The ACLU has put up a page for donations to the Bowling Green Massacre Victims Fund.

[kpete]

(Donate link goes to ACLU donation page.)

We all still carry the vivid memories of what horrors occurred at Bowling Green, but some still relive those moments everyday as they work to rebuild a community torn apart.

DONATE

Join us in directly supporting the victims and families directly affected by the Bowling Green Massacre by donating to the Bowling Green Massacre Victims Fund.

Make a Donation ?
WE SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER

As we join together with our thoughts and prayers, we will always remember how our fortitude and compassion unite us all through these difficult times.

MORE:
https://www.bowlinggreenmassacrefund.com/

[bigtree]

1. k&r

...world-class trolling.

[workinclasszero]

4. Love it!

[unblock]

2. isn't this just fraud?

i mean i appreciate the obvious trolling aspect, but if any organization, even one as worthy as the aclu, takes money on this kind of pretense, it's fraud, no?

[bigtree]

3. I'd refer people questioning this to the White House

...actual legalities aside.

[madaboutharry]

5. The link clearly directs donations

to the ACLU website.

[unblock]

12. yes, that would make them the beneficiary of the fraud

you're not allowed to solicit funds under false pretenses.

i'm all for trolling and calling out this administration's lies, but they can't just piggy-back on their lies, they have to actually make it clear that it was a lie.

[bucolic_frolic]

17. #fakefraud

no worries

[mac56]

14. If anyone knows what is and isn't allowed, it's the ACLU.

[logosoco]

18. I think it is a clever ploy

but I wish they were explaining more about the technicalities of why Conway misspoke. I am pretty sure i remember reading something about the Obama administration actually had physical evidence that led to that ban. This is a big difference with the tRump ban that he pretty much pulled from his ass.

( all in all , these bans are not effective because no one can predict human behavior and when they try they are doing a lot of stomping over civil rights in the process)

[-Steph-]

19. If you click the donate button, it takes you to the aclu website.

[hatrack]

20. No, click on the button and it takes you to the ACLU donation page

.

[unblock]

27. how is this not fraud?

if you don't know the backstory from outside sources, you don't know what's going on and think that donating to the aclu somehow helps or honors victims of the "bowling green massacre".

i think the aclu needs to insert something that clarifies that the "bowling green massacre" was something the administration made up and please donate to the aclu so they can prevent the administration from stomping on our civil liberties.

i have not problem with the concept of trolling conway's lie, but the aclu needs to clarify so that it's not just profiting off the same lie.

[treestar]

41. Is anyone dumb enough not to notice the ACLU

page and also dumb enough to think it is for victims of the non-existent massacre, at all likely to donate anything to the ACLU? You seem to be discussing a right winger so dumb they believe there are victims of said massacre, seeing this page and thinking their money is going to the victims and not noticing the ALCU is doing it. If that happens, let them sue for fraud. If they can figure out how.

[unblock]

46. this is not cool

when talking about fraud, it's not at all cool to be talking about how dumb the victims may be.

in any event, i disagree that you have to be a right-wing and/or dumb to be taken in by this.

there are plenty of apolitical, kind-hearted people who often donate to heartwarming appeals such as victims funds.

there are also plenty of people who might know full well what the aclu usually does and thing, huh, how nice of them to also run a victims fund.

[treestar]

50. the law still has some standard though

about a reasonable person. Otherwise, people could claim to be defrauded when they weren't defrauded, but just not paying attention.
Or even in bad faith just trying not to pay, as in Orange Idiot saying he didn't pay because "I didn't think they did a good job." People in bad faith claiming to be defrauded when they just don't want to pay.

[Richard D]

26. #alt-fraud

[csziggy]

28. No, the "Donate" button directs to an ACLU page then there is another click to donate

Before a donation is actually made, there is an information page that makes it CLEAR the money is going to the ACLU:

Become a Freedom Fighter — Join the ACLU

ACLU Supporters
Over 750,000 people support the ACLU.

People across the country are coming together to stand up for what they believe is right. Take your stand—help us as we:

Defend free speech and the right to protest
Fight relentless attacks on reproductive freedom
Reform our racially-biased criminal justice system
https://action.aclu.org/donate-aclu

If the link from the Bowling Green Massacre Victims Fund went straight to a page to take donations without any explanation, that would be fraud. As it is set up, the recipient of the
donations is made clear BEFORE any donation is accepted.

