Patterico's Pontifications

5/3/2015

GoFundMe Suspends Fundraising Account For Baltimore Six

Filed under: General — Dana @ 8:09 am



[guest post by Dana]

It took only 40 minutes for GoFundMe to suspend the fundraising account put up by the police union on behalf of the six officers charged in the Freddie Gray case. The hoped-for funds were expected to help defray legal costs as well as help with living expenses for the officers and their families during their unpaid suspensions.

Asked to comment on the removal of this campaign, a spokeswoman told Vocativ, “GoFundMe cannot be used to benefit those who are charged with serious violations of the law.”

This policy was in place before last week’s revision which now includes “discriminatory acts”.

Except there would appear to be a problem with GoFundMe and consistency:

[W]e found plenty of campaigns that violate the company’s terms of service. We turned up a campaign in Europe that’s already raised $1,500 for Pegida, Germany’s anti-Islamic, neo-fascist movement, as well as one supporting the defense fund of an Idaho man facing felony charges and five years in prison. A New Jersey deli owner is raising money to save his business after he lost customers for hanging up a sign in his storefront that read “Celebrate your white heritage in March, White History Month.” He’s so far banked $1,900.

Further, remember convicted felon, “hot” Jeremy Meeks? When I posted about him, he had recently been arrested and was facing 11 new felony charges, including possession of a “9mm round of ammunition, an unregistered and loaded Springfield Armory.45 caliber XD(M) semi-automatic handgun along with two extended magazines for the firearm and possession of marijuana”, for which he received a two year sentence.

At the time, I wrote:

Jeremy Meeks’ mother set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his legal defense. And, not surprisingly, given the reaction to his mug shot, has raised $3,879 raised by 199 people in 2 days.

Within a few days, that number was well on its way to doubling.

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When asked specifically about the Meeks’ campaign and apparent inconsistencies in adhering to company policy, GoFundMe had no response.

–Dana

UPDATE: Thanks to Dana for getting this important story up so quickly. I think people should spread the message that GoFundMe should be boycotted. If you have a Twitter account, go retweet this:

6/22/2014

On Not Being Like Men

Filed under: General — Dana @ 1:38 pm



[guest post by Dana]

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Can we talk for a moment about how stupid women can be? This is a photo of Jeremy Meeks. Last week, the Stockton Police Department released a mug shot of him on its Facebook page. His photo, along with several others, was posted on behalf of Stockton area law enforcement agencies to help deal with a spike in shootings and robberies in the area. Jeremy Meeks was arrested on felony weapons charges.

When his photo was posted, it immediately went viral. Women went gaga for his chiseled cheekbones, lush lying lips and come-hither criminal eyes. According to some reports, within a short period of time there were more than 33,000 “likes” on Facebook and it now has more than 88,000 several days after the posting.

A sampling of the comments left on the Facebook page were as follows:

“OMG, this man makes women from the world entire to scream!”

“Is it illegal to be that sexy?”

“he can assault me any day”

“He can kidnap me anyday… Hold me against my will lol,”

“oh la la! Bad Boy Bad Boy they’re gonna come for you! I can just see 100’s of women running and screaming after him! Maybe the next Calvin Klein underwear commercial? Briefs-definitely briefs.”

And then they get really ridiculous.

Huffpo writer Jen M.L. had to talk herself off the ledge of lust upon viewing his photo – this after knowing full well that he was a criminal:

I clicked the link and I immediately fell down into the deep blue wells that are Jeremy Meeks’ eyes. Be strong, Jen! I thought. This guy is a dangerous felon, and it’s not just his chiseled cheekbones that make him wanted.

I wasn’t the only one seduced by Jeremy’s soft, full lips.

She then uh, works through the turmoil of finding such a bad boy so attractive:

Jeremy Meeks is a convicted felon who was arrested on felony weapons charges. He had a gun illegally. Sure, even the thought of him holding his gun is kind of hot. But then I imagine him holding it sideways and saying “Sayonara!” before he blows my head off! This guy is no good. He’s a REAL bad boy, not like the ones you read about in your books.

(The writer does go on to make the point that a few days afterward, the memorial service of Stockton police officer Scott Hewell was posted about on the Stockton Police Department Facebook page as well, and the 399 “likes” fell way short of the now 88,000 “likes” on Jeremy Meeks photo.)

At Jezebel, writer Erin Gloria Ryan, breathlessly began her article:

Jeremy Meeks, the hOt CoNvIcT whose mug shot went viral yesterday because on one hand, violent crime is bad, but on the other, OMG THOSE CRYSTAL CLEAR EERILY HOLLOW BLUE EYES, has finally broken his silence and spoken. And, like many hot people facing possible prison terms, he doesn’t really care much that people think he’s attractive. He just wants to get out of jail.

It’s madness. We’ve been driven mad with lust by the image of this symmetrical maybe-reformed felon.

Further, Jeremy Meeks’ mother set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his legal defense. And, not surprisingly, given the reaction to his mug shot, has raised $3,879 raised by 199 people in 2 days. Although there is no way of accurately assessing the gender of contributors, I think it’s a fairly safe guess to say that the majority were women.

With that, I’m happy to see that women continue to rise of above their baser drives unlike the neanderthal, objectifying, sexualizing, women-hating men of the world. Progress!

–Dana

UPDATE: This Meeks’ meme is just getting out of hand. You just never know who will show up next on #FreeJeremyMeeks, #HottieThug, and #FelonCrushFriday…

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–Dana


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