U.K. Guardian Columnist: ‘Acorn – the new Republican bogeyman’
by PubliusIf rightwing operatives succeed in bringing down the community group, Democrats and minorities will have lost a valuable ally
By Brad Friedman
Communism is dead. Al-Qaida isn’t as scary as it used to be. But an American rightwing without a bogeyman to fear can’t long survive. Enter Acorn – the Association of Community Organisations for Reform Now.
Finally, something for the Republican party to use to stoke fear among its constituency. Acorn is perfect. The nationwide community group is full of scary black and poor people – who tend to support the Democrats. And, most convenient of all, it registers millions of them, legally, to vote in US elections. Spooky.
Stop Acorn, and you can stop the rise of citizen democracy altogether – you know, “government of the people, by the people, for the people“, as we used to like to say here in the US. Or so the Republicans have convinced themselves…
…But now the vilification of Acorn is in full swing again. A couple of rightwing operatives, acting as a prostitute and her pimp, caught a few, dumb, low-level Acorn employees suggesting ways in which they could get around US law and avoid paying taxes on her “business”. Acorn immediately fired the employees, of course, after the videotapes were made public. But that hasn’t stopped Republican opportunists, led by Fox News, from calling for the entire organisation’s destruction…
…It’s funny how when the American government itself – at its absolute highest-levels – was discovered to have tortured and abused prisoners at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere, resulting in actual death, the very same wingnut apologists write it off as the act of a few low-level “bad apples”. No accountability for those who actually instituted the policies.
But when a few actual low-level bad apples – who happen to be African-American, and working for a group fighting for the American Dream for all Americans – commit petty stupidity, the entire organisation must be brought down in order to save the country….
Read the full article here.
For more ACORN defense, visit Mr. Friedman’s blog here.
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178 Comments
communism isn't dead they are in the friggin' white house.
And the newsmen lament the passing credibility of journalism as a profession more respectable than parking ticket writer, used car sales or personal injury attorney. I see it is no longer necessary to spend any time in the real world, to research or factcheck before expending the barrel of ink (now more like a half or quarter barrel) on the subject of ridicule.
Good luck in your next job – for all of our sake I hope it isn't in a role as a healthcare commissar.
So that ACORN freak in San Bernardino and the child prostitute smuggler guy in San Diego were "African American" now?
Hmmmm. Way to get your facts straight, Brad Friedman. You are so typical of leftist journalists.
So the Guardian, vanguard of the communist/socialist machine in the UK, is riding to the defense of their American brethren?
More the merrier. Just jump on into the bonfire with the rest, we have plenty of ACORN wood to toss on.
There are so many inaccuracies in his column it's not worth debating.
I cannot believe that you are actually paid Mr. Friedman.
Some useful facts about our 10 trillion dollar debt, how much does it affect you?
http://mycityblog.net/2009/09/20/our-debt/
Ever seen the left-wing without a complete list of bogeymen? Class warfare, everyone a racist, eco-stupidity etc etc. Brad Friedman isn't even worth the attention of a single reader. His premises start off-base and end up on Pluto. ACORN is as criminal organization, akin to the Mafia, but sucking down hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars per year. Ever notice how many leftist groups recieve tax funds? Ever seen a right-wing group recieving tax dollars??
How clever…calling conservatives racists….what's next…we hate homosexuals? Get a new template Brad, the old one still doesn't fit reality!
Freidman, We were marching on the Town Halls and the White House before any of this ACORN stuff came out.
Communism isn't dead, your article is written like it was given to straight from the Propaganda machine.
You may keep your thoughts to yourself for now on, as WE THE PEOPLE don't need your meddling in our affairs. And as far as militant combatants go, whatever we did to them was far less severe than their method of beheading.
So go play in the sand and leave the important things to people who understand it.
So the Guardian, vanguard of the communist/socialist machine in the UK, is riding to the defense of their American brethren?
More the merrier. Just jump on into the bonfire with the rest, we have plenty of ACORN wood to toss on.
Note: This is a repost, first is waiting for "approval by admin." Forgot to put the "a" of "socialist" in italics since ID is blocking "Cialis," the drug name, and grabs the other word with it. Would have fixed it, but ID has lately decided it does not like to do another posting operation without a page reload first, and afterwards the comment message and the "Delete" button vanishes. Yes, ID sucks.
Most of us know that liberals like to pretend that the communist threat was never any more real than vampires or werewolves, and that al-Qaida was largely a creation/tool of the Bush administration…um, yeah.
And ACORN’s as an advocate of voter-fraud and child prostitution?
ACORN is rotten to and through its blackened core (and no, I don’t mean “blackened core” the way Charlie Rangel wants to take it). The recent ACORN PSAs say it all: “PROSTITUTION: DO IT FOR THE CHILDREN. (An ACORN Public Service Announcement)” at http://firebreathingchristian.wordpress.com/2009/...
And of course, we get the race card again…*yawn*…those “scary black people” that YOU see. All who oppose leftism are obviously racists. Remember: “YOU’RE SURELY A RACIST, IF…” at http://firebreathingchristian.wordpress.com/2009/...
Nah, we’re all a bunch of racists who just imagine that things like voter fraud and child prostitution actually matter…a lot! Nice try, but I don’t think it’s gonna fly. Not anymore.
From Maloney's piece: http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/19/acorn-kanye-w...
"Advocating on behalf of a victim makes one almost as unassailable as being that victim."
This is a politically motivated and criminal organization working under aegis of "helping people". He (and other apologists) are using that, consciously, cynically, and transperently to deflect and obscure criticism of ACORN's crimes and political agenda.
Don't let these faux cognoscenti get away with it!
Inaccuracies? More like straight up lies. For Chrissake, even John Stewart is attacking ACORN now!
Bogeymen!?!?!
