MLK Money Bomb Raises More Than $1.1 Million For Ron Paul
The Free At Last fundraiser may not have raised as much as prior money bombs for the Paul campaign, but it wasn't the dud many critics thought it would be. by Walt Thiessen
(libertarian)
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Jonathan Bydlak, fundraising director for the Ron Paul 2008 campaign said yesterday evening at around 7 PM, "We've just passed $1,100,000 raised for the day, representing donations from over 14,000 people, including more than 3,500 first-time donors!"
"It is especially fitting that we take the time to reflect on one man’s struggles to defend our Constitutional freedoms during this primary election season. January 15 was the birthday of the great freedom fighter, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and on Monday, we honor him nationwide for his sacrifice and love of liberty for all people.
"To me, the timing is more than a coincidence. The American people, regardless of color or creed, have the opportunity to choose a candidate who will uplift the ideals for which Dr. King fought—and died.
"The fight for freedom—the preservation of our civil rights—is the fight of our lives. Sadly, after Dr. King’s passing we are faced with a violation of our civil rights in the same vein as Jim Crow: The Patriot Act. I have stood against this and all unconstitutional violations of American’s civil rights, and will continue Dr. King’s charge as President.
"Dr. King would be disappointed in our current administration for more than its continued disregard for civil rights, as he stated ‘a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.’ We need to change our interventionist foreign policy, and take care of our brothers and sisters at home. Our nation is in a crisis: we are spending billions on war overseas while those around us are suffering and losing jobs, homes, and hope. It is inexcusable; we must solve the economic crisis at home and bring hope to America.
"Dr. King’s heroic actions should resonate with us today, as we recognize that our votes strengthen the fight for our civil rights. Liberty is the true antidote to racism, and freedom-- limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights—can uplift us all."
Critics' claims to the contrary, Ron Paul is committed to protecting the rights of all Americans, and the financial response he received yesterday particularly from first-time donors is a reflection of this truth. In a presidential primary season, opposition mudslinging is aimed at undermining and even destroying the reputation of candidates simply because their opponents oppose them. This is true for all candidacies. When a candidate succeeds in brushing aside false or misleading accusations and focusing instead on statements that unite rather than divide us, his actions are a testimony to his integrity and his positive priorities. It is no surprise that people will respond to it. That's precisely what Ron Paul has done over the past couple of weeks, and the public responded yesterday. Nothing says "support" like financial support, and when average Americans with meager resources speak by giving what little they can out of their pocketbooks (under $80 per donor on average) on a day that remembers a giant in American history, there can be no mistaking the meaning of such activity.
It takes a man of real integrity to refuse to roll around in the mud with the mudslingers. They can throw all the mud that they want, but it doesn't do them any good if their target refuses to acknowledge their presence.
I don't agree with everything that Martin Luther King Jr. wrote and said, but I applaud his willingness to do what he could and did do for "people of color." King had some terrific contributions to make to America, and it is a tragedy that his life was cut short in his pursuit of his dream. Yet even though his life was shortened, his contributions were still extensive and have profoundly affected the American culture.
Dr. Paul is absolutely correct when he states that, "Dr. King would be disappointed in our current administration for more than its continued disregard for civil rights...." King would have been horrified by the way that Muslim Americans have been targeted in this country for simply being Muslim Americans, and his horror would have extended in favor of the entire population. The legalized tapping of phones and internet usage, the creation of no-fly lists that prevent hundreds of thousands of peaceful people who are threats to no one from flying on a commercial airliner without legal recourse, the creation of a national ID that is designed to eventually eliminate all privacy in this country....these (and more) are all situations that King would have been horrified by.
The fact that in the face of calumny and infamous charges Dr. Paul is able to turn ugliness into decency speaks volumes about him. It is therefore no surprise that his campaign has become the focal point of a new revolution.
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Just a small correction here. The fundraiser yesterday netted $1.9 million. It started with $1.365 million Qtd and ended with $2.262 million and change. Thanks for the article.
Wait a second. The Money Bomb graph shows that Paul raised about $1.7 million. Are you now saying that that's incorrect, and the actual number is $1.1 million?
Someone's lying here. I tend to think it's the ones pushing the higher number. If so, that doesn't reflect very well on the Ron Paul "movement."
Eric,
Well, unless you were actually there, keeping track of the numbers/progress, I wouldn't be so quick to presume the worst. (But then, your object was not the truth, but to attack.)
The total yesterday was $1.849 million. The numbers various sources might report, however is dependent on when they last checked the numbers. If that was before midnight ET, the number will be less than the final tally.
Posted By: Walt Thiessen
Date: 2008-01-22 09:12:58
Please read the article more carefully. I was quoting the Ron Paul campaign's fundraising director in a statement he made at roughly 7 PM Monday evening. Obviously, that left around five more hours for fundraising to continue. This is why I specified that the campaign raised more than $1.1 million.
Perennial wannabe-journalist Eric Dondero strikes again. This so-called "movement" is a force to be reckoned with. People are waking up to the horror of perpetual war, empire building and inflation-causing deficits.
Yesterday's Money Bomb was asking for a minimum of $10 for Ron Paul's campaign. It was not meant to be the biggest. It was a show of solidarity with MLK's vision of freedom and peace. I'm saving my money for the next big one! Go Ron Paul!
