By Carter Clews
Executive Editor of ALG News
Please note: LeRoy Brown is a fictitious character created by the late Jim Croce. All others in the article below are – for better or worse – real-life people. The quotes from all but LeRoy are real. The attributions are authentic.
Barack Obama’s cohorts in crime over at ACORN are all in a tizzy. Seems they are highly vexed at Sarah Palin demonstrating something less than abject respect for the Obamessiah’s “service” as a “community organizer.”
Taking time out from answering charges of voter fraud, misappropriation of funds and such at federal and state levels, ACORN president Maude Hurd, in her usual huff, defended her former legal counsel, warning the world that being a “community organizer” is “no laughing matter.”
Oh, really?
Well, the fact is, I ran into LeRoy Brown in the South Side of Chicago the other day. And it turns out that not only was he the “baddest man in the whole damn town.” He was also a fellow “community organizer” with no less than Himself, Barack H. Obama.
I know that’s going to come as a surprise to some. First, to those who thought LeRoy ended up facedown dead on the barroom floor after learning “a lesson bout messing with the wife of a jealous man.” But, the truth is, LeRoy survived that unfortunate incident in fine fettle and actually moved on down to Altgeld Gardens where he teamed up with the man who would one day become the world’s most famous “community organizer.”
It may also come as a surprise to many in Altgeld Gardens, who up until a few short months ago wouldn’t have known “community organizer” Barack Obama from Mario Mendoza. Here’s how the esteemed New York Times reported the Obamessiah’s reception from his supposed Altgeld idolaters in May of this year:
“That failure [to admit changing his positions on political issues] was apparent on the summer day in 1999 when he walked through the South Side during the Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic. Other politicians rode on colorful floats, trailed by throngs. But Mr. Obama was on foot as he made his way through the cheering paradegoers who had shown up to celebrate black pride.
“’People were asking, who is he?’” said Mr. Kindle, who served as one of his emissaries to the black community. ‘You could see how humbling it was in his face.’”
Nonetheless, LeRoy tells me that he and Barack did, indeed, work together as “community organizers” in Altgeld Gardens, where, according to no less than Michelle Obama, Barack learned “how he would impact the world” with his selfless devotion to community organizing. Now, LeRoy, I must say, remembers it a little differently.
First of all, as the Times also points out, Obama’s efforts were not entirely selfless: the Obamessiah was paid a rather handsome $13,000 a year salary, and got a staff car to boot. LeRoy opines, “Barack made more money in a week than I was picking up in a month. Nowadays, he calls that ‘service.’ Back then, we called it a rock solid grubstake.”
LeRoy also remembers the success of Obama’s on-site performance far differently than the self-styled President-to-be has repeatedly reported.
In the first of his two autobiographies, Obama devoted more than 100 pages to his marvelous manifestations in Altgeld Gardens and surrounding areas. So, excessive was he in his use of the perpendicular pronoun (“I”) that investigative journalist Ron Nessen recently related the following based upon his interviews with longtime Altgeld residents:
“But those who were involved in the [asbestos removing] effort say Obama played a minor role in working the problem and never accomplished his goal. A pre-existing group at Altgeld Gardens and a local newspaper, the Chicago Reporter, were working on the problem before Obama came on the scene, yet Obama does not mention them in his book, ‘Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.’
“’Just because someone writes it, doesn’t make it true,’ says Altgeld resident Hazel Johnson, who had been pushing for a cleanup of the cancer-producing substance years before Obama showed up.”
Still, I suspected that, despite his detractors, surely a man of Obama’s august achievements must have accomplished something of substance in his self-lauded stint as a “community organizer.” And put to the test, LeRoy confirmed my suspicions:
“The man could shoot some hoops,” LeRoy said, shaking his head in wonderment. “Yes, the man could shoot some hoops. Why, I remember playing horse with him one day and him being way down – I’m talking ‘h-o-r’ to zip. Next thing I know, he’s sinking a three-pointer for ‘e.’ Course, I still question when he got the ‘h-o-r-s.’ But, the man could talk even then.” (All of which may explain why Obama recently commented to NBC interviewer George Stephanopoulos on Sarah Palin, “You know, I would play her in a game of horse … I think I would stand up pretty well.”)
Frankly, I found LeRoy’s reminiscence to be a bit demeaning to the Obamessiah. So, I decided to do a little investigating of my own. When a man’s track record of achievement – his proudest claim to fame – is besmirched, even unintentionally, it’s only fair to get verification from others who were there on the scene at such a defining moment.
So, I checked in The Nation, the far left’s favorite magazine of record, long in thrall to the Obamessiah. Here was their take: “Despite some meaningful victories, the work of Obama–and hundreds of other organizers–did not transform the South Side or restore lost industries.”
Hardly a ringing endorsement. But, it’s always best to get a third opinion on demagogues, demigods, and “community organizers.” So, I checked with one of the Left’s most esteemed newspapers of record, the Los Angeles Times. Their take? “The large-scale change that was needed at the 1,998-unit project was beyond his reach.”
Now, to me, that still seemed a little hard to believe. After all, we’re talking here about the man who has promised to “change” the world with his message of “hope.” So I took the bull by the horns and checked on how his message of hope had changed Altgeld Gardens in the years since.
And I have to tell you, it is not good, my friends, not good. Here is the actual crime record for the Obama/Altgeld Oasis of Hope from just July 15 to August 15 of this year (as reported in the highly reliable Chicago.everyblock.com). Remember, all of this occurred in just 30 days – and they are only reported incidents of crime:
• 700 block E 134th Vandalism: Criminal damage to state-supported property Place: Factory / manufacturing building. Reported at 12:10 a.m. on August 15, 2008.
