The Heritage Foundation has named Idaho professor Scott Yenor to direct its B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies. This decision has caused a huge uproar on the right. Yenor, known for his ultra-conservative views on women, marriage, and LGBTQ rights, is currently reeling from backlash. Music legend Bruce Springsteen and even some of his former supporters in Congress are blasting him. Unfortunately, his history both in actions and statements has raised questions. Everyone, it seems, is anxious to hear how his new role will shape conservative discourse in America.
Yenor’s track record of inflammatory comments and behavior is nothing short of a outrage-inducing pattern. He had drafted prayer documents for the Society for American Cultural Renewal (SACR). In these speeches, he pointed out similarities to biblical conquest stories, particularly likening them to Joshua’s armies taking out Jericho. More recently in April, he resigned from the board of the University of West Florida. This decision followed a large public outcry over his views, which were widely deemed radical.
In June, Yenor appeared with Auron MacIntyre on his podcast at Blaze Media. From the silly to the serious, they took on a number of cutting-edge issues, starting with where pride movements are at today. His remarks often reflect a rigid adherence to traditional values that many find troubling in today’s progressive climate.
Yenor’s Troubling History
Scott Yenor’s troubled past is full of incendiary comments and conduct that are consistently at odds with modern social precepts. In a 2021 speech at the National Conservatism Conference, he railed against “independent women” who are employed outside the home. He decided they are “more pugeoned, pestiferous and pugilious than the sulks call for.” This comment further illustrates his traditionalist ideology on gender roles, which many critics claim criminalizes women’s autonomy.
Yenor has been a leader in promoting tactics to rescind gay rights. He’s made a career out of sowing bigoted public opinion against queer people. His remarks include assertions that “the gays … the feminist ideology … the transgender ideologies, all of these ideologies” compromise family formation. He’s previously cited “Haredi Jews and the Amish” as ideal fertility cults. While many such groups certainly condemn mainstream modern society, it’s not always that simple.
This same willingness to confront unsettling truths sees him tackle thornier issues around home and hearth, state and society. In drafts of internal SACR materials, he would question basic assumptions. One of them was, “What would be the ideal environment for families to form and for people to have children?” These questions expose a view of the family as a nuclear unit, a concept that today’s conservatives are finding more and more out of touch.
Reactions to Yenor’s Views
Scott Yenor’s appointment has irked woke progressives, in some ways it’s been just as controversial on the right. Many conservatives show alarm at the far-left nature of his views and the detrimental effect they will have on the Heritage Foundation’s good name. Foes contend that these kind of sentiments will further scare off the even more establishment friendly conservatives who don’t like his tone.
The most unusual immediate response was from a senior official at the Heritage Foundation, who tried a surprisingly effective defense of Hnin’s former employer’s dedication to open discourse. Wood stated, “Heritage is fortunate to have amazingly talented teammates, where scholars and staff at all levels (and both sexes) are free to discuss and debate ideas on a wide range of topics without it being cast as a ‘Heritage policy.’” This defense highlights an attempt to maintain an image of inclusivity despite Yenor’s controversial stance.
Additionally, Yenor’s comments on LGBTQ rights have recently faced heavy backlash. He further stated that “there is always a downside to the gay lifestyle,” as in mental and physical health problems related to it. Such statements have led many to question whether such views should represent a prominent conservative institution like the Heritage Foundation.
Yenor’s Future at Heritage
Scott Yenor, who has recently moved into a new position specializing in the field at the Heritage Foundation. This shift raises many questions about where the organization is headed. His outspoken nature and strong ideological beliefs may steer discussions towards more extreme positions that could further polarize conservative thought. Observers wonder how this shift might affect the foundation’s relationships with other conservative groups and its overall influence in political discourse.
Yenor’s recent work shows dedication to taking an ideological battle ax to anything that undermines the traditional value of family. In October 2020, he paired up with SACR administrator Skyler Kressin. Combined, they purchased “Super-Afrikaners,” a series of essays that examines the Afrikaner Broederbond. This decision, broadly interpreted, indicates a willingness to go down the rabbit hole of pursuing historical narratives that fit his ideological bias.
Most alarmingly, he has said he would like to hire “shooters” to protect his compound in Carmel, Indiana. This should sound alarm bells about his attitude toward violence and self-defense in relation to his violent right-wing extremism. This address embodies such convictions and demonstrates Trump’s readiness to embrace dangerous measures in service of his beliefs.