It's not "not us and therefore evil". That's too simple. Instead it's "they are saying we're the problem which is evil, and others perhaps including my children, are starting to believe them, therefore a threat".
Conservatives really care about an order in things, to keep out chaos. Anything that reduces structure in society is suspicious, especially if it comes at you expense. Note that this holds for plenty of people who are way down on the power ladder.
Republicans stopped being "conservative" in that sense a very long time ago. They see threats wherever they are told to see them, and ignore very real threats right in front of them. "The children" are an excuse, not a principle.
I would very much like to see the American conversation turn to a legitimate discussion of differences of values. I can't say if it ever really did, or if that's just the myth we tell ourselves. But for the moment we have "conservatives" consistently sowing chaos with no benefit to themselves, and even their own detriment, solely for the purpose of harming those they see as their domestic enemies.
Conservatives really care about an order in things, to keep out chaos. Anything that reduces structure in society is suspicious, especially if it comes at you expense. Note that this holds for plenty of people who are way down on the power ladder.