Needing the Court to Evict Your Adult Son
May 23, 2018 4:58 AM Subscribe
Mark and Christina Rotondo filed a petition earlier this month against their 30-year-old son to evict him from their upstate New York house after he repeatedly refused to leave. On Tuesday, the parents attempted to settle the matter in court. Judge Donald Greenwood praised Rotondo's legal research but ultimately ruled Rotondo had to leave.
Rotondo returned to his parent's home and is considering appealing the decision.
Make sure you read the article in the first link. They offered him money and help to find a new place to live and to repair his car. Taking him to court was not their first choice. I'd be willing to bet that they've had many conversations with him about getting jobs, finding his own place and owning his own adulthood.
I'll be honest when I first saw the post my reaction was to assume that the parents were in the wrong (in my culture children very often live with parents until they get married, and even then, they might still live with their parents for a bit). It's pretty easy to see this as an example of a cold, overly litigious society gone wrong. But in watching the guy and reading about their efforts to help him find a new place my sympathies shifted. He did not strike me as a person that was behaving responsibly. No one, not even parents, have to put up with a freeloading roommate.
As to whether he is ill or not, nobody can say from a few minutes of video. I believe it is reasonable to assume that, if he were seriously ill in some way, the parents would have noticed and worked to help him (again, note how they tried to help him before going to court).
posted by oddman at 5:24 AM on May 23, 2018 [14 favorites]
I'll be honest when I first saw the post my reaction was to assume that the parents were in the wrong (in my culture children very often live with parents until they get married, and even then, they might still live with their parents for a bit). It's pretty easy to see this as an example of a cold, overly litigious society gone wrong. But in watching the guy and reading about their efforts to help him find a new place my sympathies shifted. He did not strike me as a person that was behaving responsibly. No one, not even parents, have to put up with a freeloading roommate.
As to whether he is ill or not, nobody can say from a few minutes of video. I believe it is reasonable to assume that, if he were seriously ill in some way, the parents would have noticed and worked to help him (again, note how they tried to help him before going to court).
posted by oddman at 5:24 AM on May 23, 2018 [14 favorites]
I feel sorry for the parents in this one to be honest.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 5:26 AM on May 23, 2018 [18 favorites]
posted by GallonOfAlan at 5:26 AM on May 23, 2018 [18 favorites]
The Daily Mail actually has the most comprehensive reporting on this (Heavy summarizes some of it if you'd rather not click the Mail) -- Rotondo lost his job because he consistently refused to show up for shifts, claiming Best Buy was deliberately scheduling him during his visitation time with his young son. He then moved back in with his parents and began an ugly custody battle -- he is currently only allowed to see his child in therapeutic settings and with the mother's consent. He considers his current full-time job "getting his son back" and refuses to get a job because he is filing his custody lawsuit as an indigent and if he gets a job he'll have to pay for all his court filings. (He has another lawsuit pending against Best Buy.) It also appears that while he is living in his parents' home, his parents are not allowed visitation with their grandson.
The media (including the Daily Mail) is loving reporting this as a failure-to-launch story and an entitled Millennials story, but with the narrative about lost custody and extremely supervised visitation, the multiple lawsuits, the judge ordering adult protective services to get involved, and his parents' mention of weapons in one of the eviction letters, this all starts to seem a lot more toxic and dangerous. It doesn't seem like "Entitle Millennial won't leave mom's" but "toxic masculinity, thwarted by a former romantic partner, throwing up red flags left and right about violent intentions."
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:28 AM on May 23, 2018 [203 favorites]
The media (including the Daily Mail) is loving reporting this as a failure-to-launch story and an entitled Millennials story, but with the narrative about lost custody and extremely supervised visitation, the multiple lawsuits, the judge ordering adult protective services to get involved, and his parents' mention of weapons in one of the eviction letters, this all starts to seem a lot more toxic and dangerous. It doesn't seem like "Entitle Millennial won't leave mom's" but "toxic masculinity, thwarted by a former romantic partner, throwing up red flags left and right about violent intentions."
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:28 AM on May 23, 2018 [203 favorites]
Agreed, oddman. My superficial judgement was against the parents based on headlines alone, but as I read, I found myself sympathizing with them more and more. I don't know what happened in the the son's life to prompt him to move back in with his parents at 22, but it does seem clear that his parents aren't acting out of malice.
posted by pwinn at 5:29 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by pwinn at 5:29 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Mod note: One deleted and Quick Reminder: as members have asked many, many times in various threads and Metatalk discussions, please skip the armchair medical / mental health diagnoses. Thanks.
posted by taz (staff) at 5:32 AM on May 23, 2018 [9 favorites]
posted by taz (staff) at 5:32 AM on May 23, 2018 [9 favorites]
Rotondo is behaving like a Sovereign Citizen. I wouldn't be surprised if the next time he shows up in court he claims he carries a Letter of Marque under Admiralty Law, allowing him to seize his parents' house legally by use of force.
posted by JohnFromGR at 5:33 AM on May 23, 2018 [17 favorites]
posted by JohnFromGR at 5:33 AM on May 23, 2018 [17 favorites]
Just cut him off from the Internet. He’ll be out in hours.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:36 AM on May 23, 2018 [25 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:36 AM on May 23, 2018 [25 favorites]
Just a friendly reminder, (thankfully one that might not be needed?) that some of us live with our parents and do not behave like this. Living with your parents in adulthood is already stigmatized and mocked enough in many cultures. And also, this guy is an ass.
posted by xarnop at 5:39 AM on May 23, 2018 [49 favorites]
posted by xarnop at 5:39 AM on May 23, 2018 [49 favorites]
It doesn't seem like "Entitle Millennial won't leave mom's" but "toxic masculinity, thwarted by a former romantic partner, throwing up red flags left and right about violent intentions."
...which, to me, is very much reinforced with Rotondo's supplied picture of his son cradling an automatic weapon.
It's not often that I read something that provides such a visceral reaction of, "This is not going to end well," but this story did that. I am genuinely fearful for his parents.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 5:40 AM on May 23, 2018 [36 favorites]
...which, to me, is very much reinforced with Rotondo's supplied picture of his son cradling an automatic weapon.
It's not often that I read something that provides such a visceral reaction of, "This is not going to end well," but this story did that. I am genuinely fearful for his parents.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 5:40 AM on May 23, 2018 [36 favorites]
I would guess that another reason he's refusing to get a job (in addition to not having to pay for court filings) is because he doesn't want to pay child support .
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:41 AM on May 23, 2018 [70 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:41 AM on May 23, 2018 [70 favorites]
This is not a path that will let him regain custody, to say the least. If he were serious about getting custody, he would get a job and hold it, get a place that has room for his kid, and show that he can be a good parent. This is the action of a man who wants to harass his ex and doesn't care what other relationships he destroys in the process.
posted by bile and syntax at 5:43 AM on May 23, 2018 [117 favorites]
posted by bile and syntax at 5:43 AM on May 23, 2018 [117 favorites]
Yeah, this absolutely, absolutely looks toxic as hell:
posted by corb at 5:48 AM on May 23, 2018 [41 favorites]
Michael says he lost custody of his son, whose age he wouldn't disclose, back in September. The boy now lives with his mother full time, who Michael says he was never married to, or in a relationship with...So essentially, he wants custody of a child where he was never in any kind of relationship with the mother, while being so irresponsibile that he insists he is entitled to live somewhere without having to contribute in literally any way to the household.
He claims in his response that in the eight years he has lived with his parents, he 'has never been expected to contribute to household expenses, or assisted with chores and the maintenance of the premises, and claims that this is simply a component of his living agreement'.
posted by corb at 5:48 AM on May 23, 2018 [41 favorites]
Just cut him off from the Internet. He’ll be out in hours.
Yea, it's a bit of cutting off ones nose to spite the face but, since he is no longer legally residing there and perhaps hasn't been for a long while, could the parents enact a bit of psychological warfare via internet denial (bonus points if they do it intermittently and randomly), temperature fluctuations, changing of locks, belongings being placed outside in inclement weather and/or just plain getting lost, relocating items/garbage/marbles straight from the freezer on top of their sleeping traspassee up to the point where he either leaves or calls the cops. Whereupon they could show the cops the judge's order and let things run their course a bit further.
Not to mention the whole weapons thing, I'm more aligned with firearms than most mefites but those parents absolutely and unequivocally should have the right to tell him to fuck right off with storing his weapons in their home if they aren't down for that. I wish them the best and heaven help the actual child involved and the mom of the same.
posted by RolandOfEld at 5:52 AM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
Yea, it's a bit of cutting off ones nose to spite the face but, since he is no longer legally residing there and perhaps hasn't been for a long while, could the parents enact a bit of psychological warfare via internet denial (bonus points if they do it intermittently and randomly), temperature fluctuations, changing of locks, belongings being placed outside in inclement weather and/or just plain getting lost, relocating items/garbage/marbles straight from the freezer on top of their sleeping traspassee up to the point where he either leaves or calls the cops. Whereupon they could show the cops the judge's order and let things run their course a bit further.
