Operation Daniel

I have wanted to share this image with you all for a long time. I shot this picture a few years back, when I was still working in the area. When I began working in Salina, still taking up residence in the Sunflower building in Abilene, I would pass this spot on the Interstate every day, on my way to and from work. In fact, the Lion's Den was seated on the north side of the very exit off the interstate I would take to head back to the apartment building.

I had visited with a few of the locals in Abilene about the store and the sign. They told a very interesting story, and it prompted me to look up the news stories.

Evidently, in 2004, a local man by the name of Phil Cosby, was the first to protest the opening of this store, which sits a mere two miles from Abilene city limits, along the interstate I-70.

He then spoke with his church friends, who spoke with their church friends, who spoke with other church friends in other churches, and on and on, until a protest was born. It was dubbed Operation Daniel. apparently the name was derived from the pioneer protester, Cosby, who explained to a reporter that, "The Daniel is someone who would stand and make a difference in society, where he's at."

Operation Daniel had a specific battle plan, which was to rally the troops to set up a 100 day stake out of the store, and report to their employers, the patrons who would frequent the establishment. They would turn in DOT numbers to their respective corporate headquarters.

Operation Daniel did have a fair amount of success in turning customers away, but their success was short lived. This was back in 2004. The Lion's Den is still open as I type this in 2009. In fact, I believe there is another action being taken against the store. I believe it has to do with the proximity of their sign to the Interstate. Hmm ... looking at this image makes you wonder if the Lion's Den should file a counter suit.