Rick Warren Raises Thousands of Dollars for LGBT Equality at Obama’s Inauguration

That could be the headline on newspapers across the country the day after President-elect Obama’s inauguration.

Driving Equality is hosting a Rick-A-Thon to turn Rick Warren’s anti-equality stance into positive change for LGBT people. Every second that Warren stands at the podium, he will be raising money to advance LGBT civil rights. (Pledge Online)

Rick Warren, a staunch opponent of equal rights for LGBT people, has used his pulpit to spread lies about LGBT families and to raise money for anti-gay legislation, such as proposition 8, which stripped equal marriage rights away from same-sex couples. When Warren takes the stage on Inauguration Day, however, he will be raising thousands of dollars to advance LGBT equality across the country.

Rick Warren’s invocation will not last longer than a couple minutes. You can pledge any amount you chose, whether it be $0.05, $0.10, $0.25, or even $1 for every second he speaks. You can even pledge a flat rate for the entire time he is at the podium. We will be displaying signs around Washington D.C. on Inauguration Day, tallying how much money Warren has raised for LGBT equality. We will make sure that everyone knows exactly how much money Rick Warren is raising for LGBT civil rights.

We are using Warren’s own bigotry to raise funds for a good cause, one that will help counter the lies that are being spread about LGBT people. Donations will go to Driving Equality, a 100-day trek across America, through all of the lower 48 states, to advance LGBT equality.

Phelps-A-Thon a Huge Success!

The Phelps-A-Thon was a huge success! We raised over $4,500 for Driving Equality! We collected $755 of that during the 45 minutes we were on the street counter-protesting the Phelps clan. Seventy-five people showed up to support the Phelps-A-Thon and to say no to hate. Everyone cheered as we updated the sign every five minutes, tallying the amount raised by the Phelps-A-Thon. People walking by handed us $5, $10, $20 bills. Someone wrote a check for $250 on the spot. It was incredible!

See the photos here.

Watch the videos here.

Congratulations to everyone that made the Phelps-A-Thon a success! We collected donations from over 100 people all over the country. A few days ago I received a letter from a woman in a small town in Montana. She thanked me for turning Phelps' message of hate into one of positive change for LGBT people. She included a check for $10 as a contribution to the Phelps-A-Thon.

It is not too late to make a contribution to the Phelps-A-Thon. I am sending Fred "God Hates Fags" Phelps a card, telling him how much he raised for LGBT equality. Make a donation today and your amount will be included on that card.

Thank you!

"GOD HATES FAGS" in Boston

Fred Phelps' clan is coming to Boston! The "God Hates Fags" Westboro Baptist Church is coming to picket the Laramie Project at the Boston Center for the Arts. Fred Phelps and his group travel all across the United States spreading their message of hate. When the group comes to Boston, however, they will be helping to drive equality across America.

Driving Equality is hosting a Phelps-A-Thon to counter Fred Phelps' hateful message. For every minute the "God Hates Fags" clan is protesting, we will be collecting donations for Driving Equality, a 85-day trek across America to all of the lower 48 states to advance LGBT equality. (Pledge Online)

The Phelps clan will be protesting in front of the Boston Center for the Arts Black Box Theatre from 7:15 PM to 8:00 PM on December 12th. You can pledge any amount you chose, whether it be $0.25, $1, $2, or even $5 for every minute they protest. You can even pledge a flat rate for the entire time the group will be demonstrating. (Pledge Online)

The point of this Phelps-A-Thon is two fold. First, we are using Phelps' own hateful message to raise funds for a good cause, one that will help counter the lies that are being spread about LGBT people. Second, we will be displaying a sign in front of the "God Hates Fags" clan tallying how much money they have helped raise for LGBT equality. This will certainly upset the group and it is possible that they will leave early to stop our fundraising.

On the "God Hates Fags" website, Phelps has this to say about the upcoming protest in Boston:

BCA Black Box Theatre - God Sent Matt 2 Hell! 527-551 Tremont Street. Matt is in Hell! Deal with it. Just read Romans 1, and see him and you in those words, and finally this: Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have in them that do them. AMEN!

We can turn these hateful words into positive change. Help Drive Equality Across America.