Fund Anti-Ted Nugent Billboard
My wife and I have experienced the horrific effects of gun violence. In 2015 our daughter Alison was gunned down on live television while reporting for WDBJ7 in Roanoke, Virginia—her home, and a place she loved. Since that time I have become a passionate and outspoken advocate for gun violence prevention.
I was horrified to learn that The Berglund Center in Roanoke will be presenting NRA board member and has-been musician Ted Nugent on July 17, 2018 for a "concert".
Nugent is a disgusting human being. He smeared feces on himself and did hard drugs before a draft physical for Vietnam to avoid serving his country. He adopted a 17 year-old girl from Hawaii so he could have sex with her when he was 30. He's said, "Apartheid isn't that cut and dried. All men are not created equal."
Recently, Nugent said that the Parkland student-survivors who have advocated for stronger gun laws "have no soul." Then he went on Alex Jones' show and compared Democrats, reporters, academics, celebrities and "half of government" to "rabid coyotes" and told his fans "every time you see one, you shoot one."
By hosting this reprobate, the Berglund Center is telling victims and survivors of gun violence in Roanoke "We don't care about you." They're also putting a man on stage who is known to promote and provoke violence. It's a cruel and negligent decision by the Berglund Center.
I want to do everything I can to shame the Berglund Center, so I am launching a #BoycottBerglund campaign that will start with a three-sided, jumbo mobile billboard that will drive through downtown Roanoke during the work day on July 2 and 3.
Below you will see the following photos: 1) An example of the jumbo billboard truck we are using, 2) Side 1 of our Nugent billboard, 3) Side 2 of our Nugent billboard. The rear panel on the truck will simply say #BoycottBerglund vertically.
This striking mobile billboard will appear in downtown Roanoke two weeks before Nugent's concert date. That will get the Roanoke community and media talking about the #BoycottBerglund campaign. Dan Casey of The Roanoke Times has already done two stories in advance. More media will follow.
Will you help me offset the costs of this mobile billboard? The billboard costs just $2,000 for a total of 16 hours (8 hours each day). I also incurred $100 in costs for the design of the billboard.
Please help if you can by clicking the DONATE NOW button on this page and making a contribution! It doesn't matter if its $5 or $50. Every donation helps.
I want to send a message to the Roanoke community—to all of our communities—that Ted Nugent is not fit for polite company. NO ONE should be hosting this violent creep for any type of event, PERIOD. After decades of his racism, misogyny, homophobia, anti-Semitism, and violent threats, we don't owe him a stage. Especially in Alison's home.
Thank you for being part of this effort! I believe Berglund Center is going to hear us loud and clear. WE CAN DO THIS. Let's show Berglund that Roanoke deserves better.
