First, go read Amy Roth’s summary of the situation: there is a small group of Mabusesque obsessive haters who have been harassing a number of vocal atheists for the past few years. I know; I’m one of their targets, and I can tell you, these people are really screwed up and pathologically focused on hating anyone who dares to profess any support for feminism, or any kind of support for increasing the diversity of the movement. They’re loud, they’re persistent, and they’re an embarrassment to the community.
Now, once you’re in the right frame of mind to understand the context, go read Adam Lee’s petition to support feminism and diversity in the secular community.
You’ll know what to do.
23 comments
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mandrellian
11 January 2013 at 7:38 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Signed. Adam rules. Way to call out the real bullies.
+ Amy rules. Way to rise above the shit!
(Anticipating inevitable twitter/youtube lackwit backlash regarding “freezepeach/professional victims/misandry” in 3, 2 …)
Caine, Fleur du mal +
11 January 2013 at 8:10 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Signed, with this message:
athyco
11 January 2013 at 8:37 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I do like yours, Caine. My message:
Caine, Fleur du mal +
11 January 2013 at 9:33 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thanks, Athyco. I did a blog post about it, too, and put it up on Needled and A Thousand Stitches Deep. I am so damn tired of this being an issue. All the assclams are welcome to dream up their own name for their exclusive hater’s club and separate completely from the rest of us. I’m good with that.
PZ Myers
11 January 2013 at 9:34 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
They already did! They called it Slymepit, and I’ll give them this, the name is perfect.
Janine: Hallucinating Liar
11 January 2013 at 9:40 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I am not sure how separate the Slymepit is from FtB. Most of the comments there is fueled by what is said in this network.
As it stands, this network would remain as busy as ever with any mention of that site. The Slymepit would either become silent or have to find an other object to obsess about.
Caine, Fleur du mal +
11 January 2013 at 9:41 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
No argument on that score, PZ. They just aren’t far enough away.
Shplane, Spess Alium
11 January 2013 at 11:28 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I really hope no one thinks less of me for rarely if ever signing petitions.
Putting my real name on internet things skeeves me the fuck out.
Leanchoilia
12 January 2013 at 12:44 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
That’s the reason I gave. I have yet to figure out what exactly I’ll do to uphold my end of the “tak[ing] more action,” but I figure dipping my toes into a community or two that I’ve lurked in is a decent start.
Jafafa Hots
12 January 2013 at 2:12 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I guess it’s a matter of deciding which thing skeeves you out worse.
Caine, Fleur du mal +
12 January 2013 at 2:29 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Shplane:
So make one up. Would anyone really know if you’re John/Joan Smith or not? Christ.
I do. Nothing like an finding excuse to remain part of the problem while enjoying the benefits provided by those who do the actual fighting and manage to the right thing.
glodson
12 January 2013 at 3:49 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Signed, with my real name too. I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t sign it. Diversity is good. Making a commmunity where people are treated according to their action and thoughts rather than bullied into silence with threats is good. Making a community where people feel comfortable regardless of their race, sex, gender, or sexuality is good. Dissent is good as long as we are dealing with the arguments and not threating the person.
I see no reason not to support it. There can be no real dialogue when a vocal group derails any attempt with nonsense and vitriol.
I would have left a reason, but my reasons were already laid out much more eloquently than I am capable by others.
shouldbeworking
12 January 2013 at 4:21 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Signed, with my real name. I guess that makes me one of the FFB clones.
But seriously, it’s so obviously the right way to go.
slowdjinn
12 January 2013 at 5:02 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Signed, real name. Because I’m at least working on being a decent human being.
Shplane, Spess Alium
12 January 2013 at 6:04 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
@Caine
Yeah, I was going to post some big indignant mess, but I think I’d rather watch some more Community.
It makes me uncomfortable, either because I’m putting my real name on it or because I’m lying. Neither makes me feel particularly good, and honestly, I do plenty of things that do a hell of a lot more to change people’s minds than a shitty e-petition every day, so I don’t really feel any need to feel guilty about it.
So, yep.
Community.
It’s a good show.
EllenBeth Wachs
12 January 2013 at 8:17 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Why do people need to sign the petition? Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because someone just signed it “Rebitcha Twatson OPHELIASCUNT, DJ ” thereby proving its necessity.
evilisgood
12 January 2013 at 9:13 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
But why did you feel the need to announce that you’re not signing the petition, Shplane? You could have just… not signed the petition. No one would have noticed. What was your goal there? Why did you think it was important for everyone to know that?
Audley Z. Darkheart (liar and scoundrel)
12 January 2013 at 10:52 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Signed, but I didn’t include an additional message. I’m too tired of this shit to write coherently.
Shplane, Spess Alium
12 January 2013 at 7:03 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
@evilisgood
*Shrug*
It was a comment, I was tired, I maybe expected other people who don’t like signing petitions to talk about why it bothers them or something? I don’t know, it’s an internet comment section. Why does anyone say anything?
theoreticalgrrrl
12 January 2013 at 7:13 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
“As a man I must say if these were my biggest complaints (older women DO grab on me etc and men are ALWAYS being broken down by their boss etc)–I’d be a happy man indeed. Sorry sugar but your equal rights came with equal responsibilities. You can’t have it both ways..the entire world of man will NOT change just to suit your feelings that might not even be rationally sound feelings in the first place.”
This is a comment today on Karen X’s blog, More Women In Skepticism. She started the blog naively thinking people wanted more women in skepticism. From a lot of the comments, it’s starting not to look that way. Or that if women really want to be treated equally, they shouldn’t expect not to be punched in the face because that’s what guys do to each other, so you just want special treatment by asking me not to punch you in the face.
http://morewomeninskepticism.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/40-misconception-women-are-asking-for-special-treatment/#more-505
Jafafa Hots
12 January 2013 at 8:33 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I was gonna go to a march in support of equal rights but the sign they wanted me to hold had a wooden handle and I HATE splinters.
Tony the Queer Shoop (proud supporter of Radical Feminism)
12 January 2013 at 8:48 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Caine @7:
I know, right?
Can’t they invent their own internet without fouling this one up? They can take all the hate groups with them as well.
Caine, Fleur du mal +
12 January 2013 at 9:12 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Tony, I’d be happier if they all got a fucking clue and stopped what they’re doing for the right reasons. As it doesn’t seem that’s going to happen any time soon, they can set up their own distinctly separate shop.