Conservative Group Ends E-Mail Postings:
Recent Messages Backed Anti-Jewish Views

By Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post, Friday, January 29, 1999, Page A6
© Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company

The Council of Conservative Citizens, an organization promoting controversial racial views, has abruptly cut off people seeking to post comments in the group's electronic "mailroom" after being inundated with messages supporting former Ku Klux Klan member David Duke and defending his attacks on Jewish organizations.

"The volume of postings that need to be moderated is far too great to handle," someone identified only as George, wrote in an e-mail to subscribers. As a result, he wrote, the council "will no longer allow postings from members."

In recent weeks, the council received extensive publicity because of reports that such prominent politicians as Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and Mississippi Gov. Kirk Fordice (R) have spoken at council meetings. The Council of Conservative Citizens is an outgrowth of the segregationist white Citizens Councils, and some of the council's leaders have advocated segregation, tough immigration restriction and laws prohibiting intermarriage in order to preserve the "white" race.

Until postings were cut off this week, one of the central topics of discussion had been Duke, who is running for the congressional seat soon to be vacated by Rep. Bob Livingston (R-La.).

"Even if some have difficulty accepting aspects of Duke's past, they need to consider: will anyone be able to wage as viable and professional a race for Congress that is distinctly pro-White without apology," wrote Steven D. Dotson in a Jan. 25 posting.

Others have raised the possibility of a Patrick J. Buchanan-David Duke ticket in 2000, as one unidentified contributor wrote: "What about Duke-Buchanan 2000? I don't know how well Buchanan held up under his last round with the anti-Semite hunters. A younger, better rested Duke may be more up to the siege."

Harvey Taylor, who describes himself as a "member of CofCC for some time," wrote that Duke's "reputation has been set by the national Jews so we are supposed to let them determine the agenda? . . . My continued support of the CofCC will be contingent on whether their tent is large enough to include DD [Duke] and also to support him politically."

A message from "Tom" stated: "There is no question in my mind that organized Jewish groups are out to destroy anything they find offensive. That includes southern culture, Christian based principles taught in school, and white-dominated governments at every level."

While most of the posted messages are sympathetic to Duke, some are adamantly opposed. John H. Killian, a national director of the council, responded to Taylor: "Well, either you or I won't be renewing. If the council does have a link to David Duke, I am not going to be involved." In another posting, Killian wrote: "David Duke is on the fringe and will only serve to embarrass us. His recent book is a tirade of anti-semitism."

One writer's comments were found to be objectionable, and the writer was removed from the council's mailing list. Protesting liberal immigration policies, the unidentified person wrote: "Does anyone have any better solutions besides a coup d'etat or unilateral immigration restrictions/'shoot on sight' policies. Black Africans kicked whites out of Africa. Why can't we do the same to Hispanics . . . ? Terrorism works."

Gordon Lee Baum, the council's CEO, insisted in an interview that his group is not antisemitic: "Just because someone puts something up doesn't mean we believe what they say. It's not part of us. It's not what we are about at all."

He said the council stopped the postings because the volunteer who manages the mailings also handles the council web site and the work became overwhelming: "He just doesn't have time to fool with it every day."