The question of just what it would take to get Governor Greg Abbott to get out in front of a women's rights issue has been answered. Following the widespread dissemination of now canceled plans by Return of Kings, an online group of men's rights activists misogynists, to hold meetings across the world, Abbott has come out against the group. Even the governor of Texas, no one's idea of a feminist firebrand, couldn't stomach the garbage that's been promoted by Return of Kings.
“This pathetic group and their disgusting viewpoints are not welcome in Texas. I’ve spent much of my career protecting women from such vile and heinous acts, and it won’t be any different on my watch as governor," Abbott said in a statement Wednesday, just hours before the organizer of the meetup announced online that they were canceled for fear of protests. Dallas and Denton were among the cities listed as meetup sites.
"I can no longer guarantee the safety or privacy of the men who want to attend on February 6, especially since most of the meetups can not be made private in time. While I can’t stop men who want to continue meeting in private groups, there will be no official Return of Kings meetups," Return of Kings Founder Roosh Valizadeh, a self-described pickup artist, wrote on his website.
The vile and heinous acts Abbott referred to are rapes on private property, something Valizadeh believes should be legal. The blogger believes that legalizing rape on private property would, effectively, train women to behave in the way that Valizadeh believes they should. From his article supporting rape legalization:
"If rape becomes legal under my proposal, a girl will protect her body in the same manner that she protects her purse and smartphone. If rape becomes legal, a girl will not enter an impaired state of mind where she can’t resist being dragged off to a bedroom with a man who she is unsure of — she’ll scream, yell, or kick at his attempt while bystanders are still around. If rape becomes legal, she will never be unchaperoned with a man she doesn’t want to sleep with. After several months of advertising this law throughout the land, rape would be virtually eliminated on the first day it is applied.
Without daddy government to protect her, a girl would absolutely not enter a private room with a man she doesn’t know or trust unless she is absolutely sure she is ready to sleep with him. Consent is now achieved when she passes underneath the room’s door frame, because she knows that that man can legally do anything he wants to her when it comes to sex. Bad encounters are sure to occur, but these can be learning experiences for the poorly trained woman so she can better identify in the future the type of good man who will treat her like the delicate flower that she believes she is. After only one such sour experience, she will actually want to get fully acquainted with a man for longer than two hours — perhaps even demanding to meet his parents— instead of letting a beer chug prevent her from making the correct decisions to protect her body."
Those who wished to attend the Return of Kings rally in Denton were instructed to meet at the arch near the old courthouse on the square. In Dallas, Valizadeh acolytes were told to head to the phone booth outside the British Beverage Company on Routh Street. To identify themselves to fellow travelers there for the rally, attendees were instructed to ask where the nearest pet shop is. Fellow attendees were instructed reply, “Yes, it’s right here.” After gathering at 8 p.m., ralliers were to be given instruction to get to a final, secret location.
On the off chance that the announcement the meetings were canceled is a ruse, those who want to go, FOR WHATEVER REASON, might want to give the code phrase a try. At the very least, British Beverage Company has a full bar and food.