I have been to only one Meetup meeting. That was at the HobNob Cafe in central Phoenix, AZ. The meetings were held most Wednesday nights. A group of writers combined over coffee and discussed, contributed and generally enjoyed the efforts of others. My reaction? The KKK spirit is alive in well within this Meetup group, and having shared my experience with others, I found that my views are not isolated.

You can, for example, imagine my shock when-- in the presence of a large group and a LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER-- a Meetup group "leader" (emphasis) shouted my name then said,

"... hide your bong!"
I didn't know what bong was. My bad! LOL I asked, then discovered that bong is a slang term for marijuana. Don't misunderstand me, please? I don't use illegal drugs, smoke or drink alcoholic beverages, but I understand that many people choose to use and I respect their wishes. In that case, during that particular meeting, the hard, undeniable facts are: a law enforcement officer was in the group, the meeting was located in one of the toughest parts of town, and during the evening hours, a person could look out of the window and actually see young toughs hanging on corners. In short, as the single minority male in attendance, I was put on the defensive and I felt that the remark, from a group leader was a personal attack; he intended to single me out and stigmatize me.

Here are the facts. If you are interested in a subject--any subject commercially advertised by Meetups --there are reputable institutions in your area that offer better information. If you decide to use the internet, there are outstanding groups offering a wide range of assistance, as well. Meetup, and my opinon is based on my personal experience, is controlled by local cliques. It's a poorly organized group; and, it's signature accomplishment is that the organizers form miniature klans that operate to select out, target and stigmatize those who fail to conform to their particular ethos.