Post: #1

Is anyone going to the First International Conference on Men’s Issues?

I was considering it, but my finances couldn't get worked out for this year. As someone who associates with parts of the PUA and MGTOW and MRA segments of the Manosphere, I find the idea of a more academic conference with potentially like-minded folk intriguing.

Dr. Warren Farrel, Barbara Kay, Girl Writes What, and an impressive list of other speakers will be presenting.

http://www.avoiceformen.com/mens-rights/...ns-issues/

I know others from the Manosphere like Judgy Bitch will be hanging around, too.

Of course, protests are planned already.

http://www.avoiceformen.com/a-voice-for-...onference/


Here is a letter from the Hotel hosting the conference, where they talk about the threats they have received and how AVfM has to pony up security officers and insurance worth $2 million.

http://www.avoiceformen.com/wp-content/u...DACTED.pdf

I don't mind protests, free nation and all that, but once again opponents of the manosphere can't even let the people they disagree with express an opinion.

Anyway, if anyone here is going, I'd love to get some updates. Perhaps even submit a summary for a RoK article?

[Please note, this thread is to discuss the upcoming Conference, and news from the conference when it is happening, NOT for whether MRAs are worthwhile allies or not].

Post: #2

I think Stefan Molyneux might be showing up there as well. I've heard him briefly mentioning on his shows.

Post: #3

Yes I also heard about this via Stefan. Detroit isn't to far from Toronto so I might make the trip but my money also isn't ideal right now. Hopefully they have some online streaming, or at the very least I would go and just hit the "off site" things that usually include a pub and some beers where people from the conference are hanging out and just pick minds there.

What will be surprising of what kind of backlash this might get. Femenists will have to organize and travel to do their usual shit disturbing. This might be to much for them to do.

Good line up of speakers though. I would hope at least some folks from RVF in the Detroit Metro can make it there.

Post: #4

This kind of bullshit all over again



Not that we're MRAs, but you get the picture

Post: #5

This would be fantastic to go to, but I am not in the country and don't have a reason to go back. If I was in Detroit anyways, I might swing by, especially for extracurricular events (bars), but I wouldn't go out of my way to go to a mens right's issues conference. While this country is going the wrong way in terms of feminism taking hold and the pussification of everything, I'd rather just focus on me and speaking with my actions rather than my words, which is where a lot of the difference between Red Pill and MRA lies. I'll fix myself before I fix the world.

Post: #6

And I'm not implying that it would be and will not be a worthwhile event, but this is the kind of backlash. Can you imagine the kind of response a protest would have to men protesting a feminist rally? I'm thinking Chicago '68 (the bad guys, in this case).

Post: #7

Why are there women speaking at a men's issues conference? It should be an all male cast, comprised of the best experts in their fields, not some short aired feminists!

They should have invited Roosh!

Post: #8

Also, not to continuously hijack the thread, but too bad it has to be Detroit. What are the odds that the organizers tried 15-infinity other NA cities before Detroit, but the city is in such dire need for ANY kind of economic stimulus (how many street lights are derelict?) that they were willing to accept the inevitable bad publicity that will be associated with the conference?

tldr: Detroit is to close to Toronto

Post: #9

I would rather go to ROFLcon.

Post: #10

I was thinking if the Forum ever had a forum wide meet up it should be named:

The player's ball
The play offs.

Post: #11

I was about to suggest that too Cattle Rustler! A forum conference in some tropical lossy paradise like BKK, HKG, Manila, Or somewhere in Brasil or Colombia. Somewhere outside the Anglosphere as to not have lunatics interfere with it.

Post: #12

Players Balls are already used and associated with real life street pimps. I've seen the videos myself of their annual get togethers. The winner gets a diamond studded, gold accessory at the end

Post: #13

Gentleman,

I'm all for talk of organizing forum/PUA get togethers, but let's discuss and organize that in another thread please. I'd like to keep this one on topic (unless people want to organize a forum meetup AT the AVfM Conference, of course). Same for the "I prefer being red pill over MRA" stuff, this isn't the thread for that.

kosko, if you do manage to go, would you mind posting a few notes and observations?

Obsidian of Just Four Guys makes a post in support of the conference, and Paul Elam pops up in the comments section:

http://www.justfourguys.com/special-post...s-of-viol/

For some reason the PayPal page isn't loading; when it is I'll make a donation toward the security costs.

Post: #14

Jonathan Taylor from A Voice for Male Students writes an open letter to the primary organizer of the Conference protests.

http://www.avoiceformalestudents.com/let...lementary/

Quote:...I am writing to call upon you to take an opportunity to enhance the credibility of your protest. In summary, you have been heavily invested in organizing a protest that has included threats of violence and death against organizers, attendees and hosts of the upcoming conference at the Double Tree hotel in Detroit. Indeed, these threats of violence and death have become so pervasive and severe that the hotel is now requiring an entire squadron of police to station themselves at the premises for 24 hour-a-day security for three days straight so that people cannot be killed for simply listening to academics and advocates speak at a conference.

The official letter by Double Tree to conference organizers can be found here.

I am calling on you to immediately remove from the Facebook group of which you are the administrator the posts and users which advocate violence and other forms of criminal conduct (examples here and here). In addition, I am calling on you to make an immediate public announcement on that Facebook group and any other social media channels you use to organize your event in which you denounce all exercise and suggestion of criminal conduct for both the current and all future protests. I am calling on you to do all of these things – not pick and choose those you prefer.

