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

Big Government ^ | 9-12-09 | Brandon Darby

[kingattax]

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 9th 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 9th 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 9th 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.

[Guenevere]

bttt

[cripplecreek]

ACORN doesn’t want anybody on their turf muscling in on their action.

[SECURE AMERICA]

I knew from personal experience that the majority of the Black 9th 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.

Must suck to be a liberal. Guy is doing the right thing but his feelings are hurt because some asshats were talking bad about him?

[WHBates]

From the article:

"ACORN receives tens of millions of dollars from taxpayers to promote their agenda. Free speech is sacred, of course. However, it is clear that ACORN has made a practice of blurring the lines between free speech and tax-payer-funded activism."

How have we come to this place in our nation these are the same people that attempted to destroy our nation in the sixties. While we were sleeping are nation has been infested top to bottom.

[SkyPilot]

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.

Sounds like the situation I ran across in Somalia in the early 90's.

Thugs are thugs - and they are cowards. I worked Katrina relief too, and the real heros (the first responders, the military, the coast guard, and real relief organizations) were the ones the MSM and the Left blamed for an act of God.

Our "President" got paid by these domestic terrorists and criminals, and was closely associated with ACORN for years.

That alone would have disqualified him for even a SECRET security clearance.

ACORN receives tens of millions of dollars from taxpayers to promote their agenda.

Actually, ACORN got FOUR BILLION in taxpayer money in the Porkulous bill.

This is so outrageous that even the MSM can't cover it up.

Some people need to be arrested.

[ronnie raygun]

Now exposed we need to run with this, demand ZERO speak on this, demand our tax payer moneys given to this crime syndicate be stopped IMMEDIATLEY and crush this organization NOW!

[Guenevere]

bttt

[SE Mom]

Wow- this is a gutsy fellow. Thanks for posting!

[Venturer]

Those are exactly my thoughts.

This is the appreciation you get when you deal with people like ACORN. It’s actually funny in an ironic way, it’s the thanks the northern white soldier gets for fighting to free the blacks from slavery, and 99% of liberals just dont get it.

[Just mythoughts]

And the Jon Stewart media made darn sure they painted George Bush as a ‘racist’ devil not caring what happened to these people. I do note this guy who experienced first hand what he was accused of doing and being neglected to mention how far out the waves of the flood of lies traveled.

The Jon Stewart media will also get its own time of accounting for the flood of lies they have spewed.

[ElayneJ]

“While we were sleeping are nation has been infested top to bottom.”

Note what’s been happening in public schools for the past 40 years. The primary objective has been teaching multiculturalism - as Beck said, focusing on what divides us instead of what unites us - creating a nation of hyphenated Americans who talk about “their culture” instead of our American culture. And the theme of victimization and the absence of moral grounding. We created a vacuum and something had to fill it. Just my opinion, of course. :)

[Rome2000]

ACORN is a communist front organization and their lawyer is POTUS.

[ElayneJ]

From the article:

“She is also quoted as stating that “When people ask me, ‘What do you do?’ I say, ‘I create crisis’, because crisis is that edge where change is possible.””

It’s all about “change.”

[WHBates]

I agree completely.

[comps4spice]

And the state run media is their propaganda arm.

[ElayneJ]

I hope it’s not too late to turn this around.

[noodler]

thx also to the link-very interesting. In a Jeramiah moment i might say HAMERICAAASSSS ACORNNNZZZZ HAVVVVE COMMMMM HOEMMMMM TO ROOTTSSSZZZ. but i won’t.

[TADSLOS]

Ms. Fithian has been quoted in various mainstream news articles as saying, “Nonviolence is a strategy. Civil disobedience is a tactic,” and “Direct action is a strategy. Throwing rocks is a tactic.” She is also quoted as stating that “When people ask me, ‘What do you do?’ I say, ‘I create crisis’, because crisis is that edge where change is possible.”

