Australia’s White Ribbon Campaign wants to take Australia to a new dark age in our civilisation. With a breathtaking combination of bigotry, sanctimony and stupidity they have found a new way to encourage men to join in on their own demonization and marginalisation.

It’s called “Hey mate, let the world know where you stand (White Ribbon Campaign, 2013).” To do this men are asked to make an oath to not stand silent about violence against women. The oath is made more solemn because men must supply their email addresses when they take the oath.

For the hard of thinking, the email addresses not only allow the White Ribbon Campaign to bombard the gullible with their propaganda; but the longer the list, the more money they can get from the government.

The general idea is that those who have taking the oath should intervene wherever misogyny rears its ugly head. Apparently, it’s important that this intervention begins with the words “Hey mate…”

Perhaps it’s to identify the intervener as a White Ribbon approved intervener.  Maybe, one day, the White Ribbon campaign will get enough funding to supply some brown shirts.

We’ve also just recently had “The four most powerful men in Victoria” make a call for the same thing (Whinnett & Minear, 2013). The Herald Sun, with their “Take a Stand” promotion say this about our top cop:

“Chief Commissioner Ken Lay has put violent men who attack their wives and partners on notice: you will be vilified by the community.”

Yes, it is our civic duty as good men to find, challenge, and ultimately ostracise those who are not good men.

How much is wrong with this “Hitler Youth Comes Of Age” story? Let me count the ways:

First of all, don’t be thinking that when they are talking about “men who commit domestic violence” that they are talking about some other men somewhere else.

They mean you. They mean your father, your brother, your son and you.

According to Michael Flood, of the White Ribbon Campaign, “the research highlights that most violence against women is perpetrated by ‘normal’ men. (Flood, 2011)” This research is done, Flood repeatedly explains, by “Feminist advocates”.

Yes, normal men have become “normal” men.   And a “normal” man can be detected by his lack of Feminist training.

Ken Lay adds to the moral panic by explaining “Some men are very good at hiding their violence from those outside the home.”

How good at hiding it? Lay tells us they are so clever that, “…it’s not surprising to me from time to time quite intelligent people will be fooled into thinking that particular behaviour hasn’t occurred. (Whinnett, 2013)”

So what if you are an ordinary family man who is never seen to be violent? So what if your wife says you are not violent? Who cares if your children say you are not violent? That’s precisely the cover story these “normal” men have.

The only men who are in the clear are the men swearing the oath, wearing the ribbon, and pointing the finger at some poor schmuck who was either too dumb or too slow to do the same.

Secondly, there is no need to wait to see actual violence before you get say “Hey Mate…” The idea in “normal” people’s minds that violence is knuckles on face, a boot in ribs, or a brick to the head is simply wrong.

Flood explains “feminist work has identified a continuum [emphasis his] of violence” from unkind words to murder. But, “normal” guy, don’t be fooled into thinking that unfair criticism is not as bad as bashing with a steel pipe. “[A]ll forms are serious and all have effects.”

Also, according to Lay,  we should be, “…calling men to account, not just for that outrageous, criminal behaviour but also the inappropriate behaviour.” Lay explains, “Bit by bit our standards are lowered until this kind of behaviour becomes a form of endorsement of violence towards women (Lay, 2013).”

So how about the “normal” man who today farts out loud and thinks it’s funny? Is he the serial killer of tomorrow?

Does it begin with criticising the White Ribbon Campaign?

Thirdly, how many men saying “Hey Mate…” will have some other connection to the accused? How many will have just happened to have missed out on the promotion that the alleged wife-beater got? How many will just coincidentally be harbouring a crush on the damsel in alleged distress?

How many will be saying “Hey Mate…” to the bastard who said “Hey Mate…” to them last month?

How many will try to get the most knotches on their belt to climb the feminist ladder? Ken Lay ought to know – Police history is littered with those arresting people for minor incidents simply to get their arrest rates up.

Perhaps we could ask retiring Judge David Collier of the Australian Federal Family Court who recently spoke out against mothers levelling false accusations of abuse at their ex-partners (Ninemsn staff, 2013). Not only does this happen on a regular basis, he stated, but the rate is increasing.

The White Ribbon Campaign and Ken Lay will give these vengeful harridans another avenue for retribution.

Similarly, how many will mishear, misunderstand or misinterpret conversations in their zealotry to be good men. How many will say “Hey Mate…” to someone who was just re-enacting to his girlfriend what happened in a movie, or some other perfectly innocent circumstance?

