Pro-War Group Offering Cash For Frats To Demonstrate At VP Debate

In hopes of organizing a robust demonstration for the vice presidential debate this Thursday in St. Louis, the pro-Iraq War (and ostensibly pro-McCain) organization, Vets for Freedom, is resorting to offering local college fraternities hundreds of dollars if their members come and hold signs.

In an email obtained by the Huffington Post, Vets for Freedom field staffer Laura Meyer offered a fraternity at St. Louis University a "sizable donation" - plus free lunch - if it could use their pledges to demonstrate outside the VP debate.

"I was emailing you today," wrote Meyer, "because I am trying to find people who would be willing to hold up signs for a few hours in the afternoon this Thursday outside the VP debate site. It's only for a few hours and you can gain a lot from it.... first off, lunch for any guys who agree to volunteer will be on me. Secondly, they will get lots of media attention! My organization did a similar thing in Mississippi last week and a ton of them were on TV. Meaning, the guys could wear their [REDACTED] gear while holding up our signs and get attention for their frat. Also, they will get to hang out with a bunch of really cool Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

"Lastly, and here's the kicker.... if you guys can get us at least 20 volunteers for those few hours, my organization will make a sizable donation to your fraternity. If you use pledges you could look at it as 'free money and free publicity'. If this sounds like something you may be willing to help us out with, please let me know ASAP!"

Reached by phone, Meyer said the total amount of cash the frat could earn was between $200 and $250 for organizing 20-plus members. She also noted that the program was a success in generating publicity during last Friday's presidential debate.

Judy Mayka, a spokesperson for the national chapter, said that the practice of paying for demonstrators had been going on without their knowledge and would subsequently end.

"Obviously this was not a direction from national and we have contacted the Missouri staffers and volunteers and told them it is not appropriate in our policy," she said. "And those who choose to attend the vice presidential debate should not be compensated."

As for the payments made for volunteers during the Mississippi presidential debate, Mayka added: "We will be looking into that."

The practice of paying volunteers is perfectly legal, and having scores of rowdy pro-war supporters cheering on the backdrop of TV sets can be an effective way for Vets for Freedom to disseminate its message.

But keep in mind, some of the people demonstrating outside the VP debate had a choice to make: take the money from Vets for Freedom or subject themselves to a night of hazing and binge drinking. On Thursday, we will see how many chose the former.

Comments

[tsloan]

Makes one wonder if McCain pays for people to attend his neocon rallies.

[LiberalFL]

If any of those fraternities send pledges against their will, they can be charged with hazing. I was in a sorority, and you don't want to mess with that stuff. National organizations will shut down chapters for less than this. Vets for Freedom should know better than to provoke college frat boys to break the law

[Fenianheart]

Ouch. I guess that's the difference between Dems & Repubs: we donate money to our candidate and theirs has to pay to be supported.

[PansyRose]

If all these frat boys are for the war, why are they still not in the military. As usual, like so many Republican chicken hawks, they are all for the war as long as they do not have to go. They are cowards and hypocrites. Reinstate the draft and send all young men, especialy those who are pro-war. Let them put their money where their mouths are!!!!!!!!!

[Pilgrimsc]

We are paying off 100,000 Sunni Iraqis $300 a month to stop fighting under what McCain calls the surge. Sounds like a similar plan to pay off the frat boys. What a country!

[Js420]

Beer money!!! What a joke just like the GOP

[cjk002]

This email should go down in history as "The Chickenhawk Memo"

[chronic]

Pro War?

More proof the right wing ideology is a mental disorder.

[walk0nwalls]

200 to 250? That's it?

[Reveille]

What a chance for the army and marine recruiters! Care to bet on how many fratboys will enlist?

[Mysticalsister]

do they have to be sober when they sign the enlistment papers?

[TakingBackTheUSA]

This isn't any different from the GOP paying people to do push polls, or function as ghost writers to post on websites and write letters to the editors of newspapers with the GOP talking points. Go to Salon.com and look for the article written by someone hired out to be a GOP ghost writer. Ghost writing has long been in use, W even used the tactic.
This utter cr@p is only the next evolutionary step in rigging a facade of support in the hopes to change minds or lock in the undecided or low info voter.

[SoupBoneJones]

Silly Season in full bloom

[aquarius2001]

If somebody supports a cause, they don't have to be bribed to go out and hold freaking signs! These people are pathetic! Obviously, not enough people give a 'bleep' about this cause or else they wouldn't need to find Paid Volunteers to hold signs!

What a bunch of losers!

[feo]

The group is just another group funded by GOPers (in this case some casino owner). If the National Review likes you, you should know your middle name is right-wing nutcase.

[timregler]

This makes perfect sense. I mean, it's not like frat boys are busy serving their country or anything, and it's long past "spit on the new foreign students" week. So this should fit right into their schedule. Get a recruiter down their pronto and allow these good American's to do their duty.

[IllinoisTexan43]

I agree with the above quote from OldKnute. SOMEONE needs to document these types of tactics and get it the media, whether through youtube or i-reporter. Gawd, even Bush never sunk this low to win an election. This campaign is so vile.