Thank You Ann Coulter

Written by: Lynn Worpenberg on Sep 7, 2007 10:16 AM EDT

Have you heard about the “Thanks Ann Coulter”, event organized by Equality Ohio, Progress Ohio, and People for the American Way in Cincinnati, Ohio?  When these organizations heard that Ann Coulter would be speaking at Xavier University at the invitation of the Xavier Republicans, they decided to try to find a way to turn something negative into a positive.  As Brian Rothenberg of Progress Ohio said “When someone like Ann Coulter brings a message of division to Ohio, we want to empower people to look for the common good in all of us, and the last time I checked you can’t fight fire with fire; you fight fire with water.”

So they started a month long effort to raise $20,000 (the cost of a Coulter appearance and about $5 per Xavier student) for progressive student groups working for the causes Coulter regularly bashes.  That’s when I got an email from Bo Shuff of Equality Ohio asking Democracy for Cincinnati to cosponsor this event.  Of course I agreed, and immediately started sending emails and posting messages, asking people to donate just $5 to this effort. 

Then, on September 6, the date of Coulter’s visit, I was privileged to participate in the “Thank You Ann Coulter” counter event about a block from where she spoke.  When the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus Quartet opened the evening with the National anthem, we had a crowd of over 200 very diverse people!   That crowd listened enthusiastically as the organizers announced that we had raised $28,700 in just one month with donations averaging $5.  What an amazing accomplishment!  Thank You Ann Coulter!  Next the cosponsors introduced the grateful leaders of the student organizations receiving the donations.  I was able to speak briefly about DFA and DFC before introducing Chris Hartman representing Voices of Solidarity, an organization that focuses on peace issues in Latin America and commits itself to being a voice for the voiceless.  A very deserving organization and, like all the others, one that would probably not be at the top of Ann’s A-List.

I’m sharing this today not only because I wanted you to know what a great time I had, but also because this was such a wonderful and simple idea that had a huge impact.  I want to thank Bo Shuff and all the organizers for stepping outside the box and coming up with a new way to respond to events like this one.  Let’s all keep thinking and sharing as we work to take our country back!

Lynn in Cincinnati

Photo’s, compliments of Equality Ohio, are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/equalityohio/

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