Alt-Right activism comes into the eye of the public

As President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence celebrate their victory and move into the White House, they face a mix of celebration and criticism from many different political viewpoints. Among those voices, however, is one particularly virulent and abrasive subgroup known as the Alternative Right, a group centered on “white identity” and the preservation of “western civilization,” according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Politicians and citizens at all points of the political spectrum are anxious and extremely uncertain about the rising presence and voice of the Alt-Right, which many view as a racist hate group. Most who identify as part of the Alt-Right celebrate Trump and Pence’s victory, viewing it as a validation of what they champion as their values and virtues.

The Alt-Right, according to SPLC, is “a set of far-right ideologies, groups and individuals whose core belief is that ‘white identity’ is under attack by multicultural forces using ‘political correctness’ and ‘social justice’ to undermine white people and ‘their’ civilization.” Such actions include white supremacy, Islamophobia, anti feminism, homophobia, anti- Semitism and more.

Rising to the national stage around 2008, the Alt-Right is characterized as an alternative to what is seen as a traditional conservative party. The group spreads their messages through means of social media on websites including Twitter and Breitbart.

“It’s scary how there are actually people in our world like this,” junior Alex Notte said.

Before now they have mostly kept quiet, but now that Trump and Pence are entering the White House, they believes that the new president will support them. “This says so much about the kind of American people there are , and it’s scary to know that Alt-Right members believe that our president elect will actually support them,” junior Brianna Gonzalez said.

In recent news, Vice President Pence has created an anti-LGBT agenda. His ideas include the creation of “ex-gay” therapy programs and the cutting of funds for AIDS research. President Trump has been more open to marriage, saying in November, “I’m fine with same sex marriage.”