Juan Williams: Why don't you go after Blackwater? Why don't you go after the defense industry that rips off our country?

I've largely avoided writing about this because the American right wing's obsession with Acorn simply makes me want to hit my head off the desk.

Acorn's remit is well known:

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) is a community-based organization in the United States that advocates for low- and moderate-income families by working on neighborhood safety, voter registration, health care, affordable housing, and other social issues.

Looking out for poor people is such an admirable thing for any organisation to do that I find the antics of Beck, Malkin and Fox News simply reprehensible on this subject; and, I feel, that this - more than anything else - exposes their phony claims to be concerned for "ordinary Americans" as the bullshit that it is.

The head of Acorn describes the McCarthy like atmosphere which these windbags are creating:

BERTHA LEWIS: Well, first of all, we are suffering from a modern-day type of McCarthyism. You know, have you now or have you ever been associated with ACORN? This has been repeated in the right-wing Republican echo chamber, that somehow or another we are to be discredited.

They speak of Acorn as if it the most corrupt organisation which ever operated, when their real anger at Acorn is due to the fact that it encourages the black community to vote and that the black community tend to vote Democrat. That is the real beef these haters have with Acorn, but they will never be honest enough to tell us that.

Here, Juan Williams of all bloody people, pulls Hannity up for the fact that he concentrates on Acorn rather than more substantial abuses:

WILLIAMS: Now, I will say this, Sean. Exactly how serious do you think this is? Because the way you play it..... you would think that this is the basis of all corruption, going to take apart our great country. And you know what? This is miniscule. And most of what ACORN does is help poor people.

[...]

But I will say something to you. You're a big guy. How come you're not going after people who take billions of dollars? Why don't you go after Blackwater? Why don't you go after the defense industry that rips off our country? You know, these are people...

HANNITY: The industry that keeps us safe.

Note, that Hannity immediately sells the line that Blackwater keeps the nation safe.

But Williams is making a very valid point. If these right wingers were really concerned about corruption, there are far more deserving targets than the ones they choose to obsess with.

They obsess with Acorn because it helps the poor, which they instantly regard as a Democratic agenda and one which should be instantly condemned.

Hat tip to Crooks and Liars.

Tags: Acorn, Blackwater, Halliburton, Hannity, Williams