While Breitbart.com helped undo some of the diligent work conservative activists have done to distance themselves from the election-losing Tanton Network, a rising star in the dissident right was at the center of another controversy at CPAC Friday afternoon.
Matthew Heimbach, formerly of the Youth for Western Civilization, along with his compatriot Scott Terry of North Carolina, got into a shouting match with a Black woman during a discussion on how to recruit minorities into the conservative camp. Woops.
Heimbach has drifted further to the right since the downfall of Youth for Western Civilization. YWC, which has had its own events at CPAC in years past, was left out in the cold shortly after Heimbach wrote a blog on westernyouth.org calling Nelson Mandela a bloodthirsty terrorist. Heimbach has also had a working relationship with American Renaissance leader Jared Taylor, the League of the South and other explicit white nationalists and far right causes.
From the Atlantic Wire:
“It seems to me that you’re reaching out to voters at the expense of young white southern males like myself.” The audience was open, like maybe he would go in a positive direction. He went in a segregationist direction. There was crosstalk, commotion. Smith regained control of the room, talking about Douglass forgiving his slavemaster. The Terry went full troll: “Did he thank him for giving him shelter?” Whoaaaaaaa. “Slavery was not a ‘benefit’ to black people!” Amy said. More commotion. Smith said “Racism does not have a political face” — both liberals and conservatives are capable of it. To make a difference, you have to talk to people. “Dr. King interacted and impacted…” Heimbach broke in: “We don’t need Marxists in the Republican Party!” “We don’t need Marxists anywhere,” Smith said. Amy said King was not a Maxist. “Yes he was!” Heimbach said. “Two of his advisors!” Terry joined in.
From The Guardian:
Heimbach said after the session that the Republican party should focus on attracting more white votes and abandon attempts to reach out to minorities, whom he described as being naturally inclined to vote for socialists and Marxist leaders. “It is the only way we can be successful,” he explained.
Heimbach, who was wearing a T-shirt with a confederate flag on the back, added: “If Mitt Romney had won 3% more of the white vote he would have won.”
He added that was a fan of Russia for encouraging white people to have a high birth rate. “I like what President Vladimir Putin is doing.”