[Iron Munro]

Obama and Holder aren't going to let these factual disclosures about ACORN criminality continue.

We will soon see the Attorney General and the Justice Dept. fighting on the side of ACORN and using the FBI to investigate, discredit and intimidate ACORN's detractors.

[noodler]

Okay,okay Congressman Bartlett is putting forth a motion to have a c o r n investigated !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And it’s up to “lawmakers” to persue IT! Whew that’s a relief.

[GOPJ]

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.

LOL - that would be because they wanted their "cut" and walking around money for their "friends". I suspect ACORN is a criminal organization. When ACORN groups don't even blink at underage child sex slaves you know it's not the first time they've heard the story... I suspect lots of pimps and ho's have been assisted to taxpayer dollars by these groups.

[noodler]

In the spirit to remove any doubt and close these gaps of disTRUST AND FURTHER OUR NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO GO TO GO FORWARD INTO THE SHINING F’G FUTURE we’ll just prosecute O’Keefe and get it over.

[noodler]

Yes prosecute Darby and the donkey he rode in on. Save the donkey for frank n frankin’s party.

[KarlInOhio]

Fortunately, our federal government is adept at investigating and identifying the misuse of federal funds.

That was before an ACORN activist was elected president. Now the job is to attack those who oppose ACORN. I expect Maryland to try to prosecute Breitbart for recording ACORN with full support of the federal government.

[BunnySlippers]

Good post. Read the article and recommend it.

[BunnySlippers]

As someone commented on the link provided” “Same sh*t, different generation”.

[tndarlin]

I read this article on biggovernment.com this morning. It really disturbed me to the core. How to fight this corruption? How do you get the people who live in these communities to fight for themselves? Or see who is really holding them back?

[noodler]

I don’t mean to diminish your view of what Should be done. some of us were railing about acorn for years. I think it was NY that had a clear case and just threw it out because they’re all good dems and nobody’s gonna touch that. Then they all of them have become so bold that yes, of course those gals they have on tape and video said what they did. AND SO WHAT ? Did they just “think it up”? These , what four now just “Thunkit Up” Yeh well the whole organisation i can’t really speak about and certainly many people among the various different affiliated groups sucking money down a hole really worked hard to do their job and service the community. This huge civilian army of servicing people which only a day ago seemed numbered at 361 different groups had by the time I related the information to a friend had been informed it was closer to 1200 different groups. And this is your our stimulus and we are so happy people have a job to screw us out of our taxes...IN FACT These women who were fired and may(cough) be prosecuted, these gals may actually be the best. THEY MAY KNOW WE’VE BEEN SCREWED SO LONG that the LEAST they could do is provide a reciprocal For the community, of course.

[Chickensoup]

Copied before it disappears

Former Leftist Activist, Turned FBI Informant, Pulls Back the Curtain On ACORNby 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 9th 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 9th 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 9th 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.

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.

As then director of Common Ground Relief’s 9th Ward project, I was warned by many that ACORN would ruin me politically if I didn’t submit to their leadership. I believed in what I was doing and how I was doing it. I refused to submit. The political fallout was almost unbearable. I just kept my eyes on meeting the needs of the community. When confronted by adherents to ACORN’s brand of race analysis, I pointed out that ACORN was not there immediately after the storm, so I could not have sought their leadership even if I had wanted to.

Over the following years, that particular style of political attack was prominent in New Orleans. Anytime that ACORN was displeased, the other party was deemed a racist. If the other party disagreed with the label or with ACORN’s agenda- they were met with “of course you feel that way. You are a racist.” Though it is clearly woefully inaccurate and unethical to use such an accusation as a political attack and as a means of shutting down philosophical debate and discourse, some at ACORN didn’t let that stop them. I refused to submit to it. I believed in listening to the majority of the community, who were desperate for our help, and not only to the self-proclaimed leaders. I paid a dear price for it.

