Friday, May 23, 2014

JNS Blog Tries To Uncover Why Blogger Don Allen Was Terminated From His Post As "Second Vice President" Of Minneapolis NAACP, Oh, It's Not Pretty, Folks...



Photo from Don Allen's Facebook, used under First Amendment Fair Comment
and Criticism, (OMG check out this NAACP member hanging with the GOP) blog post 
by John Hoff

For those who don't want to read my entire, detailed article below, here's the skinny from an informed source about why IBNN blogger Don Allen was really kicked out of his Second Vice President position with the Minneapolis NAACP:

He tape recorder (sic) NAACP Regional managers and played there (sic) conversations on him and Ron's blog radio show... Posted lies about executive board members and bashed NAACP and other leaders... it was just never ending.... but you know Don. Why do you REALLY care???????? What has he done now

And now settle in for the rest of the story, folks...


What Has He Done Now?

Months can go by without JNS blog paying much attention to IBNN blogger Don Allen or his doings. I did report on the fact of Don's election as Second Vice President to the Minneapolis NAACP, around the time some anonymous commenter was pushing old mug shots of Don Allen on this blog. And once a year I make a point of mentioning how Don Allen made a public promise to get to the bottom of the odd death of Major Topps, but didn't. 

I do THAT because I believe Don Allen, if he sincerely tries, is more likely to get that information than, for example, JNS blog. I might say, in a cheeky and critical blogger manner, things about Don Allen getting to the bottom of the story about Major Topps...

But when it comes right down to it I believe Don Allen has closer relationships with the people who have answers than I do, and Don Allen could get the information if he made a pure effort, free of petty mercenary motives. 

And it's information which desperately needs to be aired. 

But, generally, I pay little attention to Don's activities for simple lack of interest. Plus I figure any time I view one of his blogs, it's doing some kind of spy tracking thing. (Shrug, rolling eyes upward) My honest view. Truthfully. So I don't look at his blogs much even when I feel the urge. 

This Blog Post Is All The Fault Of "Jordan North" 


RECENTLY, however, Don Allen's name came up in conversation (rumor had it Don was aggressively interested in the identity of sparkly new JNS guest blogger "Jordan North") and this caught my long slumbering attention. 

I thought to myself, hey, what's up with Don these days? 

Agendas! Get Yer Tasty, Red Hot Political Agendas! 

There are times this blogger is keenly aware I'm being used as a tool by people with an agenda, and the information I'm being given is part of that agenda. In the case of Don Allen, I'm fairly certain those old, deeply buried mug shots were kicked toward this blog by political enemies of Allen within the NAACP, which is only a handful of names. 

But you know what? Everybody kicking this blog information has some kind of agenda, even if it's something as simple as, "I think if Johnny writes about crime it exposes the individuals behind Northside crimes, and that's good." 

Everybody. Has. An Agenda. So generally I just publish the info, if it's relevant info, and if the agenda behind the info seems rather odd or specific, I just call it out. Click here for recent example. 

But since I reported on the fact of Don Allen's election, now I feel an obligation to follow up with coverage about his shocking termination from the position of Second Vice President.

Anyone? Anyone? 

First, of course, I looked to see if anyone else was reporting on this matter of Don Allen's termination. Most of the time this blog is unwilling to simply repeat information published by others. We always seek something new to ad to public discourse on matters of public concern. So I thought, well, has Insight News written anything? 

Nope. At least nothing I can find on their site, which leaves plenty to be desired. 

(BTW, where is the SEARCH FUNCTION for Insight News? Oh, wait, you go all the way to the bottom, you click on "archive," THEN you can access a search function. Which only searches...the years 2010 and prior? This has got to be one of the worst search functions for an online newspaper I've ever seen. How on earth does Insight News expect to accomplish ANYTHING when their post-2010 articles can't be easily searched out? End of techno-geek rant. Step it up, Insight News, I say these things in love)

Next, I figured the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (oldest minority owned business in the state of Minnesota) might have written something. Turns out MSR wrote about the NAACP swearing-in ceremony, which included Don Allen, by they've said nothing about the shakeup.  