Democrats have been running on a Bush is Hitler, Dick Cheney is Dr. Evil for nearly eight years. Now they relentlessly pound on Sarah Palin…
Please… ACORN is a systemically corrupt organization that was actively engaged in VOTER FRAUD and was FUNDED by tax payers. Now hey have been caught covering up prostitution, tax fraud and human trafficking of children. This is not a Bogeyman.
Interesting piece. Thanks for sharing!
"If rightwing operatives succeed in bringing down the community group, Democrats and minorities will have lost a valuable ally"
Why? Why in the hell should ACORN get my tax money to be an ally of the Democrat party? There is no impartiality left in the world of the so called MSM!
Do they have another template?
Is anybody really surprised that a liberal doesn't understand the concept of democracy? He thinks democracy=Democrat; sounds alike, you know.
Friedman is a frequent contributor to Huffington Post, frequent guest-host on radio programs such as the Mike Malloy Show, Randi Rhodes Show , and a member of Commonweal Institute.
My personal fav line: ACORN is "a group fighting for the American Dream for all Americans."
uhhhhh……..wtf?
this article is utterly INVALID.
maybe he hasn't heard yet, but the "conservatives are racists" line is older than the crust on his underwear.
i really hope he didn't get paid to write this.
"The nationwide community group is full of scary black and poor people". That Brad is a very raciest statement. I served (in the middle east) with tons of great black people who came from low income areas. Lets rise above the race card Brad thats not what this is about. Funny you bring up torture I would love for that to be looked into I'm almost positive that Nancy Pelosi would not. Because no one deserves to be tortured and once again thats not what this is about card failure once again. Whats this is about is the misuse of tax dollars along with criminal activity caught on tape. Those people were glad to tell them how to abuse us the taxpayers. is that what you want in America? I cant believe you even wrote this article this way is that the best defense you got? You are a joke and you are also whats wrong with alot of the thinking we have in this country right now.
So corruption is bad only when it is coming from the right.
So this is what passes for journalism in Britain? No wonder that country is going down the drain.
maybe he had to much kool-aid, sure seems like it, hope they havent cleaned up the books to much, nay not that smart.
Communism is NOT dead. Where were the KGB trials? Where?
Communism went into covert operations and has completely infiltrated the US.
Communists are in very high places in the US and we must get rid of them.
(Germany had the nazi trials, Russia did NOT have communist trials.)
.
At first I thought this was a parody…then discovered it was fallacy…lunatic fallacy. http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/20/u-k-guardian-...
Wanting to rid ourselves of an organization that supports prostitution with underage girls is a bad idea? Mr. Friedman, is there anything immoral to which you might object? I suspect not.
Brad is a totally, incoherent and overpaid left wing hack man. Levinitize him now!
The British Frank RIch.
Mr. Friedman is an idiot. I read one paragraph and wanted that few seconds back. Stop writing…find another job.
Obama has a lot in his circle from the CPUSA. No, ACORN stinks like a cesspool and the odor spreads now the lid is off.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by TIM and Big Government. Big Government said: U.K. Guardian columnist says ACORN is "a group fighting for the American Dream for all Americans." http://tinyurl.com/lwxfwr [...]
P.s. I have alot of Friends in the UK and your not well liked are you.
Here's part of Brad Friedman's bio on his blog:
"Brad is an independent investigative journalist, blogger, broadcaster, VelvetRevolution.us co-founder, expert on issues of election integrity, and a Commonweal Institute Fellow."
INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST?! Ah, just like our MSM
This article was asinine. Coming to the defense of complete criminal behavior. I agree with another here on this board- go play in the sand and leave it to someone who can talk some sense.
Amen!!!
Ok is this guy for real..Give me a break. I feel my hard earned tax dollars should not be given to corrupt organizations like Acorn and others. What indeed happened to being impartial. This group is definatly an ally to the Democratic party, why before the brave tow that exposed Acorn in their shenanigans were all the investigations shot down. Because Acorn is the beholden to the Democratic party that's why.
Ok this paragraph really gets me:
Finally, something for the Republican party to use to stoke fear among its constituency. Acorn is perfect. The nationwide community group is full of scary black and poor people – who tend to support the Democrats. And, most convenient of all, it registers millions of them, legally, to vote in US elections. Spooky.
Ok then if all of these voters are registered legally then why is Acorn being investigated for voter fraud in 14 states, tell me that Mr. Friedman. I don't think all of those people marching in Washington on 9/12 were all Republicans, I think there was a mixture of all. We are outraged Americans who are tired of our hard earned tax dollars going to shifty and corrupt organizations like this.
Stevemct made a good point for 8 yrs the Dems and everyone else called George Bush Hitler, VP Cheney Dr Evil and look at how they did Sarah Palin wrong. Boogeyman my butt, the Dems need to own up to these insults as well. But NOOOOOO they didn't do anything wrong. They want to run my life and tell me what I need not the opposite. They work for us not visa versa. Maybe it's time for a change, A change to get these Idiots out of there.
This isn't over yet by a long shot. 2010 is not that far away. Vote them out and get some in that listen to the people and not follow their own agenda and to heck with the people.
What does this liberal, left wing bonehead know? My guess is absolutely nothing!
*goes into sarcasm mode* Oh yes, those poor, poor terrorists at Abu Grahab, they were treated SO badly……never mind the fact that they were KILLING our soldiers in cold blood with roadside bombs, and derailing the democracy we are helping the Iraqis build! And those poor, POOR terrorists at Gitmo….tsk tsk tsk. We should be ashamed of depriving them of sleep and waterboarding them…….even though they did that and a lot WORSE to our soldiers fighting in Afghanistan!
THEY ARE EVIL, VILE TERRORISTS, MORON….THEY DONT DESERVE GOOD TREATMENT! Yeah, while you’re thumbing through your notebook of “etiquette”, trying to see if you can kill an enemy combatant or not, he’s pounding all over you WITHOUT any rules! If they dont use them, then nether should we!
These liberals drive me NUTS! (hey! ACORN!)