• 1100 block E. 131st St Other offense: Telephone threat
Place: Apartment. Reported at 1 p.m. on August 15, 2008.
• 600 block E. 130th Pl Simple battery: Domestic battery: simple
Place: CHA apartment. Reported at 5 p.m. on August 14, 2008.
• 1100 block E. 131st St Theft: $300 and under
Place: Parking lot / garage (non-residential). Reported at 5 p.m. on August 11, 2008.
• 800 block E. 131st St Simple battery: Domestic battery: simple
Place: CHA apartment. Reported at 1:17 a.m. on August 10, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Drexel Ave Theft: $300 and under
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 5:52 a.m. on August 10, 2008.
• 13100 block S. Ellis Ave Simple battery: Simple
Place: Small retail store. Reported at 4:15 p.m. on August 10, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Champlain Ave Narcotics: Possession of heroin (white)
Place: Sidewalk. Reported at 9:15 p.m. on August 8, 2008.
• 900 block E. 130th Pl Narcotics: Possession of drug equipment
Place: Sidewalk. Reported at 8:45 a.m. on August 5, 2008.
• 13200 block S. Corliss Ave Narcotics: Possession of crack
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 12:20 p.m. on August 5, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Evans Ave Theft: $300 and under
Place: Street. Reported at 7:30 a.m. on August 4, 2008.
• 700 block E. 130th Pl Narcotics: Possession of cannabis, 30 grams or less
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 9:10 p.m. on August 3, 2008.
• 13200 block S. Ellis Ave Theft: Over $300
Place: Residence. Reported at 10 p.m. on August 1, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Drexel Ave Simple battery: Domestic battery: simple
Place: Residence. Reported at 10:40 a.m. on July 30, 2008.
• 1000 block E. 132nd St Public peace violation: Mob action
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 8:09 p.m. on July 29, 2008.
• 900 block E. 133rd Pl Deceptive practice: Illegal use of cash card
Place: ATM (automatic teller machine). Reported at 9 a.m. on July 28, 2008.
• 900 block E. 133rd St Simple assault: Simple assault
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 12:38 p.m. on July 28, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Ellis Ave Simple battery: Simple
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 9:15 p.m. on July 27, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Evans Ave Narcotics: Possession of cocaine
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 11:13 p.m. on July 25, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Evans Ave Simple battery: Domestic battery: simple
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 1:15 a.m. on July 24, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Champlain Ave Narcotics: Manufacturing/delivery of crack
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 7:58 p.m. on July 24, 2008.
• 1000 block E. 132nd St Simple battery: Simple
Place: CHA apartment. Reported at 11 p.m. on July 24, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Drexel Ave Other offense: Sex offender: failing to register: new add
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 3:15 p.m. on July 23, 2008.
• 13100 block S. Corliss Ave Other offense: Sex offender: failing to register: new add
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 1:15 p.m. on July 23, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Drexel Ave Other offense: Missing person
Place: Residence. Reported at 9:30 p.m. on July 22, 2008.
• 1100 block E. 132nd St Simple battery: Simple
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 7:10 p.m. on July 21, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Evans Ave Simple battery: Simple
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 4:30 p.m. on July 20, 2008.
• 13000 block S. Ellis Ave Simple battery: Domestic battery: simple
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 10:10 p.m. on July 20, 2008.
• 900 block E. 131st St Simple battery: Domestic battery: simple
Place: CHA apartment. Reported at 4 p.m. on July 18, 2008.
• 1000 block E. 132nd St Burglary: Forcible entry
Place: CHA apartment. Reported at 10 p.m. on July 18, 2008.
• 600 block E. 131st St Aggravated battery: Other dangerous weapon
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 3:45 a.m. on July 17, 2008.
• 700 block E. 131st St Aggravated battery: Knife/cutting instrument
Place: CHA parking lot / grounds. Reported at 8:40 p.m. on July 17, 2008.
• 900 block E. 132nd Pl Simple battery: Simple
Place: Residence. Reported at 2:04 p.m. on July 15, 2008.
• 900 block E. 131st St Narcotics: Possession of cannabis, 30 grams or less
Place: Sidewalk. Reported at 8:45 p.m. on July 15, 2008.
Hmmm, I guess Altgeld resident Linda Randle may have been right when she told The Nation: “The problems of Altgeld Gardens are as bad today as when the youthful Mr Obama was here trying to get rival church and community groups to co-operate. Many of the houses are boarded up and gangs of unemployed youngsters roam the streets. “
But, then, let’s give credit where credit is due. As Obama, Himself, confessed in best-selling autobiography number one: “When classmates in college asked me just what it was that a community organizer did, I couldn’t answer them directly.” Which, actually, seems more than a little chilling coming from a man whose wife tells us that his “community organizer” experiences defined “how he would impact the world.”
And that brings us back to bad, bad LeRoy Brown, sitting on a stoop at Altgeld Gardens, surveying firsthand his old buddy Barack’s proudest achievement. I said, “LeRoy, how do you feel about Barack running for President of the United States now? Did you ever think you’d see the day?”
LeRoy paused, rubbed his chin (still has a few noticeable scars from the infamous barroom incident, I might add), and sighed reflectively. “Well, I was always taught that a man should finish what he starts – especially when he’s been paid for it,” LeRoy offered. Looking sadly around Altgeld Gardens, he surmised, “Does this look finished to you?”
Note to the huffing Ms. Hurd: Guess you’re right – being a “community organizer” really isn’t a “laughing matter,” now is it? Especially when your failed “community organizer” may be only 60 days away from reorganizing America in Altgeld Garden’s own image.
