Ron Paul Love Bomb

[SteveMartin]

OK...I think the problem has been solved...You should be able to contribute at www.ronpaulLOVEbomb.com now, without glitches.

All European Ron Paul Meetup groups were now contacted over the past 10 minutes.

 

[rockwell]

Dear friends and supporters of Ron Paul,

My name is Steve Martin, and I am the Meetup coordinator of Meetup #17 in Aroostook County, Maine. I am one of the earlier supporters of Dr. Paul's run for President, and I think I have stumbled upon an idea that will help the campaign, and also help others, in a number of ways.

Ron Paul supporters have been maligned in certain segments of the press recently because certain folks with despicable anti-Semitic or other racist views have made it known that they support Ron Paul or that they have contributed to his campaign.

The "Ron Paul Love Bomb" project is designed to show that the vast majority of
Ron Paul supporters are loving people who share an interest in helping to shape the future of the country for the benefit of all Americans.

While we certainly understand that donations directly to the campaign are of the highest priority, we believe that this opportunity offers donors who have reached their $2300 limit, and international supporters, a way to contribute in another effective way to the campaign. Of course, all Ron Paul supporters who feel that the message that these donations will send is important may give as well.

We will be collecting funds at www.RonPaulLoveBomb up until December 30th, when we will distribute the funds collected as a "love bomb" to the following 2 charities:

1. The Social & Humanitarian Fund of Chabad-Lubavitch, a prominent Jewish charity
http://lubavitch.com/... .

and...

2. The United Negro College Fund:
http://www.uncf.org/?... .

This will be especially effective timing, as the funds will be distributed just before the Iowa Caucuses and the early primaries begin.

Please do what you can, and spread the word about the Ron Paul Love Bomb far and wide!

For Ron Paul and the Republic,
Steve Martin
[email protected]
207-532-3635

What a pandering and disingenuous- not to mention wasteful- idea.

 

[SteveMartin]

Well, you are certainly welcome to your opinion. If "pandering" gives Europeans and others who truly enjoy helping others the opportunity to do so, than I guess we need to change the definition of "pandering."

 

[constituent]

excellent idea.... oh no, "might make us sound like hippies"... blah.

sounds like all the folks in here at first trash talking all the people saying
we should try to appeal to people in every political party...

calling us commies and what not.

this idea is absolutely golden. if you need any help writing/editing press releases,
advertisements, donation requests, etc. please contact me here or by e-mail.


maybe the charity choices could use some work.... so as to not seem contrived (or to be spun that way)...

perhaps taking a vote would be advantageous?

 

[SteveMartin]

excellent idea.... oh no, "might make us sound like hippies"... blah.

sounds like all the folks in here at first trash talking all the people saying
we should try to appeal to people in every political party...

calling us commies and what not.

this idea is absolutely golden. if you need any help writing/editing press releases,
advertisements, donation requests, etc. please contact me here or by e-mail.


maybe the charity choices could use some work.... so as to not seem contrived (or to be spun that way)...

perhaps taking a vote would be advantageous?

Thanks, Constituent! It does seem that some "RP supporters" join various message boards just to knock other Ron Paul supporters and their ideas.

I have a degree in English and I am a published author, so press releases shouldn't be a problem, but what I really could use are some more ideas as to how to best spread the idea, and also ways to help allay any lingering concerns some may have about it being some kind of scam.

I have given all my contact info, and people can check my bonafides easily at meetup.com, but there may be even more we can do...

 

[SteveMartin]

If this succeeds, we will reap immense advantages for those in need and for the campaign.

I beg of you all, think about it...think hard. Can't you see it??

 

[SteveMartin]

We even have a video now, thanks to Doug Jones of Fredericksburg, VA!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ozPqbzKbA0

 

[Nefertiti]

We are not contributing to that. We are contributing to their relief efforts. The Social & Humanitarian Fund does a ton of good work.

Look, if there is one thing I don't like, if is being lied to and that is exactly what you are doing now. Those two efforts I linked to are part of the "Social and Humanitarian Fund." Don't come here and try and manipulate people into contributing money to a Jewish religious outreach effort through deception. By doing so you are mocking the religious beliefs of everyone who isn't Jewish.

 

[Corydoras]

What are these two charities (which I have never heard of)

Not my business, really, but where did you grow up that you've never heard of them?

 

[LibertyEagle]

I like this idea, but the hypocrisy of Original Intent should be shown for what it is...

trashing every other fundraising effort that would send money to Ron Paul, while supporting this idea that wouldn't send a single penny to Ron Paul. Just an observation... I won't add my own opinion as to the intentions of... Original Intent--just post that for you to make your own judgements.

"Posting privileges under review"

It looks like the mods are wise to your "hidden agenda".