Why cant those so called “poor people” that ACORN supports get up off their collective lazy butts and actually CONTRIBUTE something to society. I dont know like maybe………….WORKING??!! Hey McDonalds is hiring!!
It is NOT the obligation of the American people to help the so called “poor people” If they want PRIVATE, non taxpayer help….then so be it. But I have no obligation to! I will NOT be forced into “charity”
Communism pops up everywhere eventually it seems. It happens when one group desires what another group of people have but are unwilling to put in the sacrifice to obtain it.
It is a based on the concept of "fairness". Unfortunately the universe itself pays no respect to this adolescent notion and communism fails. Time and time again.
Conservatives are aware of this fact and are forced to work diligently to keep the "less visionary" among us from adopting the belief that this ridiculous concept should be brought into reality.
It boils down to this:
The conservatives are the adults. Right now the children are in charge and we will have to wrest their dangerous plaything from them in order to preserve the United States.
Brad talks about torture at 'Abu Ghraib and elsewhere resulting in death' … I don't remember reading of any deaths resulting from any of the so called torture techniques (waterboarding, having to sit naked in front of women, having dogs bark at the 'victim'). If you want to know what real torture is ask some of the Iraqi's who survived Saddam's reign, or look back into American history where the so called 'noble savage' American Indian skinned their victims alive with the victim's family watching and ate the flesh before finally murdering the white settler.
ALERT: Brad Freidman has been responding in real-time (quite combatively!) to comments on his story…go get him!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifameric...
(BTW, you can find my comments under the moniker "ThinkingAgain")
ALERT: Brad Freidman has been responding in real-time (quite combatively!) to comments on his story…go get him!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifameric...
(BTW, you can find my comments under the moniker "ThinkingAgain")
an American rightwing without a bogeyman to fear can’t long survive.
Pot, meet kettle. What kind of bogeymen do the left have? Let's see, racism, guns, evil capitalists, etc. How often do they wring their hands over the abortion position of federal judges? I would say every single time one is being appointed.
And then the guy's defense, once again, boils down to "yeah, but ACORN isn't as bad as ____________________" You know, when that's all you have, it's time to defend someone or something else.
And again it's all about racism. Never mind the fact that 2 of the videos showed white people assisting this. Always about race because their actions are so indefensible that racism is all they can come up with to make themselves look like the victims.
You wrote: "Communism is dead. Al-Qaida isn’t as scary as it used to be. But an American rightwing without a bogeyman to fear can’t long survive. Enter ACORN…"
I don't fear ACORN. I find them disgusting, as a continuing criminal enterprise that (undeservedly) claims the moral high ground. In the U.S., you can't have a tax-free, non-profit corporation or LLC advocating for a particular candidate. It would take years of forensic accounting to figure out which ACORN personnel should go to jail.
Today, Big Bertha Lewis, the puppet head of ACORN, was given an opportunity to submit her organization(s) to rigorous examination. She declined.
The history of ACORN is out there, Brad Friedman, if you care to explore it. Regrettably, your mind is made up and you won't confuse yourself with the facts.
In the full article, from which the excerpts above were taken, you say Republicans are also guilty of voter fraud. Referencing the wrongdoings of others, whether real or imaginary, answers no questions about ACORN;s worthiness to receive federal funds.
Grow up, boy.
Putin IS KGB…funny thing is…when they win…journalists are the first ones culled from the herd…how ironic.
I'm a bit surprised he passed the Brietbart test?
Mr. Friedman I highly suggest you clean up the mess in your own country's kitchen before you come tell us how to clean up ours. The Brits tried to tell us what to do not too long ago…look how that worked out. Stay out of it, sir.
No government bailout for news outlets.
Also, he makes it sound like ACORN is the victim.
RIGHT……nevermind the fact that they were strongarming…essentually threatening…the housing lenders to get them to lower their standards so that so called “poor people” could buy a house….meanwhile they stuck what was owed on the house to us hard working folks by passing the buck on to us, making our rates go up. Hell…thats what got us into this financial mess in the first place!!
ACORN the victim??….HARDLY
I'm posting there as akw1! LOL
You can always tell a Lib columnist, they always begin their columns with several falsehoods, which are somehow expected to be accepted as true from that point on in the column. When I encounter these, I read no further.
I think people need a history lesson. The Democratic wing of the Democratic-Republican party was pro slavery. The republican wing wanted to get ride of slavery. The KKK for example was created to serve the Democratic Party.
The historian Eric Foner wrote "In effect, the Klan was a military force serving the interests of the Democratic party, the planter class, and all those who desired restoration of white supremacy. Its purposes were political, but political in the broadest sense, for it sought to affect power relations, both public and private, throughout Southern society. It aimed to reverse the interlocking changes sweeping over the South during Reconstruction: to destroy the Republican party's infrastructure, undermine the Reconstruction state, reestablish control of the black labor force, and restore racial subordination in every aspect of Southern life."
Its beyond me how minorities can vote for democratic party. I guess thats why the history books was altered to alter the view of the democratic party.
He seems to like the Kool Aide, and now he is spreading it around! I have always pondered how the German people could have fallen for it ….. now…. I see how they did…. BUT many DIDNT! Those people are lost… we need to keep on the good fight for the people who havent drank the Kool Aide!
"Stop Acorn, and you can stop the rise of citizen democracy altogether – "
Guess he missed the tea parties and the 9/12 project too–How much you wanna bet he doesn't watch FOX news? He gets all his information from "reliable sources".
Liberals refuse to grow up…
Brad Friedman is an A**.
PRESIDENT OBAMA = EX-CHIEF ATTORNEY OF THE USA's CHILD SEX-SLAVE INDUSTRY LEADER (A.C.O.R.N.)
TAR AND FEATHERS MR FRIEDMAN?
Never heard of this fool reporter before.
What an idiot! I think it's long before the men in the white coats come to take him away and put him in a padded room.
How exactly does one become an "expert" on issues of election integrity? Is there a class you can take?
