ON January 23rd, 2017 I launched my first crowdfunding campaign as part of the Make:100 initiative on Kickstarter. It ended on February 22 with 343% funding achieved.
It was a success!
I had wanted to try a Kickstarter for a while and their Make 100 initiative - focus on an edition of 100 things - made sense. It seemed like an achievable goal. I mean, there are billions of people on the world. Chances are I could make something that at least 100 might want. Right?
I was further prompted by the inauguration of Donald Trump. I was still reeling and dumbfounded by the November election. How could half the country have elected this man to be their leader? I wasn't the only person who questioned the election and called for resistance.
I thought it was important to have a symbol for that resistance.
In electronic circuits, resistors are used to reduce current flow, adjust signal levels, to divide voltages, bias active elements, and terminate transmission lines, among other uses.
By unhappy coincidence on January 27th, Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13769 - his first Muslim ban. There were nationwide protests. Then on January 29th a federal judge on issued an emergency stay temporarily and partially preventing the enforcement of Order 13769.
I say it was unhappy coincidence because, here is a breakdown of pledges to my campaign generated by Kicktraq.
Notice any spikes?
That's right. A lot happened on the 29th. And the single largest pledge day was on the 29th. In effect, the success of the Kickstarter campaign was a reaction what Trump was doing.
It’s great that it was successful but it’s sad that the current occupant of the White House who inspired the campaign also pushed the campaign forward. Indeed, it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good.
But, we shouldn’t have to have a symbol to resist the President. But then again, we’ve never had a man like Trump be President before.