Heimbach Surfaces at League of South Protest, Then Returns to 'Sabbatical'
The last time from , head of the Traditionalist Youth Network, he was one step away from saying goodbye to racist activism. His pastor at a Christian Orthodox church in Indiana had asked him to be silent on his racist views and spend time being the contemplative steward of his own soul.
But Southern nationalism dies hard, it seems.
Last weekend, Heimbach attended the League of the South鈥檚 (LOS) national conference at its headquarters in Wetumpka, Ala. While there, he was photographed standing on the roadside, holding a sign that read, 鈥淚mmigration Hurts Southern Workers: League of the South,鈥� and holding another (this time inside) that read, 鈥淲e Will Not Be Silent So You Can Be Comfortable.鈥�
So much for silence and contemplation!
When contacted by Hatewatch on Wednesday for comment, Heimbach said he was still adhering to his 鈥渟abbatical鈥� from racist activism, and that he was trying to focus on his faith 鈥撯�� a claim he has made for months since being baptized at an Orthodox Christian church. But, he promised, he is back in the League, paying dues, and convinced that the LOS message is right.
鈥淚f you look at the entire South, the South is not entirely southern now,鈥� Heimbach told Hatewatch. 鈥淲e live in a modern context and we face modern problems unique to this time. And there鈥檚 a modern solution. The solution that the League has been advocating is secession.鈥�
For the past two years, in fact, the League has been focusing on getting its message out to a younger, more extreme audience. In May, the group put up a billboard that read simply, 鈥淪ECEDE,鈥� though it was later taken down due to complaints. And the theme of this year鈥檚 conference was 鈥淗itting the Streets: Taking the Southern Nationalist Message to the Public.鈥� But still, it鈥檚 a bit ironic that the League would take him back now.
Last October, after like the Aryan Terror Brigade and the neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement, president Michael Hill from the group and disinvited his followers to an event in Tennessee.
鈥淢atthew Heimbach, a former member of The League of the South, has apparently decided to cast his lot with Nazis and others who do not represent the traditional South, the Southern Nationalist Movement, and The League of the South,鈥� Hill wrote on the Facebook page for the Murfeesboro event. 鈥淣either he nor his friends will be welcome at our demonstrations.鈥�
Heimbach at the time that Hill鈥檚 views on southern nationalism were antiquated at best, and reactionary at worst. 鈥淭hat form of Southern nationalism from a generation ago is a teenager who wants to get in their dad鈥檚 face. But when their dad gets out of his chair and reaches for his belt, he goes running into his room. It鈥檚 ridiculous. It鈥檚 reactionary,鈥� he said.
But even then Heimbach probably figured the LOS would take him back.
With the group shifting its focus away from the sterile study of Southern nationalism to on-the-ground street theater and activism, it will need people like Heimbach 鈥撯�� even if he once kept company with Nazis.
