In June, a man named Thomas Ball took his own life – literally lighting himself ablaze – outside of a Keane, New Hampshire courthouse. He left behind a manifesto protesting his treatment by the family court.
But Ball wanted to do more than protest what he felt were injustices against men. He hoped to inspire other men to take the law into their own hands; in his words “we need to start burning down police stations and courthouses.”
He wasn’t speaking figuratively: he was talking about real violence.
[T]he dirty deeds are being carried out by our local police, prosecutors and judges. … Collaborators who are no different than the Vichy of France or the Quislings of Norway during the Second World War. … And they need to be held accountable. So burn them out. …
Ball went on to offer specific advice on how to construct the most effective Molotov cocktails to lob at courthouses and police stations.
Nor did he seem overly concerned that people would be killed:
There will be some casualties in this war. Some killed, some wounded, some captured. Some of them will be theirs. Some of the casualties will be ours. …
I only managed to get the main door of the Cheshire County Courthouse in Keene, NH. I would appreciate it if some of you boys would finish the job for me.
Ball has been treated as a martyr by many Men’s Right’s Activists online; his manifesto – including those parts that explicitly call for terrorism – has been reposted on a number of MRA sites.
Why am I bringing up Ball? This is why:
On Tuesday, an Arkansas man reportedly entered the office of the judge that had presided over his divorce and custody hearings, and opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle. Amazingly, no one died as a result of his rampage, aside from the gunman himself, James Ray Palmer, who was taken down by police in a gun battle outside the courthouse, according to news accounts. The judge, fortunately, was not there, and the gunman’s rifle apparently jammed. Before heading to the courthouse, authorities say, Palmer set his own home on fire with timed incendiary devices.
Was Palmer inspired directly by Ball’s manifesto? We don’t know. The judge in this case was by no means the first to be targeted by a man angry at the outcome of his divorce or custody case. Judges were receiving death threats – and in some cases actually being murdered – long before there was such a thing as the Men’s Rights movement online.
But talk of violence is common on Men’s Rights sites. Opponents of the Men’s Rights movement are denounced as “collaborators,” while others talk plainly about fighting a “war” against feminism. Angry Harry, a British MRA revered by many of his ideological compatriots on this side of the pond, has offered an explicit apologia for violence against family court judges.
Even if Palmer himself was not directly influenced by the MRM online—as of yet, we don’t know — it is only a matter of time until some unbalanced person steeped in the violent rhetoric of the MRM online decides to “finish the job” started by Thomas Ball. It is only a matter of time until those espousing such rhetoric have real blood on their hands.
If the MRM truly aspires to be a real civil rights movement, rather than a reactionary hate sect more redolent of the KKK than of MLK, moderate MRAs need to step up and speak out against the bullies and the would-be warriors. They need to stop canonizing violent-minded men like Ball. They need to make clear that violent rhetoric – not to mention specific threats or calls to terrorism – have no place in the movement.
Do I expect this to happen? No. I think instead we will get more excuses, more evasions, more apologias for violence — and more threatening talk.
My god, that blog. There’s a post about why Ozy is the devil that refers to zir as a “teenaged girl.”
Yeah, any credibility Catalogue had left just went straight down the toliet.
I’ve noticed the MRAs LOVE to point out that Ozy is a “teenage girl” cuz they think it means something about her (but they never elaborate on what, they just leave it hanging, cuz we all know what teen girls are like amirite? xD )
Whats really funny is how you all rallied round agreeing that the men’s movement are violent and should talk responsibility for these people that are not connected to them…
Sigh. My FIRST RESPONSE TO YOU was about how I speak up against violence committed by other members of my religion. Why should MRAs get a pass when nobody else does?
Unless you didn’t read my post either, which wouldn’t surprise me.
What I find amazing is that people expect us to demolish the Insanity Plea for any reason other than “We have a better way to prevent the mentally ill from being thrown in prison due to their illness!” Add ableist to Catalogue’s growing list of stupidity. Seriously, who the fuck tries to use the insanity plea as proof of anything about gender relations? It’s ludicrously difficult to get to begin with!
Ami, you link here don’t you and this site links to many sites that promote abuse denial?
And Ozy links to Ami who links to this site that links to sites that promote abuse denial, and I link to Ozy who links to Ami who…
It’s like violent feminist degrees of Kevin Bacon!
(Note: I have no idea who actually links to each other.)
But does Kevin Bacon deny abuse? That’s the real question.
I recall a while ago, someone showed that from Pat Robertson’s 700 Club web site , you could get to a porn site in three clicks or less.
So obviously, Pat Robertson is a pornographer.
