Pledge Donations for every minute Phelps pickets

[juslikagrzly]

I posted this in another thread, but it's such a GREAT idea I thought it needed its own thread. If all Phelps' targets would set up something like this, it would completely turn his world upside down. It's one of the best ideas I've seen for constructively responding to this hate-filled psycho.

Link Here

ANN ARBOR, MI - When the Reverend Fred Phelps came to town, the gay community here decided not to get mad.  They decided to get rich.

Among the Ann Arbor locales the Kansas-based Phelps and his band elected to picket was the /aut/ BAR, a gay-owned restaurant, bar and community gathering place.  When co-owner Keith Orr heard that his establishment was being targeted, he wanted to respond constructively.  He and his partner, Martin Contreras, did not want to promote a counter-demonstration, feeling that Phelps gains the most attention – and hence is most effective – when he provokes anger and outrage from his opponents.  Rather, Orr decided to use his Phelps visit to the community’s advantage.

Phelps’s plans to picket the bar came to light only two days prior to his scheduled February 17, 2001 demonstration.  With little time, Orr used the Internet to organize a unique fundraising scheme.  In an email message to customers, supporters, and friends, he proposed that people pledge money to the Washtenaw Rainbow Action Project (WRAP), a local gay advocacy group and community center, for every minute that Phelps picketed the bar.  In this way, Orr explained, the longer Phelps stayed to spew hate, the more money he would raise for WRAP.  He and Contreras kicked off the drive by pledging $1 per minute. 

<snip>

“When I began the pledge drive I wasn’t necessarily expecting anything big,” Orr said.  “I just wanted to give people an opportunity to turn Phelps’s message of hate into something positive for our community.”  Even so, the size and speed of the response surprised him.  “Normally a fundraising event of this magnitude takes months of planning and a lot of up-front costs.  In 48 hours we raised over $6000 without spending a dime.  I was astonished.” 

[prodigal_green]

1. awesome idea!

God, this could be used in so many circumstances. A dollar for every counter-protestor at a women's reproductive rights rally, a dollar to the ACLU for every hour ten commandments nuts sit outside a courthouse, etc.

[calimary]

5. I hope it is. It's a great idea.

Wonder how many other groups know about this?

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Absolutely genius.... using their own hate against them

Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful

[MnFats]

3. this happened feb. 17, 2001?

why are we just hearing about it now?
I do like the idea, but......

[juslikagrzly]

12. I just got the email from an activist friend

the other day, so don't know about the "when". Even if it was a few years ago, it's a great idea.

[progressoid]

4. cool!

[MooPie]

6. This is actually very effective.

Here in Orlando a few years ago we had pledge a picket where we got people to pledge a dime or whatever for every anti-abortionist who showed up outside a certain clinic on Saturdays. All of the money would be donated to a local organization that funds abortions for women in need. While they stood there we would go over, show the pledge sheets to them and thank them for providing funding for abortions. It drove them nuts. The first Saturday of every month was always great because one of the Catholic Churches would bring a bus load of people to say the rosary for around 2 hours. The entire time we would total up how much they helped us raise and thank them profusely. I eventually got condemned to hell, blah blah blah, etc., but it was worth it to see their angry confused faces.

[BigBearJohn]

7. FANTASTIC! We need more people like this in the Democratic party!!!!!

It's called

"creative"

problem-solving!!

[donheld]

8. It really is a grand idea

I hope Will Pitt and some others broadcast this idea far and wide.

[Paradise]

9. Excellent! :) n/t

[Rush1184]

10. Genius!

[Mz Pip]

11. It happened here

I was working a booth for the re-election Barbara Lee at a street fair. Some fundie nut jobs with huge signs protesting gay rights and anti-Barbara Lee messages were cruising the street fair. These Neanderthals pissed off so many people that we got people coming and donating to the campaign at our booth just because of these creeps.

The Neanderthals in t-shirts came up to the booth and asked me if I supported gay marriage and when I said that I personally ( I had no idea what my candidate supported) had no problem with it they went on about the Bible and a culture war. They sort of got themselves twisted up in knots when I thanked them for making such a splashy appearance at our street fair because we got so many donations in support of Barbara Lee's re-election campaign.

These guys gave us terrific publicity. They had middle school kids following them and harrassing them. It was a truly sweet moment. I think Barbara Lee won with about 90% of the vote.
But then life in the Bluest section of a very Blue state is pretty sweet anyway.

(No offense to Neanderthals meant)

So I think it's cool when we use these people to raise money for our side. IT makes them nuts and that alone is good enough for me.


Mz Pip
:dem:

[ProgressiveConn]

13. Planned Parenthood does this in some states.

They put a big sign where the protesters stand that says something like "Even our protesters support Planned Parenthood, donations made for every protester."

I think its the greatest idea ever.

[MuseRider]

14. We did this

with our symphony. They are out front for every concert and our audience has to walk through them. We made a little money but Fred got in on the act and they stayed longer to help us out. It was very odd, difficult to manage so we have not done it again. It almost felt like we legitimized him in some way. I am not sure of the details since I was off the board at that time.