One Coin, Two Sides

Extremists are a disgrace to both the left and the right

We can all agree—at least we hope we can all agree—that white supremacists are a disgrace to all we hold dear in the U.S.

Whether called the Identity Movement, Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis or some other term, their message is repugnant to anyone who values equality and fair play for all God’s children.

It is troubling, then, to find some on the right who hedge and equivocate rather than condemn these forces of evil. Let’s be clear: There should be no hemming, no hawing, no “well, but …” when it comes to these folks. They are wrong—flat out wrong. And anyone who fails to see that and condemn such ideas is part of the problem.

But let’s look at the other side of this. Many on the left excuse their own radicals, as well. Especially the loosely organized Antifa—for anti-fascist— movement.

The problem is not their message— or at least one part of their message. Opposing white supremacists and other racists is a fine thing. It’s their tactics. They practice the politics of disruption and anarchy. They embrace violence and chaos.

What’s worse, they give the extremist on the other side power they could never gain on their own. By acting like a bunch of violent, immature hooligans and fueling the fears of many in the mainstream, the Antifa movement is actually helping the white supremacists gain sympathy.

But many on the left have been slow to call them out. They shouldn’t be. If you condone these sort of tactics, then you, too, are part of the problem. You, too, are facilitating hate and division.

Extremism is one coin with two sides. Both are ugly, and neither should be tolerated by any reasonable American, no matter where their political sympathies lie.