# So what's up with these 'Proud Boys', anyway? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 30, 2020, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896 "2020-09-30T15:58:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/182 "2021-01-11T14:17:37Z")
Proud Boys, are being considered for ‘terrorist extremists’ classification in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/183 "2021-01-11T18:31:06Z")
I saw somewhere that they were all wearing blaze orange knit caps, something easy to not be wearing when convenient. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/184 "2021-01-11T20:28:54Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > something easy to not be wearing when convenient. Completely ignoring all the inevitable images of them with the their hats on sounds about right for the dumb clucks. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/185 "2021-01-12T07:39:09Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > I saw somewhere that they were all wearing blaze orange knit caps, something easy to not be wearing when convenient. Are you sure they’re not [oceanographers](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Vv86CQ0VAXBwqzMW53uXSJiG1S4=/0x0:1500x823/1200x800/filters:focal(626x147:866x387)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53887707/lifeaquaticmain.0.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/186 "2021-01-12T13:09:25Z")
Never mind! ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/187 "2021-02-03T21:02:18Z")
And they’ve been added to Canada’s list of terrorist groupes: > **[Proud Boys added to Canada’s list of terrorist groups - National | Globalnews.ca](https://globalnews.ca/news/7616542/proud-boys-added-canada-list-terrorist-groups/)** > > Three other right-wing extremist factions were also added to the list, along with ISIS and al-Qaida affiliates. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/188 "2021-02-03T22:40:55Z")
And to think they’re _way more fucking worse_ than any al-Qaida or ISIS groups. They’ve owned that shit, too. The quintessence of scumbaggery. Zero fucking quarter for them. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/189 "2021-02-03T23:33:08Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > And to think they’re _way more fucking worse_ than any al-Qaida or ISIS groups. Are you sure they are worse? Because ISIS forces women into sexual slavery and burns people alive. That’s a pretty high bar to clear. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/190 "2021-02-03T23:35:37Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Because ISIS forces women into sexual slavery and burns people alive. That’s a pretty high bar to clear. Maybe for lack of opportunity (and to get away with it). Certainly not for lack of desire. Both for women and for killing people in horrific ways if their own rhetoric is to be believed - and they have given every sign they do hold those beliefs. I mean - what can you really say about people who openly wear shirts that declare “6 Million Weren’t Enough”? That’s not exactly the warm and fuzzies. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/191 "2021-02-03T23:39:54Z")
Giving **Guest-starring\_Id** the benefit of the doubt, I’m taking that as meaning the Proud Boys are a greater threat to Americans than ISIS or al Qaida, which I agree with. But they haven’t reached quite the same level on the worst-ever scoresheet as some other terrorist organizations. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/192 "2021-02-04T00:24:22Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Maybe for lack of opportunity (and to get away with it). Certainly not for lack of desire. I kind of see it like saying a person is worse than Hitler. Not because of what they’ve done, but if that person was Chancellor of Germany in the 30s things would have been even worse. It’s nothing you can ever really prove or disprove, because it’s so speculative. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/193 "2021-02-04T05:51:16Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Giving **Guest-starring\_Id** the benefit of the doubt, I’m taking that as meaning the Proud Boys are a greater threat to Americans than ISIS or al Qaida, which I agree with. Yes, that’s the case, thank-you. (not sure how I missed the notification to respond earlier) Indeed, PB won’t ever resort to the grotesque extremes of ISIS or al Qaida (nor doubtfully ever pull off anything remotely close to a 911-level event), but ‘going forward’ (gawd I hate phrase - sorry, folks) I would bet my entire inflatable Chet Huntley collection that the DonStroud Boys will be a much more visible t-e-r-r-o-r-i-s-t threat (along all the militia / boogaloo /all-out-loser camp) than ISIS or al Qaida in the US. And I truly fear journalists will become targets. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/194 "2021-02-04T10:24:38Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > I truly fear journalists will become targets. and the police [https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/proud-boy-capitol-riot-stabbing/2021/02/03/85900842-666a-11eb-8c64-9595888caa15\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/proud-boy-capitol-riot-stabbing/2021/02/03/85900842-666a-11eb-8c64-9595888caa15_story.html) > Social media posts by a Washington state member of the Proud Boys arrested Wednesday indicate that he and others were planning in advance to organize a group that would attempt to overwhelm police barricades and[breach the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2021/01/16/video-timeline-capitol-siege/?arc404=true&itid=lk_inline_manual_1&itid=lk_inline_manual_1), U.S. prosecutors alleged. Ethan Nordean, 30, and others appeared motivated in part by what they perceived to be an insufficient police response to the [stabbing of one of their members](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trump-dc-rally-maga/2020/12/11/8b5af818-3bdb-11eb-bc68-96af0daae728_story.html?itid=lk_inline_manual_1)who attended a December pro-Trump demonstration in D.C., the FBI said in [charging papers](https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/u-s-v-ethan-nordean-aka-rufio-panman-charging-affidavit/f38139a0-680e-471d-a87e-d992bf574dc3/?itid=lk_inline_manual_1). > Nordean later continued, “The police are starting to become a problem,” adding in frustration, “we’ve had their back for years,” > After the breach, Nordean continued, posting the caption “if you feel bad for the police, you are part of the problem . . .” with a photo of a U.S. Capitol Police officer dosing rioters with pepper spray. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/195 "2021-02-04T12:45:00Z")
That they have already played and burned their ‘back the blue’ card is, at least, a small thing to be thankful for. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/196 "2021-02-04T18:52:42Z")
Except for those members that are blue. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/197 "2021-02-04T20:34:41Z")
Apparently Ethan Nordean lives in the same town that I do. Ugh. 😞 ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/198 "2021-02-05T16:26:47Z")
Not the greatest choice of sources on this - not sure exactly where Sky News stands on what appears to be more of a brief messaage, here, than an article… > **[Proud Boys Leader: If Biden doesn't listen 'there will be more violence' -...](https://theglobalherald.com/news/proud-boys-leader-if-biden-doesnt-listen-there-will-be-more-violence/)** > > Sky News published this video item, entitled "Proud Boys Leader: If Biden doesn't listen 'there will be more violence'" - below is their description. Video seems to be an overview; not till 8:30 do we see doofus, above, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/199 "2021-02-05T18:48:55Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Not the greatest choice of sources on this - not sure exactly where Sky News stands on what appears to be more of a brief messaage, here, than an article… > [Proud Boys Leader: If Biden doesn't listen 'there will be more violence' - The Global Herald](https://theglobalherald.com/news/proud-boys-leader-if-biden-doesnt-listen-there-will-be-more-violence/) > > Video seems to be an overview; not till 8:30 do we see doofus, above, FWIW “There will be more violence”. Pretty much the definition of “terroristic threats”, no? ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/200 "2021-02-05T19:20:27Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Pretty much the definition of “terroristic threats”, no? Or Republican talking point. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896/201 "2021-02-05T20:25:18Z")
It really is hard to tell them apart these days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-these-proud-boys-anyway/921896.md?page=11)