title=Antisemitic conspiracy fantasy in the age of digital media: Three ‘conspiracy theorists’ and their YouTube audiences |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0963947020971997 |journal=Language and Literature: International Journal of Stylistics |language=en |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=78–102 |doi=10.1177/0963947020971997 |issn=0963-9470}}</ref> The allegations of antisemitism and promotion of misinformation has resulted in him being banned from entering a number of countries.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

Interest in Icke's conspiracy theories is widespread and has cut across political, economic, and religious divides. His audiences hold a wide range of beliefs, uniting individuals, and left and right wing groups; from [[New Age]]rs, and [[Ufologists]],{{sfn|Lewis|Kahn|2010|p=75}}{{sfn|Barkun|2003|p=106}} as well as the far-right [[Christian Patriot movement]]s, and the UK [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] group [[Combat 18]], which supports his writings.{{sfn|Lewis|Kahn|2010|p=75}} Icke's work is representative of a major global countercultural trend.{{sfn|Lewis|Kahn|2010|p=75}} American novelist [[Alice Walker]] is an admirer of Icke's writings,<ref name="GradyVox" /><ref name="RosenbergTab" /><ref name="desert-island-discs-alice-walker-interview">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs/castaway/49a99856#b01shstm |title=Desert Island Discs: Alice Walker |date=19 May 2013 |publisher=BBC Radio 4}}</ref><ref name="Yikes!">{{Cite news |last1=Hoyles |first1=Ben |last2=Moore |first2=Matthew |title=Yikes! David Icke on march again after Pulitzer writer Alice Walker's praise |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/yikes-david-icke-on-march-again-after-pulitzer-writer-alice-walker-s-praise-rdmlvlw0l |access-date=24 December 2018 |work=[[The Times]] |date=22 December 2018}}</ref> along with comedian [[Russell Brand]],<ref name="NS Media Group">{{Cite web |last1=Lynskey |first1=Dorian |title=Psycho lizards from Saturn: The godlike genius of David Icke! |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/lifestyle/2014/11/psycho-lizards-saturn-godlike-genius-david-icke |website=New Statesman |date=6 November 2014 |publisher=NS Media Group |access-date=19 April 2020}}</ref><ref name="brand-on-the-run">{{Cite news |last=Sawyer |first=Miranda |title=Brand on the run|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/nov/09/russell-brand-sachsgate |work=The Observer |publisher=Guardian News & Media|access-date=19 April 2020}}</ref> and musician [[Mick Fleetwood]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=7 musicians who are fascinated by conspiracy theories |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/893519fc-6a50-4de5-9b59-59db079bf48e |website=BBC |date=16 April 2018 |access-date=19 April 2020}}</ref> Icke has emerged as a professional [[Conspiracy theory|conspiracy theorist]]<ref name="barkun-chasing-phantoms" /> within a global [[counter-cultural]] movement that combines [[New World Order (conspiracy theory)|New World Order conspiracism]], the [[9/11 Truth movement|truther]] movement and [[Anti-globalization movement|anti-globalisation]], with an [[Extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrial]] conspiracist subculture.{{sfn|Lewis|Kahn|2010|p=75}}

[[Political Research Associates]] has described Icke's politics as "a mishmash of most of the dominant themes of contemporary neofascism, mixed in with a smattering of topics culled from the U.S. militia movement." He opposes [[gun control]], and claims that many [[mass shooting]]s were orchestrated to increase public opposition to guns. He believes the U.S. government carried out the [[Oklahoma City bombing]].<ref name="PRA" /> He endorses or recommends [[Antisemitism|antisemitic]] and [[Far-right politics|far-right]] publications such as ''[[The Spotlight|Spotlight]]'' and ''On Target'', the magazine of the [[White supremacy|white supremacist]] group the "[[British League of Rights]]", and has been closely associated with antisemitic "[[New Age]]" periodicals such as ''[[Nexus (Australian magazine)|Nexus]]'' and ''Rainbow Ark'', a "New Age" magazine which is financed by far-right activists and affiliated with the [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] [[National Front (UK)|National Front]].<ref name="from-green-messiah-to-new-age-nazi" /><ref name="sourcewatch-rainbow-ark">{{Cite web |title=Rainbow Ark magazine |url=https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Rainbow_Ark_magazine |publisher=[[Center for Media and Democracy]] |access-date=18 August 2018}}</ref> The neo-Nazi terrorist group Combat 18 promoted Icke's public speaking events in its internal journal ''Putsch''; of one such event, the journal wrote approvingly:{{blockquote|[Icke] spoke of "the sheep" and how the [[Zionist Occupation Government conspiracy theory|Zionist-operated government]], sorry, "[[Illuminati]]", uses them for its own ends. 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.<ref name="PRA"/>}}

[[Category:Men'sBritish associationanti-vaccination football goalkeepersactivists]]