Eight Bucks

A thoughtful reader passed along the following:

The United States National Slavery Museum is launching a cutting-edge viral video campaign with Bill Cosby – the “Bill Cosby Green Screen Challenge” in support of the museum’s “Why $8?” campaign.  The video of Dr. Cosby can be found on www.eightbucks.org where aspiring individual videographers can create funny, unique videos of Cosby and share them online via YouTube.

The program supports the “Why $8?” campaign which urges all Americans to donate $8 to the museum.  In fact, a donation in this amount is very relevant to the museum and the topic of slavery:

• $8 is the shape both of shackles (the symbol of slavery) and, if turned on its side, of infinite freedom.

• $8 is a reasonable sum of money that allows every American to be a part of this incredible project. 

• $8 buys recognition for millions of enslaved African Americans who helped build America.

• $8 will help remove shackles that still divide our nation and replace them with a new symbol for a more united America.

If I were born into a richer family I would have been a concert pianist or a museum curator. So I have always had dreams of being responsible to the arts and letters. I may not be a big time philanthropist today but I can afford eight bucks. Give 'em some love people.