Episode 49 - Freedomites + GoFundMe Scandal

Adam (he/him) tells us about the group known as The Freedomites. Descending from a group called the Doukobor's, The Freedomites believed in a lot of things, and they were willing to do just about anything to keep their way of life. In the 1950's the Canadian government learned just how far this group was willing to go. The Freedomites held naked protests, and burned their possessions to show how serious they were, and in retaliation, the Canadian government tried to take their children away.

Bec (they/them) then tells us about a GoFundMe campaign that turned out to be a little too good to be true. Kate McClure and her boyfriend Mark D'amico said they just wanted to raise a bit of money to help out good Samaritan Johnny Bobbitt Jr. The heartwarming story became the websites biggest payout to date, unfortunately, it seems there was a lot more going on behind the scenes than met the eye.

Adam's Sources:

• The Origin of the Freedomite Movement | Doukhobor Heritage
• Sons of Freedom - Canada's History
• Annotations: Sergey Tolstoy and The Doukhobors: The Halifax Quarantine - PMC
• Lack of compensation for Doukhobor religious group disappointing, B.C. ombudsperson says | CBC News 
• B.C. Doukhobors forced into residential schools want apology akin to natives' | National Post  
• Doukhobor Life in Canada - Welcome 
• The Vocal 6 - Doukhobor Singing - Природа Играет 
• Freedomites - Wikipedia

Bec's Sources:

• https://abc7chicago.com/no-good-deed-documentary-gofundme-hulu-crowdfunding-holiday-heist-johnny-bobbitt/11362176/ 
• https://globalnews.ca/news/9014465/katelyn-mcclure-gofundme-scam-prison-sentence/ 

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