A high opinion of oneself or one's importance.

 

Wiki-P, Tenacious-D:  Enrique Tarrio has been the chairman of the Proud Boys since late 2018. According to a former federal prosecutor and the transcripts of a 2014 federal court proceeding, Tarrio had previously served as an informant to both federal and local law enforcement.

 

You don't need a weather-vane to know which way the wind blows....actually, I have no effin' clue what Tarrio's history as an informant means, but it's hard to imagine that once the feds have their claws in you, they let go easily, especially when you lead a group currently being charged with sedition....

 

"Tarrio" comes from Latin, via the French, a cognate of the Latin "terra," or "land."  As in this is "our land."  "You!  Will not!  Replace us!"  It does happen.  Just ask the Iroquois.  Starfleet had a "Proud Boy Problem" too:  "Terra Prime!"  Terra Prime was an extremist xenophobic terrorist organization dedicated to the expulsion of all non-Humans from Earth and the Sol system.

Bummer for Fred Perry.  Bummer for Tiki Brand.  You can't choose who co-opts your brand....

The rooster on the PB flag faces west because, hey, as Jim Morrison says, "The West is the Best, baby...."  The rooster, or cock, is also a traditional symbol of masculinity and territoriality.  And France, incidentally.  For France, it's a pun (gallus = Gaul v. gallus = rooster); for the PB's, maybe it's a dick joke.  Or a wake-up call:  Cock-a-doodle-doo....

The cock is surrounded by victory laurels, stephanos.  The flag above is on the PB Wiki page, but photos in situ depict laurels.  Not sure where this starry version comes from, though I've seen photos of PB's in shirts with both the wreaths and the stars.

Why 20 stars?  Dunno.  It's an auspicious number. Maybe they've turned from earthy "feminine" flora to "masculine" sky imagery...."Driver where you taking us?"

 

Become a Proud Boy.  Step 1:   Say "I'm a proud Western chauvinist, I refuse to apologize for creating the modern world."  (Good thing, PB, because you didn't create jack)  Step 2:  Get punched until you spit out some satisfactory pop trivia.  (Some kids can recite the entire Quran, other "boys" can name 5 brands of breakfast cereal)  Step 3:  Get a tattoo and agree to cease "self-pollution."  Step 4:  Get into a major fight "for the cause."  Does January 6th count?

 

Actually there are rules. Rule 1:  "Don't talk about Fight Club.  Rule 2:  "Don' talk about...."

 

These are the hazing steps described online.  As much as I could give a rat's rump for the rep of the PB&J's, I wonder if the media hasn't been pranked.  Then again, a friend who'd pledged Sig Ep told me in a roundabout way about some equally improbable male-bonding methods.  No prohibition on having a wank, though. 

 

This is far more than I intended to say about the Proud Boys, so full stop, almost.  

 

I would add that a high-level police informant organizing an assault on Congress is, well....weird.

Proud Boy flag

Reuters, Aram Roston for (January 27, 2021). "Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was an FBI informant". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.

"Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was a 'prolific' FBI informant: report". Global News. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.

"Leader of group involved in US Capitol violence was 'prolific' informer for law enforcement". CNA. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.

Two questions:

1.  Why do the Proud Boys wear black and yellow?   I know the FP polos have long been favored by skinheads, and the laurel wreaths match PB symbolism, but why the colors?

2.  What do the stars on the PB flag stand for?