I'm getting a lot more comments and traffic than this little blog has ever gotten, and I'd just like to say thank you. I had just come out to my family when I created this blog and I picked morality because it's a subject you can walk a safe line on without offending theists too much. It's grown and evolved over the years as I've felt more comfortable as an activist and member of the atheist community.
When I had my original fall-out with Rebecca Watson on twitter, I felt alone. She had not only shown herself to be very inconsistent, but when I asked her about it, she automatically went insulting and I (mistakenly, I now know) answered in kind.
Here was the famous Skepchick and the indomitable PZ Meyers and their horde of followers telling me my opinion didn't matter, that I was a troll, that they were glad that I had been shamed into silence. Oh, and also, assuming that I was a male from the gate because my twitter handle isn't clearly feminine and my picture at the time was a SF 49er logo.
I knew she was wrong to attack me, and I knew I was (somewhat) wrong to attack back with the angry reddit post, but I felt like I'd never have a place in the community again. I felt like the sweeping tide of their brand of feminism, their hatred for reddit (which I've found to be a very positive place), their smearing of other bloggers was too big to overcome.
Months later and here I see their dogma being pushed further and further back to the point where they are trying to start their very own movement. Well, good luck to them; I wish them the best. Whatever floats your boat, but it's empowering to know that I can and am a part of something bigger, something with room for any kind of "plus" we happen to be.
Thank you, everyone, for your support.
Whatever floats your boat, but it's empowering to know that I can and am a part of something bigger, something with room for any kind of "plus" we happen to be.
ReplyDeleteI like this!
I certainly hope that there will always be room for reason, skepticism, and healthy disagreement in this community. I welcome your voice.
ReplyDeleteDon't let those FTB assholes get you down. Like you said in your last post, "Atheism+" has less to do with social justice and more to do with purging people Freethough Blogs doesn't like. Just let them stay on their own little island and they'll eventually starve to death.
ReplyDeleteI have actually cut back on stating my real, non-trolly opinions online because I knew it would generate the kind of backlash you endured.
ReplyDeleteTo some people, they cannot simply allow people to be "wrong" (in their eyes), they must shame them and insult them as well.
I have already been an atheist/skeptic for many many years (and a female for all of them as well ;) and had many friends that would back me up if commenters came after me online. Even with that, I still feel a fear to comment on certain blogs. Not because debate will ensue and I might be shown a different way to look at the issue, but because I would be called names and have my position restated in some insane way by, as you said, a horde of people. Even if you know you are being reasonable and rational, that kind of attack will affect you.
I think part of it is these people are supposed to be rational or skeptical. I expect trolling on sites like fark or 4chan. Should I really expect them on supposedly free thought related sites?
If I were truly a troll, those blogs would be the perfect place to go however. Trolls like to get people to react rather than engage in discussion, and only reacting is what some bloggers do.
They can have their movement. I'll take the community any day. thanks for being a positive voice in the Athiest community.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the same boat. I'm done with atheist "groups" or "meet ups." I have been pushed out of them for not worshipping at the alter of Watson-Meyers and their cohorts. The atheism "movement" has been hijacked and I don't want to be a part of it anymore.
ReplyDeleteOne of the upsides of a schism is that you get to find out (or in this case...discover) who you're down with. This blog has been a terrific discovery and I'm pleased to be down with you.
ReplyDelete