 

[LibertyEagle]

exactly what i was thinking.

if you do want to give a good impression to other demographics as well though you could try and reach ppl who have imminent need such as the flood victims in bangladesh. over 3000 are dead and thousands homeless. i suggest you add a section on your website for the flood victims if you really want to show love.

If you're wanting to impress Republicans, we should help Americans who are in need.

I agree with the other poster too, FWIW, about the name. I wish we could come up with something that sounds a little less like we're reinvented 60s flower children.

I do have a question on this whole thing though. I am more than likely very wrong, but this kinda smacked me like pandering, when I first saw it.

 

[ladyliberty]

Dear friends and supporters of Ron Paul,

My name is Steve Martin, and I am the Meetup coordinator of Meetup #17 in Aroostook County, Maine. I am one of the earlier supporters of Dr. Paul's run for President, and I think I have stumbled upon an idea that will help the campaign, and also help others, in a number of ways.

Ron Paul supporters have been maligned in certain segments of the press recently because certain folks with despicable anti-Semitic or other racist views have made it known that they support Ron Paul or that they have contributed to his campaign.

The "Ron Paul Love Bomb" project is designed to show that the vast majority of
Ron Paul supporters are loving people who share an interest in helping to shape the future of the country for the benefit of all Americans.

While we certainly understand that donations directly to the campaign are of the highest priority, we believe that this opportunity offers donors who have reached their $2300 limit, and international supporters, a way to contribute in another effective way to the campaign. Of course, all Ron Paul supporters who feel that the message that these donations will send is important may give as well.

We will be collecting funds at www.RonPaulLoveBomb up until December 30th, when we will distribute the funds collected as a "love bomb" to the following 2 charities:

1. The Social & Humanitarian Fund of Chabad-Lubavitch, a prominent Jewish charity
http://lubavitch.com/... .

and...

2. The United Negro College Fund:
http://www.uncf.org/?... .

This will be especially effective timing, as the funds will be distributed just before the Iowa Caucuses and the early primaries begin.

Please do what you can, and spread the word about the Ron Paul Love Bomb far and wide!

For Ron Paul and the Republic,
Steve Martin
[email protected]
207-532-3635

Might I suggest that we add homeless shelters in our local areas as part of this Love Bomb campaign? The homeless have come to my attention because they plan to protest at the CNN Debates next week.

 

[SteveMartin]

Listen, if anyone still thinks this is some kind of scam, please give me a call. I will be glad to spend whatever time is necessary to convince you otherwise. My number: 207-532-3635. Or, you can call the NH folks with the official campaign (especially Kate, their press relations person) who know me. Or, you can also call or write the other meetup group coordinators in Maine (#23,#164, #311) who know what I have done prior to this effort.

And how can this be pandering by the campaign, when Ron Paul doesn't even (to my knowledge) know that it's happening?

I have noticed that the loudest belly-aching about the idea seems to be coming from people like "LoveRonPaulCanada" on the Yahoo group who also spout blatant anti-semitic views. Or, like a couple people (recently banned) from the national meetup message boards who were recently discovered to have been white supremacist leaders.

If these are the kinds of people some of you want to side with, you are certainly welcome to do so, but please allow those who disagree and have no other outlet for their financial support a place to do so.

The charities are set. I will see if Lubavitch has any program for the homeless, and if they do, I will see if we can designate a portion of their proceeds to that effort.

 

[Corydoras]

I think it's a stroke of genius to choose a Lubavitcher charity in particular.

::applause::

 

[constituent]

Not my business, really, but where did you grow up that you've never heard of them?

i had never heard of the first one. are you saying there is something wrong w/ where i grew up?

got news for ya, in texas, "thems fightin' words."

 

[Corydoras]

i had never heard of the first one. are you saying there is something wrong w/ where i grew up?

got news for ya, in texas, "thems fightin' words."

No offense intended. I just thought the Lubavitchers were at least as famous as the Old Order Amish, especially since they are much more widely geographically distributed than the Amish, so I was wondering where in the world you could be from that they weren't well known.

 

[constituent]

i was just pullin' your leg man.

enjoy your sunday!

 

[SteveMartin]

Please take a minute to check out this brand new thread on the official Ron Paul meetup message boards. If you weren't convinced of the absolute efficacy of this project before, you should be once you check this out, and read the new hit piece by "American Thinker" linked there:

http://ronpaul.meetup.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=3852177

 

[lastnymleft]

I believe that this effort can only end badly.

What have we got to gain?:

* What will donating en-masse do to counter perceptions/reality that specific followers hold unattractive viewpoints? Will it change the views of those with the unattractive views? Can the donations be in any way linked to those that hold those views? If not, then what does it matter that someone *else* isn't a racist?