I returned to Texas after a couple of years adminst the political quagmire of post-Katrina New Orleans. My experience there with various groups was educational and life-changing, though some of these groups concerned me. Eventually I began to see some of them as dangerous and deceitful about their missions. This, along with a growing appreciation of my country helped lead me to work with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

I was as proud of this new era in my life as I was of my time in New Orleans. I had the privilege of participating in efforts where lives were saved; both in the United States and in Israel. While working undercover with the FBI at the Republican National Convention in Minnesota, I helped to uncover a bomb plot. Two men had made firebombs with a homemade napalm mixture of gasoline and oil. Their initial targets were Republican delegates. These bomb-makers (domestic terrorists) later decided to attack a staging area for the Secret Service and other law-enforcement agencies. Fortunately, they were stopped and arrested.

I was asked, and agreed, to testify against them. As was expected, the more radical elements of the media began to attack both me as an individual and the FBI as a whole. One of the men accused plead guilty; the other hired an expensive defense attorney and concocted a story about the FBI building these bombs to “set up left-wing activists” and stop dissent. But once the facts became clear, the defense changed their story and instead tried to blame the FBI for ”influencing” the terrorists. Thankfully, after one hung jury and many months of intense media attacks against me, the other bomb-maker (domestic terrorist) decided to come clean and admitted to the judge that he had invented the whole story.

What does any of this have to do with ACORN? I wondered the same thing on January 31st of 2009 when I was reading an ACORN blog that is run by Wade Rathke (the man who claims credit for founding ACORN). He devoted an entire page to my work with the FBI. How did he describe the FBI’s effort and success in preventing innocent Americans, local police and federal agents from being burned, maimed and/or possibly killed by firebombs? He wrote that it’s “one thing to disagree, but it’s a whole different thing to rat on folks.” That is what ACORN’s founder had to say about my role in stopping a bomb plot.

I was even more shocked as I continued reading the article. ACORN’s “founder” went on to mention that another self-proclaimed “radical” activist who had worked closely with him was also involved in my story. Her name is Lisa Fithian. I first encountered Ms. Fithian in New Orleans. She came to town after Common Ground Relief had started operations. She assumed a position of prominence and continuously challenged my work and leadership. During the RNC bombing trial, she cooperated with the defense of the bomb plotters and led media attacks on me and the FBI.

Ms. Fithian has been quoted in various mainstream news articles as saying, “Nonviolence is a strategy. Civil disobedience is a tactic,” and “Direct action is a strategy. Throwing rocks is a tactic.” She is also quoted as stating that “When people ask me, ‘What do you do?’ I say, ‘I create crisis’, because crisis is that edge where change is possible.”

ACORN receives tens of millions of dollars from taxpayers to promote their agenda. Free speech is sacred, of course. However, it is clear that ACORN has made a practice of blurring the lines between free speech and tax-payer-funded activism. Fortunately, our federal government is adept at investigating and identifying the misuse of federal funds. It will be interesting in the near future to see how Mr. Rathke and his ACORN associates stand up to the same scrutiny they have focused on our military, the FBI and other governmental groups and agencies.

[Chickensoup]

This guy will have a short life if ACORN and OBAMA and their minions are as bad as I think they are.

[visualops]

[GOPJ]

...certainly many people among the various different affiliated groups sucking money down a hole really worked hard to do their job and service the community.

Look, ACORN helped people into homes they could not afford. Those people lost their homes, dignity and their down payments. ACORN taught a community how to cheat - lie and steal their way to "success" - while destroying the community was were suppose to be serving. If you're familiar with such organizations you know they skim off the top of grants and their friends always have "walking around money"... Those things are a betrayal of the community they are suppose to serve.

Black people have been screwed over enough - without having their so called "community leaders" do it to them too.

And the reason the liberal press isn't covering the ACORN story is because they're racist. They think that's how black people really are - that they're all sleezy. It's not true. Most black people are hard working - and love their families and would be just as outraged as you and I are about these ACORN nuts.

