Rainach Viewed Himself As "classical Liberal"
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Unlike many other southern politicians who once supported segregation and later renounced that view—Russell B. Long, Bennett Johnston, John McKeithen, Robert C. Byrd, and George C. Wallace, for example— Rainach never abandoned his belief in racial separatism.
In a 1974 interview with the Shreveport Times, Rainach rejected the appellation "conservative" though it had long been used by the media to describe his political philosophy. The Times described Rainach as:
...the antithesis of the image his cause would suggest. He speaks softly, deliberately, weighing words carefully, and citing historical events, both ancient and modern, as he responds to questions. He rejected the label of 'conservative', preferring to be called a 'classical liberal.'
"In the days of Paine and Jefferson, the classical liberal stood for freedom of the individual as opposed to government control and the worth of the individual. I'm not anti-Negro, but I still feel the same way about it. I don't hate Negroes—I didn't hate them then—some of our most valued employees here at the company are Negroes, and I would never want to hurt them.
"But I do not feel the two societies should mix. I wish it were possible for whites and blacks to live together, but it just isn't."
Read more about this topic: William M. Rainach
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