White supremacists recently held a tiki torch gathering by the statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia, where (apparently inspired by the President) they chanted “Russia is our Friend” and (apparently inspired by the Nazis) “Blood and Soil.” The execrable Trump-loving
neo-Nazi Richard Spencer (the guy who led a group in a Nazi-esque “hailing” of Trump right after the election) led the doughty little band in their protest over plans to sell the Lee statue. Spencer, by the way, may have just implicated himself in a murder attempt on journalist Kurt Eichenwald, as blueaardvark has noted, citing many tweets by Eichenwald (and see this Atlantic Monthly article).
Noticeably absent from the Charlottesville event was Corey Stewart, who’s running to be the Republicans’ gubernatorial nominee. Stewart laid the groundwork for the despicable event by making "protecting Virginia's heritage and history" central to his campaign. Stewart can be seen in this disturbing video at the Old South Ball with other ole’ Virginny throwbacks, trying to make the case that the Confederate flag is not about racism or slavery. Right. Stewart has so far evaded commenting on the Charlottesville rally.
Stewart was an early supporter of Trump’s and led his Virginia campaign until shortly before the election, when Trump replaced him with Rep. Dave Brat (VA-7). Stewart and Brat have close ties, with Stewart fundraising for Brat, socializing with him, and speaking worshipfully
of him whenever he has the chance to be in The Great Man’s Presence.
Stewart was not, however, the only one of Dave Brat’s early supporters with a racist agenda.
Racist and anti-Semitic white nationalists who rejoiced at Brat’s overthrow of Eric Cantor, the only Jewish member among House Republicans, and Brat received – and continues to receive - support from Breitbart, the virulently anti-immigrant Walter Gheen of ALIPAC, and other anti-Semitic and racist individuals and organizations. I have documented these ties here, here, and here.
Despite his claims ad nauseam to “loving all of God’s children,” Brat has never disavowed these views (indeed, at 9:00 of this interview, he advocates for some of them). Brat must separate himself loudly and clearly from the words and deeds – and financial resources - of the extremist groups that aided his rise to power and now help to keep him there.
Dave Brat is a leader of the Virginia Republican Party and he bears a moral obligation to join Ed Gillespie and other party leaders in repudiating the extremist views of Stewart, Spencer, and others. Brat is a hero to many on the far right, and if he condemned white supremacism, that view would get the most favorable hearing it could in the circles where it most needs to be heard. Surely that should be well within the moral compass of someone who boasts constantly of a seminary degree.
This diary would not be complete without huge kudos to Charlottesville’s Democratic Mayor Mike Signer, who responded immediately and forcefully to the torch lit gathering, setting the stage for the heart-warming candle-lit counter-rally that drew hundreds. Signer has dealt, too, with strength and candor to the resulting anti-Semitic and racist backlash, giving no quarter. THAT is leadership and that is what we should expect from our representatives in both parties.
Oh yes — and also this: