Counterpoint: Borat of the Right Releases Fantasy of ACORN Prostitution Ring

In the “gee, I made this not very smart person look really stupid” genre of film making- the sort of “ask stupid questions and play ridiculous characters and edit to make funny” made most famous by Sacha Baron Cohen- comes “Baltimore Acorn Workers support prostitution.”

Acorn is a community organizing network that works on a variety of issues, from voter registration to fighting predatory lending practices. In other words, it is just the sort of organization for poor people that the Right loves to hate.

borat okeefe

According to the news stories, the video may show two (Black and seemingly not terribly educated) Acorn employees trying to help two (white and seemingly educated) young people figure out how to start a brothel with girls from El Salvador (who, not coincidentally, are here illegally).

ACORN workers caught on tape allegedly advising on prostitution – CNN.com.

Within this fantasy is every fear and desire of the far right: evil Black women activists, poor people, illegal immigrants, and sex.

Of course, it’s also every left wing fear and desire as well: two upper class white kids pretending to be a pimp and a prostitute in a way that can only be described as “are you fucking kidding me?”. He is wearing white pants and a blue oxford (very preppy) and a fur cape! What white college kid “pimp and ho” party did that cape come from? Also, as you watch the video, it is clear that these women are trying to help, but also seriously disturbed by the behavior of these two white kids. On the other hand, the class hierarchy is beyond them, the power dynamics well known to all the participants, and the women continue to try to please the white kids.

And who is this brilliant Borat of the Right? A young man by the name of James O’Keefe. According to his website, he

directed, scripted, produced and acted in a series of undercover videos showcasing racism and statutory rape at Planned Parenthood in 2007 and 2008.

Before that he served as Publications Coordinator at the Leadership Institute, where he helped initiate 22 independent newspapers and magazines on college campuses nationwide. He also gave lectures on campus strategy and fundraising, preaching the gospel of Saul Alinsky.

His most recent project is Veritasvisuals.com, a collection of satirical short films on newsworthy topics, featuring ridiculous situations and demands. These have included straight men with girlfriends getting married to each other in Massachusetts and petitions to adopt Gitmo detainees into American homes…

James got his start producing videos… at his alma mater, Rutgers University, where he founded The Centurion in 2004.

Okay, I don’t really get the Saul Alinsky reference, but the rest of it makes sense. A privileged, ultraconservative, straight white man who hates: same sex marriage, Planned Parenthood, civil liberties, and ACORN. Gee, who would have guessed that’s the genius behind this incredibly “shocking” piece of film.

The worst part is, of course, that this ultraconservative fantasy will be played over and over on Fox News, throwing grease on the fire that is white resentment. More “evidence’ that Acorn and other groups that work for social justice for poor people are in fact part of a vast left-wing conspiracy to deflower the purity of “our” women.

Perhaps we need a Borat of the Left who will make right wing nuts like James O’Keefe look ridiculous? Oh, never mind, they don’t need our help.

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Laurie Essig teaches sociology at Middlebury College and writes for a variety of publications, from Salon to the Chronicle of Higher Ed. She currently blogs at true/slant, where this piece was originally published. Her book, “American Plastic: Boob Jobs, Credit Cards, and the Spirit of Our Time,” will be published by Beacon in 2010.

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