Donors would have to be pretty thick to not notice the big banner for the ACLU at the top of the donations page. But then, "These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons."

[unblock]

31. that last part is the problem.

and that's the problem with fraud; often you have to be an idiot not to realize it's fraud, but that doesn't mean it's not fraud.

there are plenty of people who don't know what the aclu is or wouldn't know that they're not a likely organization to be raising money for the families of the victims of some "massacre", but it's on them to make it clear.

i think they should spell out that the "massacre" is a work of fiction on the part of the administration.

[Pacifist Patriot]

37. There is a statement on the donation page that clearly spells out their mission.

Anyone interested in donating would receive that information prior to submitting payment.

If someone donates without realizing the truth when the information is readily available, then that is their error and not due to actions on the part of the ACLU. Therefore it isn't fraud.

I get what you're saying, and I too wish they would state it explicitly. But not doing so does not render this fraud. You're arguing ethics/morality when fraud is a legal term.

[Hekate]

39. You might suggest to the ACLU that they add a caveat: "This is parody"

Visit the site and see if they have a disclaimer. Click the comments button. Share your concerns.

It's very kind of you to be so concerned.

[treestar]

42. there's going to be some standard about

a reasonable person. Fraud law would not protect absolute idiots, who can't see what is before their eyes.

[csziggy]

45. Since it is CLEARLY spelled out where the money is going to, there is no case

You cannot protect stupid people from their own stupidity.

The information on the donation page states explicitly what the ACLU does and that the money is going to them, not to a Bowling Green Massacre Victims Fund.

The other part - there is no proof that the ACLU put up the Bowling Green Massacre Victims Fund website - the domain is registered through a privacy organization so we don't know who purchased that domain name and put up the site.

Domain Name: BOWLINGGREENMASSACREFUND.COM
Registry Domain ID: 2095031480_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.tucows.com
Registrar URL: http://tucowsdomains.com
Updated Date: 2017-02-03T05:05:33Z
Creation Date: 2017-02-03T05:05:32Z
Registrar Registration Expiration Date: 2018-02-03T05:05:32Z
Registrar: TUCOWS, INC.
Registrar IANA ID: 69
Reseller: Squarespace
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited
Domain Status: clientUpdateProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientUpdateProhibited
Registry Registrant ID:
Registrant Name: Contact Privacy Inc. Customer 0147279106
Registrant Organization: Contact Privacy Inc. Customer 0147279106
Registrant Street: 96 Mowat Ave
Registrant City: Toronto
Registrant State/Province: ON
Registrant Postal Code: M6K 3M1
Registrant Country: CA
Registrant Phone: [phone]
Registrant Phone Ext:
Registrant Fax:
Registrant Fax Ext:
Registrant Email: [e-mail]
Registry Admin ID:
Admin Name: Contact Privacy Inc. Customer 0147279106
Admin Organization: Contact Privacy Inc. Customer 0147279106
Admin Street: 96 Mowat Ave
Admin City: Toronto
Admin State/Province: ON
Admin Postal Code: M6K 3M1
Admin Country: CA
Admin Phone: [phone]
Admin Phone Ext:
Admin Fax:
Admin Fax Ext:
Admin Email: [e-mail]
Registry Tech ID:
Tech Name: Contact Privacy Inc. Customer 0147279106
Tech Organization: Contact Privacy Inc. Customer 0147279106
Tech Street: 96 Mowat Ave
Tech City: Toronto
Tech State/Province: ON
Tech Postal Code: M6K 3M1
Tech Country: CA
Tech Phone: [phone]
Tech Phone Ext:
Tech Fax:
Tech Fax Ext:
Tech Email: [e-mail]
Name Server: DNS1.P06.NSONE.NET
Name Server: DNS2.P06.NSONE.NET
Name Server: DNS3.P06.NSONE.NET
Name Server: DNS4.P06.NSONE.NET
DNSSEC: unsigned
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: [e-mail]
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: [phone]
URL of the ICANN WHOIS Data Problem Reporting System: http://wdprs.internic.net/
>>> Last update of WHOIS database: 2017-02-03T05:05:33Z <<<

On the other hand, the ACLU website clearly states who the owner of the domain name is with no obfuscation:

