Sunday, September 25, 2005

Pledge a Picket!

Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania has a brilliant way to deal with protesters:

Here's how it works: You decide on the amount you would like to pledge for each protester (minimum 10 cents). When protesters show up on our sidewalks, Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania will count and record their number each day from October 1 through November 30, 2005. We will place a signoutside the health center that tracks pledges and makes protesters fully aware that their actions are benefiting PPSP. At the end of the two-month campaign, we will send you an update on protest activities and a pledge reminder.


It seems to me that this same technique can be used to counter all kinds of protesters: annoying unions who picket in front of a business you need to visit, anti-government protesters who don't stand for a thing but just hate Bush or whoever else is in charge, whacko far-fringe environmental or "animal rights" groups who use intimidation to get their way, etc., etc.

Protesters often forget that free speech works both ways. This is a clever way to use their own tools against them.


via Freakonomics

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