As you well know, the upcoming First International Conference on Men’s Issues unites academics and advocates from diverse backgrounds and across the political spectrum. The roster of speakers includes Dr. Warren Farrell (three-time board member of the National Organization for Women-New York), Senator Anne Cools (the first black female senator to be elected to Canada’s upper house), Erin Pizzey (the founder of the first battered women’s shelter), Dr. Paul Nathanson (a gay academic who has written numerous books on gender issues), and many more.

While your protest is ostensibly predicated (as you erroneously claim) on the notion that this group of academics and advocates are responsible for violence against women (including the likes of Elliot Rodger, who – it would be apropos to note – murdered twice as many men as women), you have provided no evidence of a direct link to support these accusations. Furthermore, no one has ever been able to directly link Rodger to any Men’s Human Rights website, social media channel, or organization....

No response received yet. I doubt he'll get one, this is way too logical. And if she does respond it'll just be a bunch of ad hominem attacks and how she feels MRAs are terrorists.

Post: #15

Maybe they arranged it in Detroit so that local hoodlums would scare off street protesters?

If I had to bet, I'd say the protests will be nil. It's not Toronto. The closest university is what, UMich? MSU?

I'm anti-MRA, but I applaud them for actually meeting in person. I also found it strange that Elam began his pitch with speaking favorably of masculinity, when he objects to masculinity as an ideal for men to aspire to. The speakers do look interesting though.

Post: #16

From what I gather the opposition to MRA's is due to their presentation and character, not the substance of the issues they are trying to change/support.

A lot of dislike on RVF for MRA's. I'm not sure I understand why. I want the American family law system changed. Doesn't that make me an MRA? It's not an issue I talk about in real life, but if asked about marriage specifically, I would give my honest position on it.

Additionally, what about this crap where girls con rich guys into having a baby with them by lying about being on birth control. Guys should have reproductive rights too. If a girl gets knocked up outside of marriage, a dude shouldn't have to pay child support. I'm not black, but I see that story happen a lot to successful black guys and its pretty fucked up. It's not just a black phenomenon either.

At a certain point we gotta get past the whole, "We're cooler than them, so, we're not going to associate with them." These men are our allies. I say this somewhat hypocritically because I doubt I will ever participate in any Men's Rights event personally, but I am a Mens Rights activist in the sense that I'm going to settle down eventually, but I won't be doing it in the United States, and this is directly because of the family law system.

If the system is reformed, I would consider moving back with a girl. I like the USA, I was born there, I have friends there, and I want this shit fixed. Doesn't that make me an MRA?

Post: #17

(06-01-2014 02:45 PM)KorbenDallas Wrote:  At a certain point we gotta get past the whole, "We're cooler than them, so, we're not going to associate with them." These men are our allies. I say this somewhat hypocritically because I doubt I will ever participate in any Men's Rights event personally, but I am a Mens Rights activist in the sense that I'm going to settle down eventually, but I won't be doing it in the United States, and this is directly because of the family law system.

Absolutely. We may (at the moment) not be actively "involved", but the very fact we are speaking freely about sensitive issues and trying to build consensus means we are making an impact. There are tons of lurkers on this site and sites like this are laying the foundation for a paradigm shift. Part of the reason is that "scary words" aren't always being used here. We are breaking the stigma with our irreverent commentary and bold claims. There is a crazy amount of experience and insight to be found in these forums.

Post: #18

Korben, I agree on those issues. But men's rights at its core is about promoting sexual equality, which is androgyny by another name. Men and women are different, and any effort to change that promotes ugliness, lies and discord. It's unfortunate that egalitarianism underlies the men's movement, but I suppose that's inescapable considering that people like me who are strongly opposed to sexual equality number even fewer.

Post: #19

I wish them luck but this has huge potential to become a spectacle. If its covered by news at all expect terrible coverage by feminist types who claim to be journalists.

Post: #20

Ahhh, and the truth comes out. MRA's are begging for equalityeh? You would be surprised how many people agree with you Basil. Myself for one. There is way too much ugliness in America and the root of the problem is the obsession with equality

I'm unfamiliar with the people involved in the movement and their speech, so, perhaps I was too optimistic...

I still support them in their quest for changes in the marriage and family law system, as do all of us I assume.

Post: #21

Equality doesn't exist in nature. Its more of a failed ideology kind of like perfectionism. Should people be equal before law though when they are fundamentally not equal in every other aspect?

Post: #22

Equality under the law is important for civilization, so, my answer would be yes.

Post: #23

Eg, MRA suing a hotel for running a ladies' night promotion. Every ladies' night I've ever been to has been a cockfest, but that's not why they're suing... Given as much power as feminists have now, there's no reason to think MRAs will be just as totalitarian. The law may be on the MRA's side, but I don't care about that.

http://ncfm.org/2013/01/activities/ncfm-...-westlake/

I'm not preaching for government mandated discrimination against women, just for the government to let people discriminate in their own private lives against men or women as they see fit. If you want to run a ladies night promotion or hire all male security guards, you shouldn't suffer a speck of scrutiny from the government.

Post: #24

I wish MRAs directed all of their energy into fighting for a divorce system that mimics Scandinavia (no lawyers, no courts, no alimony) and making sure gender-based affirmative action is abolished. Those two issues are where the bulk of injustice stems from and everything else is just chump change.

Post: #25

That and father rights. We can't keep letting these slurts play the trap game without consequence