Not to mention the whole weapons thing, I'm more aligned with firearms than most mefites but those parents absolutely and unequivocally should have the right to tell him to fuck right off with storing his weapons in their home if they aren't down for that. I wish them the best and heaven help the actual child involved and the mom of the same.
posted by RolandOfEld at 5:52 AM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
The first time I saw this story was my FB feed which is basically Internet Crone Island, and so so so many women there have already encountered manbabies who refuse to get a job because reasons, refuse to contribute to a household because reasons, use child custody as a weapon against the other parent and threaten bizarre moon legal action over every perceived slight that no one for a second read the headline and thought, "Oh the poor lamb!" Nope. Everyone went straight to "Get a load of this toxic asshole manbaby right here."
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:53 AM on May 23, 2018 [63 favorites]
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:53 AM on May 23, 2018 [63 favorites]
Nothing was too small to attract Rotondo's attention: a notice incorrectly listed the room for today's appearance. Rotondo demanded an adjournment due to the mix-up: the judge noted that he'd made it just fine.
I mean, fuck, this is literally the guy no one wants to even play board games with because he defaults to asshole rules lawyer mode when he sees things aren't going his way.
posted by RolandOfEld at 5:57 AM on May 23, 2018 [45 favorites]
I mean, fuck, this is literally the guy no one wants to even play board games with because he defaults to asshole rules lawyer mode when he sees things aren't going his way.
posted by RolandOfEld at 5:57 AM on May 23, 2018 [45 favorites]
If I were in the parents' place, I would probably walk away from the mortgage or sell the house as-is for pennies on the dollar and make him someone else's problem. What a horrible person.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:57 AM on May 23, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 5:57 AM on May 23, 2018 [7 favorites]
I lived with my mother for a time when I'd lost my job and had my house foreclosed on, and it was a lifesaver. Right now, my older brother and his college-student kids are living there because of financial hardship as well. I'm not big on judging others' living situations, and this case looks like parents who truly have gotten to the end of their rope. Still, I do hate the framing I've seen in some shares of this article, as if the act of living with family itself is something shameful, rather than this being an unfortunate situation for all involved.
posted by xingcat at 6:01 AM on May 23, 2018 [11 favorites]
posted by xingcat at 6:01 AM on May 23, 2018 [11 favorites]
What a horrible situation for the parents to be in. I feel for them and hope that their son can get on his feet - the parents seem like wonderful people, honestly, who probably can't imagine how they got to this point.
posted by bluesky43 at 6:02 AM on May 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by bluesky43 at 6:02 AM on May 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
Rotondo returned to his parent's home
I am filled with despair.
At this point the judge has agreed he has to leave. We’re well past the eviction date. Can’t they toss his stuff, change the locks, and call the police if he comes back?
posted by eirias at 6:11 AM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
I am filled with despair.
At this point the judge has agreed he has to leave. We’re well past the eviction date. Can’t they toss his stuff, change the locks, and call the police if he comes back?
posted by eirias at 6:11 AM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
They are probably afraid to.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:13 AM on May 23, 2018 [37 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:13 AM on May 23, 2018 [37 favorites]
At this point the judge has agreed he has to leave. We’re well past the eviction date. Can’t they toss his stuff, change the locks, and call the police if he comes back?
Whether "self-help" eviction is a legal option depends on the jurisdiction, but the legally (and personally) safest route is almost inevitably going to be the path the parents are pursuing, which is seeking enforcement from the court.
posted by howfar at 6:20 AM on May 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
Whether "self-help" eviction is a legal option depends on the jurisdiction, but the legally (and personally) safest route is almost inevitably going to be the path the parents are pursuing, which is seeking enforcement from the court.
posted by howfar at 6:20 AM on May 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
Also in the Daily Mail article was a mention of adult protective services. This is no good at all.
posted by grumpybear69 at 6:24 AM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by grumpybear69 at 6:24 AM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
I have a friend, who had a child with a man like this, and frankly, he's fucking terrifying. He moved a trailer into his family's property, and won't leave. (In his case, the parents are enablers, and I don't care if they're inconvenienced.) And he is so heavily armed, you guys. So. many. guns. So many. Really, the only time I'm not worried about her safety is when he's been picked up for probation violations, and we know he's in jail.
If I were the mother of Rotondo's child, I would be looking for ways to change my name and gtfo.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 6:25 AM on May 23, 2018 [26 favorites]
If I were the mother of Rotondo's child, I would be looking for ways to change my name and gtfo.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 6:25 AM on May 23, 2018 [26 favorites]
I lived with my Mom for about a year and a half in my early twenties due to financial crisis and mental health crisis and financial crisis caused by mental health crisis. It was hard to do as it happened at the precise moment that most of my friends were moving to New York or the Bay Area or, in one notable case, Paris, to pursue their bright and (to me) seemingly marvelous futures. Whereas I was moving into the suburbs in Appalachia with Mom and a stepdad I barely knew. It wasn’t awful, nor was it great, but it was an absolute lifesaver (maybe literally) and in hindsight, I can hardly express how grateful I am to have family that would take me back in, tolerate extended grief and moodiness, and give me the space to accept where I was and make plans accordingly. When I decamped from the bonus room some eighteen months later, I promised i’d never move back, and I have tried to stick by that, even though I know (maybe even Especially because I know) Mom would open her house to me in a minute if I really needed it.
People end up back home for all kinds of reasons. This guy though? This guy has stayed at home because he’s an asshole.
posted by thivaia at 6:27 AM on May 23, 2018 [24 favorites]
People end up back home for all kinds of reasons. This guy though? This guy has stayed at home because he’s an asshole.
posted by thivaia at 6:27 AM on May 23, 2018 [24 favorites]
My blood ran cold when I saw the mention of his weapons in the note from his parents. I'm glad the judge asked adult protective services to take a look at the situation there.
posted by daisyk at 6:28 AM on May 23, 2018 [24 favorites]
posted by daisyk at 6:28 AM on May 23, 2018 [24 favorites]
It does seem a bit depressing to me that this has taken off as a story simply because of the narrative about society it is being used to support. It's really not that odd for family members to take legal action over this sort of thing. I've certainly advised people in situations similar to the son in this case (the advice has pretty much invariably focused on ways they can move out before they get evicted, on account of them having a legal leg to stand on).
posted by howfar at 6:31 AM on May 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by howfar at 6:31 AM on May 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
Just a friendly reminder, (thankfully one that might not be needed?) that some of us live with our parents and do not behave like this. Living with your parents in adulthood is already stigmatized and mocked enough in many cultures.
It might be the circles I run in, but it seems like this is much less of a problem than it once was. Between everyone agreeing that housing is ridiculously expensive, and medical care being ridiculously expensive, there are good, practical reasons for living with your family into adulthood.
"Mom needs some help paying the mortgage and I'm saving up a down-payment while paying off my student loans" makes you sound like a prudent, responsible adult, not a loser.
posted by explosion at 6:33 AM on May 23, 2018 [24 favorites]
It might be the circles I run in, but it seems like this is much less of a problem than it once was. Between everyone agreeing that housing is ridiculously expensive, and medical care being ridiculously expensive, there are good, practical reasons for living with your family into adulthood.
"Mom needs some help paying the mortgage and I'm saving up a down-payment while paying off my student loans" makes you sound like a prudent, responsible adult, not a loser.
posted by explosion at 6:33 AM on May 23, 2018 [24 favorites]
A couple stories I read mention the weapons but not the custody battle; thanks for that link.
Is there still a stigma of living with your parents? I know so many people who are doing it these days. Some who are financially shaky on their own, and some who are not. It just seems to make sense in terms of resources to save as much as possible. Of course the decision to do that should be mutually agreed upon by all involved.
I suppose there is still a stigma of never leaving home beyond childhood. As at least in some cultures, there is a general belief that you need to learn how to live on your own (how finances, housing, cooking, bills, etc work).
posted by bluefly at 6:34 AM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
Is there still a stigma of living with your parents? I know so many people who are doing it these days. Some who are financially shaky on their own, and some who are not. It just seems to make sense in terms of resources to save as much as possible. Of course the decision to do that should be mutually agreed upon by all involved.
I suppose there is still a stigma of never leaving home beyond childhood. As at least in some cultures, there is a general belief that you need to learn how to live on your own (how finances, housing, cooking, bills, etc work).
posted by bluefly at 6:34 AM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
It's terrifying how casually the "weapons" are mentioned. I feel like we're going to be hearing another story in a couple of weeks. I sure hope not.
posted by bondcliff at 6:36 AM on May 23, 2018 [12 favorites]
posted by bondcliff at 6:36 AM on May 23, 2018 [12 favorites]
I need someone... maybe David Cross would be good... to re-enact the guy trying to drag the podium with mics attached up to the judge's bench. Funny or Die, you know what you have to do.
Is there still a stigma of living with your parents? I know so many people who are doing it these days. Some who are financially shaky on their own, and some who are not. It just seems to make sense in terms of resources to save as much as possible. Of course the decision to do that should be mutually agreed upon by all involved.
I suppose there is still a stigma of never leaving home beyond childhood. As at least in some cultures, there is a general belief that you need to learn how to live on your own (how finances, housing, cooking, bills, etc work).
posted by bluefly at 8:34 AM on May 23 [+] [!]