OMIGOD! Check this out…just as I suspected, actual state run media is next! Obama takes over the newspapers.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/...
This jerk makes it sound like it was George Bush and Dick Cheney at Abu Ghraib themselves stacking up terrorists in pyramids. I'm sure if "low level" employees of Halliburton did anything like this, Mr. Friedman would be outraged, have no problem calling for FBI probes and have the entire company taken down! But remember, we're the wingnut apologist hypocrites.
Brad Friedman is bitter, biased and confused by his own background. He is guilty of using a broader brush to paint his rivals than the insignificant ones he perceives. Of course he writes this in the Guardian where he can continue to misinform those who believe that the United States is corrupt, inherently evil and needs to fashion itself after the superior U.K. where the majority have been 'liberated' by exercising their right to abdicate personal responsibility and, therefore, basic human dignity. He doesn't understand the dynamics of the Democrat vote plantation in America. I have no use for useful idiots.
Oh Brad, Brad………thanks for the laugh.
Ths is a joke right? Cause I'm thinking it's a bad one! This had to be in UK because we, here in USA, wouldn't believe it and know better.
Brad can write anything. He’ll never be taken seriously by anyone serious however.
Based on Brad's column, I'd say no.
If we wanted to read a skewed view of reality, we'd subscribe to the NYTimes…
Andrew, who' let this guy on your classy site? Classyness index has just take a nose dive.
Young Brad illustrates how MSM here and in the UK use vast amounts of mental energy to maintain heroic levels of stupidity. A truly dumb person could figure out that ACORN employees abetting percieved pimps for underage illegals is a bad thing, and that they've been caught with their pants down.
Friedman chooses to focus on the externals–the ACORN employees being black; O'Keefe and Giles being white, as the only important features of the story which he shapes to fit the racism template. HEY BRAD!!! NOBODY'S BUYING THAT ANYMORE!!!
There is a link at the bottom of the Big Government post on his article that is still working…
I see. So Brad Friedman doesn't have a problem with smuggling children across borders in order to enslave them as prostitutes. Nice guy.
"Finally, something for the Republican party to use to stoke fear among its constituency."
You know, if there was nothing to find, there would be no story….
Its hard to feel badly for those who think they are above the law.
Our President is a Marxist.
Marxism is a dark religion which attracts people looking for a bad guy, or a villain.
Marxism (= Leftism), is a dark religion which attracts those looking for an excuse to hate.
Marxism (Communism, Leftism) is a religion founded on hatred, disguised as concern for the poor and disenfranchised and promoted by constant lies and deceit.
Marxism is just the latest in a long line of schemes through which certain self-absorbed, narcissistic personalities seek to have power over the lives of others.
Marxism / Communism / Leftism craves power….Hatred craves power.
Love craves freedom.
Our President is a Marxist.
MANNY LAGATUTA FOR PRESIDENT!!! A DAY AT THE RACES
Last comment on this blog post. Andrew, think of it like this.
If I wanted to watch humans projectile vomiting I'd:
A. stake out the bathroom at a bulemics Anonymous meeting or
B. be an avid reader of 'BradBlog'.
…..I don't do either.
Why jettison this site by allowing lefty bloggers to post junk just when you get things stoked up?
File under: Doesn't make sense. I love what you guys did with Acorn, but if you feel some kneejerk need to be "fair and balanced" by offering loony opposition a voice here, I'm going to have to pass.
my best regards as usual.
mrclark
You know what…I spent 2.5 years stationed (not by choice) in the damn useless UK…this limey SOB needs to shut up about America,his country aint no where near perfect..look at the oppression of the Irish,citizends of India,Egypt and other countries who were crushed under the British boot. We ain't perfect,but these useless and moronic Brits are FAR more hypocritical than most countries on this earth. Hey limey…got drink your weak,milk tea crap and shut your mouth about things you know NOTHING about.
"And, most convenient of all, it registers millions of them, legally, to vote in US elections. Spooky."
Ummm yeah. And it also registers about as many ILlegally. Oh and your comment at the end of that, very racist.
Lets see how this slimball wanker likes Sharia Law…pay attention to the fact your politicians have disarmed you and left you as bait for the Islamic hordes that are ruining your weak and pathetic country…Lets have a history lesson….Revolutionary War…we kicked you out….1814…we defeated your invasion,WW1…we saved your sorry asses,WW2…we saved your sorry asses AGAIN…..Iraq war…your wussified army with it's crap rifles couldn't even hold Basra after WE cleaned it out for you before you took it over…and lets not get into how bad you have flubbed up Afghanistan….you got a nation of metrosexualized winos,your working class is overtaxed to support your parasite class…which ACORN is our version of that…Heck you even gotta buy licenses to watch crappy socialized tv. Shut up and mind your own business you limey poofdah.
Communism, socialism, Marxism and Liberal Fascist Militancy is not dead. It is alive and well; thriving inside the United States of America. Mr. Obama has set up a Shadow Government in an atempt to circumvent and subvert the Constitution. Viva Che', Viva Fidel, Viva Villa………….
uh ..Maybe you ought to look at your country first . I believe the year would be 2006
You make me laugh ……….I have 2 words for you to google.
Alexander Litvinenko
Viva la Revolution' !
[...] 7:49pm PT: Welcome Drudge/Breitbart fans! While you're here, be sure to peruse what's about to break in American Conservative magazine! We'll [...]
[...] 9/20/09, 7:49pm PT: Welcome Drudge/Breitbart fans! While you're here, be sure to peruse what's about to break in American Conservative magazine! We'll [...]
where does he get the impression Acorn is getting voters legally he needs to go to Ohio and speak to a few people. They saw people coming off buses from chicago registering and voting in a window of timeline, Which is legal if you live in that community. No ID required. They are fully corrupt
Brad, you forgot to mention how the sex trade industry will suffer…
Friedman is American, you moron.
