Visit Steve's website at: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/protest-plate
Short Summary
My name is Steve Zarpas. I am a creative problem solver. I am a risk taker. I am a very passionate man and willing to stand up for what I believe even if it may cause me pain. I believe that the United States was created against all odds and that the Constitution was divinely inspired to promote human rights.
At no time in the history of our country have our freedoms been under greater attack. At the same time, people are angry and interested in doing something but they are not sure exactly what to do.
The Protest Plate not only protects a person from unconstitutional infringements, it informs others of a desire to stand up and fight back. As our numbers grow, it will become increasingly obvious to our governments that there are way more of us than there are of them.
By mass producing the Protest Plate, I can sell them cheaply enough that the cost will not stop anybody from joining the movement against tyranny.
I do not advocate speeding or running red lights. I respect the police and the job they do. What I am saying is that there are rules that apply if the government wants to take your money or convict you of a crime.
In the United States a person is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. That concept forms the very foundation of our judicial system. Prior to that concept, a king or nobleman could simply accuse a person of a crime and have them thrown into jail.
Furthermore, the burden to prove guilt is on the court. If they want to charge and convict a citizen of a crime, it is up to them to prove it. The burden is NOT on the citizen to prove he is innocent. The traffic cameras have turned that concept upside down.
What I Need & What You Get
The first Protest Plate I made took me 12 hours to finish. It did not look very good. The letters were not lined up well and did not lay flat on the frame. After making about ten of them, I got it down to four hours. That is still way too long. I would have to sell them for $100 each to survive.
One of my closest fraternity brothers from college owns a manufacturing business in the Bronx. He explained a much easier way to manufacture the device. Before it can go into mass production however, the prototype must be tightened up. It must be made water proof for instance. That requires CAD/CAM drawings.
Once the device is in a digital format, we can design changes more easily. After that, an injection mold will be made. Finally, every factory charges a fee to put the mold on the machine and load the machine with the proper media.
Getting the pieces made is just half the battle. Besides the marketing their is also the fulfillment phase or taking orders and mailing them out. My friend's company also handles that.
I've been very successful at marketing over the years. For ten years I owned and operated some of the most popular bars and nightclubs in Washington. I've recieved hundreds of articles and interviews over the years including many pieces in the Washington Post. I've also been interviewed on "All Things Considered" on National Public Radio. I am very excited about the marketing campaign for this product.
I also worked in public affairs television for years. Some of the shows I worked on include Hardball with Chris Matthews, Meet the Press, O'Reilly Factor and Crossfire. I even did media training at the Brookings Institution studio. I plan to use my existing contacts in that industry to get the word out. Nothing would make me happier than getting in front of the camera debating a judge or NSA representative.
The truth has an amazing ability to compel viewers. Character does count. Slick media training and talking points are having less and less of an impact as more and more people wake up to the injustice that is occuring in our country.
Having been a partner in many businesses, I recognize the risk of seed money investors. Nobody wants to throw their money away. I can assure you that I have lived, breathed and slept with this idea for many months. I will do everything possible to ensure success.
I will recognize and reward you as best I can. To those early supporters, I can hand make Protest Plates with any words or images you like. I can put an American flag or the name of your organization on the plate.
The Impact
Back in the seventies, when the hostages were taken in Iran, somebody took a cue from the Tony Orlando song, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree." They tied a yellow ribbon on the tree in their front yard to let the hostages and their felow Americans know that we had not forgotten them. That movement had a profound effect on me as a kid.
I will never forget the first day I saw one on the way to church. I cried. Something came over me. The thought that total strangers were coming together in an act of solidarity, patriotism and love, really got to me.
I may be crazy but I am picturing parking lots full of these plates. I am seeing a movement being created. I am seeing the impossible becoming possible and Americans finally having enough of being treated like criminals and being spied upon and being presumed to be guilty.
We must have a way to identify ourselves. The Protest Plate may be it. If nothing more, what if it gives rise to other creative ways to show our solidarity?
Something else comes to mind. A few years ago, business owners in Palermo Sicily finally got fed up with the Mafia demanding protection money. The owners got together and stood up. They told the cops they would no longer turn a blind eye to the police accepting bribes and when the gangsters came into the businesses, the owners called the police and the gangsters were arrested and run out of town.
Nobody thought it would have been possible. Paying tributes was simply a way of life in Italy. So was the Mafia. Not anymore.
Other Ways You Can Help
I am fifty two years old. I am not the greatest at social media. I also have five children including a six and three-year old. I would be deeply indebted to anyone who helps get the word out about my campaign.
Everyday new organizations are being created to fight tyranny. If you hear of one, send them a link to my campaign. In addition to the words "FIGHT BACK," I can imagine the names of organizations like EPIC or the ACLU being printed on the plates. Let them know there is a new way their members can inform the world of membership and support.
And don't forget to use the Indiegogo tools to share this message.
Warmest personal regards - Steve Zarpas
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