Another fallacious argument.
Fallacious argument.
Fallacious argument.
Hey! This is fun! I just have to claim something and deny points, counter-points, citations, studies, evidence and data!
I’m going to win ALL the internets!!!!
Hey! This is fun! I just have to claim something and deny points, counter-points, citations, studies, evidence and data!
ANOTHER fallacy.
…you’re right, cynickal! I am going to argue like this FROM NOW ON.
You know if there were more female lawyers, Catalog would be accusing the ACLU of being a terrorist organization.
Oh what a load of crap. It is painfully obvious that this guy has absolutely no idea what the Men’s Rights Movement is about. Violence is no in any way shape of form a part of the men’s rights movement. If anything, the MRM a preemptive movement to curb violence which is made inevitable under feminist governance. If the MRM fails to write the wrongs in society that oppress & discriminates against men while destroying families, you will see acts of violence similar to those of the London riots or worse. These violent acts won’t be committed by MRAs, but by ordinary people brought to desperation by a corrupt & unjust system. Many of them won’t even know what the MRM is.
The biggest names in the MRM are Paul Elam, JTO, & Bernard Chapin. All of these men have openly denounced violence on several occasions.
raz, AVfM has run numerous posts lauding Ball, and has posted his entire manifesto, including his calls for violence (omitting only the specific advice on how to make molotov cocktails).
Also: the new co-moderator of the mensrights subreddit talks all the time about how some people should be killed:
http://manboobz.com/2011/09/18/new-mens-rights-subreddit-moderator-thinks-violence-against-women-is-just-hilarious/
Ami:
… too easy.
paniorpa:
Wow, really? If that’s really the case, men should probably be locked away for our own good. If we’re that unable to control ourselves we certainly shouldn’t be in charge of other people.
Catalogue:
Now who has a double standard?
But I could probably show you a feminist site that meets the same standards vis-a-vis men that I want a masculist site to meet vis-a-vis women.
Catalogue:
In isolation I might agree with this. But Ball and his ilk seems entirely consistant with the bulk of MRA sites, which seem to typically treat pro-man and anti-feminist/anti-woman as the same thing.
I maintain that the general thrust of sentiment on MRA sites is more like Ball, in terms of tactics as well as philosophy, than the general thrust of sentiment on feminist sites is like Valerie Solanas.
Catalogue:
I don’t know of any feminist who does that in the name of feminism. I personally support including protection from intimate partner violence in the definition of self-defense, though of course that isn’t “in cold blood,” nor does it really take into account the genders or perceived genders, or relationship status, of the people involved.
raz:
In what way is “if group X is in charge, violence is inevitable” not a terrorist threat?
Gleeful terrorists. If you can’t even convince me that the Black Panthers were inevitable, the MRM has got shit less than zero chance of it. The best you’ve got at this point is “I wouldn’t PERSONALLY pull the trigger but boy howdy, I’m glad someone else is”.
Seriously what the fuck is this shit?
You know that was done by the poor, right?
I’m getting tired of appropriation by white dudes. You have no idea who the court system screws, you stupid asshole.
I know you’re trying to argue that MRAs are somehow linked to violence or the promotion of it. However I would like to point out that I believe you have failed to demonstrate this point as you did not cited anything which can lead one to that conclusion convincingly. In fact I would argue that you have stated a number of things in this article which actually detract from making the point you desired. A primary example would be this paragraph:
“Was Palmer inspired directly by Ball’s manifesto? We don’t know. The judge in this case was by no means the first to be targeted by a man angry at the outcome of his divorce or custody case. Judges were receiving death threats – and in some cases actually being murdered – long before there was such a thing as the Men’s Rights movement online.”
As you can see this entire paragraph renders your entire argument invalid as you clearly state that you do not know if Mr Palmer or Mr Ball where indeed motivated by the MRA movement. Also you clearly state that the MRAs are not directly linked to violence against divorce judges. These two things do a great disservice to the argument you were trying to make imo.
Anyways it was an interesting article to read thank you for posting it.
@rozlomra1: So, what you are saying is, before feminism, men never committed violence against women. No man ever beat his wife or mistress, or mistreated his children, rape was unheard of. Women just couldn’t vote, or go to school, or have decent jobs, or fully own property, that’s all — which, of course, (according to you) insured strong families, stability, and happiness. Well, the happiness of men, hopefully, but it’s the only one that matters, right? It was paradise, I’m sure. Now that women have fought for the right to vote, for equal civil rights, for educational and professional opportunity and for full legal personhood, “ordinary men” are compelled — COMPELLED, I tell ya — to fight back, and kill and rape and maim in the righteous struggle to take back the things that should belong to men alone. And having made such an argument, you have the temerity to claim that the MRM is not violent.
