USC Under Fire For Allowing Event Featuring Founder of Proud Boys
USC Under Fire For Allowing Event Featuring Founder of Proud Boys
The University of South Carolina has come under fire recently for allowing an event to take place on its campus that features the founder of far-right white supremacy group The Proud Boys.
The event, which is sponsored by the USC chapter of Uncensored America, is a roast of Vice President Kamala Harris referred to in the event invitation as Cumala Harris by Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes and British writer Milo Yiannopoulos.
Yiannopoulos previously worked for far-right news organization Breitbart News that was founded by key Trump ally Steve Bannon and as Kanye West’s, now known as Ye, chief of staff for his brand, Yeezy.
McInnes, originally from London and Canada founded the Proud Boys although he announced he was leaving the group in 2018, however he continues to be heavily associated with them.
The FBI describes the Proud Boys as an “extremist group with ties to white nationalism.”
This isn’t the first time that the USC chapter of Uncensored America has caused controversy. The group previously hosted controversial right-wing commentator Laura Loomer on campus in April of last year.
USC alumni have been spreading a message across social media platforms urging current and former students to “flood the alumni office and events coordinator with messages,” according to the SC Daily Gazette.
The university released a statement through spokesperson Jeff Stensland saying to the SC Daily Gazette that “the university has a longstanding tradition of allowing recognized student groups to host speakers and hold events of their choosing. As a public institution, the university seeks to uphold people’s individual, constitutional rights to free speech.”
One prominent alum, CNN commentator Bakari Sellers, posted the event’s original invitation on X with the caption “Yeah @UofSC this is what we not doing. Your excuse is lame. I expect some accountability on this asap.”
USC’s X account responded to his post saying “As you know, we’re a public institution & we must allow free speech on campus. This event is being hosted by a student group, not the university itself. These appearances do not represent an endorsement by the university.”
Another prominent alumnus, Jotaka Eaddy also called out the university on X for allowing this event to be hosted.
“There is absolutely no excuse for the University to approve a program rooted in sexism toward the sitting VP of the US,” Eaddy said. “If you allow this program - what does that say to every Young woman on campus? This is Sexist , violates the Carolina Creed and everything good and decent about my beloved USC.”
There is currently a petition circulating online among members of the USC community that is urging President Michael Amiridis and the Board of Trustees “to formally acknowledge this issue and take steps to modify the name of the event, relocate it from the campus, or consider its total cancellation.”
The petition currently has 2,628 signatures. Those who want to sign it can click here.
The more I think about this the more pissed off I get.
USC would never allow a roast of convicted felon and rapist Donald Trump.
I suspect that USC Administration actually supports this...... they may claim their simply supporting freedom of speech, but I think that's a guise. It is completely sexist how they changed up Harris's name. And how will these men explain this to their wives and daughters?