Delete Your Meetup Account!

[bolobaby]

I deleted mine. Why? Because I received this lovely email today:

Topic: Why #Resist?

For almost 15 years, Meetup has served as an organizing platform for a wide range of political parties and movements, welcoming everyone from the Howard Deaniacs to the Tea Party. “We’re vital plumbing for democracy,” we always said. Before today, our company had never taken a partisan stance. It’s not a decision we take lightly.

But after Donald Trump’s order to block people on the basis of nationality and religion, a line had been crossed. At a time when core democratic ideals felt under attack, we looked at our members’ response, and were inspired by Meetups like SF Resist. We felt a duty to spark more activity and broaden civic participation.

As champions of democracy, equality, human rights, social justice, and sustainability, more people (than ever!) are ready to organize, take to the streets, visit town hall meetings, pick up the phone, paint signs, and huddle to make their voices heard.

We are Meetup, dammit! We needed to act.

So last week we stopped normal operations for a company-wide hackathon (a “resist-a-thon”) to help people get involved.
We created 1,000+ #Resist Meetup Groups to act as local hubs for these actions

    We launched 1,000+ #Resist Meetup Groups, free for everyone
    We’re announcing them to our 30 million members
    We made key product changes enabling anyone to schedule local Meetups
    We partnered with leading organizations to distribute their ideas for making change

It’s time to defend our democracies and restore values of inclusivity, love, tolerance, and respect — one helping hand, one voice, one Meetup at a time.

[bolobaby]

Hey Meetup idiots: we have the right to enforce our borders. I'm #NeverTrump, but this is beyond the pale.

Screw you, Meetup.

Pass it on, folks.

[bolobaby]

Oh, yeah...

Their partners?

Anti-Defamation League
Amnesty International
Human Rights Campaign
Planned Parenthood
Women's March on Washington

Scrrrrrrrrew Meetup.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Just saw this. Pretty stupid imo.


But I ain't deleting.

[jmyrlefuller]

That's exactly what Meetup WANTS you to do! They want you marginalized. They want to control the message.

Just like the rest of the would-be overlords in Silicon Valley.

[Bunny Watson]

Well, I was convinced to sign up for meetup a few months ago, but I never went to any meetups. What kills me about this nonsense is

Meetup will always welcome people with different beliefs.

That's all fine and well to say, but they've created free meetups under the "resist" hashtag. Anyone who wants to make a meetup group with a different belief has to pay to organize. Who the hell is going to give money to an organization so they can subsidize people they disagree with? It makes no sense.

[bolobaby]

That's exactly what Meetup WANTS you to do! They want you marginalized. They want to control the message.

Just like the rest of the would-be overlords in Silicon Valley.

I'm not marginalized. I'm active. I'm just not using their crappy service any more.

Companies like Meetup have ONE important metric when it comes to attracting dollars - user base. Help shrink it.

[Bunny Watson]

Hey Meetup idiots: we have the right to enforce our borders. I'm #NeverTrump, but this is beyond the pale.

Screw you, Meetup.

Pass it on, folks.

Within about five seconds of getting that email, I was logging in and deleting my account.

[Frank Cannon]

What the hell is Meetup? I know enough people already. I don't need some website to meet more.

[Bunny Watson]

What the hell is Meetup? I know enough people already. I don't need some website to meet more.

Well, I went through a dark period where I was convinced it would be a good idea to meet, in person, like-minded people. Unfortunately, finding them in the Philly area is nigh on impossible! I came to the realization that I know few people and like it that way, so I just ignored the site. But it took this to make me delete my account. :)

[Silver Pines]

That's exactly what Meetup WANTS you to do! They want you marginalized. They want to control the message.

Just like the rest of the would-be overlords in Silicon Valley.

@jmyrlefuller

Exactly.  When we remove ourselves, the left fills the vacuum.

[bolobaby]

@jmyrlefuller

Exactly.  When we remove ourselves, the left fills the vacuum.

Like filling the vacuum at a Hillary rally.

Bet you get your coffee at Starbucks, shop regularly at Target when other options are available, and support your local Planned Parenthood, too.

