Earlier this month, a right-wing civil war erupted online after Tucker Carlson hosted the openly racist and antisemitic streamer Nick Fuentes on his podcast, reigniting the age-old question of where to draw the line in political coalition-building. Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts first defended Carlson, then sharply rebuked Fuentes — a splitting-hairs approach that pleased no one and resulted in staff resignations and calls for Roberts to be ousted.
Efforts to limit the growing influence of Carlson and Fuentes, especially among young men, have been compared to “cancel culture” on the Right. Others recall the precedent set by National Review founder William F. Buckley Jr., who famously worked to cast the antisemitic John Birch Society out of the conservative mainstream.
Let us be clear: The Right — its institutions, media, and broader political apparatus — should have no home for those who hate or discriminate against Jews, women, or minorities. But building a healthy conservative movement resistant to the downward pull of racism and antisemitism demands more than simple denunciations. It requires building pathways for young people to engage in good-faith debate and express their concerns about America’s future.
NICK FUENTES IS A PORTENT OF WHERE CONSERVATISM IS HEADING
There is little doubt figures such as Fuentes are gaining traction among young conservatives, especially after the tragic killing of Charlie Kirk. Last month, Politico published an exposé of a vulgar group chat of young Republican leaders casually using similar racist and antisemitic language popularized by Fuentes, leading to multiple firings and the disbandment of the New York Young Republicans chapter.
Free speech does not make one immune from consequences, as these young leaders have learned. However, critics should ask themselves what is causing the rise of odious actors such as Fuentes and Carlson in the first place. The answer in our mind is not too much free speech, but rather too little.
It’s not hard to see why young Americans feel alienated in the wake of a global pandemic, a turbulent entry-level job market, a growing political gender divide, and conflicts heating up around the globe. Shaming young conservatives for their fears — or for the actions of a few bad actors — will not produce a more inclusive movement. Debates about Israel’s conduct in Gaza, for example, should exist without devolving into name-calling. Young people need opportunities to grapple with new ideas, challenge their assumptions, and seek truth across issues of law, foreign policy, culture, and technology.
Simply dismissing their concerns about the economy, immigration, or social cohesion will not prevent their turn toward extremist voices. In fact, it’s more likely that the stifling stigma against having such discussions in public education and universities is exactly what has led to this growing political realignment on the Right. Driving “bad” ideas underground only makes them more appealing. Sunlight is the best disinfectant. Conservatives should not be afraid to openly engage and debate with figures such as Fuentes and Carlson head-to-head, offering solutions to real concerns while rebutting antisemitic tropes and racist comments.
At Young Voices, the libertarian communications program where we work, we strive to provide opportunities for the next generation of right-leaning thinkers to express themselves publicly on contentious issues. By empowering young writers and commentators early in their careers with mentorship from professionals in policy and media, we hope to model the kind of opportunities the right must create if it wants a principled, intellectually vibrant future.
NATIONAL CONSERVATISM ISN’T THE FUTURE OF THE GOP
Too often, conservative institutions neglect their young talent. Junior staffers and college interns are left to do menial work — stuffing envelopes or knocking on doors — without being invited to develop their own voices. Ordinary people who want to contribute ideas end up feeling alienated from the causes they once embraced. That alienation festers into resentment, which too often gets redirected at scapegoats: women, minority groups, and Jews.
The Right cannot afford to cast aside every person under 30 who consumes fringe content. You are not the content you consume, but over time, it can consume you. The only way to stop that process is to offer young conservatives meaningful opportunities to write about the issues that matter to them, appear on TV, speak on college campuses and online, and participate in shaping the movement’s future. That’s what we try to do at Young Voices. It’s the kind of investment the Right must make if it wants to endure.
Casey Given is the president and executive director of Young Voices, a nonprofit public relations agency that places emerging libertarian writers in the media.
Sam Raus is the David Boaz Resident Writing Fellow at Young Voices, a political analyst, and a public relations professional. Follow him on X at @SamRaus1.