Not sure why, but, I have a pet peeve that it is BOGEYman, not boogeyman. Dude, a bogey is +1 over par on a golf hole. Just had to get that off my chest.
What more is there to say? What more can possibly be said?
Even the court jester John Stewart has the forsight and the decency to drop this turd and call it for what it is…what is wrong with people like Friedman?
How sick, stupid, and evil can one be? Actually, don't answer that…
Lola I have a lot of great friends in the UK and they are pissed just like we are and they are fighting the same kind of fight don't judge the UK by this morons words.
ACORN is diametrically opposed to "by the people, for the people, of the people" – they are socialists and use the race card IN YO FACE to get whitey to fork over money to the blacks. In fact, it's a slow form of reparations.. Their tactics are reminiscent of the Mafia and it's about time they get the microscopic examination that has been LONG OVERDUE. This is not "right wing" vs "left wing" – this is "right" vs "wrong". They have taken millions of taxpayer dollars over the years and shuttled it between their various affiliates like their own private banks – and they have hidden behind the "501(c)(3)" designation all the while breaking just about every IRS rule regarding 501 organizations.
We need an investigation into ALL 501(c) organizations and their abuses and if an organization is found to have been violating the terms of their tax-exempt status they should be required to RETURN the taxpayer money they stole.
Publius, methinks some readers are a bit confused.
Quick question everyone: Why does Brad Friedman look like he's trying to hold a potato chip in between his butt-cheeks?
Seriously, this guy is a clown of the first order. British leftists sound an awful lot like American thumbsucking liberals.
Go back to England, Prog-Limey's. We have far too many of our homegrown lefty thumbsuckers to take in stray Marxist fleabrains from the Continent.
Mr. Friedman, you mental midget, anything, ANYTHING AT ALL, that harms Dems and the minorities who keep voting for Dems, because they want handouts and not hand ups, is A VERY GOOD THING!
And FYi………….minorities should not all be lumped together, nor looked at as some kind of "special" voting block to be kept stupid, poor, and dependent on the government. This IS a form of slavery, which GOPers do NOT want to still have in the 21rst. century.
I bet this joker has a bust of Lenin in his office and he salutes it everyday.
Obviously no drug testing where this crackhead works.
He turned the comments off.
It's typical of the Commie left.
Since their ideas are so off the wall, and unpopular with the majority, they get a lot of flack from the thinking people, then do what they can to shut down dissent.
Really, I was just there commenting…he went away for a while but came back for an additional spanking.
Liberals are allergic to freedom.
They break out in RED rashes.
Brad who? And he works for what?
Man, the antique media sure is getting their panties in a bunch, aren't they?
See my post on the Guardian…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifameric...
Brad Friedman is one of the communists "useful idiots".
Journalists and artists. Maybe these morons should actually pick up a history book and learn about Communism and how each instance has a bloody start.
Communism is dead.
STRIKE ONE
Al-Qaida isn’t as scary as it used to be.
STRIKE TWO
But an American rightwing without a bogeyman to fear can’t long survive.
STRIKE THREE YOU ARE OUT!
We eat the bogeyman for lunch just watch tomorrow loser!
Yes, I'm sure it's offered at one of the Acorn locations. sarcasm off
Well, not the ones working for Pravda…
Our problem is that the adults let the children have the wheel of the family car.
That's not too bad if you are in a Nebraska cornfield but we are on a treacherous mountain road.
It's too late to take the wheel back, all we can do now is pray.
"… and working for a group fighting for the American Dream for all Americans"
Call me Rip Van Winkle, but since when has the American Dream been corrupted to include: Owning a brothel, Running a child sex business, and being a Coyote service to bring up these illegal girls?
Who is this guy? Is he a comedian or does he really believe his own lies?
Excellent post. Too bad it's fallen on moronic ears.
He complains about Abu Graib but probably doesn't care about the elderly over there dying waiting for treatment. Which is the true torture?
I'm a homosexual and I think I hate Brad Friedman.
Rise of Citizen Democracy? Give me a break. ACORN doesn't represent the 'Rise of Citizen Democracy', or even encourage it – unless you are voting for a Democrat! ACORN represents the closest thing to modern slavery in America today. This whole sham of ACORN representing and helping the 'downtrodden poor' has been exposed for what it is. It is just another organization that exploits the poor and minorities, as we have seen in the last few weeks, by encouraging, even institutionalizing, prostitution, money laundering, tax fraud, tax evasion and even white slavery.
The thing conservatives MUST start doing is spreading the word about Democracy and Freedom, to instill Capitalism and Free Market principles into the hearts and minds of these very same, so-called 'victims'. Just as the ACORN adviser told the 'prostitute' – You've got to do your best to keep the 14 and 16 year old, illegal Guatemalan slaves ignorant and unable to read, lest they wake up and realize they they are being exploited.
It's high time we wake EVERYONE up. Conservatives and Whites don't hate Blacks. They don't abuse, exploit, lie to or denigrate minorities and the poor – the very groups who boast so loudly that THEY help these groups are the ones keeping them down.
Yeh and the world is flat. What a knucklehead.
Mr. Friedman’s obviously anti American POV is only amplified by his defense of the indefensible ACORN. Makes me wonder how long it will take for his ilk to drag the UK all the way to third world irrelevance.
If the idea of bringing ACORN down is the purpose of the Republicans, then why mention the skin color of the specific employees? If the Republicans really wanted to bring the organization down, the skin color shouldn't matter should it? Nope. But mentioning it does suggest that all Republicans are racist and mean, which is the point of your article, isn't it, Friedman?
I wonder if this crack UK reporter has any knowledge of the 8 former top-level ACORN executives who have been pleading the government to look into the abuses of taxpayer funds they have been asking for for MONTHS – all ignored by them…. By trying to attribute all of ACORN's problems to a handful of low level office underlings, he is probably dreading being exposed as a useful shill. Were any sort of credible investigaiton to actually take place, this UK hack would be exposed as the hack and shill he is acting like right now… blaming ACORN's criminal conduct on the very element of US society trying to expose them to public view. This claown is probaably from a famaily that enthusiastically voted to oust Winston Churchill after he held Britain together almost single-handedly thru WWII…. This so-called reported doesn't deserve the spit what might be directed his way. He's a hack. No more need be said.