Saying that the movement for the quality of women is causing violence against women is exactly like that well-worn argument that the Civil Rights Movement and desegregation were to blame for violence against blacks.
What the man did was out there insane I do not think so .People do have a breaking point .Lets say we told every black man with a felony record you can’t ever rent a hud or or live in a decent apartment .What would they be doing exactly what there doing now .
We treat people bad and they will act up .We all know dam well that a man that lost his $50,000 a year job can’t make a living on $7.25 and hour .In 1996 I was getting paid $9.50 I was 18 then I am 33 employers are wanting to pay me $7.25 and hour .
I went to prison trying to be a man trying to be a provider working to jobs and even selling fake drugs to tourist at night hey I was a kid .I never wanted to sell anyone the real stuff and I am serious I had plenty of connnections back then .
I have found that life has no purpose of men or shall I say GROWN MEN can work and cant even live in the local ghetto .Personally I’d rather be shot dead like an animal to spend my life liivng with my mother and father .I do not mind being a dishwasher my entire life but if I cant be independent why work .
People are eventaullly not going to care about selling drugs or stealing people are indeed going to let send soceity a message this is inevitable .Look at any city of country where the men are so poor they cant even have a adquate relationship and you have not potential for problems you already have a serious problem .I hope not to be here when the shit hits the fan .
What I say is not due to my anger towards women .I dream alot about things points corrdinates numbers which sometimes do not come out so clear .I see places people and events before they happen at time .
I will say this that men are in store for a real treat men are going to be bashed alot more reduced alot more .Revolutions will occur and people in many areas will be so enraged at teh system that it will be normal to see a women brains bashed out in malls ,streets and even in public ..Most of these men will not be gay at all people will become sick through the rapid modernization and system of communism which will control the masses .When ever you see townand cities full of men livign with mom and pop that is a sign that of inequality when there is so much work to do in every community there is no lack of trees to build homes.
Anyone can unload 900 rpm or do something really stupid but people are not doing that here .Because overall man is good felons are good Vets that fough and serves for our country but no sleep under bridges are good..
So far the statistic on how many men have access to affordable housing will not be released to the public through the freedom of information act.Why is this because if men knew what is going on theyd flip out .Men are behind by many years .Its not going to take millions to fix the problem its going to 100’s of millions of dollars and perhaps even billions for a global movement .
II hope that men everywhere by this book from 1945 its been reprinted by Robert Hick
its called The Masculine Journey By Robert Hicks.
Its changed my life and I am not a christian but tis a christian book written I guess what you can say a Manist he supports Manism –MENS RIGHTS .
If men can not even live in the ghettos of Detriot life serves no purpose .
Killing to make a point like this man did in the article is not wise but perhaps his anger will show the legal system that if you take a mans livilhood away you take away his dignity and when a man has no digntiy left he may start shooting people with a extremely clear conscious .Let us not turn to ways such as what this man did .Killing is wrong .Life is sacred .Perhaps my dreams are real perhaps it is not .
I hope my dream are not real I wish no human to be harmed we have not reached a stage yet where men have lost that much dignity we are the road though .Do not think your all alone and do not feel hopeless and commit suicuide like other men dignity is worth living for .We are here to live .
Why does Macho man punctuate like Samuel? XD
ONE MORE! 😀
Ooops, blockquote FAIL on my part. That second paragraph was all me.
And Ami, sorry to push you off the sidebar. If you’re really nice maybe David will give you your own 😉
We could have a drinking game! Or a bet pool – with a little side action on when MRAL is gonna have an anger induced apoplexy.
MachoMan’s threats are just that- threats. Give me what I want or else. He fails to see that there is absolutely no way to negotiate with an attitude like that. He could actually DO the activist work… especially since he has time on his hands. But threats are easier, right?
MRA’s are so quick to use the threat of violence in hopes of cowering women into submission. I’m always amazed by their assumption that they have a monopoly on violence in the hypothetical “revolution”. Doesn’t the existence of firearms pretty much level the playing field? So, guys, why don’t you drop the lame whiny threats. You’re alienating potential allies.***
*** I do not advocate violence in any way.
MachoMachoMan–dude, it’s punctuation mark, then space. See, doesn’t this look nicer?
Saw the post, “NOW helps mom charged in drownings” and decided to look up the story. I couldn’t find it, but I admit I gave up after about 18 pages of maternal drowning stories. There sure are alot of mothers who drown their children. No one wants to talk about that kind of domestic violence.