Speaker by Various Artists

Nice one. Two important things about free speech (thanks Noam):

(1) Free speech is for speech you hate. If it is only for speech you are OK with it is not "free" at all.

(2) The best cure for "bad speech" is "more speech'.

Well done

XKCD is the definitive word on free speech

Well said, John.

The organiser of the ROK meet ups has cancelled them. All of them. Worldwide. The level of planned protest scared them off. Nice work everyone!

BUT WE ARE STILL GOING TO PARTY!

Because while we were spurred into action by these meetings, and even though them cancelling is a victory - we still want to stand and be seen for victims of misogyny and harassment, survivors of rape and sexual abuse, the LGBTQ community and everyone who is harmed by misogyny. Including men. We can't allow these views to fester in our country. This is a great opportunity to bring awareness to a greater issue. Our work isn't done because they are cowards.

See you Saturday. 8pm. Aotea Square.

Now, it's WHOLLY possible these guys are lying and are still organising behind their password protected forum. But publicly they've been forced backwards from chest thumping in public places to pack ratting in the gutters. It's a win, and we'll be ready for them next time.

If you think there were ever going to BE any RoK meetups, you don't understand RoK.

This was a marketing exercise to generate publicity for Roosh so that he can sell more books and website subscriptions. That's all. This is how it happens every time, and every time the media falls for it and does exactly what Roosh wants.

So, let me get this straight. These guys don't like women, think that having sex with women is "disgusting" and affords nothing but animal satisfaction.
These guys are really damaged, they must be in total confusion about their sexuality and have little in the way of self respect.
Or is it the creeping sense of entitlement that is oozing out of the 9th floor of the "Beehive"?
Should you feel "Honoured" if the Prime Minister pulls your ponytail?
By the reaction of some in the media, you would think so.

Hi SHG!

I was always half convinced it'd come to nothing as I said earlier this week: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/toxic-pro-rape-groups-new-zealand-meetings-to-be-targeted-by-protesters

Half's not enough though, especially with these clowns. If on Sunday they claim victory with mythical numbers from each location, we'll still be laughing at them. From declaring they'd stay public, open and that they couldn't be stopped to slamming on the brakes, issuing seriously weird instructions for attendees and proving themselves as terrified fools - that's not a bad thing.

But like I said up there, the problem's beyond just this man and his crew of twits and it's an opportunity for a big, positive action around it.

RoK isn't a "them". It's one guy who sells advertising on a website. When he gets mentioned in the media then more people visit the website which means he can charge more for advertising. Every time the mainstream media so much as acknowledges his existence, he wins.

In other words this whole week has been pure unadulterated winning for him. Announce meetups! Coverage! Insult female journalists about the meetups! Coverage! Defiantly promise to hold the meetups regardless of criticism! Coverage! Abruptly cancel meetups! Coverage!

Next: journalists chasing Roosh for comment on the abrupt cancellations will get insulted! Coverage!

Every time. They fall for it every time.

Thank you to John and the others involved in this event. A positive demonstration is always a good thing. Hope you all have a great night .

Every time. They fall for it every time.

I'm not so sure, I've read some of the stuff on the site and I reckon he really thinks he's onto something that only the ROK types can see, the feminist agenda has the wool pulled over everyone's eyes etc. In short, he's on a crusade to roll back the tide of history and get women back into subservient roles.

His books are all about game and becoming a pick-up artist, and coming across as a complete arsehole is not going to help him sell books, there are plenty other game books by men who aren't fundamentalist masculinists. He knows his market (in his books he calls then "betas") and betas are generally nice guys and nice guys don't buy books from men who promote rape as an acceptable male practice.

I think he was actually trying to get a movement started (from which he would profit) and he got shut down by a global backlash. Which is a good outcome IMO.

This was a marketing exercise to generate publicity for Roosh so that he can sell more books and website subscriptions.

It would seem they've locked up the forums since yesterday so I can't provide the link but it is a lot more sinister than that. There is a post at the ROK forum where they are collecting pictures, CV's, employers information etc of people that have openly criticised them on Facebook etc. They are mostly looking for people that have made overt threats (let's kill the bastard) and they are cataloging them and contacting peoples employers.
So if it is, as you say, not about the meetings then it is not only about selling books.

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:5gDcUQK3j3oJ:https://www.rooshvforum.com/thread-53487.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=nz

Google has it cached.

Yes, we saw that. My account and MegaPopes were both posted there.

The leader chap, he may be attention seeking. It's his followers who are the disturbing ones. They BELIEVE.

I don't really like the "oh ho ho, you fell for his attention-seeking ploy, you fools!" rhetorical device, to be honest. Even if he is playing mind games, why am I, as a feminist, supposed to ignore deliberate provocation in the forlorn hope that it'll go away (it never does)? Fuck that.

Even if he is playing mind games, why am I, as a feminist, supposed to ignore deliberate provocation

The leader chap, he may be attention seeking. It’s his followers who are the disturbing ones. They BELIEVE.

Exactly. As John and Danielle both say Roosh’s message is dangerous, regardless of his original intent. There are people out there that hold to the same beliefs and they’ll listen to him. If his statements go unchallenged they’ll hear the silence and interpret it as agreement.

I remember a post of Emma’s mentioning sexist jokes and how the person making the joke may not see themselves as being sexist. but any sexist dudes that hear it will go “See, he’s on my side”, and be encouraged.

That’s why I think that having an anti-misogyny protest and inclusiveness party is awesome. It shows that there are a lot of people that don’t accept this kind of crap, and reduces the silence for others to project their bullshit onto.

Turns out the self-appointed hyper-masculinist is actually a mummy's boy. Freud was proven right.

And he's issued a clarification that his "legalise rape on private property" proposal is actually intended as satire. If you read the comments section, they picked up on it quite quickly when he published it, and referenced Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal".

So, yeah, maybe if you read all his sexist bullshit then you could perhaps get the joke as being absurd, but if you are new to his opinions then (like me) you can easily think he's being serious.

Turns out the self-appointed hyper-masculinist is actually a mummy's boy.

Never too late to learn to socialise.

Mummy's boy ?? hmmmm

"Aha, I tricked you into thinking I'm an idiot and a rapist! You have been trolled, good madam or sir! I bet you feel quite the fool, knowing that you took exception to things I said and did, not knowing that I was not sincere in my beliefs! Truly, I am the victor in this exchange."