Earlier this month, I saw an incredible contrast between true Reagan conservatives and the disgusting racist “alt-right” that terrorized Charlottesville, Virginia. One week before the tragic events in Virginia, I traveled to Washington, DC for Young America’s Foundation’s National Conservative Student Conference. During the week I was there, I heard from exceptional conservative leaders including Vice President Pence, several Senators, and other leaders in conservative thought, politics, and policy. However, the true highlight was meeting hundreds of other activists fighting for the same principles–free markets, traditional values, and a strong national defense–on their campuses all around the country (or even the world). While they were rare, disagreements did occasionally arise with each other or a speaker, but we could all discuss the ideas in good faith without resorting to racism, bigotry, or identity politics.

Sadly, there are people who claim to be on the right who do not share the fundamental values of conservatism. We need to fully and unequivocally condemn and denounce the “alt-right”, neo-Nazis, and white supremacists. Everyone knows that these people are disgusting and racist, but some have overlooked the fact that they are not conservative at all (and arguably have more in common with the American left than the American right). Conservatives generally oppose all identity politics, as we believe that everyone is created equally and that no one should be treated separately. The “alt-right”, on the other hand is an active participant in identity politics, with their appeals to ideas like “white America”. Identity politics fundamentally promotes one group over others, resulting in different identities being pitted against each other, often in an attempt to gain votes from certain “identities” (which is just a fancy and divisive word for demographics). Stirring conflict between identities or promoting one group over the other riles up voters and increases attention, which brings in votes.

That is not the only place where the “alt-right” deviates from conservative values, either–I could list numerous examples, but perhaps their most disgusting view is their support for race-based eugenic abortions. The “alt-right” is not merely pro-choice, but rather pro-abortion, a position they take because black babies are aborted at three times the rate of white babies. Essentially, the “alt-right” is arguing for a second Holocaust, this time targeting the minority population through their babies. Religious conservatives should especially be wary of the alt-right; once, when arguing with one of them, I was told to stop basing my views (being pro-life) on “a dead Jew on a stick [Jesus Christ]”. They even often resort to personal attacks because their arguments contain no substance (beyond racism, that is). Real conservatives come out of an argument with the “alt-right” believing in their principles even stronger because white supremacists seem to be unable to make real arguments. The racist rioters in Charlottesville were not conservatives at all, and it is time that we all, as a movement, denounce their white nationalist views entirely.