While its hard to argue the fact that the emergence of online fundraising sites have changed the way we view the potential to pay for things we may never have been able to before, GoFundMe, the world’s #1 personal fundraising site, may have crossed a line with this one. Supporters of Darren Wilson, the officer who fired the fatal shots at 18-year-old unarmed teen, Michael Brown, have not only donated thousands of dollars on the fundraising site, but some have even posted racially-charged comments that support their generosity and much to the chagrin of colorofchange.org and others on social media – GoFundMe is making one hell of a profit!
This has people in one serious uproar – and there may be something that you can do about it.
colorofchange.org – an organization designed to “strengthen the political voice” of Black America, is asking you to add your name to a letter (see link below) that demands the fundraising site take the page down and stop “profiting off of racially-motivated donors” who, according to their shocking comments, actually appear to be celebrating the killing.
A campaign in support of Wilson started about a week ago and due to the success of its first page, a second one was started – raising more than $300,000 to date. Of this amount, GoFundMe gets 5% from each donation processed.
If you counted a profit of more than $15,000 – you’d be right.
But it is the comments even more than the money raised that will probably cause your jaw to drop…or not. And GoFundMe, in keeping the page up (yet removing the hateful posts after pressure from Twitter users) appears to be contradicting their own “terms of service,” which states:
[We] prohibit “items that promote hate, violence, racial intolerance, or the financial exploitation of a crime.”
Here’s a few of the comments donors posted on why they are in support of the officer and his actions:
“Waste of good ammo. It’s my privilege to buy you a replacement box.”
“I thank all Police…protecting normal Americans from aggressive and entitled primitive savages.”
“Black people can be their own enemy and I am not white…He was shot 6 times cause the giant wouldn’t stop or die. Evil people don’t die quick”
“Let this ‘GoFundMe’ serve as an example to all cops in America: The general public will support you, especially if you pull the trigger on violent criminal thugs.”
As if simply hiding the comments is enough. In fact, it can potentially do greater harm because it hides the real motivations behind this type of fundraising drive.
Click here to add your nameto the colorofchange.org campaign that demands GoFundMe return the profits and take down the Darren Wilson fundraising pages. It only takes a moment.
According to colorofchange.org the hateful donor comments that support Wilson, “…lowers the social and financial costs of killing Black men and boys. That’s the most insidious impact of this fundraiser. It sends the message that you will be supported in the aftermath of taking Black life.”
People, after all is said and done, the bottom line is this: Change begins with you.
Read more at eurweb.com
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