In America, it's generally accepted now as a thing people need to do temporarily either out of college (or grad school) but it's temporary. We don't cohabitate with our parents for long periods of time in any circles I've seen or heard of, but life happens so I'm sure some people do for economic, health reasons, whatever. The thing here is he clearly has no job, never had a job (or maybe had one small one a long time ago), doesn't want a job, doesn't do anything, has no future, etc. I can't think of why a parent would realistically want that for their kid...
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 6:43 AM on May 23, 2018 [4 favorites]
Is there still a stigma of living with your parents? I know so many people who are doing it these days. Some who are financially shaky on their own, and some who are not. It just seems to make sense in terms of resources to save as much as possible. Of course the decision to do that should be mutually agreed upon by all involved.
I suppose there is still a stigma of never leaving home beyond childhood. As at least in some cultures, there is a general belief that you need to learn how to live on your own (how finances, housing, cooking, bills, etc work).
posted by bluefly at 8:34 AM on May 23 [+] [!]
In America, it's generally accepted now as a thing people need to do temporarily either out of college (or grad school) but it's temporary. We don't cohabitate with our parents for long periods of time in any circles I've seen or heard of, but life happens so I'm sure some people do for economic, health reasons, whatever. The thing here is he clearly has no job, never had a job (or maybe had one small one a long time ago), doesn't want a job, doesn't do anything, has no future, etc. I can't think of why a parent would realistically want that for their kid...
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 6:43 AM on May 23, 2018 [4 favorites]
Yikes! This story scares me. I've known a few "failure to launch" adults, but rarely does it ever get this bad. Like, my sister is a deadbeat, being completely supported by my parents (living in an apartment, getting food, and driving a car provided by them), and existing somewhere between unwilling and unable to hold a job, but even then she would never go to the extremes this guy is constantly reaching for. His story reeks of the same kind of resentments you see in "incel" and "sovereign citizen" groups, and I agree and echo the other sentiments here that show concern that this will not at all end well, especially given the mentions about weapons and adult protective services.
posted by mystyk at 6:45 AM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by mystyk at 6:45 AM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
I'm more aligned with firearms than most mefites but those parents absolutely and unequivocally should have the right to tell him to fuck right off with storing his weapons in their home if they aren't down for that.
Yeah, that’s another thing. I am very supportive of people owning personal firearms, but the thing is, when responsible people with firearms fall on hard times they /sell the damn things/, as his parents suggested. This absolutely sounds like he has a Collection that he refuses to sell because Reasons, meanwhile insisting he’s an indigent for the court. Which is definitely a Thing, but it’s a thing of entitled toxic men.
posted by corb at 6:59 AM on May 23, 2018 [9 favorites]
Yeah, that’s another thing. I am very supportive of people owning personal firearms, but the thing is, when responsible people with firearms fall on hard times they /sell the damn things/, as his parents suggested. This absolutely sounds like he has a Collection that he refuses to sell because Reasons, meanwhile insisting he’s an indigent for the court. Which is definitely a Thing, but it’s a thing of entitled toxic men.
posted by corb at 6:59 AM on May 23, 2018 [9 favorites]
Dang. I was kicked out of the house at 19 because I'd quit school and hadn't immediately looked for a job. I'm unemployed now and I will spend every last time I have rather than move back in with my parents. I don't understand that mindset.
posted by AFABulous at 7:03 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by AFABulous at 7:03 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
I hereby decree that it is now punishable by law every time an article uses the phrase "help around the house" when a grown-ass man refuses ownership of responsibilities that are, in reality, exclusively his, and are manifested by his own existence.
posted by FirstMateKate at 7:05 AM on May 23, 2018 [58 favorites]
posted by FirstMateKate at 7:05 AM on May 23, 2018 [58 favorites]
We need some term for when the media insists on shoving a story into some established cultural narrative ("entitled millennials fail to launch!") when it's clearly about something else. No amount of handwaving can make this scary dude into a story about avocado toast.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 7:17 AM on May 23, 2018 [60 favorites]
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 7:17 AM on May 23, 2018 [60 favorites]
Is there any reason he can't move to the Ecuadoran embassy?
posted by TedW at 7:21 AM on May 23, 2018 [68 favorites]
posted by TedW at 7:21 AM on May 23, 2018 [68 favorites]
ArbitraryandCapricious:We need some term for when the media insists on shoving a story into some established cultural narrative ("entitled millennials fail to launch!") when it's clearly about something else. No amount of handwaving can make this scary dude into a story about avocado toast.
I agree 100%. This isn't one of those garden-variety "Entitled Snowflake Fails To Launch!" that conservative media loves. This isn't even "Lazy, Moochy Adult Son Demands Sandwiches; Ranting on Reddit Is His 'Job.'" This falls under the "Man With Anger, Entitlement, Misogyny Issues and Access To Guns" category, and it hardly ever ends well.
Supervised access to one's child is usually given for very, very good reasons. I know this is not an ordinary case because fathers who were not in relationships with their kids' mothers hardly ever seek custody, but, contrary to the men's rights activists, family courts want to keep both parents in their childrens' lives if at all possible.
Michael Rotondo is the human embodiment of a red flag and I hope he and his family get help ASAP. And the guns locked up or taken away, ffs!
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 7:27 AM on May 23, 2018 [37 favorites]
I agree 100%. This isn't one of those garden-variety "Entitled Snowflake Fails To Launch!" that conservative media loves. This isn't even "Lazy, Moochy Adult Son Demands Sandwiches; Ranting on Reddit Is His 'Job.'" This falls under the "Man With Anger, Entitlement, Misogyny Issues and Access To Guns" category, and it hardly ever ends well.
Supervised access to one's child is usually given for very, very good reasons. I know this is not an ordinary case because fathers who were not in relationships with their kids' mothers hardly ever seek custody, but, contrary to the men's rights activists, family courts want to keep both parents in their childrens' lives if at all possible.
Michael Rotondo is the human embodiment of a red flag and I hope he and his family get help ASAP. And the guns locked up or taken away, ffs!
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 7:27 AM on May 23, 2018 [37 favorites]
From the syracuse.com article: After court, Rotondo said he had a business to support himself. But when asked about his business, Rotondo replied: "My business is my business."
The plot thickens. Creepy gun collector with women issues has a secret "business"? I'm surprised the parents didn't take advantage of his absence from home in court to have someone put everything on the driveway and change all the locks.
posted by dis_integration at 7:29 AM on May 23, 2018 [10 favorites]
The plot thickens. Creepy gun collector with women issues has a secret "business"? I'm surprised the parents didn't take advantage of his absence from home in court to have someone put everything on the driveway and change all the locks.
posted by dis_integration at 7:29 AM on May 23, 2018 [10 favorites]
I've known so many men who've quit their job or got a minimum wage one, or hidden money from self-employment, to get round child support rules (this in the UK) and people rarely seem to treat it like the giant red flag it is- and I've known wider families and new partners tacitly support it, despite its controlling, abusive nature.
Good on the parents for taking some action, and I hope that they are safe and have good plans in place- and if he really is the thing stopping them from being in contact with their grandchild, then I hope that gets better too.
posted by threetwentytwo at 7:36 AM on May 23, 2018 [7 favorites]
Good on the parents for taking some action, and I hope that they are safe and have good plans in place- and if he really is the thing stopping them from being in contact with their grandchild, then I hope that gets better too.
posted by threetwentytwo at 7:36 AM on May 23, 2018 [7 favorites]
It's terrifying how casually the "weapons" are mentioned.
This is America.
posted by zombieflanders at 7:38 AM on May 23, 2018 [18 favorites]
This is America.
posted by zombieflanders at 7:38 AM on May 23, 2018 [18 favorites]
From the syracuse.com article: After court, Rotondo said he had a business to support himself. But when asked about his business, Rotondo replied: "My business is my business."
This is also in the terrifying toxic manbaby playbook. They're totally an entrepreneur!!! They're going to be so rich soon and YOU'LL ALL BE SORRY! Their can't-lose business is.... *mumble mumble* (I've seen a lot of shoes drop about what the mumble actually turns out to be upon investigation. Sometimes it's literally nothing. Sometimes an MLM or similar e-commerce-related scam. Sometimes it's weird schemes where they try to combine their love of naked ladies with a "legitimate business" such as photography or "managing" models over the internet. ) Hear about enough of these dudes via their exes/family-members and it ceases to be a mystery how Donald Trump got elected. He's their patron saint.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:43 AM on May 23, 2018 [18 favorites]
This is also in the terrifying toxic manbaby playbook. They're totally an entrepreneur!!! They're going to be so rich soon and YOU'LL ALL BE SORRY! Their can't-lose business is.... *mumble mumble* (I've seen a lot of shoes drop about what the mumble actually turns out to be upon investigation. Sometimes it's literally nothing. Sometimes an MLM or similar e-commerce-related scam. Sometimes it's weird schemes where they try to combine their love of naked ladies with a "legitimate business" such as photography or "managing" models over the internet. ) Hear about enough of these dudes via their exes/family-members and it ceases to be a mystery how Donald Trump got elected. He's their patron saint.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:43 AM on May 23, 2018 [18 favorites]
So, this fucko wants full custody? Who the hell does he think is going to actually CARE FOR the kid, given he can't wipe his own ass without mommy's help?
posted by tristeza at 7:52 AM on May 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by tristeza at 7:52 AM on May 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
There are plenty of good reasons adults live with their parents. Your elderly parents need care. Your parents provide childcare while you work. You are in school. You are temporarily staying with them between jobs -and doing housework between job interviews. You all like each other, and share expenses because it works. This case is none of those.
