# ACORN workers caught on tape apparently advising on child prostitution **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 11, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681 "2009-09-11T13:19:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/281 "2009-09-13T23:39:41Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Huh. I figured it was just left out of the article–but [another more in-depth article](http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20070817/LATEST/70817026?Title=Two-accused-of-voter-fraud-in-Hale-County) I found when googling the name also didn’t turn up any ACORN connection. > > Sam, I hope you show up either to apologize unreservedly for including that link, or to explain why you included it. It kinda calls your other evidence into question. Great minds think alike. So, apparently, do twisted minds. Yer pal, **e.** ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/282 "2009-09-13T23:42:36Z")
Okay, this is a little off-track, but I was trying to find a link, so I googled “Rosie Lyles Acorn”, and I came up with [this link](http://www.acornwatch.org/breaking-news/1450-ag-announces-voter-fraud-conviction-in-hale-county-al). **Sam** , is ACORN Watch one of your sources? Because I did what I always do when I encounter something kind fishy-looking like that: I went to the [about us](http://www.acornwatch.org/about-us) page. It kind of comes across like the site is the work of one magnificent crank. I mean, on the one hand his early life comes across like a bodyguard (he mentions being assigned to protect the Shah of Iran, and later meeting four presidents–I suspect as a bodyguard). But his life story just gets more and more amazing, culminating in > [@](#): > > In 2006 he was named as Time magazine’s “Person Of The Year.” This seemed a bit much. So I looked into it. I encourage you to do the same thing. Bwahahahaha! Edit: ooh, ninjad by elucidator! Hopefully my latest find will make up for it. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/283 "2009-09-14T02:26:46Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Nope, not absurd- and you know it. Just because the military is an extension of the federal government does NOT excuse it from obeying the law. If ACORN, as a whole, is held responsible for the \*supposed \*actions of two of their employees (out of how many thousands?), then the US Military is responsible for the actions of its enlisted. Remember- the so-called evidence against ACORN was illegally gained… why do you give it such weight? > > And you know, it seems to me that you (and the Right in general) IS asking how far up the chain of command ACORN’s supposed actions go. ACORN has already been tried and found guilty in your eyes- on the basis of such little evidence that it would be thrown out of court. There is far more evidence that the US Military has been acting illegally… but because they are the GOP darling, they get a pass. ACORN, though? We don’t need no stinkin’ evidence- string 'em up! Methinks you misunderstood me. I did not say or suggest that the military is exempt from our laws. Nor do I believe they should not be investigated…they should. Many on the right just felt that the investigations and allegations should not have been made public in the middle of a war. And, being an extension of the federal government, every single policy decision is either decided by Congress or the information is accessible to them. Corruption at the top of the military chain would implicate Congress or the executive branch. Slightly below this level and those involved can be removed by Congress or the executive branch. This is, obviously, a different animal than a non-governmental organization receiving taxpayer dollars. Oh, and of course we are asking how far up the ACORN chain of command this corruption runs. I find it amusing that the Left seems so willing to dismiss it as the actions of a few bad apples and are perfectly content to see them continue to get taxpayer money without being investigated by the government. Not even one hearing? ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/284 "2009-09-14T02:31:47Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > ACORN is more of an umbrella organization, like many (if not all!) lefty institutions, rigid lines of hierarchy and enforcement are not our thing. We leave that to those who lack our capacity for independent thought and are more comfortable being told what is right. This is also the way most criminal enterprises are run. No direct links back to the top guys. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/285 "2009-09-14T02:45:41Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > This is also the way most criminal enterprises are run. No direct links back to the top guys. [QUOTE=yorick73] …Oh, and of course we are asking how far up the ACORN chain of command this corruption runs… [/QUOTE] Contrast and compare. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/286 "2009-09-14T02:58:46Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Methinks you misunderstood me. I did not say or suggest that the military is exempt from our laws. Nor do I believe they should not be investigated…they should. Many on the right just felt that the investigations and allegations should not have been made public in the middle of a war. Since it appears we will never again not be in a war, or in a War on Something, this would mean that the charges would never be addressed. > [@yorick73](#): > > Oh, and of course we are asking how far up the ACORN chain of command this corruption runs. I find it amusing that the Left seems so willing to dismiss it as the actions of a few bad apples and are perfectly content to see them continue to get taxpayer money without being investigated by the government. Not even one hearing? Which is more likely- that ACORN as an organization is all for the idea of child prostitution, or that a few employees overstepped their bounds? Frankly, I would LOVE for ACORN to get an investigation. I haven’t heard \*anyone \*say that the situation shouldn’t be investigated- by all means, it should be. The problem is that the Right has already found them guilty- of what, I’m not sure exactly. But at the same time, I’d like to see Blackwater and the military get investigated for their transgressions- you know, in the sense of fairness. Otherwise, it’ll just look like someone’s on a witch hunt. We wouldn’t want that, would we? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/287 "2009-09-14T03:03:21Z")
