The end of Acorn

A few days ago, when Glenn Beck premiered the video of Acorn workers giving advice to an undercover prostitute, I was skeptical of how the video would affect the organization.

But now with more videos surfacing, I say one time can be a mistake- there can be bad employees in a good organization, but with several separate videos surfacing from several different centers where the employees  gave completely illegal advice every time, Acorn is done.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

“On Monday, the U.S. Senate voted 83-7 to strip Acorn, the premier community organizing group on the left, of more than $1.6 million in federal housing money meant to assist low-income people obtain loans and prepare tax forms. This dramatic step followed last Friday’s decision by the U.S. Census Bureau to sever its ties with the organization, one of several community groups it was partnering with to conduct the nation’s head count.”

I was wrong about the future of Acorn- the tides have definitely turned for them, but I’ll never apologize for hoping for the best. Now we have been given what I was asking for in my earlier post- proof that it’s not just one Acorn center, the corruption is wide-spread.

BUT the videos don’t condemn the idea of community organizing all together, although I think the media might start saying that ALL community organizations are corrupt like Acorn. And that’s what is vital to be careful of- throwing out a great idea because of a bad egg, dismissing someone because of a single mistake, throwing out an entire system because of a snag.

The more I watch the News, the more I think someone has to be absolutely perfect to be in office, or to lead this country. As a Christian, I know NO ONE can be that perfect, and I feel for anyone under the attack of the media, because if that glare was turned on you or me, we would all be found lacking.

On the other hand, I don’t really feel so bad for an organization that would stand by and watch illegal immigrants be forced into the sex trade. Thus comes the end of Acorn. Good riddance

Glenn Beck Project: Day 4

Day 4: ummmm….

Wed, Beck kept warning me about today’s show. With this strange grin on his face, he kept saying, “The tide is about to turn” ….

Well, I have to say that I don’t think any tides will/should turn over this video except for the two women employed by Acorn.

Two women who work for an Acorn facility in Baltimore, Maryland were taped by two young people posing as a politician and a prostitute trying to get a house and get help with taxes. The women helped her despite the girl disclosing what her business was.

It was wrong of those women to give the advice they did to the girl. Illegal advice really. They told her not to file and the woman who wasn’t Tanya told her to be proud that she makes money. But I wasn’t shocked. Prostitution is legal in other countries, there are commercials on late night TV to reach women to “talk” to, (like they are not advertising phone sex).  Basically, I’m not fooled into thinking the world is a clean place. It’s not. And I think these women have probably seen way worse than I.

However, it was morally reprehensible when they brushed off the idea of bringing over under-age, illegal immigrants working as prostitutes.The women kept saying, “I don’t hear this.”

Distracting from the story he was telling, Glenn pouted over the lack of coverage, lamenting and scolding the media and other journalists over and over again for not covering this story that broke this morning. That he broke. His question 1 today: “How does the media sleep at night?” But what Glenn doesn’t get- these are minor players. And what he does isn’t journalism.

I’ll tell you why. Two “corrupt” lower level employees do not mean the entire organization is corrupt, but that’s the way Beck sees it. In journalism, you need actual proof. Documents, quotes, corroborating sources from people higher-up than Tanya to publish a story taking down Acorn. but with Beck, if you have 2 bad employees, you’re out!

Acorn released a statement saying that the two undercover “journalists” tried several Acorn facilities before getting what they wanted. Beck didn’t say whether that was true or not.

And despite my annoyance with Beck’s whining, I did come away from the program wanting to research and read more about Acorn, which probably was the goal of the show. You got me there Beck.

“Will the U.S. citizens unite on this story?” -Beck’s last big question today. I don’t know, but I have a feeling there are two unemployed women in Maryland tonight.