My daughter stayed with me last summer between school and a job. She cleaned house and cooked and ran errands for me. This summer, she's staying again between job and school. I'm really looking forward to having a clean house and interesting food!
posted by Miss Cellania at 7:54 AM on May 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
My daughter stayed with me last summer between school and a job. She cleaned house and cooked and ran errands for me. This summer, she's staying again between job and school. I'm really looking forward to having a clean house and interesting food!
posted by Miss Cellania at 7:54 AM on May 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
I get the feeling that these people will be in the news again fairly soon.
posted by freakazoid at 7:55 AM on May 23, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by freakazoid at 7:55 AM on May 23, 2018 [4 favorites]
ArbitraryandCapricious, I wholeheartedly agree. Trying to rack my brain now, we've got purple prose, jingoism, etc. This is definitely a noticable phenomenon and I'm surprised there's not a word or at least string of words that can be easily recalled to give a level of basic understanding. Appealing to the masses. Origami-ing. Pigeon holing. Trying to think of a synecdoche that would be easily read as a stand-in for "current cultural interests" regardless of time/culture. Front-paging? That could work, and I love the phrase "He's front-paging this story to be avocado toast".
Anyway I'll cut myself off there. Every time I read the name Rotundo this is all I can think of.
posted by FirstMateKate at 7:56 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Anyway I'll cut myself off there. Every time I read the name Rotundo this is all I can think of.
posted by FirstMateKate at 7:56 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
No, he doesn't want full custody. He's just using that as a tool/excuse for his shitty behaviors.
posted by spindrifter at 7:59 AM on May 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by spindrifter at 7:59 AM on May 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
Mea culpa for not reading the articles first and relying on TV news. I did not know about the weapons or the grandson he lost custody of. Of course nobody can diagnose anyone from a few minutes on TV, and I did not attempt to do so, just speculated that he might have some mental illness, or he might just be an asshole. Anyone can speculate either way, only those intimately involved know the whole story. One thing is clear, he is not dealing with reality or with regard for others.
Like another commenter, I come from a culture where families living together and adult children living with their parents is an accepted thing, generations back and including the present generation. It may not be the current nuclear family norm, but it works for some of us. I admit this was a hot button issue for me. But of course weapons and danger to the family make it a whole other thing. I see that the parents were willing to give him money and pay for things, but I did not see mention of any effort to get him counseling or therapy. Perhaps they did try and he consistently refused, which would make a big difference. Anyhow, we all bring our own beliefs and biases to this story that may have little to do with the reality we do not know.
posted by mermayd at 8:17 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Like another commenter, I come from a culture where families living together and adult children living with their parents is an accepted thing, generations back and including the present generation. It may not be the current nuclear family norm, but it works for some of us. I admit this was a hot button issue for me. But of course weapons and danger to the family make it a whole other thing. I see that the parents were willing to give him money and pay for things, but I did not see mention of any effort to get him counseling or therapy. Perhaps they did try and he consistently refused, which would make a big difference. Anyhow, we all bring our own beliefs and biases to this story that may have little to do with the reality we do not know.
posted by mermayd at 8:17 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
As said, he doesn't want custody, he just wants to muck everybody else up.
Let's hope that any judges involved continue to see him for the piece of excrement he is.
posted by Burn_IT at 8:19 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Let's hope that any judges involved continue to see him for the piece of excrement he is.
posted by Burn_IT at 8:19 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
I bet he does want full custody, but only as a vehicle for taking vengeance on the woman who saw his red flags for what they were and has refused to date him.
It’s also worth noting the child is now 8 or 9 and his “full time battle for custody”, by lining up the timelines, has occurred basically since the child was born. My heart goes out to the mother of the child who has had to deal with this bullshit for >8 years.
posted by corb at 8:24 AM on May 23, 2018 [24 favorites]
It’s also worth noting the child is now 8 or 9 and his “full time battle for custody”, by lining up the timelines, has occurred basically since the child was born. My heart goes out to the mother of the child who has had to deal with this bullshit for >8 years.
posted by corb at 8:24 AM on May 23, 2018 [24 favorites]
I'm not an Inside Edition fan, but this clip shows him not only repeatedly walking up to Judge Greenwood during the hearing, with the bailiffs immediately getting between him and the judge. After Greenwood made his ruling, Rotondo again headed to the stand to continue pleading his case, bailiffs immediately stopping him from getting too close. Greenwood says, "Sir, I've already ruled," and got up to leave.
Maybe I'm just fraught and fragile because of the current US climate, but I find this man's behavior deeply worrisome. And then in his interview where he says he's not sure what the ruling meant but will return to his parent's home.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 8:39 AM on May 23, 2018 [10 favorites]
Maybe I'm just fraught and fragile because of the current US climate, but I find this man's behavior deeply worrisome. And then in his interview where he says he's not sure what the ruling meant but will return to his parent's home.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 8:39 AM on May 23, 2018 [10 favorites]
> My heart goes out to the mother of the child who has had to deal with this bullshit for >8 years.
And to the child, too, who has had to deal with it literally their entire life.
A part of me wishes we could hear from her, as her voice in this story has been reduced to essentially a single line mentioning abstractly that she exists. Another part of me thinks that leaving her out of a more substantial role in this story may itself have been a form of mercy, as she's clearly dealing with enough craziness already and the last thing we need is for her to be named and get subsequent harassment from MRAs and the like.
posted by mystyk at 8:48 AM on May 23, 2018 [10 favorites]
And to the child, too, who has had to deal with it literally their entire life.
A part of me wishes we could hear from her, as her voice in this story has been reduced to essentially a single line mentioning abstractly that she exists. Another part of me thinks that leaving her out of a more substantial role in this story may itself have been a form of mercy, as she's clearly dealing with enough craziness already and the last thing we need is for her to be named and get subsequent harassment from MRAs and the like.
posted by mystyk at 8:48 AM on May 23, 2018 [10 favorites]
If the parents had been rich, this dingbat would probably be just another absolutely cookie-cutter spoiled-ass country club wanker with that appalling variety of solipsism that's been called affluenza; a trait shared with many people who now hold power in the US. But since they're all just regular schmoes and not rich at all, it's become a circus for everyone to laff and frown at, meanwhile at some point he's probably going to lose it because the world isn't bending to his will and then there will be tears and shrugs and a lot of noise about how we can't blame guns.
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:04 AM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:04 AM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
There is a certain type of personality who is constantly aggrieved that the world isn't giving them what they believe they deserve. I'd argue that SovCits, incels, PUA/Redpill/whatever, and guys like this are all variants on that basic theme. To them it's simple: they're deserve X and the world is a big meanie for not giving them X.
And often they'll take all the ingenuity and effort that a different person would put into trying to accomplish a goal into what amounts to an extended and involved temper tantrum over X not being given to them.
When that overlaps with a fascination with weapons it can easily lead to mass shootings or murder depending on whether they focus their ire on society in general or a specific person.
But it all seems to boil down to a belief that they're entitled to X and the fact that they don't have X is evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the universe. They're often looking for that one magic thing that will set the universe right and get them the X that they deserve. There's probably a lot of religious behavior that falls into this category, related maybe to prosperity gospel but not limited to it.
Worse, when they can find an individual they can blame for thwarting them (as this guy has with his ex) then they decide that person is not merely their enemy, but objectively evil, and therefore anything they do is justified as payback for that person costing them all the stuff they deserve. See the weaponized custody battle with Rotundo's ex.
But it all does seem to come down to that same, shared, belief that the universe owes them something and that if they aren't getting it then they are victims who deserve compensation and vengeance.
posted by sotonohito at 9:20 AM on May 23, 2018 [29 favorites]
And often they'll take all the ingenuity and effort that a different person would put into trying to accomplish a goal into what amounts to an extended and involved temper tantrum over X not being given to them.
When that overlaps with a fascination with weapons it can easily lead to mass shootings or murder depending on whether they focus their ire on society in general or a specific person.
But it all seems to boil down to a belief that they're entitled to X and the fact that they don't have X is evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the universe. They're often looking for that one magic thing that will set the universe right and get them the X that they deserve. There's probably a lot of religious behavior that falls into this category, related maybe to prosperity gospel but not limited to it.
Worse, when they can find an individual they can blame for thwarting them (as this guy has with his ex) then they decide that person is not merely their enemy, but objectively evil, and therefore anything they do is justified as payback for that person costing them all the stuff they deserve. See the weaponized custody battle with Rotundo's ex.
