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Gavin McInnes founded the Proud Boys in 2016 as a kind of fun fight club party game, but it quickly grew into a real organization, with real men, real violence, and real consequences. The development of the Proud Boys coincided with the 2017 Berkeley and Columbia college campus protests that disrupted and/or silenced conservative speaking events with the likes of Ben Shapiro, Ann Coulter, Milo Yiannopoulos, and McInnes himself.
McInnes expressed anger that militant Left Wing groups like "antifa" had silenced these speakers without push-back, and his rhetoric led to the Proud Boys assembling among antifa demonstrations. Violence did sometimes ensue.
In the early days, white supremacy groups did infiltrate the Proud Boys, forcing McInnes to address the issue by distinguishing that the Proud Boys are about "western values," while the alt-right is about "race." White Supremacist Jason Keppler was expelled from the Proud Boys, and policies were enacted to exclude white supremacy. For example, now membership is granted only after the person completes a questionnaire designed to screen anybody who identifies with a privileged race of superiority. Wilfred Reilly, professor of political science at Kentucky State University, said that the Proud Boy membership includes a diverse racial composition with over 10 percent being people of color.
Violent acts committed by Proud Boy members were traced to McInnes' rhetoric, and legal charges were filed against McInnes. Due to his legal troubles, McInnes resigned his official leadership role with the Proud Boys, though he still communicates on positive terms with many members. Enrique Tarrio, a Cuban American, has led the Proud Boys since 2019.
Conclusion: It is accurate to say that the Proud Boys are a militant Right Wing organization. It is not accurate to call the Proud Boys a white supremacist group.
Takeaway question: Why do so many people believe that the Proud Boys are a white supremacist group?
PAUL DOORIS
Montoursville
Submitted via Virtual Newsroom