OllieGarkey has a disturbing diary up (here) about a very recent shooting in California, perpetrated by an MRA (or "Mens Rights Activist"). In the diary, OG describes the shooter's (I refuse to make the man more famous than he already is by repeating his name) participation in the so-called "Mens Rights Movement". I have had run-ins with these intellectual small-fries, and I have only one conclusion:
All compassionate men must loudly condemn the mens rights and "pick up artist" movement loudly and repeatedly, whenever it comes up. These MRA and PUA's ideology is centered around the dehumanization and objectification of all women, everywhere. If ever anyone needed evidence of this, look at OllieGarkeys diary, read the transcripts of this creeps manifestos, hell watch the damn youtube video. And then see the groups that he is a member of. Read the propaganda that he read. And then realize that this problem isn't just this one shooter this one instance. The problem is in the ideology. The problem is in the absolute objectification of women.
To MRAs and PUAs, women are sex objects. They are things, not deserving of life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness. Further than that, these men believe that they are owed sexual pleasure, that they are owed DOMINANCE and DOMINION over any perspective female partner. Not only that, but they believe that they are in the majority opinion of most men. The believe that most men believe this bullshit about women.
I have made a concerted effort to counter their efforts whenever I hear them, and I try to instill in them that their opinions are not okay. These are the types of men that find rape jokes in good humor, that try to give an engaged guy (this actually happened to me) relationship and pick up advice, and when the guy gently says that he is already engaged, simply says that women expect to be cheated on. Thats the behavior that they have come to expect from us, so why not fulfill their expectation?
These Mens Rights Quacks are talking about our daughters, our wives, our mothers and grandmothers, our aunts, our friends, our coworkers. It is incumbent on sane, caring, rational men everywhere to speak up and out about these insane misogynistic, backwards, bullshit opinions about women. Men do not deserve sex. Women are not objects, they are people, and they owe you people nothing. Once you earn someone's love and trust, perhaps you too may one day have the privilege of being in a loving and committed relationship. Not a minute before.
Unless we do something, PUA and MRA ideology will persist, and more violence against women will be perpetrated. I know you are out there rational, caring, loving men. I hope I am not the only one screaming about this when it comes into earshot.