Well it seems obvious to me why a European is more for the democrats than the republicans. because democrats aspire to be just like Europeans and the rest of us are despised by them for wanting to be Americans.
This limey being for ACORN makes me even happier to be against them. tells me im on the right side
Dear Brad,
If you think the reaction to ACORN is one of fear, I think you need to reassess your position. The reaction is one of unbridled ANGER. Anger at the corruption ACORN represents. ACORN is one more example of the plantation mentality of the political left in America.
Where did you find this creep? First of all, he is wrong about so many things in just a short little article. Stating that "Acorn is perfect. The nationwide community group is full of scary black and poor people – who tend to support the Democrats. And, most convenient of all, it registers millions of them, legally, to vote in US elections."
1. ACORN does nothing legally especially registering voters!
2. ACORN is not full of scary black or poor people – they are full of predators who want to take advantage of "scary black and poor people".
3. ACORN doesn't "support" democrats, they dictate their policies to the President of the US, banks, mortgage lenders and anyone else they can fit into their pockets. The 2 "leaders" of ACORN are WHITE brothers who want nothing more than to destroy Amercia and all that it stands for.
Brad Friedman has the intellectual capacity of a teaspoon. ACORN is bursting at the seams with corruption. If you feel compelled to comment on the situation, at least get your facts straight.
Keee-ripes! Why give time to "The Guardian," a Marxist rag if there ever was one. Most of "The Guardians" columnists would find ways to praise Pol Pot, Hitler, Stalin, and Jack the Ripper if they thought it would be taking a swipe at America in general and the American center and right in particular. This piece of newsprint crap is full of Kim Philbey's acolytes. I wouldn't embarass and humiliate my parrot by putting it in the bottom of his cage.
Actually, it's what passes for (openly) left-wing journalism in America. He's just writing an op-ed column for a British paper.
this guy and those like him are the reason that the UK is soon to be the Islamic Republic of Britain. Good thing he isn't in America, even though we have those who support him here.
Except that Brad Friedman is an American.
I wouldn't expect anything less from the Guardian. These are the guys who relentlessly stand behind Gordon Brown when 9/10s of the country despise him and want rid of him.
He's not a Brit. Read his bio. Not that the Brits aren't overrun with left-wing idiots of ther own…
He's not a Brit. Read his bio. Not that the Brits aren't overrun with left-wing idiots of their own…
Actually, he understands it very well, and is doing his utmost to maintain it…
That's because he is one. Read his bio.
What is the boogyman for the left? _I refuse to say bogeyman_ The boogyman of the left is the absence of a rightwing boogyman. Therefore the leftwing has to create our boogyman or they would never rid themselves of their own boogyman.
I'm not as nice as most of these people I'm direct and to the point. Every one can tell this guy needs to find a new job being a news reporter in not what he should do. Maybe be the guy pushing the drugs he is taking for his is not in his right mind. Facts all wrong and writing in circles this guy needs to go back to Europe and join his lefty brothers there.
Mr. Friedman be careful, you are walking into a punch. You are an enabler of illegal activities. You are being exposed as the aparatchik that you are. Thank you.
Seems the Guardian removed my comment. I guess censorship is alive and well in the UK. Looks like they are living up to their name….Guard.
Andrew,
Good job allowing these leftists to have a counterpoint.
They are a needed daily reminder of the absurdity that is modern academia and journalism.
Quoting Brad Friedman, without ACORN, "Scary black people", could not register themselves or vote? Is that what Mr. Friedman is saying? Without ACORN the rise of a democratic society can not happen? First he calls black people scary now he insinuates they are uneducated. Then he goes on to say that the employees of ACORN that got fired are dumb. Even Bertha Lewis called them "Stupid" during the Wallace interview. However, they were intelligent enough to know how to skirt IRS tax laws and the laws governing prostitution, fraud et al. I do not believe those skills had anything to do with their color. It had everything to do with an industry that is unchecked. Im glad Mr. Friedman is not a defense attorney.
Brad Friedman is a failed actor who started a left wing blog. He has a BFA from NYU. If some Hollywood producer offered him a part on The Suite Life with Zach and Cody he'd drop his ill informed rabble rousing and take the cash. The fact that The Guardian prints his trash should tell you all you need to know.
So now the American dream is to open a brothel with underaged illegal young girls and ACORN will help?
Oh, and hide the money so the IRS can't get it.
What a foolish and empty argument. What is it with the leftists? Watergate was HUGE and this isn’t? The O admin, his czars, and many of the Dem reps and congressmen and women have their hands all over ACORN. How is this a bogeyman? How is this not HUGE news? Oh yeah that’s right this is the OSM (Obama Statist Media).
Might be a clinical case of projection.
projection – psychology
defense mechanism ( in defense mechanism (human psychology);
3. Projection is a form of defense in which unwanted feelings are displaced onto another person, where they then appear as a threat from the external world. A common form of projection occurs when an individual, threatened by his own angry feelings, accuses another of harbouring hostile thoughts.
Brad, seek some help.
wow a message from Londonistan..where oppression of the British Citizens who speak out against the growing Muslim population is causing the destruction of democracy..maybe you should do some honest writing my friend before you completely loose your country and your wife and kids have to wear burkas. Thank Gd for honest journalism in USA maybe with support from We the people they can topple this horrible cancer. But in all fairness how could we be informed if we dont get the lefties side of the story too. At best we can make them see the lite if they just wipe the smog from their eyes..I hope..
They're in the White House, the Senate, The House of Representatives… And we need to get them out ASAP! I'm thinking that Biggovernment.com could be the Conservative's version of Moveon.org….