And what can those people say? How do they feel when the MSM doesn't cover it because they secretly feel all blacks are like that? Everything about this - and ACORN - is an outrage.

[noodler]

Look, Gopj dude I never really thought blacks(if they must still be called that)were that stupid. They guys and gals I worked with for years weren’t stupid nor those who my and many others’ lives in their hands. It’s the same freakin’ party which rode them in slavery plays them and their folks votes as fools all the time. They dumb them in schools and help them fornicate their way to entirely disturbed family/gov’t dependent structure where crime is a thing where yous go tos a place where yo meets yo daddy maybe. Baby daddy shabby way and then get played and all the biz is gone and hey BUT VOTE DEMO early and often. I’ve seen it all because I watch TV. (lol) They’re still being played and once you’re a thug there is no other way than be a dem and suck off some promise of slightly higher welfare or ssi or childmanymorecareperchild flatscreen,newcarcare. It just is what it is. and there are many of us older folks who never hurt anyone, gave to charities ALLatheFlippin time and well beyond and causes to protect and heal the Nation. And WE have no flat screen, no power steering, maybe some equity in what we paid for over 20-30 years like our health care premiums. Then. THEN when we need them it’s like a whole new deal now dude. Hey, way back there beyond jose, hasandra, milandra, nuevo,uetha,eruthra,stambitha,molita,daemone,denome,demonfrom hell,shitonya,clamidra etc. So getting sick can make you ill and YOU ALREADY PAIDED FOR IT -but they changed the f’ng rules.so you get ALITTLEPISSEDOFFFF!! sometimes

[decimon]

I’m wearing that same t-shirt. But I have the shoulders for it.

[RobinOfKingston]

Fortunately, our federal government is adept at investigating and identifying the misuse of federal funds. It will be interesting in the near future to see how Mr. Rathke and his ACORN associates stand up to the same scrutiny they have focused on our military, the FBI and other governmental groups and agencies.

"A fish rots from the head down." -- Michael Dukakis

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

The Left’s Storm Troopers

[ASDMom]

Holy cow! So this is how it all works! There are certain people in the black community that have a vested interest in keeping this community oppressed and they promote the charade that it is all the fault of white racists. Look at how ACORN tried to run off any assistance from the whites. They’re afraid their influence will expose the truth. As long as this network of individuals keeps brainwashing this group, they maintain control and influece their votes. Anyone from within that rebels against this is an Uncle Tom.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Let’s help Glenn Beck by finding out more about this Lisa Fithian.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

http://sweetness-light.com/archive/the-terrorist-behind-the-peace-mom

Lisa Fithian, The Terrorist Behind Sheehan

Perhaps you have read Byron York’s excellent National Review piece, Cindy Sheehan’s Radical Strategist, which gives us a little insight into lifelong union organizer and anarchist, Lisa Fithian.

Fithian has been in charge of the Camp Casey “Movement” from the start. And she is behind Cindy’s “bus tours” which will all converge in DC in time for the ultra leftist anarchist United For Peace and Justice demonstration (http://sweetness-light.com/archive/the-terrorist-behind-the-peace-mom) there. (Coincidentally, Fithian is the co-chair of UFPJ.)

But it’s only fair that Fithian should be calling the shots for Cindy’s PR campaign. After all, it was her idea. Behold an early report of what was to become Camp Casey and Cindy’s “bus tour,” from last February.

Antiwar coalition holds national assembly meeting in St. Louis

Debating UFPJ’s direction

February 25, 2005 | Page 2

Eric Ruder reports from the United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) national assembly meeting in St. Louis.

More than 400 activists and organizers gathered February 19-21 for the second annual UFPJ national assembly to map out a strategy. The event brought together people from UFPJ’s 850 affiliated organizations…

After some discussion, the mini-plenary agreed to bring a proposal to the assembly floor for a September 10 national mobilization to march on the United Nations and demand that the U.S. bring troops home from Iraq now. UFPJ National Coordinator Leslie Cagan and UFPJ Co-chair Lisa Fithian voiced their agreement with the call.

