October 12, 2022

Pennsylvania State University is hosting an October 24th fun-filled hour of comedy, not hosted by actual comedians, but instead led by far right extremists.

What's even more shocking is that a member of the "comedy team" is Gavin McInnes, leader of the violent Proud Boys.

The event is billed "Stand Back and Stand By," which was inspired by Trump during his 2020 debate with candidate Joe Biden, when he refused to denounce his white supremacist followers.

And the Proud Boys did indeed "stand back and stand by," with several of them now heading for a seditious conspiracy trial. One has already pleaded guilty to that charge.

Obviously, many students are upset with the college for allowing these creeps to use their college as a platform to transmit far-right grievances, and for using their student fees to pay for such an event.

Penn State denounced Gavin McInnes' behavior, but agreed to host them because they believe in 'free speech.'

What does free speech have to do with giving a platform to violent reprobates whose group members attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, and who continue to spread violence, division and hatred? Why would a public university normalize them?

HuffPost:

“‘Free Speech’ does not mean ‘enabling Gavin McInnes to develop and reinforce right-wing extremist networks while padding his wallet and prestige,’” reads a public petition to university administrators penned by the Student Committee for Defense and Solidarity at Penn State. “We demand that the Penn State administration deny Uncensored America permission to sponsor and platform Gavin McInnes with a speaking engagement.”

This is insane.

In its press release for the event, Uncensored America described McInnes not as a far-right gang leader but as a “comedian, political commentator, entrepreneur, and fashion pioneer.”

Despite the risk, students vowed to protest the event in person on Oct. 24.

This is a total embarrassment for Penn State.

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