Shakespeare, among others, pointed out that what we name something is not nearly so important as what that thing is or does: “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” he wrote in “Romeo and Juliet.”
Unfortunately, that works both ways: That which we call a corrupt organization would still be a corrupt organization by any other name.
That’s certainly the case for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now — or “ACORN.” It thinks it can sweep its ugly image under the rug by changing its name.
You may remember the disturbing videos in 2009 of ACORN workers giving tax tips to a man and woman blatantly posing as a pimp and prostitute. That — along with ACORN’s history of voter registration fraud — led to major cuts in the government grants ACORN was getting, putting the organization in serious financial trouble.
But now, The Associated Press reports, ACORN affiliates “are remaking themselves in a desperate bid to ditch the tarnished name of their parent organization and restore federal grants and other revenue streams … . The letters A, C, O, R and N are coming off office doors from New York to California. Business cards are being reprinted. New signs with new names are popping up in front of offices. … But while their names are different, most groups have kept the same offices and staff.”
In other words, there is little reason to believe that ACORN, which is intent on “reforming” society, has bothered to reform itself.
ACORN can change its name if it likes, but it deserves no more taxpayer dollars.