When I use the term “alt-right”, I know that it means “neo-Nazi”, but most people do not. The media uses the term “alt-right”, and in general, people seem to think of an extreme wing of conservatism – sort of like the Tea Party on steroids. It is not.

The alt-right is a white supremacist, neo-Nazi movement. The term was appropriated by Richard Spencer – a white supremacist who quotes Hitler – to make white-nationalism more palatable. Spencer advocates creating an all-white state in North America. He is anti-Semitic. He is racist. When challenged, Spencer has publicly refused to disclaim Nazi beliefs.

White nationalist views are an extreme form of racism that advocate violence, massive discrimination, and mass deportation of American citizens who are not white and Christian. They quote and often idolize Hitler. Let me say that again, they draw inspiration from a man who murdered six million people because of their religion, ethnicity, orientation, or disability.

We need to fight against neo-Nazism being normalized. If it is normalized, their more horrific views will bleed into the ideology of less extreme racists and even non-racist conservatives. To a degree, the euphemism was already been successful. I doubt even Trump could get people to accept putting "a leader of the neo-fascist movement" on the National Security Council, but for a time he had a leader of the alt-right – and that is the same thing.

The simplest part of the fight is: stop helping Richard Spencer’s goal by using alt-right as a euphemism for neo-Nazis. Call them what they are: white supremacists, white nationalists, neo-Nazis, or fascists; or clarify the term, such as “the neo-Nazi alt-right”. Call out journalists who perpetuate the terms without clarifying what it means.