ACORN hunt bears no results
Orbis calls local offices, hears dial tone
Steve Harrison
Issue date: 10/15/09 Section: News/Features
I wanted to give ACORN a chance. Really, I did. The nationwide organization campaigns to secure affordable housing, provide adequate health care, and end predatory lending, which contrasts strongly with the incessant negative coverage that Fox News and other conservative-leaning media outlets devote to the group. As a self-professed card-carrying liberal and Orbis journalist, I set off to write an informative article detailing the Nashville branch of ACORN's contributions to the community and its upcoming projects. This could have depicted a different side of ACORN not commonly shown by the media and provide a local connection for the Vanderbilt community.
I believed that an organization rocked by scandal like ACORN would embrace the opportunity to receive some publicity. The organization has been accused of voter registration fraud, misappropriation of funds, and other unscrupulous activities. Just last month, two people advertising themselves as a pimp and prostitute entered ACORN's Baltimore office and were advised by ACORN employees to declare members of their prostitution ring as dependents in order to receive tax benefits.
Surely the target of such unethical undercover set-ups would be eager to greet honest journalists and dispel the nasty rumors in circulation. Much to my disappointment, ACORN did not make this an easy task.
Round one, Sept. 30. I went on ACORN's national website in an attempt to retrieve the phone number and e-mail for the Nashville office. 'Easy,' I thought, 'I'll just give them a quick call, shoot them an e-mail, and get to work.' No such luck. The number dialed was not in service and my e-mail immediately bounced back to me. Confused, I called ACORN in New Orleans, one of the three national offices, for clarification. The New Orleans branch also had a defunct phone number and no means of immediate contact. It was at this moment that I determined something was awry.
After engaging in a long and unnecessary pronunciation battle over the words 'national' and 'Nashville,' a member of the New York branch informed me that there was in fact a Nashville branch and that their number was plainly listed on the ACORN website. I informed them that I had in fact called this inactive number and that my purpose for calling New York was to find out if the Nashville branch existed. The voice at the other end of the phone promptly told me to check the website again to see if I acquired the number and e-mail correctly and to have a good day.
I believed that an organization rocked by scandal like ACORN would embrace the opportunity to receive some publicity. The organization has been accused of voter registration fraud, misappropriation of funds, and other unscrupulous activities. Just last month, two people advertising themselves as a pimp and prostitute entered ACORN's Baltimore office and were advised by ACORN employees to declare members of their prostitution ring as dependents in order to receive tax benefits.
Surely the target of such unethical undercover set-ups would be eager to greet honest journalists and dispel the nasty rumors in circulation. Much to my disappointment, ACORN did not make this an easy task.
Round one, Sept. 30. I went on ACORN's national website in an attempt to retrieve the phone number and e-mail for the Nashville office. 'Easy,' I thought, 'I'll just give them a quick call, shoot them an e-mail, and get to work.' No such luck. The number dialed was not in service and my e-mail immediately bounced back to me. Confused, I called ACORN in New Orleans, one of the three national offices, for clarification. The New Orleans branch also had a defunct phone number and no means of immediate contact. It was at this moment that I determined something was awry.
After engaging in a long and unnecessary pronunciation battle over the words 'national' and 'Nashville,' a member of the New York branch informed me that there was in fact a Nashville branch and that their number was plainly listed on the ACORN website. I informed them that I had in fact called this inactive number and that my purpose for calling New York was to find out if the Nashville branch existed. The voice at the other end of the phone promptly told me to check the website again to see if I acquired the number and e-mail correctly and to have a good day.
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