For those interested, the address of the Topeka paper is:
Topeka Capital-Journal
616 SE Jefferson
Topeka, Kansas 66607
A list of email contacts for different departments at the paper may be found here:
If he were to remove his hit counter, we can always go back to the original idea of a donation for each new addition to his page. If he stops updating his page, then we’ve won.
Esprix, did you accept or what?
Consider me accepting the Lib challenge.
I see someone else has already volunteered for treasurer, and Esprix has been drafted as President (fine choice); let me know what you would need of me money/time wise.
I unfortunately cannot contribute any time for leadership as much as I would like to, especially since I will be out of the country for three weeks in November. But I will gladly be an ongoing contributor of money for this effort.
I don’t dislike Baker’s idea, but I think a concerted effort concentrating on a few select organizations would make more impact. May I humbly suggest three:
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amFAR)
the National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors
These three organizations combat everything that Phelps stands for: they fight defamation of homosexuals, provide research for AIDS treatment, and provide health care for AIDS sufferers. I would suggest that all money be divided between these three groups, either split equally each time or on a rotating basis.
Count me in.
I do worry about using his counter as a guide for anything. I understand that most counters can be fudged, reset, or set to any number, and I don’t think we can trust ol’ Freddy to not cheat. Just something to think about.
Ok, I like the godoesnthate.com. I would register it myself and pay for it, but I am laid up and unable to work for a month or so, so money is tight. I would be glad to do anything to help that I can.
I think gearing donatioins off of additions to his web site would be best. The hit counter can be screwed with, and he has no controll over how many people he gets. But if he knows that each addition/update he does to his page screws him a little more, Its gotta bug him a bit.
Add me to the list of those willing to help.
I do some web design, and I have a freeservers account that I’m not using at all right now that we can use for space if we need it. I’m also a student at a Lutheran University in CA, and my roommate is a Journalism instructor who has connections (I think) to the Los Angeles Times.
FTR, I like goddoesnthate.com too.
I’ve developed a database to help Esprix organize the effort. You can access the data here:
Bookmark and refresh often. I’m entering the data live as I see the offers being posted here.
Those who have pledged money, please indicate an amount. If you prefer not to do that on the board, contact a moderator. I hereby give them blanket permission to forward the information to me. (Be sure to indicate the user name.)
Instead of elton john’s aids foundation how bout naming a few other organizations besides those that are political in nature, ACLU, etc.
Ones that actually help fund for disease research, etc.
Also, maybe split the money between a few organizations, preferably ones that don’ spend alot on advertising, meanig more of the money goes to actually fund research.
Maybe adding something like “feed the children” and red cross to the list of non profits that benefit from the proceeds.
Also i have the ability to do the webpages necessary for the organization you want to start. I suggest purchasing a domain name instead of people having to go to
you get my point
it ads an air of, well professionalism, having your own domain name.
Also I would like to make the point, how much are you willing to put on advertising?
For people to find the site, they have to know about it.
Some search engines charge money for placement, etc.
Did you see Phil’s post? He made 3 excellent recommendations, wouldn’t you agree?
Since currently no one in my house is working, I will donate what I can when I can.
I would offer to do more but I know how unorganized I am.
Thanks, Arden. Your offer’s in the database now.
Oops! I meant to show my new sig!
I heartily approve of everyone’s enthusiasm… such a show of good will is appreciated BUT (really wish I didn’t have to include a but in this thread) has anyone given thought to the fact that this is going to generate precisely the kind of media coverage that bastard thrives on?
He is insane, and in his warped world the old saw “any attention is good attention” applies more than it would to a normal person. I fear that by doing what you are suggesting, you are going to nourish his insanity. Now, if the idea is simply to raise funds and do good, you are on the right track, but if you thinking you are going to give him even a moment of doubt about what he says and does, you are deluding yourself…
If you are really interested in doing something that would annoy him, strike back as it were, you are going to have to take the twisted route of initially generating more publicity than he already gets, but turning around its emphasis 180 degrees.
The rat bastard is always issuing proclamations about how he and his band of loonies is going to picket events or places. His proclamations are somehow considered newsworthy, and give him the publicity he desires. What is fascinating is how often he and his followers are complete no-shows… but that (if covered at all) is always played up less in the media. What is needed is a lobbying effort on the media to not only make note of this, but to ignore his original proclamation in the first place… to only report on his no-shows… The story is that not only is he a crazy rat bastard, but that he is a cowardly crazy rat bastard.
If you decide to go through with what you have been talking about though, you have my best wishes, I just quibble about the strategy.
I like pldennison’s choices of organizations. Someone should call them, speak to either the director of development, the PR director, or the gifts manager, and explain what we’re doing and why. (“Hi, I’m calling on behalf of FredLovesFags (or whatever), which is a new internet organization set up to ensure that Fred Phelps’ hateful words turn directly into good deeds. To that end, we are going to be donating money [in Fred’s name?] for [every mod to his website, every hit on his counter] to major charities fighting gay and lesbian defamation and AIDS. Would you be interested in being one of our charities? We would like to be able to name your organization in our press releases and link to your website on our own.”) Something like that.
Also, I can easily write a basic press release (unless we have a true PR person on board) that we can use, with minor modifications, both to send to news outlets and to interested parties.
Esprix, would you like me to start looking at what it would take to get non-profit status, or would you rather do that? I warn you, it will be hard; I’ve been involved with two NPOs during or right after they got NPO status, and it takes a lot of work. It is also very much worth it.
Incidentally, I do like bagkitty’s idea of keeping an eye on what he does and publicizing his no-shows just as much as his presence always is; since we’ll be monitoring his website anyway, it should be fairly easy (assuming he posts the info there) to check to see where he’s claiming he’ll be, and then call that place to see if he’s actually been there.
I think we can probably get free banner space on some of the gay rights websites once someone has writes up a nice letter explaining what we’re doing.
Fuck it, I’m in. $250 towards the cause when this gets off the ground.
AND I’ll think it would be a good idea to have BOTH the counter/post dollar thing and to encourage people to make private donations in Fred’s name to various worthy causes. It’s best he knows it.
Um. heh heh heh
I just thought how much joy he’d get out of having a hundred sent to ACT UP. Are they still around?
Ooo…
I may have to do that.
And I don’t feel a need to mask myself here. Put me on Fight Hate site as Nate Wooley. That’s my name and dammit I’m proud to fight the good fight.
I’m in. I can’t take a firm stance moneywise right now. I’ll contribute, but I don’t know how much I can afford. If any manpower is still needed, I can copy edit and write. I’ve done press releases in the past. I spent the summer as a PR intern for a charity on Long Island primarily interested in funding efforts for kids with AIDS, so I might be able to dredge up some contacts from there if any of them might be useful.