The price is alt-right: Clinton and Trump both boost fringe politics

Fringe right-wingers known as the “alt-right” are getting a lot of publicity after Hillary Clinton spoke of them in order to discredit Trump, who attempted to distance himself from the fray. The alt-right, however, was just happy to be in the spotlight.

Much like cockroaches scuttling across the floor when a light turns on, the wave of attention brought to the alt-right has encouraged them to define their positions online, and face mockery and criticism, which they seem to take pride in.

The alt-right is a group largely known for their vehement anti-liberal stance, often incorporating white nationalism and is often associated with outlets like Breitbart and Alex Jones’ InfoWars – as well as the Pepe the Frog meme for reasons unknown, other than its off-putting nature.

What is known is that self-identified members of the Republican Party off-shoot are loving the attention and hate they receive. A recent Trump attack ad paid for by the Hillary for America political action committee heavily featured Jared Taylor voicing his support for Trump from a white supremacist point of view.

Taylor, the founder of the American Renaissance – a defunct magazine turned website that poses as a scientific journal claiming a link between race and intelligence, told the Guardian he “appreciates” Hillary sharing his message.

The ads show Taylor on CNN, saying, “Sending out all the illegals, building a wall and a moratorium on Islamic immigration – that’s appealing to a lot of white people.”

While he doesn’t deny that there’s a connection between Trump’s original talking points and the alt-right’s anti-immigration and racial views, he did maintain that Trump was not a part of his movement.

“Is Hillary Clinton responsible for the views of everyone who supports her?” he asked the Guardian.

He also thanked Clinton for “calling attention to the message I have for America.” During a speech in Reno, Clinton addressed the vitriolic beliefs that seem to be attached to Trump’s campaign. While she danced around using the exact words, Taylor and others eagerly awaited her to use her platform to name their campaign.

“Come on, Hillary,” Taylor wrote. “Talk about Alt Right.”

The frequently racist and conspiracy theory indulging alt-right crowd’s campaign is mostly dedicated to trolling on Twitter. From supporting the hack of actress Leslie Jones to condemning an apparent white genocide, the angriest people on the internet not only embrace radical theories but spread them in the most eye catching, troll baiting ways known to man.

However, after the attention they received from their demagogue Trump as well as their persona non grata Clinton, they decided to – well, troll on Twitter.