Free(from)ThoughtBlogs

[Jackalope]

Reading through the comments on this issue on Pharyngula (I know, I know) is really frustrating: it's amazing how many of those guys have leaped immediately to "he's guilty, this cease and desist is a free speech violation, and we should wreak vengeance by reposting this shit everywhere."

Jesus Fucking Christ, it's shit like this that leaves me wanting to not be associated with those asshats in any way, shape or form.

He's guilty, eh? Because PZ said so? Idiots.

I have no idea if Shermer is guilty of anything - hell, before this latest shitstorm started I had never heard of the guy. For fucks sake, people, breaking out the goddamn pitchforks and torches based on one person's vague hearsay is not behavior that I would expect to see from anyone who claims to embrace rational skepticism.

This Atheism+ nonsense is quickly becoming a cult of personality.

[ITChick]

I love it how people are actually going to donate money for PZ's legal case. He might get rich from this.

Now, if this dude really did rape that girl, this is really bad. If someone just called "rape" because they got drunk and had sex it is even worse - it takes away the validity of those who do cry rape.

[Red Celt]

I love it how people are actually going to donate money for PZ's legal case. He might get rich from this.

Now, if this dude really did rape that girl, this is really bad. If someone just called "rape" because they got drunk and had sex it is even worse - it takes away the validity of those who do cry rape.

Exactly. And that's why that whole scene fucks me right off. They throw the words "rape" around as if it can be applied to any situation against people they don't like. Meanwhile, on Planet Reality, people who actually have been raped (and suffered real consequences) have their horrifying ordeal trivialised by these arsewipes of humanity.

The only way that Shermer can be described as a rapist (based on the given testimonies, which at no point included forced sex) is if he'd pinned the women* to the ground, shoved a funnel in their mouth and got them drunk without their consent.

When we choose to drink, we choose to take the consequences of that action. If we choose not to stop drinking when in the company of someone we don't want to find ourselves in an uncompromising position with, we choose to take the consequences of that action.

Morning-after-the-night-before regrets (which is something that a lot of people (of both genders) have experienced) is NOT a reason to claim that a rape has occurred.

When both parties get drunk, either one of them could use that shitty logic to claim that they were raped. Naturally, to the FtB crowd, that claim only has validity if the person making that false accusation is female.



* And one bi-sexual man, according to a suicide note that PZ Myers reported (solely for the good of the person who supposedly wrote it, of course, and not even remotely so as to give weight to his claims about Shermer being a rapist).

[Fidel_Castronaut]

I get the impression that PZ actually just as a vendetta against Shermer. If you read back through some of his posts on his blog from last year and early this year, there was a spat between them (or rather, PZ just writing about him on his blog) about a supposedly sexist remark shermer made about female atheists in the debating sphere.

But I found this from PZ in one of his blog posts in January 13:

But see, this is why the atheist movement can’t have leaders. The ones we’ve got, informally, all seem to think they’re like gods and popes, infallible and unquestionable, and that normal, healthy, productive criticism within the movement is all a conspiracy to dethrone them.

[Kayenneh]

But see, this is why the atheist movement can’t have leaders. The ones we’ve got, informally, all seem to think they’re like gods and popes, infallible and unquestionable, and that normal, healthy, productive criticism within the movement is all a conspiracy to dethrone them.

What? Is he for real?! Holy cannelloni!

[Faith No More]

Besides PZ's abhorrent behavior and the casual indifference with which the word "rape" is being tossed around, I am also disgusted by the number of people that are acting as if the burden of proof lies with the accused, and how many are ready to lynch Shermer while branding anyone that reminds them not to be so hasty as a rape defender. Even more disgusting is that many of these people are the same ones that believe they are for gender equality.

It's just stupidity every which way you look.

[Red Celt]

Besides PZ's abhorrent behavior and the casual indifference with which the word "rape" is being tossed around, I am also disgusted by the number of people that are acting as if the burden of proof lies with the accused, and how many are ready to lynch Shermer while branding anyone that reminds them not to be so hasty as a rape defender. Even more disgusting is that many of these people are the same ones that believe they are for gender equality.

It's just stupidity every which way you look.

If you disagree with them, they block you. That's why every comment that you see is unquestioningly loyal to whatever is said on FtB. Well... assuming that the post hasn't yet been seen by the blogger (and dealt with).

PZ Myers refers to this as his Banhammer. I think that he sees himself as Thor, with his Banhammer being his godly weapon of destruction. Of course, he can't use his weapon at conventions, so accusations of sexual misconduct will have to do, instead.

[Red Celt]

There's a lovely piece added to the end of this video by Mr Deity. If you're a fan of him, you'll watch the whole thing. If he doesn't appeal, the reference to the Myers/Shermer thing is at 5'20 onwards.

[Tiberius]

This Atheism+ nonsense is quickly becoming a cult of personality.

I don't remember a time when it wasn't a cult of personality.

[Jackalope]

This Atheism+ nonsense is quickly becoming a cult of personality.

I don't remember a time when it wasn't a cult of personality.

Touche.