This silence is notable and odd. 

Facebook And Five Minutes

I figured I could get some pretty good information about what was happening inside the NAACP with a query or two via Facebook message. Sure enough, I did. My source--who is very deep into the nuts and bolts of the Minneapolis NAACP, beyond that I won't say anything--provided the quote at the top of this article.

Further, source sayeth as follows:

The reason he got kicked off was petty... He did far worse things to get kicked off the executive board but they use the method of how he purchased his membership to get him out of the 2nd VP seat. No friend of Don Allen's but they were wrong on that one... He bought his membership on line, like many of us, but since the national NAACP had not sent his $11.oo to the branch by election night they disqualified his elected position... It was really just to get him out because him and McAfee was at each other

The McAfee mentioned by the source is, of course, Reverend McAfee the Minneapolis NAACP President, one of the most powerful figures in North Minneapolis religion and politics; whose own family is sometimes a source of personal embarrassment and what must surely be personal demons, click here for recent example. 

It appears with harsh critic Don Allen gone, McAfee has consolidated a position of unchecked power within the local NAACP. 

There's No Way This Was About Eleven Bucks

Don Allen's blog, through an author named "Damian Packard" (if any such person really exists and isn't merely a monicker of Don Allen) says about the same thing as my source; this termination was never really about the minor issue of when dues were received.

"Damian Packard" says as follows: 

------------------------------
The NAACP leadership both locally and nationally took three months to focus on how to terminate Don Allen from the Minneapolis NAACP has second vice president for being a Republican. Through a chain of collusion, lies, deceit and obstruction of due process, the Minneapolis NAACP, with the assistance of the national NAACP penalized Allen for signing up online citing his $11.70 was not received by the local branch therefore he was ineligible to hold a seat on the executive committee. 

After a lengthy investigation by a private firm, it turns out that Allen’s election win is still valid because the Minneapolis NAACP received his $11.70 in December 2013. “I thought this was a new beginning. People that have never worked together before were going to raise hell on behalf of the black community of Minneapolis and make immediate changes. I found out very quickly [and knew already] it was not about the people, it was about the money for those folks who only know how to victimize the poor, homeless and helpless,” said Allen.
Over a month ago, the women elected to the NAACP including NaTonia Johnson, Lisa Clemons and allegedly Kimyatta Flowers all had left the Minneapolis NAACP citing various reasons including an unfriendly disrespect for black women.
So now here we sit, May 2014 with no successful measureable outcomes – but plenty of street game.
Goodbye Minneapolis NAACP.
----------- 

("Damian Packard," quoted above under First Amendment Fair Comment and Criticism)

Don Allen's blog, in the months since his election to Minneapolis NAACP Vice President, has a lot of material about NAACP issues not just locally but in various locations around the nation, and in one other article Allen claims he was terminated because of his "whistleblowing," (it should be two words) as follows:

-------------------------------------
As a former member of the Minneapolis NAACP executive (Second Vice Chair), I can speak as an authority on who is actually calling the shots for the local branch and why other board members are not copied or kept in the loop on very important decisions made by current president (until November 2014), the controversial Jerry McAfee (No seminary information available). McAfee is not the freedom fighter or preacher you would expect for the black community.

On letterhead that I created before having my post vacated due to a technicality brought on by my whistleblowing, someone other than Jerry composed a letter to the MSFA.  
--------------------
(End quote) 

"We Have No Control Over What Don Does, That's Why We Need To Deal With Him"

Another source to JNS blog--and believe me, I'm invoking Minnesota's journalistic shield law RIGHT HERE AND NOW--shared communications authored by Reverend Jerry McAfee, including the following, date of writing unknown:

We have no control over what Don does, that's why we need to deal with him. What I do need is a compilation of all the things he's printed and said. I think once we release our direction people will be excited.

