Proud Boys celebrate after Trump's debate callout
Category: News & Politics
Via: jbb • 4 years ago • 24 commentsBy: Ben Collins and Brandy Zadrozny (NBC News)
Trump acknowledged he is the defacto leader of white supremacists!
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Sept. 30, 2020, 3:12 AM UTC By Ben Collins and Brandy Zadrozny
The Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group, pledged allegiance to President Donald Trump on Tuesday night after he told the group to "stand back and stand by" during the first presidential debate.
Many people on social media who identify with the group echoed that language, saying they were "standing down and standing by." One known social media account for the group made "Stand back. Stand by" part of its new logo.
Trump was asked by debate moderator Chris Wallace to disavow white supremacy during a part of the debate focused on race. Wallace asked whether Trump would urge white supremacist groups that inflamed violence at nationwide protests to "stand down."
Trump said to "give me a name" when asked to denounce a specific group, and former Vice President Joe Biden called out the Proud Boys.
But Trump did not denounce any far-right or white supremacist groups, and he then pivoted to talk about antifa.
"Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, but I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left, because this is not a right-wing problem. This is a left-wing problem," Trump said.
On the Proud Boys' account on the social media app Telegram, the group appeared to take the statement as marching orders.
"Standing down and standing by sir," the account wrote. The account then posted two videos of the answer, including one with the caption "God. Family. Brotherhood," in which a man howled at the TV in response to Trump's response.
Megan Squire, a computer science professor at Elon University in North Carolina who tracks online extremism, said Trump's giving the Proud Boys orders was their long-sought "fantasy."
"To say Proud Boys are energized by this is an understatement," Squire said. "They were pro-Trump before this shoutout, and they are absolutely over the moon now. Their fantasy is to fight antifa in his defense, and he apparently just asked them to do just that."
The Proud Boys, a self-described "Western chauvinist" organization, is considered a violent, nationalistic, Islamophobic, transphobic and misogynistic hate group, according to the Anti-Defamation League, a nonprofit organization that tracks extremist groups. Proud Boys members marched at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and have organized against Black Lives Matter protests in recent months.
The group recently staged a rally in Portland, Oregon, in support of Trump. About 200 people, some armed with guns, attended the rally, short of the expectations of thousands.
Proud Boys organizer Joe Biggs also posted after the debate that he was "standing by," and he said the president "basically said to go f--- them up."
"President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA... well sir! we're ready!!" Biggs wrote.
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a tweet that the president's answer was "astonishing."
"President Trump owes America an apology or an explanation," he said. "Now."
Trumps' comments drew widespread condemnation on social media.
Yamiche Alcindor, White House correspondent for "PBS NewsHour," tweeted that she quoted the refusal to condemn white supremacy multiple times on air.
This. This is Donald Trump's America. https://t.co/wld2mmGTwe — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 30, 2020
"It was a remarkable moment for the commander in chief as white supremacy is seen by national security experts as a threat to national security," she wrote.
David French, a conservative commentator who has been critical of Trump, tweeted that Trump's comments were "a call to be ready."
"In a nation wracked by unrest, that was one of the most irresponsible and reprehensible statements I've ever seen from a president," French wrote.
Democratic politicians also weighed in.
"Let's be clear: The Proud Boys are white supremacists," tweeted Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. "Racism and hate are not forms of patriotism."
Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey tweeted: "Donald Trump was asked to condemn white supremacists tonight. He wouldn't. He must be defeated."
Biden commented on the Proud Boys reaction, responding to a journalist who tweeted out a screenshot of the group celebrating the mention.
"This. This is Donald Trump's America," Biden tweeted.
Ben Collins
Ben Collins covers disinformation, extremism and the internet for NBC News.
Brandy Zadrozny
Brandy Zadrozny is an investigative reporter for NBC News.
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Trump acknowledged he leads white supremacists!
I think that Trump wanted a way to split the question in half. I really doubt that he wanted to be seen as promoting the Proud Boys in front of 80 million (the expected audience) Americans. But neither did he want to be seen as putting his supporters like the Proud Boys down. So he spoke out of both sides of his mouth , as a knee jerk reaction. He said "stand back" which could be seen as him trying to distance himself from the white supremacists, but then he said "stand by" which would seem to say he might need them to do something for him later.
Trump was cornered in a corner he can't stand. He needs the white grievance population to stick with him and go to the polls or he will lose in a landslide, so he sort of mumble mouthed the question.
The Proud Boys are proud today.
Not every day do white supremacists get a call out from their supreme leader on national television!
But they are still just petulant bigoted little boys brandishing their big guns to make up for their lack of any manhood.
White supremacist groups are the equivalent to the "Brown shirts" of Adolph Hitler.
Make no mistake about it..... They are Trump's civilian army meant to intimidate the electorate. Dark days ahead if senate republicans stay quiet after last night as I expect they will.
Well, Biden refused to denounce Antifa. Funny how that gets a pass and is ignored.
All Biden did was reiterate what the head of the FBI said last week. Antifa is not an organized national group, it is basically an idea with small unconnected groups around the country that act on behalf of the idea. .
Yeah, but it was hard to hear him saying it with POUTUS braying from the other side of the stage (I heard that bit on the radio this morning)
Seriously Ed? Between Proud Boys and Antifa... which one poses a clear an present danger to the upcoming election?
Wray was adamant: “Antifa is a real thing. It’s not a fiction” and, while it is not a conventional organization as opposed to a movement, they have arrested people who admit that they are Antifa.
I have repeatedly emphasized that extreme right groups are also responsible for recent violence and Wray made clear that far right violence still dominates in terms of a threat profile. Moreover, I have opposed declaring Antifa a terrorist organization . We have ample laws to deal with such extremist violence from the far left or far right. We do not need to rely on terrorism laws or most recently suggested sedition laws .
https://jonathanturley.org/2020/09/17/antifa-is-a-real-thing-fbi-director-wray-rebuts-democratic-claims-that-antifa-is-a-myth/
You think Proud Boys want to uphold and defend the US Constitution?
I think they stop at the 2nd Amendment.
You think Trump wants to uphold and defend the US Constitution?
Trump is a walking violation of his oath of office..... Worse are the Senate pubs that enable him.
Neither one wants to.
Wow, I'd love to know what possible reason someone had to flag your comment.
Biden was not asked to denounce Anitfa, WAS he Ed?
If these statements don't send chills down your spine....
Is Trump setting up groups like the Proud Boys to go Kristallnacht before the election?
Yes. Obviously.
You got to expect at least a group of 3 or 5 of these dumbasses are thinking it would be a great idea to do a bunch of serious property damage somewhere to pin it on socialists, blm or anifa. They have already arrested a few of them in recent weeks.