AIBU to think that if MN are willing to boycott certain groups on ethical grounds

[APartridgeAmongThePigeons]

they really should take a look at banning posters proclaiming themselves MRAs?

Sexist,

often racist,

frequently rape/ domestic violence deniers

I know that mumsnet want to keep a lively discussion going and not ban free speech but when they join a forum mainly used by women it's hard to believe it's not about being goady and spewing propaganda.

The result is that normal posters get angry..
engage...

And then get deleted or banned for "personal attack".

Using a nasty word for someone who has by just stating that they are an MRA has basically said you don't matter as a human seems the normal response.

Sorry, what's an MRA?

Would you ban religious members too?

Depends if they are being sexist/racist denying rape/DV Treen, I would imagine.

If there's any banning to be done, it should of people who lump others into generalised homogeneous groups.

So it doesn't matter what group they belong to, it's whether they are racist or sexist. That makes sense to me. I got the impression the OP wanted to ban people on the basis of belonging to a particular group. I don't think that would be the way to go.

If you link to a site that refers to women as "sluts", peddles rape myths, and ignores DV against women and basically makes up shit.. Then yes, I think you are there purely to goad and not adding to the enjoyment of the site. They aren't here for any reason other to wind people up.

And the result is that normal posters get in trouble for responding

If BNP member came on here and said, "The BNP are actually all lovely" then linked to a site that said black people are responsible for the violent crimes perpetuated against them by white people.. I'd certainly hope they would be banned yes.

No sorry, MRAs have a nasty agenda (like BNP and others) and I can't see any reason for giving them a platform

Like the thread on here about 'slut dressing'. I'm not sure if that OP was banned. I hope so.
I'm not sure how you would police it. The thread on here about 'speaking up against sexism', many people said that if you don't speak up you are condoning sexism and being sexist'. This may result in a lot of bannings.

APartridgeAmongThePigeons the MRAs could make the same claims though.

I agree they have a reactionary agenda, they are sexist dinosaurs and generally unpleasant in many ways but I am happy to argue with them all day. In doing so, we are stretched to beat down their arguments and show them up for what they are. You may even make some of them stop and think.

I am in favour of free speech. Mary Wolstencraft was a product of the English enlightenment when men felt that women were basically incapable of intellectual thinking. But wasn't it a man, Voltaire who said "I may not agree with you, but I will defend unto death your right to say it"

If women and indeed anyone and everyone was not free to speak except only within pre-ordained limits, then feminism wouldn't be here.

No doubt many MRAs are all those things and worse, but some men are treated like total shit by their ex partners, and in the case I'm thinking of, by her family.

Some men just want to see their DCs. If they are young, unmarried, poor and not very bright, that can be very hard to fight for.

You can't have a blanket ban on all men demanding access rights etc. posting on MN.

However, we certainly need much better night time moderation so sexist, racist trolls aren't given free range between 1-7am as happened recently.

That's fine Mini, but I really don't believe any minds will be changed just decent normal posters will get dragged in to debates that may result in them getting banned themselves.

Meanwhile the genius in chat who is claiming radfems want to kill boy babies is going to be putting off regular women who need feminism by making them think we're baby eaters. Unless we argue endlessly until we call him what he is.

star I'd have no issue with a man wanting help with a campaign to get men equal access to their children..i'd point in the direction of feminism in fact as I can't believe men are less important than women in parenting. (same with asking for money for movember etc)

But I would question his motives if he allied him self to a sexist pile of fuckwits.

It is perfectly possible to put an MRA back in his box without being banned, sorry.

You say in chat...hmm, must have lunch then will take a mozy over to chat

AIBU to think that if posters exercised some self control and just reported, and then let MN get on with its job, that that would cure a lot of the problems because trolls would not get any excittement and fun.
tbh I think posters need to be educated in this.

Yesterday there was an obvious silly chatty troll and it had 80 posts replying. Case in point.

To more directly answer your question, if they dont anounce that they are MRA, how the heck are mumsnet going to know for sure? Or am I missing something.

I agree. Not even so much because of their views, but because they are here to goad. Goading is supposedly against the guidelines. Yet it keeps happening.

The thread in chat is the equivalent of someone posting that Muslims want to kill all Christians. They would rightly get banned as being here purely to goad and spread lies.

Trish, they do announce it.

Do they always? I dont take a huge anount of notice as soon as I see what they are doing. I never read all the op through to the end. Sorry troll!!

Perhaps they do on Feminism, but not on say chat?

ooh. Perhaps the same MRA troll person posts on Feminism, and a different one posts elsewhere?

The one on chat announced it. S/he linked to an MRA blog that basically says horrible stuff about women being sluts, etc. That is goading. And they do not always get banned. If they do, it would be fine.

I assumed they just had an automatic banning. tbh, I have got very confused nowadays as to what is a troll. The term gets bandied about so much on mumsnet. Some people call journalists that write in the dm trolls. I have just got so confused about the whole thing. And are "fun" made up threads started by "trolls". I just dont know my trolls from my goaders from goodness knows what else.

I think, like the BNP and the EDL, it's all too easy for groups and especially anonymous web sites to solicit supporting comments, from people who should know better, but can't see past their immediate situation.

Clever, political and religious extremists will always look for foot soldiers to do their dirty work.