ustxtxb_obs_1992_01_17_50_00027-00000_000.pdf

the frontierL .but what’s good for one period of a nation’s history is not necessarily good for another period of a nation’s history. There’s never been a society in the history of the world that’s ever been preserved, its basic value system, that has not maintained the integrity of its borders. We really have a problem. Until recent American history the overwhelming immigration we have had has been of European Christian origin They came in to become part of the American dream and part of the American process and to absorb into our way of life and to become part of the national consensus that we call America. Part of the elements are not assimilated, nor do they want to assimilate, and ultimately they come in actually hostile to Western culture and values, and that to me is a clear and present danger. Dugger: What kind of a system of government do you believe in? Duke: I believe in the Constitution of the United States. I think it’s the best system ever devised by man so far. Dugger: And that includes democracy? Duke: Yes, and I believe in less government. I believe we have not followed the Constitution in recent years. The government has grown out of control in this land. It’s kind of ironic that while they seem to be moving toward more individual freedom and less government in Eastern Europe we seem to be moving toward more government in America. I think people are much better off making their own decisions in their lives than government making the decisions for them. I think they can make better decisions about how to spend their money, I think they’re more economical, they look for better deals, they’re thriftier. Dugger: But majority rule is a part of the system and you go with that at every level? Duke: Absolutely. III: The Talents of Races Dugger: Do you believe in racial science? I don’t know what racial science is. Duke: Well, I don’t know if I believe in racial science, it depends on what you Dugger: I believe you said recently you believe in racial science. Duke: I believe in science, not necessarily racial science. I do believe that the racial competition or composition of nations affects the nations. That’s obvious in the world. We are part of where our heritages are, our cultures, our values. I don’t know if that’s racial science. That’s just an acknowledgement of what’s real. Dugger: What is the role of race in civilization and culture? Duke: I think different races create different cultures and different societies. Overwhelminglynot completely, ’cause there certainly have been other influences as wellbut overwhelmingly, we have been a product of European culture, values, and civilization. That is being called into question. There are a lot of people now who are trying to remove even the Western classics from our universities, Goethe and Shakespeare and the rest of them, that’s not in vogue, they’d rather have Baldwin and Malcolm X. Dugger: Do you think there are genetic differences between men and women that go to traits like intelligence and nurturing? Duke: Science every day says to us that genetics has a big role in our lives. Recent studies even suggest that the tendency toward homosexuality is to a great deal inherited. Through identical twin studies there’s a lot of evidence that IQ is certainly affected by genetics as well as environment. What we are is a combination of our environment and our heredity. We acknowledge the fact that there are differences in the abilities of individuals or even in talents of races, I mean, some races might have, certain talents in certain areas. We must acknowledge whatever the differencesthe best system is one that makes sure that the person who is best qualified gets the job promotion or the scholarship gets advanced according to their individual merits or abilities, and that’s what I believe in. As far as men and women, there may be emotional differences between men and women that are ingrained, that are created by genes or hormones or ‘differences in values. My family has had a lot of women who have been really exceptional intellects. I had a grandmother who was a chemistry instructor/professor at the. University of Kansas and my great-aunt was one of the first great female doctors in Chicago. I think a woman should go as far as her talents and her ability warrant, just as a man should, just as a black.person should, just as a white person should. Dugger: After the governor’s race, the Dallas News quoted you saying, “I won my constituency. I won 55 percent of the white vote.” That made me wonder, do you think of yourself, really, as the candidate of the white race? Duke: Well, I consider myself as really a person who wants society to advance and make society better for everybody. I think that my policies have been good for the black majority. But I got a higher percentage of the blacks’ votes than the previous Republican incumbent got, four percent to two or three percent. But generally speaking, whites have voted for me in a majority in statewide elections two times. So that’s been my voting constituency over the last two elections. That doesn’t mean I don’t have any black constituents, because I do. But I won my white I won my constituency. We have the largest black vote of any state in the country except for Mississippi, I think. Louisiana is about 30 percent. I didn’t get many votes there Dugger: In 1985 you said it’s a very bad concept that everyone who is human is valuablethat you “don’t see any intrinsic value” in a person just because the person is human. How do you feel about that now? David Duke on Jan. 10, 1992. THE TEXAS OBSERVER 27