The first presidential debate for the United States was an utter disaster. One such defining moment was when the current president was asked to condemn white supremacists and, when given the name of the group Proud Boys.
According to the FBI, the Proud Boys is an extremist organization with ties to white supremacy and have been since kicked off of major social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as their merchandise being removed from Amazon after the group was founded during the 2016 presidential election.
Whether it was intentional or not, during the recent presidential debate, the president told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by,” as opposed to condemning all white supremacists groups, which bolstered the Proud Boys, letting them believe that these words were encouragement and support from the president.
Yet, the meaning of the hashtag #ProudBoys on Twitter has been changed from one that signifies bigotry to one that showcases love, and it is delightful.
The takeover seems to have been started by George Takei at the beginning of this month, and people are running with the idea.
Flooding Twitter with the reclaimed hashtag, folks have been showcasing their love and it’s pretty damn adorable.
Even Canada is into it!
The world is bleak right now, but it is encouraging to see love can always win if you look for it.