When “Young Republicans” Act Like Keyboard Warriors Instead of Conservatives

Let me be clear: I’m a conservative. I’ve been one my entire life. I believe in freedom, personal responsibility, and the idea that our movement should be rooted in principles, not in cheap theatrics or internet-age posturing. So imagine my disgust when I read Politico’s recent report about what some so-called “Young Republicans” have been saying and doing behind closed doors.

A private group chat among members of a national Young Republican club was leaked, and what it revealed wasn’t just immature; it was downright disgraceful. These were not the fiery young patriots standing up for liberty that we want representing the future of the conservative movement. These were self-styled “edgelords,” spewing racist memes, mocking women and minorities, and treating politics like a frat-house role-play session.

What makes it worse? These kids weren’t nobodies. They were local chapter leaders, the very people entrusted to build the next generation of the GOP. Instead of organizing, recruiting, and persuading, they were joking about Hitler, trading anti-Semitic garbage, and talking about “owning the libs” as if it were a substitute for actual policy discussion. That’s not conservatism, that’s clownish nihilism wearing a red tie.

When I was their age, being a Young Republican meant studying the Constitution, debating economic policy, and volunteering for candidates who wanted to strengthen America. It meant respecting our flag, our faith, and our families, not trashing them in private while pretending to be patriots in public.

The left will seize on this story, and they should, because these punks handed them a loaded gun. Every time a conservative says we’re about integrity and faith in public life, the media will drag out screenshots of some idiotic twenty-year-old making Nazi jokes in a group chat. And the worst part is, they won’t be wrong to do it.

This isn’t cancel culture, it’s accountability. If you want to wear the label “Republican,” you’d better understand what it stands for: liberty, law, and leadership. Not cruelty. Not cowardice. Not adolescent garbage.

The Young Republican movement doesn’t need rebranding; it needs a moral reset. Because if this is what our “future leaders” think conservatism looks like, then we’ve already lost sight of the America we’re fighting for.