A transgender woman and human rights activist has set up a GoFundMe page to pay for ladders so people can climb over Trump’s proposed border wall.
Charlotte Clymer, who describes herself in her Facebook bio as a liberal writer and feminist from Texas, created the GoFundMe page titled Ladders to Get Over Trump’s Wall on Wednesday.
The page was set up to counter the crowdfunding page We The People Will Fund The Wall, which has surpassed $10million.
Clymer’s campaign began trending almost immediately – and already generated more than $40,000 of its $100million goal as of Thursday at 9pm.
The crowdfunding summary reads in part: ‘We saw some folks are raising money for a border wall to keep out our migrant siblings and fellow human beings, who are fleeing violence and persecution and whose tragically-underpaid labor is essential to the US economy.
Charlotte Clymer, of Texas, created the crowdfunding campaign titled Ladders to Get Over Trump’s Wall on Wednesday
The counter-campaign comes days as We The People Will Fund The Wall surpassed $10million of its $1billion goal
Clymer, (pictured above on Twitter) who is transgender, describes herself in her Facebook bio as a liberal writer and feminist from Texas
‘Seems like a bad idea on countless levels for everyone involved. Maybe we should focus on human rights and creating a community that reflects our supposed values.
‘And even though at a rate of $1.7million daily, it would take their fund about 35 years to raise the $21.7billion that Trump’s own Deptartment of Homeland Security says would be needed to build said wall, we wanna make sure ladders are ready to send over to our undocumented friends and help them.’
Clymer, who works as the press secretary for rapid response at the Human Rights Campaign, further explains that if the goal is not met, funds raised will go toward the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES).
RAICES is the largest immigration legal services provider in Texas, according to its website.
‘If this seems ludicrous, we welcome you to the coalition of reasonable adults,’ the campaign summary further says.
The crowdfunding campaign to build a wall on the southern border had raised more than $9million in just four days by Thursday evening
‘You see, they’ll never reach their goal, but no matter how much we raise, we’re going to reach ours.
‘Supporting an organization working to help immigrants seeking legal asylum. This GoFundMe isn’t really about ladders at all. It’s about lifting people up.’
Meanwhile, the crowdfunding page We The People Will Fund The Wall surpassed $10million of its $1billion goal as of Friday morning.
The campaign was launched Sunday by triple amputee Air Force veteran, Brian Kolfage.
The campaign was launched Sunday by triple amputee Air Force veteran, Brian Kolfage (pictured left and right with wife). The married Florida father-of-two lost both legs and his arm in 2004 insurgent attack in Iraq
Kolfage said on the GoFundMe page: ‘Too many Americans have been murdered by illegal aliens and too many illegals are taking advantage of the United States taxpayers’
The campaign wars over the wall come after Trump appeared to back down from threats of a government shutdown to secure the $5billion he wants for the wall.
He signaled that he would sign the last spending bill he will get from a Republican-controlled Congress for the rest of his term without the desired wall money.
The sting for conservatives was deepened by an announcement on Tuesday that the U.S. will increase aid to Mexico and Central America to $10.6billion.
Democrats mocked the GoFundMe as evidence of Trump supporters’ gullibility, gloating that federal funding for Trump’s signature proposal is looking increasingly less likely.
‘It’s up to Americans to help out and pitch in to get this project rolling,’ the page reads. ‘If the 63million people who voted for Trump each pledge $80, we can build the wall.’
The fundraising page says it has contacted the Trump Administration to secure a point of contact where all the funds will go, but adds it has ‘many very high level contacts already helping’.
The page says further: ‘As a veteran who has given so much, 3 limbs, I feel deeply invested to this nation to ensure future generations have everything we have today,’ while elaborating on Kolfage’s history as a Purple Heart Medal recipient.
The married father-of-two lost both legs and his right arm in a 2004 insurgent attack in Iraq.
Trump said Wednesday the new trade deal means Mexico will pay for his wall
Trump on Wednesday claimed the military would build his border wall and Mexico would pay for it – indirectly under the new trade agreement.
‘Mexico is paying (indirectly) for the Wall through the new USMCA, the replacement for NAFTA! Far more money coming to the US.
‘Because of the tremendous dangers at the Border, including large scale criminal and drug inflow, the United States Military will build the Wall!,’ he tweeted.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Tuesday the administration’s legal team was looking into whether the White House could redirect funds to build the wall.