Oh, me too! Even if the whole chain of command gets perp walked off to the slammer, I still want to know how that white bread preppy Bucky Beaver got anyone to believe he was a pimp! ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/288 "2009-09-14T03:36:13Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Frankly, I would LOVE for ACORN to get an investigation. I haven’t heard \*anyone \*say that the situation shouldn’t be investigated- by all means, it should be. The problem is that the Right has already found them guilty- of what, I’m not sure exactly. > > But at the same time, I’d like to see Blackwater and the military get investigated for their transgressions- you know, in the sense of fairness. Otherwise, it’ll just look like someone’s on a witch hunt. We wouldn’t want that, would we? It appears we agree. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/289 "2009-09-14T03:37:55Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Contrast and compare. What’s your point? The links are not nearly as easy to find but that doesn’t mean they cannot be found and that ACORN should not be investigated. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/290 "2009-09-14T03:53:10Z")
> [@](#): > > In 2006 he was named as Time magazine’s “Person Of The Year.” That is the funniest damn thing I’ve ever heard. I’m updating my CV right now. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/291 "2009-09-14T03:59:33Z")
“Chain of command” (snicker) Do you actually know any lefties? Look, go for it! Drag Commissar Soros out nekkid and horsewhip him, just tell me how that vanilla yuppie scum convinced _anybody_ that he was a pimp. I just \*gotta \*know that! “Chain of command”! That’s droll, that’s very droll… ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/292 "2009-09-14T12:22:09Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > “Chain of command” (snicker) Do you actually know any lefties? “You know what the chain of command is? It’s the chain I go get and beat you with ‘til ya understand who’s in ruttin’ command here.” ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/293 "2009-09-14T13:50:33Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I just wanted to say, none of the text you “quoted” is from the link you provided. > > Is that fraud? > > :dubious: No. It’s pretty clear which link contains the quoted text. It’s the one immediately preceding the text, separated by a colon to denote the relationship. It’s standard cite notation, really. Why would your randomly pick a link from his post to associate with a quote when he specified quite clearly where it came from? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/294 "2009-09-14T13:52:06Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > That is the funniest damn thing I’ve ever heard. I’m updating my CV right now. Don’t forget to include being one of the Fifty Most Loathsome Americans \*every \*year. 😉 Really now, **Sam**. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/295 "2009-09-14T14:36:59Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > The videos were the last straw. Senator Shelby (R-AL) expressed his [concern](http://www.census.gov/po/www/foia/09-077.pdf) to President Obama in March over ACORN’s involvement in the Census. (The file is a PDF.) And he’s not entirely wrong. In fact, ACORN’s involvement may cost the Census a good bit of cooperation and goodwill among the right wing; after the voter registration kerfluffle, they don’t trust ACORN, and by extension, the Census. A shame we let this opportunity go to waste. It would have been a pleasure to have areas undercounted where those idjits were numerous. > [@](#): > > It wasn’t just the videos, it was the perception that ACORN was out to compromise the Census for its own ends, and the perception that ACORN is somehow dirty. Well, there’s the problem: the wingnuts can create the impression that _any_ organization is somehow dirty. Think that empowering them to determine who is kosher and who isn’t is a Good Thing? And exactly what power did ACORN have to compromise the Census? I’m frankly quite pissed at Bob Groves, a statistician whose work I have great respect for, for knuckling under to a bunch of knuckle-draggers. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/296 "2009-09-14T15:11:43Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > No. It’s pretty clear which link contains the quoted text. It’s the one immediately preceding the text, separated by a colon to denote the relationship. It’s standard cite notation, really. > > Why would your randomly pick a link from his post to associate with a quote when he specified quite clearly where it came from? I didn’t “randomly pick a link”. I clicked the link that immediately precedes the quoted text, and the text he quoted is not there. Which is what I said. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/297 "2009-09-14T15:21:56Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > A shame we let this opportunity go to waste. It would have been a pleasure to have areas undercounted where those idjits were numerous. Absolutely. Although I get the feeling that the wingnuts won’t participate in the Census regardless of ACORN’s status. That just gave them an excuse not to do it. > [@](#): > > Well, there’s the problem: the wingnuts can create the impression that _any_ organization is somehow dirty. Think that empowering them to determine who is kosher and who isn’t is a Good Thing? It’s not, and I never said it was a good thing. > [@](#): > > And exactly what power did ACORN have to compromise the Census? Several of the anti-ACORN wingnuts I’ve talked to were under the impression that ACORN-affiliated workers would somehow falsify questionnaires to overcount minorities and the socioeconomic underclass, depriving Decent White Folk of whatever it is Decent White Folk are deprived of. Never mind the fact that enumerators are checked out by the FBI before they go out, and they’re subject to criminal prosecution if they get caught. > [@](#): > > I’m frankly quite pissed at Bob Groves, a statistician whose work I have great respect for, for knuckling under to a bunch of knuckle-draggers. The ACORN fiasco is making my job a lot harder. I work for the Census; my job is essentially front-line shill. I get to talk to people in a fairly conservative area, and it’s tough to reach out to wingnuts who Know the Truth, and it’s getting tough to reach out to providers of services to the Hard-to-Count communities because they feel burned by an organization they thought they could trust. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/298 "2009-09-14T16:03:42Z")
Oooh, look! They caught ANOTHER ACORN OFFICE giving advice to the pimp and ho! Complete with new ways to hide money from the Feds! > **[‘Pimp & hooker’ catch B’klyn staff](https://nypost.com/2009/09/14/pimp-hooker-catch-bklyn-staff/)** > > The scandal surrounding the left-wing activist organization ACORN has spread to New York, with employees at its Brooklyn office caught on video helping supposed ladies of the night get loans for th… ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/299 "2009-09-14T16:18:36Z")
If it’s adult prostitution, who gives a shit? ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/300 "2009-09-14T16:28:17Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I didn’t “randomly pick a link”. I clicked the link that immediately precedes the quoted text, and the text he quoted is not there. Which is what I said. My mistake. Being a naturally curious person, I clicked the ‘Guilty Plea’ link within his cite, and saw the quote text there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=16)