Out On Their Butts (UPDATED)

This is how “compassionate” liberals can be when you don’t toe their mark. From Ted Hayes:

I am the founder and director of a unique, progressive homeless facility in downtown Los Angeles, known as the Dome Village. Yet the 35 men, women and children and their pets who call the Dome Village home are being "evicted" from privately owned property after 12 1/2 years--apparently on account of my political beliefs and activities. You see, though I am a leading homeless activist, I am also a conservative Republican and a strong supporter of President Bush.

Here's how the situation played out. Recently, I was invited to address a local Republican Women's Club; my landlord read an article in the local paper reporting on the event. Soon after, I received a notice raising the Dome Village rent from $2,500 a month to $18,330. Shocked, I inquired as to the seriousness of the change, and the property owner blurted out that the cause of our "eviction" was "because you are Republican." He said that as a Democrat, he was tired of helping me and the Dome Village. In other words, let the homeless be damned.

Ted Hayes has a well-deserved reputation in Los Angeles as one of the city’s most effective homeless activists; indeed, he has lessened pejorative nature of the word ‘activist.’ I first learned of his work nearly a decade ago via LA’s version of über-leftist Pacifica Radio, KPFK. Back then, of course, it was okay for him to help the downtrodden; as long as it was assumed that he subscribed to the “correct” ideology—as long as he was presumably a Man of the Left. However, since his political leanings have become—shall we say—unclean, it’s now become okay to charge he and his domicile mates out of their homes.

It is time for American blacks to have a conversation about the phenomenon of Democrats persecuting black Republicans. Why is this happening? What is it that the Democrats don't want black folks to understand about Republicans? What is it that the Democrats don't want black folks to know about Democrats? And how is it that we have come to this point--after having endured so much--where we have ourselves curtailed the freedom of political expression through the threat of retaliatory consequences?

Some black commentators have chastised black conservative Republicans for using racist terminology when noting the conversion of some black Democrats to the Republican Party: being a ‘freed-slave’ and ‘leaving the plantation.’ In the past, I have agreed that the phrasing was racist, but here, it is quite apt.

Back in the day, some of the smarter slaves had to hide the fact that they could read and write, lest they be killed. The “masters” who have lost control of the minds of their "slaves" now must operate all legal-like and will simply do things like price them out into the street.

Thank God, however, for this being the 21st Century; even if some mindsets haven't change, societal circumstances have.

It should be fascinating to see how this story plays out. Perhaps it will push Dome Village’s founder even more to the Right; perhaps he and his fellows will decide to find the means to own their domicile--like a free men and women.

(Thanks to Jeff Goldstein)

UPDATE: Darkstar notes--and I have seen it elsewhere today--that Mr. Hayes' political leanings have been public for some time. In the comments to this post, Darkstar asks:

[W]hy now would the land lord toss him out for the stated reason that Hayes gives?

I don't know, but can only take a guess: the landlord figures, since Mr. Hayes has publicly appealed to his fellow Republicans, that they should now take the reins in helping him. Fair enough, if true. However, if that is true, one wonders why the landlord was helping Mr. Hayes and the other residents of Dome Village in the first place. Certainly it wasn't because the landlord believed in what he was doing.

I think that this will, ultimately, be good for Mr. Hayes and his efforts: accept help, yes, but help yourself first and foremost--don't let others hold your fate in their hands.

UPDATE: Click on Ted Hayes' interview with FoxNews' Hannity and Colmes.

UPDATE: Interesting additional info in the post and the comments at Misha's place (language alert).

Also read Evan Coyne Maloney's commentary. He was on this subject before Christmas.