Fourthly, despite good intentions, these things can go wrong. After all, we are supposed to be challenging violent men who have been trained by the Patriarchy to believe they are entitled to behave badly.

The campaign is designed to give you confidence by telling you “Don’t be afraid to stand up” and “thousands of good people have your back.”

However, the White Ribbon crew are at pains to tell us to “safely” challenge these men. It sounds to me like adivce to “safely” defuse the bomb, or “safely” put the tiger back in his cage. I can’t help but notice that the White Ribbon Comittee won’t actually be there if the shit should “safely” hit the fan.

The best indicator of this is the heroic stance by Ken Lay himself. Only two paragraphs after “you will be vilified by the community” he informs us:

“I know of some very high-profile people, some very well-respected people that bash their wives.”

Did he name, shame and vilify them?

No.

My guess is that high-profile, well-respected people can sue.

So when they call for volunteers to take one step forward, make sure you take one step back with all the other good men.

Lastly, why are we hearing the chief of police tell us to dispense with “due process” and ostracise our fellow citizens based on unproven allegations? Why is he recommending bypassing the courts?

Why is our government funding the White Ribbon mob to organise their own group of men to control the behaviour of other men in our community? Why are our own tax dollars being given to those who will monitor and correct any thoughts and attitudes that don’t conform to their ideology?

This campaign is nothing more than an attempt to suck up to the feminist bureaucrats who hand out government funding.

Incidentally, again for the hard of thinking, a not-for-profit company doesn’t mean that they don’t make money. They just don’t have to give the profits to the shareholders. Management can give the profits to themselves as wages. Year, after year, after year.

Lay portrays himself as Victoria’s Chivalrous White Knight (capitals intended), but the phrase, ”We just have to keep committing resources to it,” keeps popping up. More resources for the Victorian Police makes Lay a bigger fish in the pond. And  a bigger fish needs a bigger salary.

Yes, there’s gold in them thar violence against women campaigns.

Anyone who joins in on this campaign is not only complicit in any and all witch hunts this nonsense brings into our community, and it will; but they are ultimately feeding a monster that will eventually turn on themselves and their own family.

And, a personal warning for Ken Lay: when Michael Flood talks about feminist theory and Patriarchy, he means you, Ken. He means men in authority.

Yes, they will use you as a useful idiot to promote their ideology for a while. But feminist theory, Ken, means that you can’t be left in charge. It is Feminist 101 that as long as there are men in charge, women will be oppressed.

Wait a minute, you might say. What about all of the good work I’ve done? The sacrifices I’ve made. The years I’ve spent. I’ve never hurt women. I’ve helped them. Supported them. Put my body on the line for them.

Geez, Ken. That would sound like a “normal” man, wouldn’t it?

And Michael? Ditto, I’m afraid.

Bibliography

Flood, M., 2011. Men   Speak Up: A toolkit for action in men’s daily lives. [Online]
Available at: http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/uploads/media/450%20White%20Ribbon%20-%20Policy%20Report%20Flood%20(web)%20-%20111220.pdf
[Accessed 24 August 2013].

Lay, K., 2013. CCP Ken Lay on re-thinking violence   against women. [Online]
Available at: http://www.vicpolicenews.com.au/blogs/93-oursay/975-our-say-ccp-ken-lay-on-re-thinking-violence-against-women.html
[Accessed 31 July 2013].

Ninemsn staff, 2013. Mothers making false child   abuse claims: judge. [Online]
Available at: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/07/06/08/23/mother-s-increasingly-making-false-claims-of-child-abuse-judge
[Accessed 24 August 2013].

Whinnett, E., 2013. Chief Commissioner Ken Lay   says more men need to stand up against domestic violence. [Online]
Available at: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/chief-commissioner-ken-lay-says-more-men-need-to-stand-up-against-domestic-violence/story-fni0fee2-1226682705782
[Accessed 30 July 2013].

Whinnett, E. & Minear, T., 2013. Victoria’s   most powerful men declare war on family violence. [Online]
Available at: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/victorias-most-powerful-men-declare-war-on-family-violence/story-fni0fee2-1226682821588
[Accessed 26 July 2013].

White Ribbon Campaign, 2013. Hey mate, let the   world know where you stand. [Online]
Available at: http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/heymate
[Accessed 24 August 2013].