Domain Name: ACLU.ORG
Registry Domain ID: D4291105-LROR
Registrar WHOIS Server:
Registrar URL: http://www.networksolutions.com
Updated Date: 2014-04-18T14:55:57Z
Creation Date: 1991-07-01T04:00:00Z
Registrar Registration Expiration Date: 2017-06-30T04:00:00Z
Registrar: Network Solutions, LLC
Registrar IANA ID: 2
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited
Registry Registrant ID: 16863197-NSI
Registrant Name: ACLU
Registrant Organization: ACLU
Registrant Street: 125 BROAD ST
Registrant City: New York
Registrant State/Province: NY
Registrant Postal Code: 10004-2400
Registrant Country: US
Registrant Phone: [phone]
Registrant Phone Ext:
Registrant Fax:
Registrant Fax Ext:
Registrant Email: [e-mail]
Registry Admin ID: 16863196-NSI
Admin Name: Sean Healy
Admin Organization: ACLU
Admin Street: 125 Broad Street
Admin City: New York
Admin State/Province: NY
Admin Postal Code: 10004
Admin Country: US
Admin Phone: [phone]
Admin Phone Ext:
Admin Fax:
Admin Fax Ext:
Admin Email: [e-mail]
Registry Tech ID: 16863196-NSI
Tech Name: Sean Healy
Tech Organization: ACLU
Tech Street: 125 Broad Street
Tech City: New York
Tech State/Province: NY
Tech Postal Code: 10004
Tech Country: US
Tech Phone: [phone]
Tech Phone Ext:
Tech Fax:
Tech Fax Ext:
Tech Email: [e-mail]
Name Server: PDNS83.ULTRADNS.ORG
Name Server: PDNS83.ULTRADNS.COM
Name Server: PDNS83.ULTRADNS.NET
Name Server: PDNS83.ULTRADNS.BIZ
DNSSEC: unsigned

Both sets of information are from https://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index-res.jsp

ANYONE can redirect a link to the ACLU or any other organization. I doubt the ACLU did this. Someone else is more likely to have set this up and decided to direct people to the ACLU donation page.

There is no way for the ACLU to stop links like this, and why should they?

[unblock]

48. fair point as to ownership of the landing site.

not sure what the protocol is if a non-profit receives donations directed to it improperly.

generally, they wouldn't know or care. perhaps all the aclu would have to do it refund any donations should they receive complaints about this, and i can't imagine them getting too many of those.

[Pacifist Patriot]

34. No, it is not.

If you were able to process payment without being directed to the "Donate to the ACLU" page, then it would be fraud. However, the way it is set up, you cannot enter any payment information until the true recipient is clearly and obviously identified. This does not constitute fraud in any way.

[unblock]

38. it's not enough to clarify the true recipient.

concealing the true recipient would be a different kind of fraud.

it also needs to be clear that its purpose has nothing to do with this fictional "massacre".

i can't publicize a sob story about, say, my family being massacred and raise funds for myself even if my identity is completely clear if the pretenses are false and my family is just fine, thank you very much.

[Nwgirl503]

35. Maybe they have a line somewhere in the fine print?

Kinda like Trump when he defrauded numerous investors and walked away with their money from failed property investments where they thought he was the developer of the project, when really he had just licensed his name for the property. As our Glorious Emperor would say "shoulda read the fine print".

Or, maybe there's some "legal" loophole like he's found for evading, er, I mean, avoiding, taxes? With such a fine, upstanding model as our President, the possibilities are really endless for ways us normal folk can find to enrich our own agendas.

[treestar]

40. It's an alternative fact

I doubt anyone who would be included to contribute would be fooled by it. It is right wingers who don't get nuance and plays on words, and they think the ACLU is the devil anyway.

[msanthrope]

44. Let the lawyers handle this one. nt

[Mc Mike]

6. Good outreach method. rec, Nt

[bravenak]

7. This is awesome

[dalton99a]

8. Great idea.

[Baitball Blogger]

9. Did Conway really say that?

Oh, my God. If my dad could have only lived long enough to see this day. That was his alma mater. He would have laughed himself silly.

[csziggy]

33. Yes - here is a video of it

[Madam45for2923]

10. Rest in lalaland Peace (RILP)

[underpants]

30. LOL

[Gothmog]

11. This is great

[SCVDem]

13. Next they'll tell us

the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.

Some will believe it.

[Fast Walker 52]

15. it was a false flag-- Germans pretending to be Japanese!