Your reply has hit to the heart of the whole ACORN matter. This organization is nothing more than modern-day pirates, but instead of sailing the high seas, they are moving like locusts across the fruited plains, spreading moral decay and leaving the new Leftist philosophy of 'Victimism' in their wake.
They have taken the American Dream, so beautifully stated in "The New Colossus" – "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…", and twisted them into the New American Nightmare – "Give me your thieves, your drug-dealers, Your unproductive malcontents yearning to smother the free…"
News Flash..Nancy Palosi is the collective torture of the American People..I just figured that out thanks..now that should make her elligible for a CIA investigation..I relish the idea and hay CIA guys you got my permission to use water boarding but I would lace the water with botox and that way kill 2 birds with one stone
I wouldn't trust a Guardian columnist to be able to tell me the correct time. But even by Guardian standards, this is an amazingly laughable piece.
A morally and intellectually bankrupt article by a man whose radical left wing ideology has driven him mad. Who cares if the organization is stinking corrupt and would assist child sex slavery? It supports our almighty statist vision, and thus the rest is to be disregarded.
I would be infuriated by the article except for its value in attracting moderates to conservative side of the political spectrum. This sort of vile Pravdaesque drivel is an advertisement against itself, and this fool is an unwitting benefactor to the Republican party.
"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he doesn't exist." – Keiser Soze, The Usual Suspects
Every Christian church in the U.S. in the form of tax breaks
You know at some time there is going to be some _REAL_ racism and it will be ignored because people think "Oh its just Mr. Friedman calling RACISM! again." and the real racism will be ignored.
But that doesn't matter to liberals like Mr. Friedman – who have been calling anyone who disagrees with them RACIST! because they can't address the facts.
And, for your information Mr. Friedman , Abu Ghraib was already being investigated by the approprate authorities and _WAS_ an isolated incident. If the same had happened at 5 different prisons – then you might have a comparison. But for now your just displaying your stupidity and ignorance.
This is a wonderful article and demonstrates that all Conservatives and Right Wingers are racists.
President Obama is the greatest American President in history.
My only dispute with the President is he should immediately institute slave reparations on all whites limiting their maximum income to $50,000 per year and liberating their bank accounts of any monies above $25,000 to reimbuse people of color for slavery and Jim Crow laws.
Naturally, 80% of all high paying jobs and college admissions should go to people of color and the rest to White liberals trying to atone for their racism. Also racists in the media should be shut down and reeducated (Talk radio,Fox, Etc.)
Peace be upon you!
For a really good insight on what is driving this administration watch: "The Weather Underground", a 2002 documentary by filmmakers Bill Siegel and Sam Green. It is available at Netflix. Hurry, while you still can.
I have a copy of this DVD. Watching this, for those of us who lived through it, brings back AWFUL memories. Even more awful is the fact that some of the participants, shown in this documentary (Ayres and his wife, BD) are still active and tied to the Obama Administration.
Brad: WOW—–You must have gone to school to get this stupid–no one is born that stupid.
Article quote: “Stop Acorn, and you can stop the rise of citizen democracy altogether – you know, “government of the people, by the people, for the people“, as we used to like to say here in the US. Or so the Republicans have convinced themselves…”
YOU ARE SO FULL OF IT. A TYPICAL LIB-TARD, STILL TRYING TO EXPLOIT THE UNDERDOG/COLORED FOLKS, STILL CONVINCED THEY WILL BELIEVE YOUR LYING CRAP. AMERICANS OF ALL COLORS AND STRIPES ARE WAKING UP, AND THE WOOL IS BEING PULLED OFF THEIR EYES!
Oh, go curtsy to the queen, Friedman. Blokes like you know nothing of freedom and personal responsibility. You let your country take your arms away. Bow down and kiss the hand that enslaves and feeds you. American man don't need you around anyhow.
What's a lefty Brit doing telling me we have no need to fear communists. Hey pal, have you seen the UK being over-run by Mussies.
No, corruption is only corruption when it comes from the right. The left are incorrupt and incorruptible, don't you see?
I was using the authors spelling.
Also, a bogey in England is what we in the United States would commonly refer to as a booger.
You are correct, sir. Mr. Fiedman missed the point. ACORN is a tax exempt organization receiving some federal and state funds – and is NOT an impartial operation. Also, the "few bad apples" at Abu Ghraib went to prison. He left that part out of his posting.
Obama the greatest president in history? I seriously doubt that VERY much.
What are you smoking….and can i NOT have some of that.
Stupid left wing, communist boneheads
yeah, go to the u.s. debt clock in rea ltime. the debet goes up a million dollars every 39 seconds + or -. Makes my life and my personal debt seem not so bad anymore!! well, until i lose my job.
it's not just CHRISTIAN churches. Mosqs, temples, those are included in tax breaks.
If I see that one ACORN rep (the admitted killer) as white trash, am I a self hater or a reverse racist? Is there a government program for people like me?
The only good evil chick I can think of is poison ivy and that doesn't fit with the "republicans hate the earth" spiel. but I can see a snl skit like that.
Like someone else said about being as unassailable as a victim if you are their advocate (although why jimmy "that black boy" carter is a good advocate…..) anyway, if you are their advocate no one can touch you and all aregument and discussion stops. no reasonable person likes to or wants to be called a racist so they toss these hateful words about making US seem like nazis and the kkk just to shut us up.
And Nancy Pelosi can kiss my behind with her fake tears and wobbly chin! Our protests are not nearly as inflamatory as her calling us nazi's and un-American! How she can stand there with nothing in common with me or mine and expect me to follow her rules….
sorry for the rant.
Nowhere in this guys article does it mention that ACORN employees were told the "prostitutes" from El Salvador were children and yet they still had no problem with it and helped out the "rightwing operatives" illegal activity.
Nowhere does he mention ACORN employees have been convicted of voter fraud, not "accused", in over a dozen states.