But it all does seem to come down to that same, shared, belief that the universe owes them something and that if they aren't getting it then they are victims who deserve compensation and vengeance.
posted by sotonohito at 9:20 AM on May 23, 2018 [29 favorites]
Yeah, this is not a story about "moving in with the parents," this is a story about domestic violence. Best case scenario is that he's just tacitly threatening them with his weapons stash so it's "only" a threat of domestic violence, but still.
posted by selfmedicating at 9:23 AM on May 23, 2018 [17 favorites]
posted by selfmedicating at 9:23 AM on May 23, 2018 [17 favorites]
Maybe Michael can go live with Jordan Peterson.
posted by notsnot at 9:24 AM on May 23, 2018 [14 favorites]
posted by notsnot at 9:24 AM on May 23, 2018 [14 favorites]
The stuff about "can't do X without his mom" and whatever is exactly what's unhelpful because, no, if he was disabled, I still think he'd be wrong to feel entitled to that care from his parents specifically but he'd at least be right in feeling entitled to support. It's not that he can't do stuff, it's that he won't. There are people who literally need their parents (or someone else) to help care for them, and there's nothing wrong with that. This guy is not in that position. He's an abuser. He might have brain crud going on, but he's also made some choices to hurt other people, and the latter part is the problem.
posted by Sequence at 9:25 AM on May 23, 2018 [12 favorites]
posted by Sequence at 9:25 AM on May 23, 2018 [12 favorites]
We need some term for when the media insists on shoving a story into some established cultural narrative ("entitled millennials fail to launch!") when it's clearly about something else. No amount of handwaving can make this scary dude into a story about avocado toast.
Avocadowashing?
posted by en forme de poire at 9:27 AM on May 23, 2018 [14 favorites]
Avocadowashing?
posted by en forme de poire at 9:27 AM on May 23, 2018 [14 favorites]
No, he doesn't want full custody. He's just using that as a tool/excuse for his shitty behaviors.
Yeah, this seems more like the kind of guy who talks about “financial abortions” than a thwarted caregiver. I hate to see this story get so much publicity because I think it should be normalized in the US for adult children to live with their parents, if everyone involved is happy with the arrangements. But it’s always presented as some kind of pathology that brings shame on everyone involved. So when that’s actually true, it’s harder to tell —
posted by Countess Elena at 9:36 AM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
Yeah, this seems more like the kind of guy who talks about “financial abortions” than a thwarted caregiver. I hate to see this story get so much publicity because I think it should be normalized in the US for adult children to live with their parents, if everyone involved is happy with the arrangements. But it’s always presented as some kind of pathology that brings shame on everyone involved. So when that’s actually true, it’s harder to tell —
posted by Countess Elena at 9:36 AM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
All I know is if there's one thing that will surely help this story about a guy with a collection of weapons come to a happy ending it's everyone on the internet making fun of him.
posted by bondcliff at 9:42 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by bondcliff at 9:42 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
I wonder how many of the weapons mentioned are swords.
posted by adept256 at 9:45 AM on May 23, 2018 [20 favorites]
posted by adept256 at 9:45 AM on May 23, 2018 [20 favorites]
I have no idea where you're getting the "everyone on the internet making fun of him" from. At least in this thread, it's 100% anxiety and anger over his actions and behavior.
posted by zombieflanders at 9:46 AM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by zombieflanders at 9:46 AM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
I am reminded of a cousin who only worked a minimum wage job because otherwise the mother of his child would garnish his wages to support said child. Yet at the same time his own parents were suing her for "grandparents' rights" on visitation. A complete clusterfuck.
Good thing the guy in the story isn't doing anything dangerous in the eyes of the law, like holding a cellphone in his backyard while being black.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:49 AM on May 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
Good thing the guy in the story isn't doing anything dangerous in the eyes of the law, like holding a cellphone in his backyard while being black.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:49 AM on May 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
I have no idea where you're getting the "everyone on the internet making fun of him" from.
It's gone viral. Just take a glance at the usual culprits. This guy is already meme material.
posted by adept256 at 9:51 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
It's gone viral. Just take a glance at the usual culprits. This guy is already meme material.
posted by adept256 at 9:51 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
What's also weird is that he looks utterly familiar to me and yet not like anyone I can specifically name at all. Maybe he has some vibe that people are picking up on "(oh my God, it's that guy. But who?")
posted by Countess Elena at 9:55 AM on May 23, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by Countess Elena at 9:55 AM on May 23, 2018 [7 favorites]
sotonohito, exactly!
I have a family member like this. He battens on his parents, who are not young and not well. Twenty-plus years ago, during the first year of this shitshow, his parents told him he had to leave, and he asked if he could stay with me for a little while. I still had sympathy in those days, and I never expected it to go on this long, but I had noticed how verbally abusive he was to them, and I sensed he'd turn that on me if I let him in, so I told him no.
That NO was the best decision I ever made, in my whole entire life.
posted by elizilla at 10:01 AM on May 23, 2018 [25 favorites]
I have a family member like this. He battens on his parents, who are not young and not well. Twenty-plus years ago, during the first year of this shitshow, his parents told him he had to leave, and he asked if he could stay with me for a little while. I still had sympathy in those days, and I never expected it to go on this long, but I had noticed how verbally abusive he was to them, and I sensed he'd turn that on me if I let him in, so I told him no.
That NO was the best decision I ever made, in my whole entire life.
posted by elizilla at 10:01 AM on May 23, 2018 [25 favorites]
Yeah, what adept256 said. I didn’t mean this thread. I’m seeing this story everywhere.
posted by bondcliff at 10:12 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by bondcliff at 10:12 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
What's also weird is that he looks utterly familiar to me and yet not like anyone I can specifically name at all.
Other than the color of his hair, and his lighter build, he looks strikingly like a guy I went to law school with. Notably, my fellow student was widely known as a 2nd-Amendment absolutist and kind of creepy. He openly admitted to bringing a knife to class, and was rumored to have a concealed carry permit. This in Oregon in the early 90s. I wasn't comfortable with him then, and I suspect I know what his preferred online hangouts would be now (absent a remarkable and unlikely change in his personal habits and politics).
posted by suelac at 10:21 AM on May 23, 2018
Other than the color of his hair, and his lighter build, he looks strikingly like a guy I went to law school with. Notably, my fellow student was widely known as a 2nd-Amendment absolutist and kind of creepy. He openly admitted to bringing a knife to class, and was rumored to have a concealed carry permit. This in Oregon in the early 90s. I wasn't comfortable with him then, and I suspect I know what his preferred online hangouts would be now (absent a remarkable and unlikely change in his personal habits and politics).
posted by suelac at 10:21 AM on May 23, 2018
Rotondo's arrest for stalking: In December 2009, he was arrested for stalking a New Hartford woman at her residence, according to the Rome Sentinel. Rotondo, then living at 641 Park Ave., Syracuse, sent the woman several threatening text messages before showing up outside her home, police said. The victim called 911, but Rotondo fled before police arrived, the article said. Rotondo returned the next night, and police caught him walking around the woman's residence. Rotondo was charged with stalking, menacing and harassing. The outcome of that case could not be immediately determined.
The incident led some of Rotondo's friends to distance themselves, an acquaintance said. As part of his arrest, he was ordered to turn over his firearms temporarily.
And yes, he does share a look with many of the Missing Stair Men I have known.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 10:43 AM on May 23, 2018 [15 favorites]
The incident led some of Rotondo's friends to distance themselves, an acquaintance said. As part of his arrest, he was ordered to turn over his firearms temporarily.
And yes, he does share a look with many of the Missing Stair Men I have known.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 10:43 AM on May 23, 2018 [15 favorites]
As part of his arrest, he was ordered to turn over his firearms temporarily.
ohjesusfuckingchrist
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 11:06 AM on May 23, 2018 [13 favorites]
ohjesusfuckingchrist
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 11:06 AM on May 23, 2018 [13 favorites]
Global websites see Camillus son's eviction as a joke; 7 reasons why it's serious which echoes a bunch of the points made in this thread.
posted by maurice at 11:07 AM on May 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by maurice at 11:07 AM on May 23, 2018 [3 favorites]
We’re well past the eviction date. Can’t they toss his stuff, change the locks, and call the police if he comes back?
Not in New York, they can't. We frown heavily on self-help by landlords around here, for what I hope will on reflection be obvious good and sufficient reasons.
Eventually, the bailiff/sheriff will come to complete the eviction.
posted by praemunire at 11:22 AM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
Not in New York, they can't. We frown heavily on self-help by landlords around here, for what I hope will on reflection be obvious good and sufficient reasons.
Eventually, the bailiff/sheriff will come to complete the eviction.
posted by praemunire at 11:22 AM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
All I know is if there's one thing that will surely help this story about a guy with a collection of weapons come to a happy ending it's everyone on the internet making fun of him.
Huh. I thought I'd reached my limit of being sick of being blamed for other people being shitty. Turns out there's a little more there.
posted by Etrigan at 11:35 AM on May 23, 2018 [24 favorites]
Huh. I thought I'd reached my limit of being sick of being blamed for other people being shitty. Turns out there's a little more there.
posted by Etrigan at 11:35 AM on May 23, 2018 [24 favorites]
Rotondo's arrest for stalking: In December 2009, he was arrested for stalking a New Hartford woman at her residence, according to the Rome Sentinel....As part of his arrest, he was ordered to turn over his firearms temporarily.
