People are criticizing a Florida newspaper for publishing an opinion piece praising the Proud Boys. In addition to recasting the Proud Boys as guardians of children’s innocence, rather than a notoriously violent extremist group two countries categorize as a “terrorist” organization, the piece failed to disclose that the author is reportedly married to a member of the group.
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune has since deleted the article and apologized.
In recent months, Proud Boys have taken an intense interest in matters concerning children. Their actions include becoming increasingly active at school board meetings and disrupting drag queen story hours, both of which have lifted a rising tide of anti-LGBTQ attacks and rhetoric among conservatives.
The op-ed by Melissa Radovich, whose husband Nicholas Radovich is reportedly a Proud Boy, cheered the group’s efforts to influence school policies. It was written in response to a June 24 op-ed the Herald-Tribune published that called on school board candidates to “show some courage” and “call out the Proud Boys.” That piece blasted a school board candidate for associating with the Proud Boys and references both Radoviches and Nicholas’ purported membership in the group.
The Radoviches are also behind a group called Unmask Freedom, which has been accused of being a Proud Boys front.
Radovich’s op-ed response is headlined, “Attacking the Proud Boys does a disservice to caring school parents,” according to an archive of the piece.
It described Proud Boys as “fathers, business owners and veterans” and “concerned parents.”
“These fathers have spoken at many School Board meetings,” it said. “They are concerned about the direction that their local schools are heading in, and I commend them for coming to School Board meetings.”
It made no mention of the Capitol riot nor other alleged acts of violence and intolerance committed by Proud Boys. Leaders of the group are charged with seditious conspiracy and accused of plotting violence at the Capitol riot, which they deny.
A local blog published a version of Radovich’s piece earlier this month. It didn’t attract much attention until the Herald-Tribune published it, however.
Backlash began as soon as the op-ed appeared on the newspaper’s website.
Most seemed unmoved by the Herald-Tribune‘s boilerplate disclosure on guest editorials stating that it reflects the views of the author, not the paper.
“Gotta say regular newspapers printing ‘attacks on Proud Boys are unamerican and unfair’ seems like a pretty bad sign,” wrote @zlingray.
Many took the Herald-Tribune to task for failing to disclose Radovich’s conflict of interest.
“So, @HeraldTribune, are we just publishing opinions of terror organizations now? Did anyone look into why Melissa Radovich wants us to be nice to the Proud Boys?” wondered @johnrwing, adding, “Be better.”
In a statement to the Daily Dot, Radovich defended her op-ed, but did not address whether she was married to a Proud Boy.
“My article was in defense of a leftist who consistently attacks me (a conservative mother), while at the same time she has provided funding for an event organized by [Black Lives Matter] and [the Party for Socialism and Liberation] leaders,” Radovich told the Daily Dot via Facebook messenger. “As a conservative mother, am I not allowed to have a voice? My opinion piece gets deleted, while her attacks are continuously published.”
The Herald-Tribune subsequently deleted Radovich’s piece. On Monday, it apologized for running the editorial.
The apology by Executive Editor Jennifer Orsi said that “an editor felt it fair to give [Radovich] a chance to respond” to the prior editorial criticizing her.
“However, the Herald-Tribune opinion page will not provide a forum for support of the Proud Boys, an extremist group that promotes white nationalist views, has been labeled a terrorist group by two countries, and has top members under indictment on charges of seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack,” Orsi wrote.
“To do so is antithetical to our values as an organization and is outside of our responsibility to provide a fair forum for different points of view.”
Orsi added that the op-ed “did not meet our standards” and said the paper is adding additional reviews to the process for selecting and editing editorials.
