» Brandon Darby - Big Government

Brandon Darby

Brandon Michael Darby is an activist who rose to international recognition for his role in co-founding and directing the Common Ground Relief organization in New Orleans’ 9th Ward in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Though once a prominent radical who worked with former Black Panther Party members, Palestinian and various other radical groups, his experiences led him to have a deep love for his country and to feel an obligation to support and protect its system. He once again gained international recognition for his role as an undercover operative in the FBI's Informant/Human Source Program, working with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and having directly participated in stopping violence against U.S. and Israeli citizens. Furthermore, his public stance of being proud to have served with the FBI and his refusal to be silent and enter the Witness Protection Program has been a source of controversy and outrage amongst radical Leftist groups.

His work and efforts have been profiled in hundreds of print, radio, and television interviews. He has been a subject of numerous documentaries.

He currently resides in his home state of Texas and continues with his passion to investigate and expose groups and individuals who intend harm to the United States, though he now does so as a private citizen. He has become a staunch ally and advocate for the FBI’s use of informants and for the role they play in the frontlines of keeping citizens rights and safety protected.

Former Leftist Activist, Turned FBI Informant, Pulls Back the Curtain On ACORN

by Brandon Darby

I first experienced ACORN in post-Katrina New Orleans. I was part of a relief organization, Common Ground Relief, which had been delivering much needed aid to the 9^th Ward, an area that had been hit especially hard by the flood waters and by neglect. Rumors immediately began surfacing, questioning our motives and intentions. I was very confused by these rumors. Who was behind them? How could anyone question the vital work we were doing in the community? We lived and worked in the 9^th Ward. We suspended our regular lives and, in many cases, left our families to travel to New Orleans to help those affected by Katrina and poverty. We slept on dirty plywood floors and shared everything we had with the residents. Most of us were white. Was our skin color the issue? I knew from personal experience that the majority of the Black 9^th ward residents didn’t care what color our skin was. It took me awhile to get over the hurt I felt at such allegations and to find out where they were coming from.

common-ground-relief-in-the-lowe-2604-20070507-22

In the following weeks, I was made aware of the fact that ACORN had reopened its New Orleans office (several months after the storm). Various groups from around the city informed me that Acorn was upset with us because we were in “their” community and had not sought approval from ACORN to operate there. I was told that ACORN said that we were “privileged white people who had come to a Black community as saviors and we refused to work with local Black leadership.”

The more I pondered the matter, the more I realized what was happening. As usual in marginalized and impoverished communities, a small group of radical self-proclaimed leaders was insisting that all local aid and relief came through them—even if they were AWOL for several months. Though the majority of residents either hadn’t heard of ACORN or simply disagreed with their politics- ACORN insisted that they were THE Black leaders. This was upsetting to me. Sure, the local pastor we worked most closely with was Black; but that didn’t matter to ACORN. It was as if Pastor Johnson didn’t count because he didn’t evoke the name of Elijah Mohammed or Malcolm X. It was as if Pastor Johnson didn’t count because he didn’t submit to ACORN’s mandate that ACORN was the sole leadership of Black New Orleanians.

(more…)

Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this |