MVOC = Not ACORN, Karl Marx or The Devil

Recently, U.S. Rep Tim Ryan (aka The Destroyer of HUD Hopes according to Vindy.com commenters) postponed a meeting at Youngstown Community Health Center because of potential danger and threats against himself and other figures. Not altogether unreasonable, based on the threats and actions against other local politicians like John Boccieri. It seems reasonable to wait until things cool down instead of trying to get business done amidst tumult and controversy that would detract from your work and purpose. Right?

Despite the lack of meeting or attendees, teabaggers (oh, how I am enjoying the excuse to use that word in print) showed up anyway to protest healthcare/socialism/puppies or something, with signs that seem to have been made by putting a bunch of controversial buzzwords into a hat and then pulling them out in random order. "Obama?" Check. "ACORN?" Check. "Socialism?" Boy howdy. "MVOC?" It has initials, why the hell not?

Freedom of speech is awesome. Where else can you see the incredible, brave expressions of pride, frustration and noble American spirit mixed in with goofy hats, shock photos downloaded from the least reliable Web sites on the Internets, and the whitest people who ever sliced bagels? Protest signs can be inspiring, or late-night talk show fodder. More often the latter.

However, freedom of speech trumps responsibility, unfortunately. Most people who are intelligent, informed and moved enough to get involved in protests also feel that internal duty to represent truth and fact instead of spin. These people, not so much.

The Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative was the subject of a few of their signs. "MVOC = ACORN." "If this HC Bill was Sooo Wonderful, Why does M.V.O.C. Have to Sell it 4 You?"

While the MVOC is not without its drawbacks (I'll get to that), it is surely not ACORN. ACORN was about 10% federally funded, while the MVOC gets that sweet, sweet Wean Foundation money and other grants. ACORN is concerned with national issues, while the MVOC remains largely Valley focused. ACORN is subject to national scrutiny about its funding and funneling of money, while the MVOC's funding and scope remains pretty simple and local.

They do both have similar concerns. They are both community organizers, and were both for affordable housing and voter registration, but against predatory lending (which is bullshit — I voted against the payday lending bill, because it would not only put local lenders out of business, but it would also give more free reign to credit card and mortgage companies to charge high fees, since the lenders' fee of around $18 per hundred borrowed would still be less than a late fee or bounced check. It was a good temporary option for those who paid back their loans on time to avoid being massacred by fees.) But better neighborhoods, schools and voter turnout are issues that are important to almost all community groups, so this is no revelation.

The MVOC, being privately funded, they operate largely outside of politics. Its board and staff are made up of ex-high-school principals, law enforcement, educators, military, clergy and citizens.

The MVOC had little to do, publicly, with the recent health care bill protests and passage. They have pretty much not expressed any public opinion or agenda about this issue until after the bill had already passed, when they sponsored a meeting explaining the bill to area seniors. They focus mainly on local progress in the form of housing, properties, local elections and neighborhood groups.

The signs confused me, since ACORN didn't have anything to do with the health care bill issue either. Maybe it was because the other day the infamous "pimp" video came out to have been heavily edited and manipulated (like that he wasn't wearing a pimp outfit when he was actually talking to the staff), and the ACORN officials were not found guilty of any criminality. They aren't even called ACORN anymore — get with it, neocons.

In fact, the MVOC weren't the biggest fans of Tim Ryan either, posting a petition on their Web site calling him to justify and explain the rejection of all that HUD money. Like many, the MVOC pinned blame on Ryan for the Mahoning Valley not getting any money (see previous posts), when it had nothing to do with him, but the CDA official in charge of the grant application and ... drumroll ... THEMSELVES! since an MVOC official had actually reviewed the failed application! But still, even after all the HUD details unraveled, they left the petition on their site naming Ryan as the man to go to with your complaints — not the CDA with whom they work locally. I guess blaming Tim Ryan for everything is a practice that has transcended party lines. But I guess you cannot accuse the MVOC of being leftists, like the teabaggers were doing.

The MVOC and its affiliated groups have been ASSISTING IN (edit) the sale of a number of vacant properties to BUYERS (edit) who come in to profit from the next-to-nothing home prices. While at a community event at Wick Park this fall, a couple from California discussed their plans to buy homes in the area in cooperation with the MVOC and its related groups and rent them out, while still residing in California. While they expressed a genuine altruistic desire to turn around neighborhoods and improve the community, this can have adverse affects on local renters, landlords and homeowners. C'mon, Joe Pedaline needs another pot factory! I will not throw out the dreaded "g" word, but some of us can't afford to live in a nice neighborhood! That's a joke. I guess that's what the East Side is for. Another joke.

Speaking of sides, the MVOC lastly should focus efforts evenly. The bulk of their programs focus on the "historical district" of Wick Park, YSU and the North Side. Renovating a home in a historic neighborhood near campus would be more profitable than, say, flipping houses and land on the East Side, though both would be beneficial to the residents. This raises concerns that the efforts may be based in profitability. However, the Idora Park/corner store projects in conjunction with other groups are a good step in the equal-opportunity direction. The Eastside Coalition is another. I'd like to see them branch out further into the Mahoning Valley, everyone needs a hand nowadays. Trumbull County folks should help out too! There is a Warren office — 394-3801.

IN CLOSING: MVOC GOOD — JUST DON'T BECOME GREEDY SOULLESS REAL ESTATE MONGERS. We've all seen GlengarryGlenRoss, right?

And lay off Tim Ryan, everybody. He doesn't even have a condo full of hot young interns to have pizza parties with like SOME people.

* EDIT - My paranoid real estate plot fantasies come in part from watching too many 1940s gumshoe detective movies, and my secret wish to have a REAL GlengarryGlenRoss in my town and that Alec Baldwin will come here. Alec Baldwin from the 90s, not Alec Baldwin now.