Fire Steve Bannon

[EasyAce]

There is no room for an alt-right apologist in the White House.
By David French
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/450465/fire-steve-bannon-white-house-no-place-alt-right-apologists

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 . . .

. . . 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 [Ben] 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? . . .

. . . Earlier [Monday] President Trump

clearly and explicitly repudiated racism and white supremacy.
This was a positive step, a vast improvement from his statement on Saturday, which pointedly omitted
any reference to white supremacy, Nazism, or their acolytes. While today’s political violence is still far
from that seen on the worst days of the late 1960s and early 1970s, this weekend’s events have
rightfully shaken millions of well-meaning Americans.

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.