•20% of stalkers use weapons to either threaten or harm victims.
•76% of intimate partner femicide victims have been stalked by their intimate partner.*
•The risk of stalking victimization was highest for individuals who were divorced or separated—34 per 1,000
individuals. **
His weapons need to be taken, immediately. Hopefully sometime in the next century or so we'll start taking female endangerment seriously.
posted by FirstMateKate at 11:49 AM on May 23, 2018 [19 favorites]
•20% of stalkers use weapons to either threaten or harm victims.
•76% of intimate partner femicide victims have been stalked by their intimate partner.*
•The risk of stalking victimization was highest for individuals who were divorced or separated—34 per 1,000
individuals. **
His weapons need to be taken, immediately. Hopefully sometime in the next century or so we'll start taking female endangerment seriously.
posted by FirstMateKate at 11:49 AM on May 23, 2018 [19 favorites]
He's dreaming -- no way in hell is the Appellate Division going to issue a stay. I just hope it doesn't get ugly after that.
posted by holborne at 11:49 AM on May 23, 2018
posted by holborne at 11:49 AM on May 23, 2018
All I know is if there's one thing that will surely help this story about a guy with a collection of weapons come to a happy ending it's everyone on the internet making fun of him.
This guy has had many, many people give him countless opportunities to get his life together and has chosen not to do that. He has gloried in getting publicity here, expecting vindication in the court of public opinion. He has the opportunity to see this as a wake-up call, and to realize that he has some issues he needs to work on, but however he chooses to react is on him, not us.
posted by bile and syntax at 11:49 AM on May 23, 2018 [13 favorites]
This guy has had many, many people give him countless opportunities to get his life together and has chosen not to do that. He has gloried in getting publicity here, expecting vindication in the court of public opinion. He has the opportunity to see this as a wake-up call, and to realize that he has some issues he needs to work on, but however he chooses to react is on him, not us.
posted by bile and syntax at 11:49 AM on May 23, 2018 [13 favorites]
I'm not an Inside Edition fan,
Yeah, it didn't help that they actually showed a clip from the "Failure to Launch" movie.
posted by Melismata at 12:15 PM on May 23, 2018
Yeah, it didn't help that they actually showed a clip from the "Failure to Launch" movie.
posted by Melismata at 12:15 PM on May 23, 2018
As part of his arrest, he was ordered to turn over his firearms temporarily.
As a woman who has filed a restraining order against a man, who was subsequently ordered to do the same, I feel the need to point out that the police are never served with a copy of this order, nor do they ever try to enforce it. It is basically voluntary in most states, because police don’t think it’s important. It’s already the law but they just don’t care.
posted by corb at 12:35 PM on May 23, 2018 [12 favorites]
As a woman who has filed a restraining order against a man, who was subsequently ordered to do the same, I feel the need to point out that the police are never served with a copy of this order, nor do they ever try to enforce it. It is basically voluntary in most states, because police don’t think it’s important. It’s already the law but they just don’t care.
posted by corb at 12:35 PM on May 23, 2018 [12 favorites]
Huh. I thought I'd reached my limit of being sick of being blamed for other people being shitty. Turns out there's a little more there.
This is fair. I apologize for my poorly worded comment. This is not what my brain meant when I was typing it, but reading it back to myself I'm not sure how else it could be interpreted. It was a stupid thing to say, especially in light of other recent events.
posted by bondcliff at 12:43 PM on May 23, 2018 [13 favorites]
This is fair. I apologize for my poorly worded comment. This is not what my brain meant when I was typing it, but reading it back to myself I'm not sure how else it could be interpreted. It was a stupid thing to say, especially in light of other recent events.
posted by bondcliff at 12:43 PM on May 23, 2018 [13 favorites]
Growing up as an orphan I was naturally envious of what I was missing out on. That wore off as I became an adult and independent, and it's sort of reversed. I meet people my own age (39) who don't know how to cook because they never had to learn. Everyone has to eat, and they can't make something for themselves that they want. Imagine missing out on that! Always eating other people's food. Never having it your way.
Extend that to having your home. The way you like it. This kids ego, laziness and entitlement means he misses out on all that. I guess that's some justice.
posted by adept256 at 12:46 PM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Extend that to having your home. The way you like it. This kids ego, laziness and entitlement means he misses out on all that. I guess that's some justice.
posted by adept256 at 12:46 PM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
"toxic masculinity, thwarted by a former romantic partner, throwing up red flags left and right about violent intentions."
This sounds like the title of some sort of allegorical neoclassical painting from the mid-19th century.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:47 PM on May 23, 2018 [9 favorites]
This sounds like the title of some sort of allegorical neoclassical painting from the mid-19th century.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:47 PM on May 23, 2018 [9 favorites]
Did they evict his swords and waifu too?
posted by Young Kullervo at 1:48 PM on May 23, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Young Kullervo at 1:48 PM on May 23, 2018 [4 favorites]
We definitely need to expand the offenses for which gun ownership is revoked on a long term to permanent basis. A conviction for stalking should automatically land a person on the no guns list. The fact that under current law the police were obligated to return his weapons after a short time is horrifying.
As for appearance, I think it's the combination of long hair and a thin attempt at a full beard that does it. Basically he looks like the skinny version of the stereotypical neckbeard. And it's wrong to judge people by appearance, but it's certainly not a good look on anyone.
posted by sotonohito at 1:51 PM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
As for appearance, I think it's the combination of long hair and a thin attempt at a full beard that does it. Basically he looks like the skinny version of the stereotypical neckbeard. And it's wrong to judge people by appearance, but it's certainly not a good look on anyone.
posted by sotonohito at 1:51 PM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
TheWhiteSkull:
"toxic masculinity, thwarted by a former romantic partner, throwing up red flags left and right about violent intentions."
This sounds like the title of some sort of allegorical neoclassical painting from the mid-19th century.
posted by Countess Elena at 2:58 PM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
"toxic masculinity, thwarted by a former romantic partner, throwing up red flags left and right about violent intentions."
This sounds like the title of some sort of allegorical neoclassical painting from the mid-19th century.
posted by Countess Elena at 2:58 PM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]
Is it possible that the woman he was stalking is the mother of his child? That would explain a lot.
posted by Night_owl at 6:32 PM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Night_owl at 6:32 PM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
All I know is if there's one thing that will surely help this story about a guy with a collection of weapons come to a happy ending it's everyone on the internet making fun of him.
His narcissism has protected him from far worse. This is not someone who recognizes that the court of common opinion even exists.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:11 PM on May 23, 2018
His narcissism has protected him from far worse. This is not someone who recognizes that the court of common opinion even exists.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:11 PM on May 23, 2018
And often they'll take all the ingenuity and effort that a different person would put into trying to accomplish a goal into what amounts to an extended and involved temper tantrum over X not being given to them.
When that overlaps with a fascination with weapons it can easily lead to mass shootings or murder depending on whether they focus their ire on society in general or a specific person.
I disagree with this statement. There are at a minimum hundreds of thousands of people running around with twisted world views and very few of them get around to mass murder, or even just murder for that matter. I think the most that can be said is that this path of perpetually frustrated entitlement provides a ready excuse to do what was always a possibility to begin with.
This guy sets off alarm bells for me, but that’s because of his actions. If liking guns and being perpetually angry were enough we’d have to haul in the entire Republican base.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:39 PM on May 23, 2018
When that overlaps with a fascination with weapons it can easily lead to mass shootings or murder depending on whether they focus their ire on society in general or a specific person.
I disagree with this statement. There are at a minimum hundreds of thousands of people running around with twisted world views and very few of them get around to mass murder, or even just murder for that matter. I think the most that can be said is that this path of perpetually frustrated entitlement provides a ready excuse to do what was always a possibility to begin with.
This guy sets off alarm bells for me, but that’s because of his actions. If liking guns and being perpetually angry were enough we’d have to haul in the entire Republican base.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:39 PM on May 23, 2018
There is a certain type of personality who is constantly aggrieved that the world isn't giving them what they believe they deserve. I'd argue that SovCits, incels, PUA/Redpill/whatever, and guys like this are all variants on that basic theme. To them it's simple: they're deserve X and the world is a big meanie for not giving them X.
And often they'll take all the ingenuity and effort that a different person would put into trying to accomplish a goal into what amounts to an extended and involved temper tantrum over X not being given to them.
Ignatius J. Reilly
posted by mannequito at 7:57 PM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
And often they'll take all the ingenuity and effort that a different person would put into trying to accomplish a goal into what amounts to an extended and involved temper tantrum over X not being given to them.
Ignatius J. Reilly
posted by mannequito at 7:57 PM on May 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
Ignatius J Reilly?
I can hardly believe it, but when I googled, it turned out that incels see this too.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 3:15 AM on May 24, 2018
I can hardly believe it, but when I googled, it turned out that incels see this too.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 3:15 AM on May 24, 2018
Apparently when you become a shitty person on purpose you suddenly get a lot of new role models.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:05 AM on May 24, 2018
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:05 AM on May 24, 2018
Apparently he went on CNN last night and it was awkward. Also you will be unsurprised to learn that he doesn't think of himself as a millennial because he's "very conservative."
