Progressive Activist Dumbfounded When Attack on 'Nazi' Backfires in Spectacular Fashion
A progressive activist seemed mighty proud of himself for bothering a man wearing a Make America Great Again hat, or in the words of TJ Helmstetter, a “Nazi.”
It all started Thursday, when Helmstetter, who describes himself in his Twitter bio as a “progressive communicator,” complained about seeing “two separate tables of people wearing MAGA gear at” a Washington, D.C. location of Hill Country, a barbecue joint.
“Hill Country clean up your act. I have been patronizing you for 10*•+ years starting in NY,” Helmstetter wrote.
“Don’t serve Nazis,” he added, seeming to suggest that everyone who supports President Donald Trump is a “Nazi.”
Spotted two separate tables of people wearing MAGA gear at @HillCountryWDC. Disgusting. Hill Country clean up your act. I have been patronizing you for 10*•+ years starting in NY. Don’t serve Nazis.
— TJ Helmstetter (@TheTJHelm) July 5, 2019
But silently judging Trump supporters wasn’t enough for Helmstetter, as he would soon explain.
“Just got thrown out of Hill Country DC for standing up to a Nazi. Don’t go there ever again. They support Trump and Nazis,” he wrote.
Details were forthcoming.
“Guy wears MAGA hat at my favorite restaurant,” Helmstetter wrote.
“I say ‘hey are you from dc?’ He says ‘no.’ I say ‘we don’t tolerate racism in this city.’ His girlfriend then physically jabs fingers into my chest and starts threatening me. Management tells me to leave, not woman who assaulted me.”
Guy wears MAGA hat at my favorite restaurant. I say “hey are you from dc?” He says “no.” I say “we don’t tolerate racism in this city.” His girlfriend then physically jabs fingers into my chest and starts threatening me. Management tells me to leave, not woman who assaulted me.
— TJ Helmstetter (@TheTJHelm) July 5, 2019
Helmstetter seemed to be very upset that the restaurant didn’t take his side, even though he was clearly the provocateur, having harassed a Trump supporter for no good reason.
WARNING: One of the tweets below contains profane language that some readers may find offensive.
Thank you, I know. Apparently @HillCountryBBQ staff does not think it’s important to stand up to racist Nazi fascists.
— TJ Helmstetter (@TheTJHelm) July 5, 2019
Just called the manager there and his answer was “we are an equal opportunity restaurant who welcomes all political viewpoints” before hanging up on me. cool, except MAGA hats actually make clear that POC and LGBT are not welcome at all.
— TJ Helmstetter (@TheTJHelm) July 5, 2019
To be clear, it is the Nazi’s 1st amendment right to wear racist shit in public. And it is decent people’s 1A right to tell them they are racist pieces of shit. He exercised his 1A right, and I exercised mine. @HillCountryBBQ mgmt chose to protect the Nazi’s right but not mine.
— TJ Helmstetter (@TheTJHelm) July 5, 2019
Helmstetter appears to be a longtime progressive activist who has previously worked for a variety of liberal organizations, including the Democratic National Committee, according to his LinkedIn page.
The Western Journal reached out to both Helmstetter and Hill Country’s D.C. location, but neither returned our request for comment.
Several hours after publication of this article, Hill Country DC posted the following message to its Twitter account:
“Last night in Washington, D.C., we had an unfortunate incident and had to ask a guest to leave due to their hostile behavior towards another guest in the restaurant. Hill Country Barbecue Market is in the business of serving great barbecue with friendly and hospitable service,” the message read.
In return, we ask our guests to be respectful and polite to each other. We continue to ensure our restaurants are a safe place for all of our employees and our guests.
— Hill Country DC (@HillCountryWDC) July 5, 2019
“In return, we ask our guests to be respectful and polite to each other. We continue to ensure our restaurants are a safe place for all of our employees and our guests.”
Helmstetter, meanwhile, has made his Twitter account private.
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