He also fails to mention that ACORN CEO, Bertha Lewis, at first tried to claim the videos were "doctored" and that the two "rightwing operatives" were turned away from "dozens" of ACORN offices across the country. When these obvious false statements were exposed, only then did she fire the ACORN employees.
I was waiting for someone to defend child prostitution as the ACORN employees did.
Thank you Mr. Friedman for exposing yourself as just another leftwing journalistic hack who has no problem with voter fraud and child prostitution.
Even the Obama sycophants in our media have better sense than you.
Brad Friedman is a pervert ! He PERVERTS the concept of The American Dream,and representative government, while promoting ACORN as a benevolent group that is the voice of the poor and downtrodden here. . Now that's perversion on a large scale. ACORN, and supporters like Friedman , Obama, and the other ususal suspects in this administration, take exploitation of the poor and cynicism to new levels daily.
Good thing that BigGovernment.com and others are keeping watch and keeping score.
I hope this man enjoyed his moment of truly free speech. IF things go the way he and his handlers want it to, that will be a distant memory.
Wait, never mind.
Since he probably just copied some generic MAD LIBS for political journalists I guess its not really free speech then.
And we're racists. Maybe you should check real history and see that it was the black africans that sold their own people into slavery.
Sir. Regarding the behavior of a racket to help the little people, including but not limited to pimps, whores, underage illegals for child prostitutes, who surely will benefit from a fine public education in their free time. Such dedication is laudable. Oh yes, lest we forget these fine causes. Abetting an indepent small business owner, whose dubious profits must be laundered, thru the tax authorities, suitable for use as a campaign donation, to an ambitious pimp, desiring to redeem himself as an elected official, hopefully a national office. I quite see how one finds these humble servants to be a,dmirable and beneficial to any fortunate society.
You must wish to start your own chapter. Seeing how much your own downtrodden people of color will benefit from your assistance, I must fervently advise you, put aside your writing sir, and jump to it. The cesspool is quite large, and there's no time to waste. And do sir, begin as you intend to go on. Please let us know which profession you'll be helping, the pimps, or the whores. Perhaps you can multitask.
hey mohamid…..F-ck Y-u!!!
I take that back Mohamid…I'll tell ya what…I'll be glad to use my size 13 EE foot to kick your sorry ass all the way back to Africa if you want…no problem. Otherwise get a job and a life.
Obama said in his ABC interview yesterday….(paraphrasing) I didnt know that ACORN was getting any public funds
WHAT??!! YOU’RE THE FREAKING PRESIDENT AND YOU DIDNT KNOW THAT??! The highest office in the land, and you dont know what agencies are getting money. Since when does the president “not know” anything?
You are either VERY stupid, very uninformed, or you are just trying to cover for your buddies at ACORN……my guess is the first one and the last one. And besides, he’s sympatico with ACORN, of course he knows whats going on with them.
To the article……we grow our own left wing nut jobs over here, we dont need any from foreign countries putting their two cents in
Hey mohamid,
Sip your koolaid and go back to sleep.
Obama the greatest President in History? How old are you? 10?
Where do you liberals come up with this stuff? The comedy channel?
Unfortunately, "History Lesson" in today's vernacular is a brief flashback in one of the snark satire/news programs dating back about 15 years. Cable subscriptions that used to feature biographies of real people who accomplished a great deal in their lives like Edison, Churchill, Copernicus, Curie, etc., now feature biographies of Britney Spears, Ashton Kutcher, Paris Hilton, and other "celebrities." I watched the movie "Idiocracy" once – once is enough – and the bleak scenario it painted of the future of our society 500 years from now sometimes seems just around the corner. The History Channel increasingly features programs that have nothing to do with history. Don't get me started on what appears to be a complete lack of actual history book-reading by our average citizen. With lots of words, little sex, and few, if any, pictures, such books are almost alien to today's populace. To expect our average citizen to know the histories of both major parties is asking them to exert a little effort to understand their voting responsibilities, something that cuts into time watching reality TV.
Anyone who lists Cynthia McKinney, Al Franken, and Maxine Waters in his list of testimonials http://www.bradblog.com/?page_id=4516 sends my BS detector off the chart. Read the rest of the testimonials. It is a short list of the usual lefty suspects.
Here's his CV, at least one version of it copied from his "Writer's Resume" at this link, http://www.bradfriedman.com/WriterResume.htm truly one of political depth and range that prepares one to begin learning political commentary:
EDUCATION:
BFA-New York University/Tisch School of the Arts 1983 – 1988
Playwright's Horizon Theatre School (Directing) 1985
Practical Aesthetics Workshop (PAW) at Lincoln Center 1984
Circle In The Square Theatre School 1983 – 1984
Interlochen Arts Academy 1982 – 1983
At NYU: David Mamet, John Guare, William Bly
I wonder how he managed to fit Comparative Government, History of Political Philosophy, Constitutional Law, Labor Law, political demographics, and other political science and political economy courses in with aesthetics and fine arts? Must have been a real grind.
Gimme a break.
ACORN is the victim? Please. ACORN appears to be a nation-wide criminal enterprise – engaged in voter registration fraud and tax evasion. What sort of "corporate culture" promotes prostitution and smuggling of underage girls for the sex trade? One ACORN operative even said he'd help use his contacts to help with the smuggling. I think the outrage is against this culture of corruption, against waste and abuse of taxpayer funds, against buying votes, against promoting house purchases by those incapable of meeting their mortgage payments, and against partisanship while posing as a non-profit charity. The more important question is how many ACORNs are out there?
Sorry. I jumped to conclusions.
What can I say? I was in a bad mood and didn't feel like looking up the douchedrinker's bio.
Of course he got paid! He got applause! He'll probably end up in the Obama administration!
wow, seems only right wing idiots read this
do a litle research folks before you shoot the messenger!
by the way, I have guns and know how to shoot back
bitchez!
Thanks soooooooooooooooooo much for the article. this is exactly what I needed to read!!!