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Conservatives – true conservatives, as in the Ronald Reagan brand – have a problem. The movement has been invaded by the “alt-right” (or alternative right), a brand that is not conservative, but rather slogs through the mud of antisemitism and racism, staining all who support or refuse to denounce it.

This attempt to hijack conservatism by a radical fringe is not new. In the 1960s, Robert Welch and his John Birch Society (JBS) infiltrated the movement. It took the founder of the conservative publication National Review, William F. Buckley Jr., to denounce some of Welch’s extreme views. When Welch claimed Dwight D. Eisenhower was a “dedicated, conscious agent of the communist conspiracy", it was the breaking point for Buckley, who had been reluctant to criticize Welch, largely because many JBS members contributed financially to his magazine.

Now comes a similar challenge for traditional conservatives and especially the evangelical wing of the Republican Party. On a recent podcast, former Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson interviewed Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist and antisemite. The two joined in condemnation of conservatives who support Israel. Carlson specifically mentioned Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), former president George W. Bush, and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. He called them “Christian Zionists” who have been “seized by this brain virus.”

Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, which guided many of the policies of Ronald Reagan and has been influential with the Trump administration, defended Carlson, saying he “remains … and always will be a close friend of the Heritage Foundation.”

Fuentes – who used to be ostracized by the mainstream right for his views, including support of Hitler and claims that Jews run the country – said on the podcast that “organized Jewry” holds “outsize influence.” He also said he is a “fan of Joseph Stalin,” one of the world’s most notorious butchers.

Alt-right proponents are not shy about voicing their beliefs, including antisemitism and in some cases a denial of the Holocaust and racism. Members of this small but growing movement, especially among the young, often blame Jewish people for allegedly promoting what they claim are anti-white policies like immigration (illegal and legal) and diversity. Last week, Vice President J.D. Vance had an opportunity to denounce these beliefs. During a question- and-answer session following his speech at the University of Mississippi, sponsored by Turning Point USA, Vance was asked about U.S. support of Israel and the theological differences between Jews and Christians. Instead of denouncing what appeared to be a “dog whistle” and the barely disguised political premise of the question, Vance punted and said America has traditionally made alliances with nations whose policies and beliefs don’t necessarily agree with ours.

It’s critical, especially for the evangelical wing of the Republican Party, that they know the central tenet of the alt-right: white people are an endangered race facing "white genocide" and that they should advocate for their collective interests.

Richard Spencer, 48, is a prominent white supremacist who is credited for coining the term “alt-right” and a leading figure in the movement. He supports the creation of a white “ethno-state.” Shades of white supremacists in the old South.

Spencer also supports the transformation of the European Union into a white racial empire, replacing the many European ethnic identities with one homogeneous "white identity,” according to media stories and several books about Spencer and his movement.

Conservatives take note as Bill Buckley eventually did when conservatism faced similar challenges six decades ago. As for the evangelicals among the alt-right, consider one of many verses about hate: “People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you. They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.” (Proverbs 26:24-25 ).

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Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book “A Watchman in the Night: What I've Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America" (HumanixBooks).

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