This is me:

Not this:

That Being Said…

I don’t know what the fuck is going on in the freethought blogosphere and I am being dragged into it. Now, I understand that my co-blogger posted some blogs about the slimepit. After this happened and I got dragged into it I had to call Justin and ask him

1. What is the slimepit?
2. Who is Abbie Smith?
3. What the fuck is this all about?

He informed me that the slimepit was where a group of misogynistic assholes hang out on the internet that participate in outright douchebaggery whenever Abbie Smith (who he informed me is a prominent blogger) posts a blog. Basically they’re a bunch of sexist dirtbags that utilize the anonymity of the internet in order to verbally assault women and tear them down without fear of repercussion.

Okay. Now I see where this whole thing started. I’ll be honest with you–I did not read Justin’s first blog about the slimepit. I attempted to but couldn’t wade through it and it lost my interest. I’m really busy right now conducting training and working through a bunch of exercises in and out of the field so I don’t get the luxury to make time for this as much as I would like…that includes reading other people’s blogs.

What’s this got to do with me?

Honestly, nothing. But one of my posts got picked up over at Pharyngula and a paragraph was posted from my last blog.

That guy really isn’t getting it.

So when people come across me and try to convince me to become a humanist or to play nice I just can’t get down with it. Not that it’s not effective in its own way but I’m the guy that nicknames people “Fuck you”…literally. I nicknamed one of my Marines that. Why would I be nicer to people I don’t like when that’s how I talk to a guy I do like?

We’re not asking anyone to be nicer to people you don’t like. I am not nice to people I don’t like, as I think has always been obvious.

We’re asking, “why are you putting all women in the category of ‘people I don’t like’?”

Right. I got it. My post was picked because I write on the same blog as Justin and he brought up the whole slimepit debacle. I can overlook that. Shit happens. And then I went on to read further comments relating to that.

 

QFT. “I nicknamed one of my Marines that.” Fucking gross. I’d beg or steal before I worked a job where my boss treated me like that. All that talk about honor and they’re just a bunch of fucking frat boys. Guys that that will watch full metal jacket and cheer when Vincent D’Onofrio gets beaten by his fellow recruits, then laugh he he blows his brains out.

There’s an interesting comment on that thread at #9. I think this excerpt is a quite revealing look into the psychology over there:

mealy-mouthed puffy weak-kneed cowardly civilians

And this:

All that talk about honor and they’re just a bunch of fucking frat boys. Guys that that will watch full metal jacket and cheer when Vincent D’Onofrio gets beaten by his fellow recruits, then laugh he he blows his brains out.

Yep, that’s pretty much it. One of many reasons why I hate Marines.

This I have a problem with. I know many, many people who hate Marines and probably for good reasons. That I’m fine with. The perception that Marines are bullies to other Marines really pisses me off.

Let me reiterate that the guy who I talk to like that IS MY FRIEND! Here’s a text I sent him the morning I posted the blog:

He laughs at me every time I call him that and it’s a joke. Maybe you don’t understand and you probably don’t but it’s a cultural thing. You might be exclaiming how I’m wrong and how it’s still wrong and it’s not cultural and I’m still just an asshole and I treat the people I work with wrong.

Well no one is saying you can’t think that way. You can but I can assure you every Marine I know would say you’re wrong.

Just like back home if you call someone “Sir” or “Ma’am” it’s a fucking insult. You might never think that possible but the day I graduated boot camp I called my father “Sir”. He jokingly slapped me across the back of my head and said to never call him that again. I was to refer to him as “Papa” or “Pa”.

It might not make sense to you and I might have a bunch of dissenting remarks in the comments but I’m gonna defend the culture that I live in not because yours is wrong and mine is right but because they are different. We don’t have to agree. That’s fine. How boring a world would that be if we agreed on everything. But you’re dead wrong on how I treat my Marines!

So please leave me out of the slimepit. I’m not a part of it and don’t want to be. If you’re confused with who’s posting on here I always sign my name at the bottom of my blogs (plus there’s that nifty little “author” symbol at the top of every post).

 That should cover it but there’s more…

I’m not trying to pick a fight because quite frankly I think it’s a stupid fight. I haven’t been involved in the atheist community for very long and I’m really not aware of the infighting but it’s there. I’m sure it’s in every group of people that have tried to form a coalition for the cause of progressivism and in this instance for a secular community.

Well, someone is already trying to drag some mud into it and are starting “Atheists Against Freethoughtblogs” groups. Of course I think that is foolish…

I’m just the new guy here. I’ve only been blogging for a few months so you can all feel free to disregard me but I think I have some valid points.

Other points

If we’re on the subject of misogyny and sexism (since apparently that is what the slimepit consists of) I think it is an important issue in the military. And since I’m a progressive guy and I happen to think that women’s rights are very important I’ll bring up my issues with women’s rights in the military.

• In 2010 there were 3,158 sexual assaults reported in the U.S. Military
• That comprised less than 15% of ACTUAL assaults
• The real number is close to 19,000 (or so it is assumed–I honestly think it’s even higher)
• Only 529 cases went to trial

The biggest problem with sexual assault in the military is the overlying misogynistic view that “she had it coming” or “she was flirting” or “she changed her mind”. If someone joins the military and they are a sexual predator well then they’ve probably found a good home, sadly. If they rape someone there is an 92% chance they will get away with it and never even get reported. If they get reported and taken to court martial there is a 85% chance they will get off.

And it gets worse. These women once they report are seen as vindictive, victimized again, turned into a joke, lose their careers, are diagnosed with mental diseases, and the men are praised and applauded. Here’s a documentary expressing that:

The problem goes beyond just women. There are men that are raped in the military too. The only difference is that they aren’t willing to even report it. It somehow destroys their masculinity to admit it.

I’m done wading in the slimepit

Look, I’ve never really been over to ERV so I don’t know what it’s like over there. I’ve been told there’s no censorship and so commenters just go full steam ahead without fear of repercussion because of the safety of anonymity. Gutless cowardice is what I’d call that…but W/E…

I’m out

-Paul Loebe