[mwooldri]

16. It was the Belgians! n/t

[Iggo]

43. Monty Python.

[Augiedog]

21. This is where tRump earned his Purple Heart ya know, repeling bowlers...I mean boarders

[Orsino]

22. Too soon, man. Too soon. n/t

[crappyjazz]

23. This made my day, and maybe even my week.

The best part of this is that there will be some dumb ass Trump supporters unwittingly (as they had another way to do something) donating to the ACLU.

Take that FAKE NEWS!

[edbermac]

24. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

Hell no!

[Javaman]

25. George Castanza is pissed.

The Human Fund needs money too!!

[underpants]

29. Kick because I duped you

Whoops

That is really clever by them.

[underpants]

32. T-shirts already available

https://www.rageon.com/products/bowling-green-massacre-tee-shirt-top-t-shirt

[Brother Buzz]

36. THE A.C.L.U. HAS RAISED SO MUCH MONEY THAT SILICON VALLEY IS RUSHING IN TO HELP

THE A.C.L.U. HAS RAISED SO MUCH MONEY THAT SILICON VALLEY IS RUSHING IN TO HELP

If the tech world knows one thing, it’s how to scale after receiving a massive new investment.

In the wake of Donald Trump’s executive order banning refugees and people from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States, the American Civil Liberties Union received an unprecedented influx of donations: $24 million in a single weekend, according to The Washington Post—about six times the amount the nonprofit usually raises in an entire year. Front and center amid the outpouring were tech leaders in Silicon Valley, which relies more than most industries on access to high-skilled immigrant labor. Prominent venture capitalists pledged to match donations from their Twitter followers, and executives made public donations on behalf of their start-ups.

Now, days after raising so much money from the Bay Area, the A.C.L.U. is teaming up with Silicon Valley to help scale its technology platform. On Tuesday, 31-year-old Sam Altman, the president of famed start-up accelerator Y Combinator, announced that the A.C.L.U. would be joining Y.C.’s winter 2017 batch of start-ups. “The A.C.L.U. has always been important, but has a particularly important role right now,” Altman wrote in a Medium post. “We are honored to be able to help, and we will send some of our team to New York for the rest of the batch to assist.”

The A.C.L.U. will inevitably benefit from Y Combinator’s vast network of advisers, start-ups, investors, and engineers. Y Combinator will also provide some funding to the A.C.L.U., and it won’t take an equity stake in the nonprofit as it would when mentoring a start-up. While it’s not the first time Y Combinator has teamed up with nonprofits—in the past, nonprofit organizations that have received help from Y.C. include DemocracyOS and the Detroit Water Project—it is unusual for a nearly hundred-year-old institution to partner with a tech upstart to receive guidance. Still, if there’s one thing Silicon Valley V.C.s know, it’s how to expand rapidly after receiving a massive new investment.

Other aspects of the partnership have raised a few eyebrows, however. By joining Y Combinator, the A.C.L.U. will also be working with an organization connected to Trump adviser Peter Thiel, who is a part-time partner in the accelerator and a friend of Altman’s. Y.C. declined to cut ties with the controversial billionaire in October, when it was revealed that Thiel had donated $1.25 million to Trump’s presidential campaign. “Diversity of opinion is painful but critical to the health of a democratic society,” Altman tweeted at the time. “We can’t start purging people for political support.” Paul Graham, the founder of Y Combinator, voiced similar opinions. “Peter is eccentric, but earnest,” he said. “He seems to have a blind spot about Trump's character, but he is no surrogate.”

<more>

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/01/the-aclu-has-raised-so-much-money-its-enlisted-silicon-valley-to-help-spend-it

[csziggy]

47. I doubt the ACLU set up this page - I think someone else did it

See my post below - http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=8589666 - that provides the domain ownership info for both the Bowling Green Massacre Victims Fund and the ACLU pages.

The ACLU has no reason to hide their identity and they don't for their own page. Someone who wants to take advantage of CONway's lies to generate donations for the ACLU could have good reason to not have their identity revealed.

As I said in my post anyone can provide a link to the ACLU and there is no way for the ACLU to stop it from happening.

For instance I can type Kellyanne Conway wants everyone to donate to the Bowling Green Massacre Victims Fund then use the "link" button above the message box to make that text a link to the ACLU - as I just did. It's not that much more difficult to do that on a website.

Whoever did it, kudos to them - but I really don't think it was set up by the ACLU.

[liquid diamond]

49. It's only been two weeks.

Can you imagine 4 more years of this bullshit?