A supporter of Ferguson, Mo. police officer Darren Wilson recently launched a fundraising campaign to put up a billboard in the town that would read “#PantsUPDontLOOT.”
The supporter, who lists himself as living in Brentwood, Tenn., launched the campaign on Oct. 28 on the website IndieGoGo. As Gawker noted on Monday, it had already reached its funding goal.
Wilson is the police officer who in August fatally shot unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson.
The phrase “Pants Up, Don’t Loot” was popularized by the conservative National Review as a response to the chant commonly recited by supporters of Brown: “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot.”
The proposed location of the sign was “in the heart of Florissant, the epicenter of the Mike Brown protests,” according to the campaign’s website. Although the $3,000 goal was already met, the campaign remained open and the billboard had not yet been purchased.
The aim of the campaign is stated on the website.
This crowdfunding campaign is for the purchase of a billboard in the Ferguson, MO area. The billboard will display black text on a white background with the text “#PantsUPDontLoot”. After some initial confusion we are working with other, undisclosed companies in the area that are willing to create and display this image. The funds collected from this campaign will be used to purchase this billboard for as long as possible. Lamar originally quoted us ~$2,500 for 1 month but others have come in under that amount. Whatever funds we receive will go directly to keeping the billboard campaign up as long as possible. If we come to an agreement with a company and can fund it for 3 months, 5 months, 7 months…, we will.
Brown’s shooting has been the subject of a grand jury trial that will determine whether charges are brought against Wilson. A decision about charges is expected to come soon.
What an asshole, funded by assholes, backed by assholes, planning an asshole spectacle to satisfy their selfish and racist asshole beliefs.
I sincerely hope this bullshit gets the vandalism it so richly deserves.
Billboard permits are public information, local mostly, but also federal if it’s anywhere near a federal highway. The people funding this racist nonsense can be uncovered I bet. If not, someone call Anonymous.
I’m sure the residents of Ferguson will appreciate anything that out-of-state gasbags can do to further inflame the situation there.
Any company that puts this racist dogwhistle hashtag on a billboard is worthy of national exposure and humiliation.
I’m a little concerned that the sheer stupidity of this signage campaign could cause widespread seizures like that famous Pokémon episode.