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:14 AM on May 24, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:14 AM on May 24, 2018 [4 favorites]
Yeah, that CNN interview was pretty disturbing. That is one very confused and angry dude.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 5:20 AM on May 24, 2018
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 5:20 AM on May 24, 2018
Yeah, that CNN interview was pretty disturbing. That is one very confused and angry dude.
Yep, it seems like there's a distinct lack of him listening to the host and more of him answering the questions he thinks he's being asked rather than, ya'know, listening to the other side of the discussion.
I'm guessing this isn't a new development behaviorally.
My questions is who is paying this guy's attorney? I can't help but wonder if he actually took the $1,100 bucks that his parents gave him and then put it into fighting their actions rather than, well, anything productive.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:33 AM on May 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Yep, it seems like there's a distinct lack of him listening to the host and more of him answering the questions he thinks he's being asked rather than, ya'know, listening to the other side of the discussion.
I'm guessing this isn't a new development behaviorally.
My questions is who is paying this guy's attorney? I can't help but wonder if he actually took the $1,100 bucks that his parents gave him and then put it into fighting their actions rather than, well, anything productive.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:33 AM on May 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
He didn't have an attorney, IIRC he represented himself. Natch.
posted by Melismata at 7:14 AM on May 24, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Melismata at 7:14 AM on May 24, 2018 [2 favorites]
He didn't have an attorney, IIRC he represented himself. Natch.
The Law Offices of Dunning & Kruger.
posted by entropone at 7:57 AM on May 24, 2018 [30 favorites]
The Law Offices of Dunning & Kruger.
posted by entropone at 7:57 AM on May 24, 2018 [30 favorites]
Judge Greenwood handed in his decision: Rotondo has to vacate by noon on June 1.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 9:35 AM on May 24, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 9:35 AM on May 24, 2018 [3 favorites]
If liking guns and being perpetually angry were enough we’d have to haul in the entire Republican base.
Great! When can we start?
posted by zombieflanders at 9:38 AM on May 24, 2018 [8 favorites]
Great! When can we start?
posted by zombieflanders at 9:38 AM on May 24, 2018 [8 favorites]
This guy sets off alarm bells for me, but that’s because of his actions. If liking guns and being perpetually angry were enough we’d have to haul in the entire Republican base.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:39 PM on May 23 [+] [!]
Are you not reading the whole thread, or intentionally leaving out the information about him previously being arrested for stalking an ex?
posted by FirstMateKate at 10:22 AM on May 24, 2018
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:39 PM on May 23 [+] [!]
Are you not reading the whole thread, or intentionally leaving out the information about him previously being arrested for stalking an ex?
posted by FirstMateKate at 10:22 AM on May 24, 2018
Judge Greenwood handed in his decision: Rotondo has to vacate by noon on June 1.
I feel like someone needs to set up a GoFundMe to send the parents away on a two week cruise or something.
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:37 AM on May 24, 2018 [3 favorites]
I feel like someone needs to set up a GoFundMe to send the parents away on a two week cruise or something.
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:37 AM on May 24, 2018 [3 favorites]
I feel like someone needs to set up a GoFundMe to send the parents away on a two week cruise or something.
That, plus paying for Hell's Angels to housesit.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 11:14 AM on May 24, 2018 [5 favorites]
That, plus paying for Hell's Angels to housesit.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 11:14 AM on May 24, 2018 [5 favorites]
"The Law Offices of Dunning & Kruger."
*steals for extensive future use*
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 11:45 AM on May 24, 2018 [11 favorites]
*steals for extensive future use*
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 11:45 AM on May 24, 2018 [11 favorites]
I am reminded of a cousin who only worked a minimum wage job because otherwise the mother of his child would garnish his wages to support said child. Yet at the same time his own parents were suing her for "grandparents' rights" on visitation. A complete clusterfuck.
New York state has protections in place for low-income non-custodial parents; monthly support can be set at $25 or $50. Many years ago, I interned at an upstate family court and several fathers with a similar profile to this dude were paying (or not!) $12.50 a week for their kid. The bar is very low for dudes who make even a minimal effort to improve themselves and be responsible, which is how you know that this guy's motive is not actually increased time with his son but enacting some disturbing misogynistic psychodrama of his own making. He claims that "getting his son back" is his full-time job, but my experience is that a few months of part-time that comes with a W-2 would do the trick. It would literally be less work.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 2:31 PM on May 24, 2018 [3 favorites]
New York state has protections in place for low-income non-custodial parents; monthly support can be set at $25 or $50. Many years ago, I interned at an upstate family court and several fathers with a similar profile to this dude were paying (or not!) $12.50 a week for their kid. The bar is very low for dudes who make even a minimal effort to improve themselves and be responsible, which is how you know that this guy's motive is not actually increased time with his son but enacting some disturbing misogynistic psychodrama of his own making. He claims that "getting his son back" is his full-time job, but my experience is that a few months of part-time that comes with a W-2 would do the trick. It would literally be less work.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 2:31 PM on May 24, 2018 [3 favorites]
>>This guy sets off alarm bells for me, but that’s because of his actions. If
>>liking guns and being perpetually angry were enough we’d have to haul in
>>the entire Republican base.
>Are you not reading the whole thread, or intentionally leaving out the information
>about him previously being arrested for stalking an ex?
?
That’s one of the actions that sets off alarm bells.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 3:55 PM on May 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
>>liking guns and being perpetually angry were enough we’d have to haul in
>>the entire Republican base.
>Are you not reading the whole thread, or intentionally leaving out the information
>about him previously being arrested for stalking an ex?
?
That’s one of the actions that sets off alarm bells.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 3:55 PM on May 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
In news that should come as no surprise to anyone:
@jaredholt: that dude who wouldn't move out of his parent's house is on Infowars right now
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:11 AM on May 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
@jaredholt: that dude who wouldn't move out of his parent's house is on Infowars right now
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:11 AM on May 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
In news that should come as no surprise to anyone:
@jaredholt: that dude who wouldn't move out of his parent's house is on Infowars right now
Because of course he is! Angry, entitled white dudes who are FURIOUS that life has not handed them a job, a supermodel wife, obedient children, and fawning respect on a silver platter are the backbone of the alt-right. Not all of them squat in their parents' houses, shoot people, etc. but they are still poisoning society with their aggrieved entitlement.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 11:18 AM on May 25, 2018 [10 favorites]
@jaredholt: that dude who wouldn't move out of his parent's house is on Infowars right now
Because of course he is! Angry, entitled white dudes who are FURIOUS that life has not handed them a job, a supermodel wife, obedient children, and fawning respect on a silver platter are the backbone of the alt-right. Not all of them squat in their parents' houses, shoot people, etc. but they are still poisoning society with their aggrieved entitlement.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 11:18 AM on May 25, 2018 [10 favorites]
I’m dying to know what he has to say that would interest Infowars. I bet it’s some “father’s rights” bullshit. Still, I don’t actually want to watch that stuff, so I’ll have to wait.
posted by Countess Elena at 11:32 AM on May 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Countess Elena at 11:32 AM on May 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
I guess one positive upshot of this dude becoming the next James Damore-style national poster boy for white male aggrievement is that it makes it slightly less likely that he ends up offing his folks and shooting up a college campus or something.
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:32 AM on May 25, 2018
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:32 AM on May 25, 2018
Okay, I took one for the team and tuned in to Jones.
Jones repeatedly called Rotondo lazy ("Not to be mean! I'm trying to help you.") and generally came in from a position of what he considered to be tough love. Show contributors would ask Rotondo questions about whether he felt he'd had supportive mentors, what he's accomplished in his life, doesn't he see that success in life comes from working hard ("and doing what you're told") until you can rise to the top. The format of this was always the contributor asking a question and Jones goading on Rotondo and Rotondo sort of taking on the expression a halibut would have if you had asked it the same question.
Rotondo's rote answer for what he'd accomplished was always his son. Having his son, raising his son (although it's unclear how much time they'd ever really had together), fighting for his son. Contributors, to their credit, were like, enough about your son - what have you, personally accomplished in the last 12 years. Rotondo's answer: "That part about my son was the answer I'd prepared."
Jones did concede that as far as lazy goes, Rotondo is really "kind of in the middle" and there are people much lazier than him. I won't repeat what kind of people he identified.
Okay, I'm off to a Silkwood shower with extra pumice.
posted by mochapickle at 11:53 AM on May 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
Jones repeatedly called Rotondo lazy ("Not to be mean! I'm trying to help you.") and generally came in from a position of what he considered to be tough love. Show contributors would ask Rotondo questions about whether he felt he'd had supportive mentors, what he's accomplished in his life, doesn't he see that success in life comes from working hard ("and doing what you're told") until you can rise to the top. The format of this was always the contributor asking a question and Jones goading on Rotondo and Rotondo sort of taking on the expression a halibut would have if you had asked it the same question.
Rotondo's rote answer for what he'd accomplished was always his son. Having his son, raising his son (although it's unclear how much time they'd ever really had together), fighting for his son. Contributors, to their credit, were like, enough about your son - what have you, personally accomplished in the last 12 years. Rotondo's answer: "That part about my son was the answer I'd prepared."
