I gave my name to the wrong people. Maybe. Help.
November 16, 2015 8:27 AM Subscribe
In a moment of misguided sympathy, I signed as a "friend" of a charitable group. I did not look them up first, nor had I heard of them before. I have now.
They're considered a legitimate charity in this region, and a lot of local mainline churches and other charitable organizations partner with them, but their online trail gets scary fast. I admit that I panic easily, so if you want to tell me to take deep breaths and calm down, that's OK. Would it be better for me to contact them first and ask to be removed from their mailing list, wait until they try to contact me, or hope that my handwriting was illegible? Googling only pulls up people who were former active volunteers. Assume that I have already told myself to Google first next time.
They're considered a legitimate charity in this region, and a lot of local mainline churches and other charitable organizations partner with them, but their online trail gets scary fast. I admit that I panic easily, so if you want to tell me to take deep breaths and calm down, that's OK. Would it be better for me to contact them first and ask to be removed from their mailing list, wait until they try to contact me, or hope that my handwriting was illegible? Googling only pulls up people who were former active volunteers. Assume that I have already told myself to Google first next time.
Well, short of calling the FBI to disclaim your association, there does not seem to be much that can be done or should be done.
posted by AugustWest at 8:45 AM on November 16, 2015
posted by AugustWest at 8:45 AM on November 16, 2015
What are you concerned about? I would calm down, if I were you.
They're not going to show up at your door demanding donations with extreme prejudice, and they apparently have a very large public presence, so merely being on their list is unlikely to get you FBI visits.
Honestly, they sound like the same kind of vaguely scammy, vaguely sketchy groups that spring up around larger political movements on all parts of the political spectrum - I've definitely heard of people like this even around here (minus the guns).
If they're anything like the people I've encountered, they have a layer of non-sketchy folks between the sketchy ones and the rest of the world, and the non-sketchy people are the ones with the relationships with other groups. The non-sketchy people are, IME, basically good people who have some very deep guilt and insecurity that keeps them attached (for a while) to the sketchy people. The unions and churches and so on are thinking "I have a good relationship with Joe Reliable; maybe he's attached to Sketchy Front Group, but he always does what he promises and gets along well with everyone". Eventually, Joe Reliable will wise up and leave Sketchy Front Group, and they'll recruit Sarah Stalwart until she wises up, etc.
Basically, don't send them money and don't worry about it.
posted by Frowner at 8:46 AM on November 16, 2015
They're not going to show up at your door demanding donations with extreme prejudice, and they apparently have a very large public presence, so merely being on their list is unlikely to get you FBI visits.
Honestly, they sound like the same kind of vaguely scammy, vaguely sketchy groups that spring up around larger political movements on all parts of the political spectrum - I've definitely heard of people like this even around here (minus the guns).
If they're anything like the people I've encountered, they have a layer of non-sketchy folks between the sketchy ones and the rest of the world, and the non-sketchy people are the ones with the relationships with other groups. The non-sketchy people are, IME, basically good people who have some very deep guilt and insecurity that keeps them attached (for a while) to the sketchy people. The unions and churches and so on are thinking "I have a good relationship with Joe Reliable; maybe he's attached to Sketchy Front Group, but he always does what he promises and gets along well with everyone". Eventually, Joe Reliable will wise up and leave Sketchy Front Group, and they'll recruit Sarah Stalwart until she wises up, etc.
Basically, don't send them money and don't worry about it.
posted by Frowner at 8:46 AM on November 16, 2015
Can you be more specific about what you're worried about? I agree with those above that the worst case scenario is you receive some annoying mailings/phone calls, and at that point you can say "Please take me off your list." It's not as if you've signed over all your money. Just don't send money and chalk it up to a few extra pieces of junk mail in your mailbox.
posted by rainbowbrite at 9:13 AM on November 16, 2015
posted by rainbowbrite at 9:13 AM on November 16, 2015
Also, if a branch of this organization did have guns, as you describe, my bet is that it's far more of a fantasy revolutionary thing than anything else, and far more dangerous to group members and near allies than to outsiders. Historically, American fringe left groups are far more likely to turn on members of their own group or on other small left groupuscules than outsiders - it's a political style thing, a culture thing, that has to do with the type of people who are attracted to that type of group. But my bet is it's more "cool fantasy revolutionary" than anything else. You meet people who have this interior life where "when shit goes down" they're going to be ready, man, and leading the revolution and so on.
If you want to read something that gives you a bit of a a feel for this type of thing, you might want to look at this book, Inside Out - it's about a similar sketchy cult-like organization in Minneapolis. It was pretty dreadful by this account, but also very pathetic.
Two of the saddest people I've ever met were very nice, intelligent and accomplished women attached to fringe/front organizations - not quite as extreme as what you've linked above, but not that far off it, either. Both were for some reason emotionally susceptible to the groups, and I hope that both of them have left by now - but one of them really seemed like a lifer.
posted by Frowner at 9:15 AM on November 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you want to read something that gives you a bit of a a feel for this type of thing, you might want to look at this book, Inside Out - it's about a similar sketchy cult-like organization in Minneapolis. It was pretty dreadful by this account, but also very pathetic.
Two of the saddest people I've ever met were very nice, intelligent and accomplished women attached to fringe/front organizations - not quite as extreme as what you've linked above, but not that far off it, either. Both were for some reason emotionally susceptible to the groups, and I hope that both of them have left by now - but one of them really seemed like a lifer.
posted by Frowner at 9:15 AM on November 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
If what you're concerned about is some kind of FBI file being started on you akin to the McCarthy era, then...you're probably far from the only person who's got such a file on them, and even if this did start a file for you, all you need to do is email them to please remove you from their list, and that will go in your file too.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:24 AM on November 16, 2015
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:24 AM on November 16, 2015
Virtually the same thing happened to me: they were recruiting under a different front group outside of my grocery store, I signed up.
They called me a couple of times trying to get me to volunteer, I said no, I haven't heard from them in over a year.
I wouldn't worry too much.
posted by Oktober at 9:45 AM on November 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
They called me a couple of times trying to get me to volunteer, I said no, I haven't heard from them in over a year.
I wouldn't worry too much.
posted by Oktober at 9:45 AM on November 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Don't worry. Just don't volunteer or give them anything else, and don't return their calls. The founder/leader of the group died years ago and there's not a ton of leadership in his wake. They're not going to chase you.
posted by overeducated_alligator at 10:08 AM on November 16, 2015
posted by overeducated_alligator at 10:08 AM on November 16, 2015
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I don't think there is any danger of your name becoming tainted by association if all you did was write your name and address on a sheet of paper, especially considering that it sounds like a large portion of mainstream church parishioners in your area have likely done the same.
I would forget about it until such time as they made an attempt to contact me, at which point I would firmly ask to be taken off their list and then promptly forget about it again.
posted by 256 at 8:38 AM on November 16, 2015