In an op-ed written by Diana Ratcliff, a political science graduate from the University of Michigan, she states that there is no place for the "alt-right" in U.S. politics after their involvement in the death of 32-year-old Heather Heyer in Charlottesville on August 12. Heyer was killed by a self-proclaimed white nationalist who drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters where he also injured 19 others. The deaths of two police officers who were in a helicopter that was monitoring the rally also put the incident under the national spotlight.

Op-ed piece against extreme-right's place in America

In her piece, Ratcliff referred to something a speaker said during a gathering after the incident about how it took the death of a white girl for the nation to take notice. Ironically enough, it was that statement that made Ratcliff -- who is also white -- to write the op-ed for CNN. She also happens to intern in the U.S. Senate and is Heather Heyer's cousin. Ratcliff's op-ed titled: "Heather Heyer's cousin: Racism will get worse unless we stop it now," is another public display of defiance against Trump's racist social movement, a movement that like the person leading it, has already become a menace to society.

Heyer's activism

Heyer's activism against the hate group protesters had the support of her family who since her death have come out to defend her activism.

In marching with those counter-protesters, she clearly believed in taking a stand against those of the "Unite the Right" rally: white supremacists, white nationalists, neo-Nazis and "alt-right" Trump supporters. In fact, it's safe to say with confidence that all members of those groups are Trump supporters. Ratcliff's op-ed also pointed to Heather's activism and a person who President Trump decided to criminalize to score political points with his base in a series of statements he made where he blamed both sides for the violence.

The President incurred more political damage for himself when he refused to release a genuine statement to denounce those hate groups by doubling down his attack against counter-protesters. Heather Heyer's mother was on Good Morning America last Friday to talk about her daughter when she mentioned that she had been contacted by the White House that Wednesday.

In her interview, Susan Bro said that she refused to take a call from the President after his controversial statements about blaming "all sides" of the conflict. Bro said that in his statement, he made her daughter equal to the white supremacists who were responsible for three deaths and multiple injures at the rally.
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