David French: Fire Steve Bannon

Source: National Review | August 14, 2017 | David French

There is no room for an alt-right apologist in the White House.

For those who’ve forgotten one of the worst elements of the 2016 election, a short refresher is in order. Almost from the moment that Donald Trump descended on the lobby of Trump Tower to make his campaign announcement, an army of online trolls leapt to his defense. They cheered his denunciation of Mexicans as “rapists,” they relished his attacks on so-called globalism, and heaven help anyone who dared attack their populist hero.

I’m speaking, of course, about the alt-right, that motley crew of white nationalists, neo-Confederates, and outright Nazis who share a common belief that culture is inseparable from ethnicity. To these folks, Western civilization cannot exist unless it is a white civilization.

The alt-right’s primary “contribution” to Trump’s election was a sustained, vicious assault on his opponents. I’ve told my story before. I saw our young daughter photo-shopped into gas chambers, terrible images of dead and dying black men and women plastered all over my wife’s blog, e-mailed threats, and terrifying phone hacks. And I was hardly alone. My friend Ben Shapiro endured an avalanche of anti-Semitism. Erick Erickson’s family faced a nightmare of threats. There was hardly a conservative Trump opponent who didn’t face such trash to some degree. I knew multiple journalists who, for the first times in their careers, legitimately feared not just for their lives but for their family members’ lives as well.

In response to this evil movement, Breitbart stood out among prominent conservative outlets, publishing perhaps the most influential apologetic for the alt-right and promoting that piece’s co-author, Milo Yiannopoulos, as its premiere writer and personality. Yiannopoulos himself “trolled” and attacked Trump’s opponents relentlessly, blasting out anti-Semitic messages at his targets and inspiring legions of Twitter followers to do the same. Meanwhile, Breitbart published bizarre hit pieces against its critics, including a video directed specifically at Shapiro that’s chock-full of alt-right language and themes. The site’s comment boards transformed into an open sewer, a virtual meeting place for the alt-right.

None of this was subtle. It all happened in plain view. In fact Breitbart’s then–executive chairman proudly declared that his publication was “the platform for the alt-right.” His name was Steve Bannon. He is now the “chief strategist” for the president of the United States.

……….

There’s a good reason that white nationalists rejoice at Steve Bannon’s proximity to power. There’s a good reason that countless Americans look at that man so close to the Oval Office and fear his influence on their president’s mind and heart. How can Trump look the American people in the face and say that he unequivocally condemns the alt-right when one of the men who did more than anyone else to enhance its influence works down the hall?

Moreover, there’s strong evidence that Bannon is still up to his old tricks. According to an avalanche of reports, he’s set his sights on the president’s national-security adviser, H. R. McMaster, and is furiously leaking damaging stories to get McMaster fired. Once again, the underbelly of the Internet has had his back. As it became clear that Bannon was gunning for McMaster, a meme began to circulate depicting the latter as a puppet of international Jewish interests. Dark, unsubstantiated rumors started to spread about McMaster’s personal life. Is it any wonder that he pointedly refused to say yesterday that he could work with Bannon?

Bannon’s actions indicate that, if nothing else, he’s a vicious opportunist. As alt-right leader Richard Spencer explained, under Bannon’s leadership, Breitbart turned into a “gateway to alt-right ideas and writers.” His former colleague Ben Shapiro called him a “vindictive, nasty figure, infamous for verbally abusing supposed friends and threatening enemies.” Vindictive men who promote the work of racists and normalize their ideas obviously shouldn’t be within 100 miles of political power, never mind two steps from the Oval Office.

…….

If the president wants to take decisive action to distance himself from America’s most hateful elements, there is one thing he can do today: He can fire Steve Bannon, the man who gave them a platform.

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  • Consistent #18121

    slhancock1948 #18166

    As soon as it was apparent that Brietbart was on the Trump train, we quit listening to him on Sirius XM. I have never gone back. His duplicity in agreeing with some callers on lies about Cruz was beyond the pale, and his support and encouragement of the bigots who called in talking about Trump was unbearable to listen to.

    This election cycle took me out of the mainstream and conservative talk show media almost totally. I read a few articles on here that you guys choose, and my husband continues to read online, even at FR, which I cannot go back to for any reason. He sends me a few good articles or tells me about them when I get home from work. I read mostly headlines and a few good writers, and I like listening to Bill Whittle and his groups. Ben Shapiro is great, too! I like Steave Deace’s writing but I cannot listen to him any longer. He’s bought into the world way too much. (Movies, etc.) He doesn’t realize that he is being gradually molded into the world system.

    I listen to David Nathan, Bill Randles, John Haller and Jacob Prasch videos on youtube. I get quite a lot of the news from them. And, I keep my sanity!

    David French is a good writer. I wish he’d have run, but he’d have lost against Trump, so he didn’t tarnish himself by looking like a loser. Another time, another season, maybe.

    I do enjoy reading everybody’s comments here. 😉

    Pray for righteousness to be restored and for the peace of Jerusalem

    ConservativeGranny #18184

    Miss hearing from you as often as we used to. I understand where you are coming from though. I completely lost interest in talk radio as well.

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