August 19, 2011

This Week in Stripper News

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/toestubber/3620875259/sizes/z/in/photostream/">the_toe_stubber</a>/Flickr

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August is generally a slow news time in Washington. But things seem to be picking up steam everywhere else—this week, for example, has brought us an abundance of stripper-related political news:

  • In Texas, a Ron Paul supporter placed a full-page ad in a local paper seeking women who have had sex with Gov. Rick Perry to spill the deets. The ad specifically calls for women who identify as a stripper, escort, or “young hottie.”

  • In Missouri, Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, who’s expected to run for governor next year, sought to dismiss rumors about a relationship with a “Penthouse Pet” by arguing that he only watched her dance. Apparently, objectifying a woman is worlds better than actually carrying on a relationship with her.

  • And last, but not least, the college student who drew attention last year when he was detained for stripping to his skivvies at a TSA checkpoint in the Richmond, Va. aiport to reveal the 4th Amendment written on his chest is suing the feds for mistreatment. Aaron Tobey’s lawyers allege that the “overbearing, heavy-handed and unfounded actions of security personnel violated free-speech and other constitutional rights.” The judge in the case said he will decide within the next two weeks whether to let the case go forward.

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

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