As
many of you are well aware, I am in need of cataract surgery. I had
started a campaign to raise funds for my much needed surgery by using
the crowd funding site, GoFundMe.
I
had seen and heard good things about GoFundMe, but a recent decision
of theirs has prompted me to remove my campaign from their site
entirely.
My
reason for deleting my campain is best summed up in the description
given on a petition (which I have signed) at CitizenGo.org:
GoFundMe
just removed a campaign... simply because it supported a couple
exercising their Christian faith.
Sweet
Cakes by Melissa owners Aaron and Melissa Klien refused to bake a
cake for a lesbian same-sex ceremony after discovering that the
wedding would have two brides. This same-sex ceremony went against
their firmly held religious beliefs, and they believed that their
God-given, Constitutionally-protected right to religious freedom
should allow them to decline to bake a cake for the ceremony.
The
state of Oregon disagreed with this right. The lesbian couple sued
the Kliens, and they will likely have to pay at least $135,000 in
"emotional damages" to the couple.
As
if this compromise of religious freedom was not enough, GoFundMe took
down a fundraiser to support the Klien family. The fundraiser was
posted by a friend of the family late last week, and it had already
raised $66,000 by Friday afternoon. But on Friday evening, the
campaign was taken down by GoFundMe.
GoFundMe
released a statement claiming that the fundraiser violated their
“Terms and Conditions.” In the terms and conditions, GoFundMe
explains that “Campaigns in defense of formal charges of heinous
crimes, including violent, hateful, or sexual acts,” will not be
allowed on their site. In deciding to remove this campaign, they're
accusing the Kliens of committing a crime that was both “heinous”
and “hateful.”....
You
may read the rest here.
While you are there, sign the petition!
I
can not in good conscience continue to have my needs take precedence
over GoFundMe's apparent decision on caving in to the pressure of the
"unnatural marriage" crowd and their willing co-horts.
I
fully support the Klien family and their willingness to stand by
their religious convictions. In removing my campaign, I also stand by
mine.