[Silver Pines]

Like filling the vacuum at a Hillary rally.

Bet you get your coffee at Starbucks, shop regularly at Target when other options are available, and support your local Planned Parenthood, too.

@bolobaby

I don't like Starbucks coffee.  I'm a Dunkin fan.  If I liked Starbucks coffees, I'd shop there.  Problematic for you?

I do shop at Target because I enjoy going there and I decide what options are available for me, not some yahoo coming at me with a list of stores to boycott.

As for accusing me of supporting Planned Parenthood, you're basically saying I support baby murder.  Therefore I expect an apology from you, and damned quick.  Understand?

[bolobaby]

@CatherineofAragon

I see. So you have no problem supporting baby murder through proxies. Got it.

Enjoy your Meetup account. Maybe you can find a group on laundering your conscience the same way your money gets laundered and sent to PPP through these proxies.

Oh... The shallow end of my pool also needs filling. Maybe you could come by and handle that? You seem to be an expert on these things...

[Right_in_Virginia]

What the hell is Meetup? I know enough people already. I don't need some website to meet more.

I am starting to really adore you @Frank Cannon .  This has me LOL!   

[Bunny Watson]

@jmyrlefuller

Exactly.  When we remove ourselves, the left fills the vacuum.

The difference in this case is that one side's activities are being subsidized by the company while the opposing side continues to have to pay for its activities with the company. It's as if anyone who was a left-winger could go to Starbucks and get a free coffee but a right-winger (or neutral party) had to pay. Should anyone not getting free coffee pay? It doesn't make any sense. Facebook, Starbucks, Twitter, provide the same services at the same rates to all. What Meetup has done is actively and monetarily hurt the neutral and right-wing side of their customer base.

[Silver Pines]

@CatherineofAragon

I see. So you have no problem supporting baby murder through proxies. Got it.

Enjoy your Meetup account. Maybe you can find a group on laundering your conscience the same way your money gets laundered and sent to PPP through these proxies.

Oh... The shallow end of my pool also needs filling. Maybe you could come by and handle that? You seem to be an expert on these things...

@bolobaby

It was a generalized comment, you twit.  I don't have one.  Seems you can't tolerate not being allowed to dictate to others, am I right?  That's tough.

I'm sorry you can't find it in yourself to man up and apologize, not even after realizing--as you clearly do---that you really put your foot in it and embarrassed yourself.  The ability to do so is indicative of character...or lack of it.

But you're flustered, so you're lashing out.

Hope things get better for you.  Sincerely.

[Silver Pines]

The difference in this case is that one side's activities are being subsidized by the company while the opposing side continues to have to pay for its activities with the company. It's as if anyone who was a left-winger could go to Starbucks and get a free coffee but a right-winger (or neutral party) had to pay. Should anyone not getting free coffee pay? It doesn't make any sense. Facebook, Starbucks, Twitter, provide the same services at the same rates to all. What Meetup has done is actively and monetarily hurt the neutral and right-wing side of their customer base.

@Bunny Watson

I see your point, but our side has a habit of withdrawing from the culture and saying, well, we'll exist over here. We give up too easily.  Conservatives/Republicans who have accounts with Meetup should put up a fight instead running away.  If we're going to change things, we can't do it in a bubble.

[Fishrrman]

I'd never heard of "meetup" until I saw this article...

[Oceander]

Never had a Meetup account and I certainly won't have one now, if that ever becomes an option.  What a bunch of idiots.  Hopefully this organization dies on the vine now.

[Bunny Watson]

@Bunny Watson

I see your point, but our side has a habit of withdrawing from the culture and saying, well, we'll exist over here. We give up too easily.  Conservatives/Republicans who have accounts with Meetup should put up a fight instead running away.  If we're going to change things, we can't do it in a bubble.

I work in the trenches of academe (God help me), I haven't given up and I certainly don't live in a bubble (unless it's a liberal bubble)! However, since I wasn't getting anything from the website anyway, it doesn't do me or the cause any harm to delete my account. :)

[jmyrlefuller]

I'd never heard of "meetup" until I saw this article...

It was an old social network, back in the days of Myspace. To be honest, I'm surprised it's still around.