Jones did concede that as far as lazy goes, Rotondo is really "kind of in the middle" and there are people much lazier than him. I won't repeat what kind of people he identified.
Okay, I'm off to a Silkwood shower with extra pumice.
posted by mochapickle at 11:53 AM on May 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
Thank you for that!
The callers sound oddly tender towards him. I wouldn't think that "doing what you're told" would be part of life advice from an Alex Jones fan.
posted by Countess Elena at 12:16 PM on May 25, 2018
The callers sound oddly tender towards him. I wouldn't think that "doing what you're told" would be part of life advice from an Alex Jones fan.
posted by Countess Elena at 12:16 PM on May 25, 2018
That was from Jones himself!
posted by mochapickle at 12:19 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by mochapickle at 12:19 PM on May 25, 2018
Jones is (hopefully) about to be sued into oblivion for the Sandy Hook horrorshow, so taking a gentler tack on a guy being horrible to innocent people who have tried their best to accommodate his whiny manbaby behavior might be a way to reduce the chances that there's a highly-publicized incident that his rhetoric will be directly tied to.
posted by zombieflanders at 12:30 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by zombieflanders at 12:30 PM on May 25, 2018
I keep thinking more about how subtle the privilege is, though, of Jones saying, hey, just spend a few years putting in the work and you will be a CEO! A few days ago, Rotondo himself in a news article said he'd be a CEO by now if he weren't so busy fighting for custody.
posted by mochapickle at 12:44 PM on May 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 12:44 PM on May 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
I'm assuming the answer is no, but: have there been any public details about why he lost custody of his son, or whether in fact he even had custody at any time in the first place?
posted by holborne at 1:34 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by holborne at 1:34 PM on May 25, 2018
I will bet five shiny dollars he has never had physical custody of “his” son and the closest he has ever come is some court giving him default joint legal custody before they realized he was a monster.
posted by corb at 2:17 PM on May 25, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by corb at 2:17 PM on May 25, 2018 [6 favorites]
Iirc he was not married to nor cohabiting with the mother, so yeah. I'm guessing there's no getting his son "back" here.
posted by soren_lorensen at 4:16 PM on May 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by soren_lorensen at 4:16 PM on May 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
> Okay, I took one for the team and tuned in to Jones.
Damn. Above and beyond.
> I keep thinking more about how subtle the privilege is, though,
> of Jones saying, hey, just spend a few years putting in the work and
> you will be a CEO! A few days ago, Rotondo himself in a news article
> said he'd be a CEO by now if he weren't so busy fighting for custody.
I'm not sure that's privilege as much as a perniciously stubborn part of Americana.
“Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.” All of America is made up of rich people, it's just that with this and that and the other thing they never got around to claiming the money.
More of a delusion than a privilege. A delusion of privilege?
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:48 PM on May 25, 2018
Damn. Above and beyond.
> I keep thinking more about how subtle the privilege is, though,
> of Jones saying, hey, just spend a few years putting in the work and
> you will be a CEO! A few days ago, Rotondo himself in a news article
> said he'd be a CEO by now if he weren't so busy fighting for custody.
I'm not sure that's privilege as much as a perniciously stubborn part of Americana.
“Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.” All of America is made up of rich people, it's just that with this and that and the other thing they never got around to claiming the money.
More of a delusion than a privilege. A delusion of privilege?
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:48 PM on May 25, 2018
Either. Both?
Oh! So while I'm running up the water bill and running out of available skin to exfoliate, there's this new bit from The Daily Mail with quotes from the mother of the child and more from Rotondo himself.
And then there's this from the child's mother:
posted by mochapickle at 5:05 PM on May 25, 2018 [5 favorites]
Oh! So while I'm running up the water bill and running out of available skin to exfoliate, there's this new bit from The Daily Mail with quotes from the mother of the child and more from Rotondo himself.
In an interview with DailyMail.com on the driveway of the family home, Rotondo said his problems with his parents really began when he lost contact with his son. The last time he saw him was September 26 last year, both sides agree.So I think this is the closest he ever came to actual custody -- unsupervised days while the mother was working. And while he says he has lost custody and all rights, the judge's order still stands that he can see the child in a supervised location with a medical professional present, but he just hasn't done that.
'It's very hard to describe what that's like. I saw him three days a week and in the summer time it would be all day, 11-8.30,' he said. 'He was my whole world. My life was characterized by the days I saw him.'
And then there's this from the child's mother:
The mother of Rotondo's son said she believes the decision to oust him from the family home was taken by his father, Mark, 60.He's been ordered to pay some $200 in support a month, but rarely pays anything. She also says he's cost her thousands in court costs because he'll take her to court for every little thing. (And since he's petitioning as impoverished in the state of New York, I think his court fees are waived. Which is one reason he can't bring in an income.)
'The mother would never have done this to her child,' she said. But she said Christina Rotondo, 61, was also frustrated with her son. 'She once said to me: "How do you think I feel that we are going to have him live with us for the rest of our lives?"' she said.
posted by mochapickle at 5:05 PM on May 25, 2018 [5 favorites]
There's not a day that goes by that I don't think, "I could have been X by now if I hadn't done Y." And it's true -- but you know whose fault it isn't? Anyone else's. Coping with the pain of regret should be part of Adulthood 101. I started regretting shit at 18 and I've been doing it for myself ever since. People who weren't raised to handle their own pain will offload it to others at any opportunity. And there's a nexus there with the kind of toxic masculinity cults that have grown up in the past few years.
I feel bad for his son's mother. It sounds like once, just once, she felt pity or maybe got taken in by some NPD charm from him, and then it was like a fairy-tale curse on her life.
posted by Countess Elena at 5:16 PM on May 25, 2018 [6 favorites]
I feel bad for his son's mother. It sounds like once, just once, she felt pity or maybe got taken in by some NPD charm from him, and then it was like a fairy-tale curse on her life.
posted by Countess Elena at 5:16 PM on May 25, 2018 [6 favorites]
oh and here's another gem: he's "claiming that he is being victimized for his habits of running his hands through his hair and pacing up and down. 'Anyone with long hair would tell you that is the way to get the knots out,' he said of the first point. 'And I pace - yes, I pace.'" You can tell he's never listened to a woman for a day in his life because we could have told him that there are special tools for this! They're called combs.
posted by Countess Elena at 5:20 PM on May 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Countess Elena at 5:20 PM on May 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
"Toxic Masculinity Cults" would make a terrible band name but it's a very succinct description for these little groups that keep popping up.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 5:25 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 5:25 PM on May 25, 2018
Looks like he finally moved out today, right before the judge's deadline:
Rotondo planned to spend the next week at an Airbnb in Syracuse. He credited Jones, who has asserted that the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre was a hoax, with providing a $3,000 cheque to cover rental and other costs. Later, he plans on moving in with a distant cousin, the newspaper reported.
What a guy.
posted by randomnity at 3:08 PM on June 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
Rotondo planned to spend the next week at an Airbnb in Syracuse. He credited Jones, who has asserted that the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre was a hoax, with providing a $3,000 cheque to cover rental and other costs. Later, he plans on moving in with a distant cousin, the newspaper reported.
What a guy.
posted by randomnity at 3:08 PM on June 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
from that same link:
[Rotondo] said he called the police, because he believed the boy's Lego blocks were in the basement and his father wouldn't let him look for themposted by scruss at 3:56 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
talk about treating the police as customer service for life
posted by Countess Elena at 3:58 PM on June 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Countess Elena at 3:58 PM on June 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
What sort of fool would let this guy move in? His parents had to go to court to get him to leave, you know he won't be leaving anywhere else easily.
posted by sotonohito at 4:03 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by sotonohito at 4:03 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
What sort of fool would let this guy move in? His parents had to go to court to get him to leave, you know he won't be leaving anywhere else easily.
Oh god I was thinking the same thing about that "distant cousin" who plans to take Sir Moochalot in. He apparently has a poor work history and won't hold down a job, his own parents had to go to the courts to evict him, and he owns guns. That's a great big steaming pile of NOPE right there.
Either the cousin doesn't know much about this guy, or it's a "but faaaaaamily" perceived obligation.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 4:50 AM on June 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
Oh god I was thinking the same thing about that "distant cousin" who plans to take Sir Moochalot in. He apparently has a poor work history and won't hold down a job, his own parents had to go to the courts to evict him, and he owns guns. That's a great big steaming pile of NOPE right there.
Either the cousin doesn't know much about this guy, or it's a "but faaaaaamily" perceived obligation.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 4:50 AM on June 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
I guarantee you this “distant cousin” is another MRA / incel type, probably with guns, probably with a DV beef, and that this living arrangement will also end up badly for at least one of them.
posted by Etrigan at 5:23 AM on June 2, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 5:23 AM on June 2, 2018 [5 favorites]
Either that or the distant cousin is a figment of his imagination. It may be that, after years of voluntarily brokeness, he's going to be forced to get a job, pay his own bills, and pay child support, but he's made up a place he can live for free, because otherwise he has to admit that he has lost this stupid fight.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 6:38 AM on June 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 6:38 AM on June 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
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posted by Dressed to Kill at 5:21 AM on May 23, 2018 [53 favorites]