* If 99.99% of RP supporters are saints, and accordingly donate, that's still not going to obviate the fact(?) that a very small proportion of RP supporters hold unattractive viewpoints. How are *the public* to tell the proportion of RP supporters that hold unattractive viewpoints? Is it 0.01% or is it 10% or is it 95%? This effort does nothing to clarify such, and is just a smokescreen.

* The Ron Paul grassroots campaign is all about genuineness. Being reactionary to such hit-pieces screams "Fake!" to me.

* Unless you can get those that are seen to hold unattractive viewpoints to donate, then it really is pointless. Some people hold unattractive views, and won't donate; some people hold attractive views, and will donate. So where's the surprise, or change in reality that will come from *some* donating?

* When Ron Paul is elected, it will be with the help of 70-80,000,000 people. That is a very large chunk of the American population. Accordingly, there will be ALL SORTS of people within that 70-80,000,000. It will truly be a cross-section of American society. If there are some with unattractive views within that 70-80,000,000, then that is more a reflection of American society, than it is a reflection on Dr Paul. The "problem" should be solved by addressing it within the broader community, not in any specific subset for which there's no indication that there is a disproportionately higher representation of those with unattractive viewpoints than there is in the general community. That there may be some people with unattractive views within the RP supporters is probably more a reflection of the fact that RP's support is moving up towards the desired 70-80,000,000, and is starting to accurately mirror larger society, as it should.

* For whom did these people vote in 2004? In 2000? In 1996? Unless it is expected that they not vote, or donate, at all, simply because they hold views different to the majority, then we have to expect that some will have voted for Bush, some will have voted for Clinton. Some will have voted for Gore, some will have voted for Kerry. So why make something over some of these people voting for Ron Paul? To reactionarily kowtow to those creating these "hit pieces", diverting our focus from the goal of getting Dr Paul elected, is to fall for their ploy. I believe staying the course is the best bet. We should not be reactionary to the hit pieces. There's no merit to their claims, so they will blow over.

* As per the last paragraph, how many of these people have been *identified*? Any that have it's been purely because they may have been high profile. Does that mean that there aren't such supporters in every other current campaign? Of course not. And where does it stop? Should we be judgemental about people with position X? What about with people 80% of X? 50% of X? Just a 10% X inclination? 1% of X?

From the above, I see no substantive gains to be made from this.

And what have we got to lose?:

* Diversion of funds that would otherwise be spent getting RP elected.

* Possible negative publicity/derision for being "stingey" (or - WORSE - _racists_), if the "love bomb" generates only a little cash - a definite possibility when using contentious charities that e.g. fund the proselytizing of one particular religion. Thisnovember5th set a high bar. All future donation events will be measured against it.

Given the apparent lack of positives from this effort, why paint ourselves into a corner from which there is no viable "winning" exit strategy? (Gee, sound familiar?)

The best way to fight these spurious claims is by getting people to listen to the purity of the message of Dr Paul himself, and with endorsements from groups such as JewsForThePreservationofFirearmOwnership, and jewsforRonPaul, and the fact that polls show Dr Paul is the leading candidate amongst blacks.

I would suggest, if you want to show that Ron Paul supporters are caring, go volunteer at a soup kitchen, wearing a Ron Paul T-shirt and/or button.

That's my opinion. BUT, it's a free market, so let the market decide.

 

[SteveMartin]

And what have we got to lose?:

* Diversion of funds that would otherwise be spent getting RP elected.

* Possible negative publicity/derision for being "stingey" (or - WORSE - _racists_), if the "love bomb" generates only a little cash - a definite possibility when using contentious charities that e.g. fund the proselytizing of one particular religion. Thisnovember5th set a high bar. All future donation events will be measured against it.

Given the apparent lack of positives from this effort, why paint ourselves into a corner from which there is no viable "winning" exit strategy? (Gee, sound familiar?)

The best way to fight these spurious claims is by getting people to listen to the purity of the message of Dr Paul himself, and with endorsements from groups such as JewsForThePreservationofFirearmOwnership, and jewsforRonPaul, and the fact that polls show Dr Paul is the leading candidate amongst blacks.

1. NO...again, this is primarily an avenue for those who have no other outlet for donations, i.e. foreign supporters of RP and those who have maxed out their $2300 donation limit. It is NOT a diversion of funds which I have made clear countless times and in countless ways.

2. Well, let's promote it so this doesn't happen. And, even a few thousand is a donation these worthy charities would not have received otherwise. This has no connection to the November 5th or December 16th events and is designed for an entirely different purpose and directed at a totally different audience.

I agree there may be some risk in doing poorly, but that will be up to the market to decide, as was stated by others. Posting negativity like this towards the project can certainly have that affect.

Please remain neutral. Again, if you do not see the merits in the idea, you need do nothing to support it. Tearing it down CAN, however, help bring about some of the gloomier possibilities you've mentioned.