Delegates to the full assembly passed this proposal by an overwhelming margin–and also voted for other initiatives including a grassroots education and speaking campaign, a focus on organizing to expose the local costs of the war, and a campaign to counter military recruiters in high schools and on college campuses. This showed that among UFPJ delegates were activists involved in local initiatives who were anxious to get back to building a visible protest movement and who hoped that UFPJ could serve as a vehicle to generalize these efforts.

Incidentally, here’s a photo from some of the bright lights involved with UFPJ, from their own website (http://tinyurl.com/87p2g):

Some members of the newly elected Steering Committee

Fithian is a terrorist in every sense of the term. Even the briefest of internet searches will reveal her long and sordid background. It is Fithian’s avowed intention to bring about revolution by destroying the system.

As Fithian told the funsters at International Socialist Review (http://tinyurl.com/8h3ge), she wants to accomplish this through destruction and intimidation, just like every other terrorist. And just like them, Fithian is eager to use violence to get her way.

“I have no issue with property destruction. I think sometimes it’s appropriate, sometimes it’s not. Again, I look at it strategically. Does this help us or does it hurt us? Does it help us achieve our goal, or does it not? We’re in a society where property is idolized, so a lot of people don’t get it yet that it doesn’t really matter. It’s just glass or products.”

Fithian first gained widespread notoriety as a major organizer of the anti-WTO riots in Seattle. She has since tried to instigate similar riots elsewhere, including New York, during the Republican National Convention (http://tinyurl.com/dup8e).

Fithian and her friends want to form an alternative government (http://tinyurl.com/a7mxj) to our (corruptly) elected one. She wants something more in line with basic democracy–where she and her friends will be in charge.

Campaign Proposals: Empire and Occupation (Part II)

Goals

1) Move the peace movement from reaction to a proactive stance.

2) Strengthen our local bases and involve a broad range of groups.

3) Develop a permanent base of grassroots people prepared to organize and take action quickly when crises develop.

4) Develop an alternative governance.

Submitted By
Name:Starhawk and Lisa Fithian
Organization:RANT
City, ST:
Email:stella@mcn.org, fithianl@ogc.org
Tel:415-640-5872, 213-840-1972
Delegate(s) attending:Starhawk, Lisa Fithian

In a new introduction to Abbie Hoffman’s ancient screed, Steal This Book, Fithian wrote a letter to her dead hero and mentor about 9/11 and her noble efforts in Seattle:

“Planes turned into bombs. The Twin Towers collapsed. The Pentagon in flames. Two of the most powerful symbols of capitalism and militarism left gaping and destroyed in a matter of moments. The foundations of the old order were cracked open.

Meanwhile the Government Inc. propaganda machine is in full-tilt boogie and the right-wing is doing everything it can to consolidate its power. Our democratic system is a joke. Would you believe the Supreme Court actually chose the last President? You know when his wife’s nickname for him is STUPID, we’re in trouble. Yup, baby George W., son of the ex-CIA director drug dealer and oil man, George Bush, is now the Prez. He can barely articulate a coherent sentence. Just makes you sick. Now he gets to wage a war in the name of fighting terrorism.

In reality this war is just another front in the capitalists’ efforts to expand and control world markets, keep the rich, white boys in charge and squash an intensely amazing, growing resistance movement. A movement that captured the attention of the world on your birthday! November 30, 1999 over fifty thousand people swarmed the streets with song and dance to shut down the Millennial Rounds of the World Trade Organization in Seattle.

This movement arose from the fact that corporations with the support of elected officials are selling our water, endless polluting our air, genetically modifying our food, clear cutting our forests. For them, “developing” means “destroying.” …same ####, different generation…”

“Same ####, different generation…” — I’ll say.