A candidate for Alabama attorney general in the Democratic primary has stated that the United States military should “wipe Israel off the map… then come home and export a little payback to Mexico.”
Larry Darby, former head of the Montgomery-based Atheist Law Center, is also attracting attention for his views about the Holocaust, which he refers to as the “HoloHoax,” and his remarks about “Jewish supremacism” in the United States.
In the Montgomery Advertiser, he also supported a fringe gubernatorial candidate who advocated public hangings of illegal immigrants.
On May 19, the Alabama Democratic Party issued a statement distancing itself from Darby’s “bizarre and offensive positions,” though it also stated that it was too late to remove Darby from the June 6 ballot.
Party Chairman Joe Turnham advised “all Democratic primary voters to be aware of Mr. Darby’s comments and to study fully the credentials, qualifications, and statements of all primary candidates before casting a ballot.”
Zac McCrary, communications director for the party, said Darby is “not in the mainstream of anything in Alabama, much less the Democratic party.”
Darby attempted to run for attorney general in 2002 but dropped out of the party before the state convention.
Loretta Nall, who is the Libertarian gubernatorial candidate this year, had invited Darby to the press conference announcing her candidacy, but stated in her blog last month that “In all honesty I did not know that Larry Darby was a white supremacist/holocaust denier until he attended my news conference on the steps of the State Capitol and made it a point to inform the media of his stance on those particular issues… Had there been a rock large enough for me to crawl under at that time I think I might actually have done it.”
While she finds his views “offensive,” she nevertheless stated “to take away one’s freedom to think repugnant thoughts is to also take away my right and yours to think nice, tolerant, peaceful ones.”
Atheist activist
Darby, who did not respond to requests for an interview, is best known in Alabama as founder of the Atheist Law Center in Montgomery. He was frequently seen leading small demonstrations against former Chief Justice Roy Moore and his Ten Commandments monument. Moore had placed the monument in the State Judicial Building because of his personal “duty” to “acknowledge the sovereignty of God,” and was removed from office when he refused to follow a court order to remove the monument.
Darby’s radical views started becoming known last summer when the center invited Holocaust denier David Irving to speak at the Holiday Inn in Prattville. Darby explained that he was interested in hearing a person who caused so much controversy, and who was under attack for his personal views.
Though Irving was to speak about freedom of expression, Darby refused to allow DSJV or other reporters into the meeting, which drew roughly a dozen people.
News of the July 5 gathering for Irving drew immediate controversy in atheist circles. The American Atheists distanced itself from Darby, and last fall, Darby stepped down as director of the Atheist Law Center.
Some in the atheist community noted that Darby’s “Atheist Daily Briefing” on email had become less about atheism and more about Holocaust denial and allegations of Jewish control over government. He now considers American Atheists to be “Zionist oriented.”
Darby now says the briefing reports on topics “including jew supremacism and jew terrorism. The ALC is not one of the Communist popular front atheist or near-atheist organization. That is why the ALC treats all religions equally and speaks out against Communust (sic) activities, which we all know comes from Judaism believers.”
On Jan. 18, he spoke to the Alabama House Judiciary Committee, testifying against hate crimes laws. As examples of those facing prosecution under hate crimes statutes, Darby cited Irving, Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel, and French comedian Dieudonne M’Bala M’Bala, “for pointing out in a comedy routine that racism comes from Judaism,” a claim that Darby has echoed in his writings.
He added that “The Holocaust has evolved into a religious industry with sacred precepts that are examined only under penalty of law. Free speech is anathema to the Holocaust Industry.”
He claims that no more than 140,000 Jews were killed during World War II.
In recent months, he called Ten Commandments displays, like Moore’s, examples of “Jew supremacism,” and stated that “Jewish law is now telegraphed by Alabama’s Judicial and Executive branches as being Alabama’s State Religion. Over and above Alabama’s Constitution and the United States Constitution.”
Darby stated that one of his first tasks as attorney general would be to shut down the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center, which he called “the Mossad outpost in Montgomery.”
Many of his writings speak about “the traditional enemies of free speech,” meaning the Jewish community.
He dismisses the term “anti-Semite,” saying that it “is just a phrase used by jews and righteous christians who promote Jewish-Communism and the destruction of European values formerly making the USA a proud nation of Gentiles.”
On May 3, Darby appeared on Alabama Public Television’s “For The Record,” during which he suggested that the defendants in a string of church fires in Alabama in February are Jewish and that it is being covered up.
White supremacist and conspiracy sites are circulating the theory that the church fires — which were all against Baptist churches — were Jewish revenge for Southern Baptist support of missionary groups that target Jews. A letter critical of that support, by Anti-Defamation League Director Abe Foxman, is cited as the “inspiration” for the fires.
During the show, Darby also mentioned his views on the Holocaust. Turnham said that was the first time he had heard of Darby’s views on the subject.
On May 13, Darby spoke to the monthly meeting of the National Vanguard in New Jersey. The organization is a splinter group from the white supremacist National Alliance, and describes itself as a “white nationalist” group.
About two dozen members attended the speech, and many reportedly had placed plywood over their license plates to hide their identities. There were also about 20 demonstrators outside, according to news reports.
Among those reportedly in attendance were David Duke, and Lamb and Lynx Gaede, twins who are part of the Prussian Blue “white pride” band.
Deborah Lauter, Southeast regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, said “We were disturbed by Larry Darby’s views on the Holocaust before he was a candidate for Attorney General, but now he has taken his beliefs one step further by presenting them in person to a group of active white supremacists… It is outrageous for Darby to use the platform afforded him as a candidate for public office to burnish his credentials among the extremist set.”
Darby faces Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson in the primary. Tyson told the Montgomery Advertiser that Darby is “a crackpot trying to get some publicity.”
Many other Democratic activists dismiss Darby as a fringe candidate with no real chance of winning.
Still, a late April poll — before Darby’s views were widely reported — showed that Darby was favored by 12 percent of primary voters, which would be a low figure, but opponent John Tyson polled only 21 percent. The rest were undecided.
