Paul Elam is a 55-year-old man who once told a feminist foe that “the idea of fucking your shit up gives me an erection.” Today he’s launched a campaign of defamation against a college student that’s clearly intended to intimidate her and other feminists into silence. The alleged crimes of this woman, whom Elam identifies by name? Possibly attending a demonstration against MRA author Warren Farrell at the University of Toronto, possibly tearing down posters for the event, and making a couple of jokes on Twitter. Oh, and she also once suggested that Farrell was a misogynist.
Elam has not yet revealed what effect this new campaign has had upon his penis.
While her (apparent) attendance at the anti-Farrell demonstration is what brought the young woman to Elam’s attention, he seems particularly puzzled and enraged by two jokey comments she made on Twitter. In one of them, she joked that her “political position” was “kill all men hail satan.” In the other, she said she was thinking about getting knuckle tattoos that spell out “misandry.”
These jokey comments have evidently convinced Elam that
She doesn’t just hate men; doesn’t just want them dead or silenced or marginalized or ignored. She at least entertains the idea of permanently marking her skin with that hatred, like a convict signaling gang affiliation.
Pretty harsh words from someone whose YouTube handle used to be TheHappyMisogynist. (Check the URL here.)
So what exactly is the point of publicizing her name, which will give the assholes now posting rape threats and other violent shit about the demonstrators at that Warren Farrell protest the real name of a real, live person to harass?
Elam, while carefully avoiding any direct incitement of harassment and/or violence, makes clear that his aim is to “stop her.”
[She] is not going to stop. And no one at the University of Toronto is going to stop her. We can figure that one out by the fact that they chartered clubs to enable that kind of conduct.
For that reason, we bring her to public attention here at AVfM.
Additionally, over the next two days, she will be listed on register-her.com as a known bigot, and her image and name will find a place on our display of featured offenders.
Elam promises to do the same, by name, to others who attended the protest as well.
The best way to strike back at Elam’s campaign to shut up critics of his hateful Men’s Rights ideology? Make more noise.
If anyone is interested in reaching out to the student and any others who may be targeted by Elam, please contact me or leave a comment below. And if anyone knows how to contact her, please send me an email.
(Also, at one point Elam describes Farrell as “an individual who has dedicated a lifetime to helping children in trouble.” Oh, is that what he was doing when he was working on a book that he said would highlight the alleged “positive” aspects of incest?)
EDITED TO ADD: Just to make clear, this woman is not the same woman that Elam and JohnTheOther were talking about in their previous posts; it’s a different woman, who appears only briefly in that video. It’s not clear if they have the other woman’s info, but if not they are certainly still looking for it.
http://images2.fanpop.com/images/user_images/DanBackslide-405348_604_358.jpg
Oh, I was referring to suz there, not the woman being targeted. Just to clarify.
Yeah, they’re so not trying to harass, terrorise, injure, anyone they target.
Are we to understand that Elam is committed to the idea that children who demonstrate in opposition to men raping children must be stopped from demonstrating in opposition to the right of men to promote the raping of children?
Cuz misandry? This d00d is flirting with another visit from law enforcement.
I’m glad she’s banned. That asshole’s empty gloating was obnoxious as hell.
Count me in on any attempt to reach out in support. Also, am spreading the news about this hate movement’s recent attempts to harass women.
I am so glad that useless asshole was banned. BYE, SUZ!
Cue whining on other sites about how we just couldn’t handle her brand of truthy thruth, and poor executed sock puppets here.
There should be a minimum level of troll competence required for repeat posting. Thanks for banning that particular incompetent troll.
Everyone who wants to offer the targeted woman some support: I’ve been contacted by someone who says that’s who she is. (I’m pretty sure it really is her.)
If anyone wants to offer support, advice, help, etc. please email me and I will send it along to her, along with your email and any other info you want to include. (You can also do it anonymously, w/o sending along any of your personal info.)
And of course feel free to post any general support in the thread here!
Amused: “kill all men” sounding fake does nothing to suggest it wasn’t a flippant throwaway joke. Ridiculous made-up-sounding things are the best throwaway lines…
I’m in the Greater Toronto Area and (currently) unemployed, and I’m willing to help with any outreach/support.
Also: ever wondered how to get yourself dozens of downvotes in the comments section over at AVFM? Here’s how
I love Elam’s summarizing sentence. AVfM in a nutshell.
I’m the way hell off in TExas, but would love to send my support, encouragement, and admiration for her.
POsted here about it to raise awareness: http://ithiliana.dreamwidth.org/1685748.html
I”m not sure about her university, and how it operates, but I would advise her to contact the university police, and perhaps some of the administration in the Student Support servicers, to let them know what has happened, and that she’s being targeted.
Yes, I agree with Ithiliana. The better she can let student services know what’s up, the better. Hopefully nothing comes of this. But if they do decide to come after her, the university might be able to help her out, or at least have this on file if she needs to drop her courseload or get extensions because of their actions.
Much support and encouragement to all the ladies currently being targeted by Elam.
David, you can add my name to the list of people offering support. Just tell her Claire in Texas has her back.
Also, if she decides to raise money to move to a safer place or whatever she needs to get through this, I’ll send a few dollars her way.
I would offer support also. I have a support network that might be able to help.
Did anyone actually watch the video? Tell me who is the aggressor and who is the one being verbally assaulted, intimidated and bullied?
AVFM repeatedly states it’s strong opposition to violence of any kind, by anyone.
From the AVFM mission statement (refer to their web page):
“A Voice for Men is Anti-violent- AVfM supports only peaceful change on all levels of human interaction; social, political and otherwise.”
The real question is Why do feminists want to shut down debate?
…I kind of want to get in contact with that guy and invite him over here instead.
AVfM is against violence: that’s why Thomas Ball’s manifesto calling for violence is accessible from the front page, under the “Activism” drop-down.
David, I would be interested in reaching out to these students. I’m pretty sure you have my email, since I had to enter it to be able to post comments.
Fuck off, gateman. First, the young woman being attacked is not the same one who yelled during the video (and since when does yellng at someone mean it’s okay to threaten them with harm, let alone with rape?). Second, have you not READ the quotations from AVfM? Holy shit, you must be stupid. Willfully stupid. And that’s the best I can say about you.
(The AVfM guy David linked to, that is.)
I don’t think this young woman’s university can do anything about harassment on Twitter. They will probably tell her to just get off Twitter for a while. However, any act of harassment taking place offline — phone calls, letters, etc. — should be documented and brought to the school’s attention.