Maryland League of the South

Summer-Fall 2012 Campaigns

Lee-Jackson Memorial in Baltimore
Photo by Shane Long

July 25, 2012

League Members and Friends:

The most important objective at this time for our organization is to spread the word about our group and our mission. I have given this a lot of thought and have decided that the most effective way to "market" the Maryland LS is not to hold events and advertise them (although we will continue to do this) but to go where the people are. We need to have a presence at county fairs, gun shows, festivals, Tea Party rallies, other political events. And we need to use more effectively the media, specifically the radio and newspapers, and the internet.

Here is what I am currently doing:

This Saturday, July 28th, there is a Tea Party rally at Solomon's Island in Southern Maryland. I will be showing up in an unofficial capacity to talk to people and will be bringing some Free Magnolias with me. Though Tea Party people differ from us in many respects, there are folks among them whom we might be able to reach. We can't wait for the perfect crowd, the perfect event.

Concerning event participation, I have applied for vendor space at the St. Mary's County Oyster Festival, which attracts many thousands of people from all over Maryland and surrounding areas. I will be distributing Free Magnolias, brochures, bumper stickers. The Oyster Festival is being held on Saturday 20 October and Sunday 21 October at the St. Mary's County fairgrounds near Leonardtown. There will be many carpetbaggers, tourists and people who won't like us, but there will be many real Marylanders who will at least listen to what we have to say and who will take home our literature. I am asking for volunteers in the Southern Maryland area to help me "staff" the table.

Additionally, I have contacted the St. Mary's County Fair Board to determine if we can have vendor space there. I should hear from them today. And there is a Blessing of the Fleet in October, but I don't know if that event would accommodate exhibitors of our type. It remains a possibility.

Unfortunately, I have had no success thus far regarding gun shows. I have received no response to my emails or calls from Appalachian or Silverado Productions which both do these events in Maryland. I would appreciate assistance from anyone who has contacts with gun show producers or someone familiar with this type of show. Help in this regard will be greatly appreciated.

Concerning the media, I am identifying myself as a member of the Maryland League of the South when I write letters to the editor about current issues. And I have underwritten radio air time for the League( as have some of our outstanding LS members.

Here is what I am asking members to do:

Please identify events in your county, city or region and participate as an exhibitor or at least attend them and hand out Free Magnolias. We have a very handsome vinyl banner imprinted with our name and website.   I can get this, and other handouts, to people who want to do a display at a fair, etc. This is a way to help the LS without spending money or spending very little. If there are vendor fees involved, let me know, and the Maryland LS will pay for them.

If you do want to contribute financially^* to our cause, here is a great way to help the Maryland LS:

We are asking our members to adopt a radio spot. We have spots (ads) already recorded (and we can do customized spots for your region if you like). We need members to contact radio stations in their area and arrange some air time by paying for one, two or more 30 or 60 second- radio spots. This is a great way to familiarize Marylanders with our organization.

If you cannot afford to buy a spot, please consider writing a letter to the editor to local newspapers. It is an opportune time to do this because of the upcoming election. While the League does not endorse candidates, we do take a definite stand on issues such as same-sex "marriage" and abortion which we believe to be immoral. Further, we support state sovereignty and a small central government with few responsibilities/powers. We support strong local government.

By the way, if you are an aficionado of talk radio, have a strong speaking voice and can stand up to the insults of rude hosts, please call in and weigh in on various topics. Most of what we hear on the radio amounts to liberal, socialist, nihilist or neo-conservative points of view. Rarely is a Southern perspective expressed. We need to present ourselves as intelligent, thoughtful people who want to abandon the USS Titanic (see below) as it sinks beneath the waves.

* The Maryland League of the South does not currently receive funds from the parent organization, but as we increase membership, we will be eligible for funds in the future.

Let's develop a good working relationship with other organizations:

For example, this week I received an email from Mr. Robert Broadus, chairman of Protect Marriage Maryland, passing on to me an appeal for people to patronize Chick-Fil-A. I now pass this on to our members in hopes that they will eat dinner or supper there on August 1st to send a message to the haters of this Southern-based, Christian business. I am no fan of large franchises, but in this case I will offer my support. Their food is pretty good (for a chain restaurant), and they are closed on Sundays to keep holy the Sabbath!

Finally, please support the national League of the South in their billboard project:

The national organization has created an exciting new interstate billboard campaign to promote Southern independence (see below). Please help us get this off the ground all over the Southland.

Joyce Bennett, Chairman, Maryland LS

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LEAGUE OF THE SOUTH INTERSTATE BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN

The League of the South has a message all freedom-loving Southerners ought to hear. It is the message of Southern independence from a sinking, corrupt, and destructive government in Washington, DC. When our people hear this message, they usually react positively to it. After all, no one in his right mind wants to go down on an obviously sinking ship.

But how many never hear our message? As much as we hate to admit it, The League of the South is still unknown to most Southerners. Why? One reason is the clutter of mass information. We get buried beneath the crush of topics that dominate the conventional news cycle and the internet. Another is the nature of our message. It’s unpopular with the “powers-that-be,” and is therefore ridiculed, marginalized, or ignored. But perhaps the main reason we remain under the radar is our lack of advertising funds.

The League of the South Board of Directors has approved a major billboard publicity campaign. At present, we have one billboard (design above) on I-75 in south Georgia. The early results have been very promising. Take a look at the website to which the billboard is linked: www.getofftitanic.com.

It will take a steady flow of money to do this project on the scale we envision, and we need your help to make it successful. As President of the League, I’m asking members and supporters to pledge $30 quarterly, $60 semi-annually, or $120 annually to the billboard campaign. If you can pledge more, we’d be much obliged. Our ultimate goal is to raise $12,000 ($3000 per quarter) over the next 12 months.

You can make a quarterly or semi-annual pledge, for which we will send you a “coupon book” as a reminder of your pledge, or you can simply make a one-time annual donation. Anything we raise over and above the necessary amount will be placed in a special fund to help with the continuation of the campaign.

We believe the campaign has merit and will prove successful in getting us out from under the radar and into the eye of the Southern public. Please make your contribution today to: LS, PO Box 760, Killen, Alabama 35645, or visit our website at www.dixienet.org to donate via credit card or PayPal.