By Erick Erickson

Take the time to read this. Here's how alt-right American Renaissance defines alt-right (response to HRC's speech): pic.twitter.com/uXjicMc08i — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 25, 2016

In Galatians 3:28, Paul writes that “[t]here is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Christians are to transcend race. It is why the abolitionist movement was led by men like Wilberforce. It is why the adoption movement is led by men like Russell Moore. It is why some of the first and regular occurrences of the word “cuck”, an alt-right slur for race traitors, were used against evangelical Christians who adopt outside their race.

See, e.g.:

Erick’s version of Christian conservatism includes his nation and wife getting f**ked while he watches in the corner https://t.co/ED1tmrdI4n

— Kebab Removal Pepe (@RemoverOfKebabs) August 26, 2016

To be a Christian is to see the world between the saved and the lost and to try to save the lost. To be a member of the alt-right is to see a world of racial grievances where it is the white man’s turn to play victim. That is antithetical to Christianity. “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.” 1 Cor. 12:13.

The alt-right is also not conservative. It is more alt-Reich, which is just a nationalist, socialist movement that in this country hides behind rudimentary populism that blows in the wind.

Conservatism, at its foundation, is a world view and ideology applicable to and encouraged for everyone. Conservatives believe in individual responsibility, the rights of individuals, and that tradition should be respected even if slowly changed over time by society. The alt-right believes in white power, white grievance, and nationalism. The alt-right can embrace Trumpism’s call for a minimum wage increase in the name of nationalism, because they see it as good for the white race, depriving minorities of jobs while opening jobs up to experienced white workers suddenly on the economic sidelines. Conservatives cannot embrace it because we know it drives up unemployment and harms minorities and teenagers just starting out in the workforce.

In fact, the alt-right is ideologically rudderless sailing to and fro with whatever they believe is in the national interest. And they see the national interest in terms of what is good for white people. At root, the alt-right is as tribalist as Black Lives Matter. It is the White Lives Matter equivalent and would divide the country among its races.

William F. Buckley once took a strong stand against the alt-right. Conservatives must do so again. People have forgotten. Some conservatives have forgotten. The conservative movement is no place for those who see the world in terms of race, racial grievance, and tribalism. Conservatives and Christians both believe all men and women, regardless of race, creed, ethincity, or religion are created equal before the eyes of God and man. Conservatives believe in a strong citizenry. The alt-right believes in the strong man. Conservatives put their faith in God and their trust in the people. The alt-right puts its faith in the tribe and its trust in one man to lead them.

The alt-right is not a part of and should be thoroughly condemned by conservatives. Additionally, it goes without saying that if conservatives do not, the left will and will inevitably paint intentionally with such a broad brush as to harm sound ideas. If we do not self-regulate our movement, it will be done for us by those who are not of like mind. We should not let hate groups try to put makeup on this Nazi, but instead work again to put it on the ash heap of history where its progenitors still smolder. We must also reject those politicians and candidates who stroke the egos of the alt-right and encourage it to come out of the shadows into polite society.