(The meaning of that last sentence cannot be deciphered by JNS blog. The communication continued as follows)

Any lawsuit is immediate grounds for dismissal, there will be no progress without contention and if you've... (The copy of the communication provided to JNS blog is truncated at this point)

On February 10, (presumably 2014) at 5:11 PM Reverend Jerry McAfee wrote as follows:

He's not totally suspended yet, he was ejected from that meeting, (...) 

(It thrills JNS blog to see the relatively polished writing skills of Reverend McAfee. If only he would preach some grammar from that pulpit!)

OMG Fur Is Going To Fly 

There are other things happening behind the scenes which this blog can't discuss quite yet and, truthfully, I don't know if I want to be standing nearby when the fur starts flying. Maybe sometime afterward I will stand nearby and say, in effect, "Looky here! Dramatic evidence fur has FLOWN, dear readers!" 

The whole situation is a big, complicated mess and this blog ends up in the middle of it because, other than Don Allen HIMSELF, nobody is writing about what on earth is going on inside the local NAACP after this major shakeup. 

Don Allen may have selfish and mercenary motives for keeping Reverend McAfee honest, for leveling criticisms at the NAACP from inside the NAACP, and Don Allen may have many personal failings of which I, of all people, am keenly aware after my unhappy relationship with Allen as erstwhile co-defendant in Moore v. Hoff. (This is the first time I've used "erstwhile" in a sentence and I'm very excited about it!) 

But WHO ELSE is going to make sure Reverend McAfee doesn't run off with complete power within the local NAACP if not Don Allen? Nobody else wants that job or dares to reach for that job. 

This is an important matter of local public concern and nobody--not the local community papers and certainly not any big media--are writing anything about this controversy. Don Allen himself is writing about it (and this alleged "Damian Packard") but Allen is clearly a participant with his own agenda. 

Of this much I am certain: The true reasons for terminating Don Allen should be openly stated by the Minneapolis NAACP. When flimsy false reasons are put forth, members of this organization and even far flung, unconnected members of the general public merely HEARING of these strange and convoluted circumstances can't help but think...

Something smells rotten inside the Minneapolis NAACP. 

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

"THEN you can access a search function. Which only searches as far back as...2010?!! This has got to be one of the worst search functions for an online newspaper I've ever seen. How on earth does Insight News expect to accomplish ANYTHING when their post-2010 articles can't be easily searched out?" Shouldn't that read, "...PRE-2010 articles can't be easily searched out?" Or have the meanings of pre/post changed with the evolution of the English language?

Johnny Northside! said...

The archive only has articles 2010 and earlier. The years 2011, 2012, 2013 and even the recent 2014 articles are not searchable in the archive.

You are right about a lack of clarity in that sentence but not right about the precise reason why. I do thank you for the input, however, and have revised the sentence to make the meaning more clear.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Hoff: I have been following the Minneapolis NAACP for a while, especially on Allen's blog. I also found out that all the women that were on the executive committee have resigned. This includes Tonia Johnson, Lisa Clemons and Kimyatta Flowers.

I actually called the regional chairman of the NAACP, Kameron Middlebrook (515.371.6014), who told me Allen was still a member of the NAACP, but paid his membership online and the Minneapolis branch did not receive their share of then $11.70 fee, therefore he was not eligible to hold office (it seems petty).

Middlebrook's was kind enough to call me back in the beginning of May to tell me that Allen's $11.70 was actually received in December 2013. Not to generalize, it seems like bad bookkeeping by the Minneapolis branch did not show Allen's money was received.

Speaking on your post about Allen being a Republican, the NAACP is a nonpartisan organization, but Allen being a GOP type made it hard for Mr. McAfee (Loud Mouth) to get away with his shakedown of the stadium officials. I think Allen does not want to deal with these people and with the last meeting (I attended at New Salem), the people their were offered $40,000 to do a retreat so none of them bother the elected officials with single agenda items.

I'm in the middle of watching a conversation on Facebook with Rev. McAfee where he is calling Don a "White" and that Allen "talks white." Allen has asked him to produce a flyer for the recent meeting at Rev. McAfee's church (of course, the gay-bashing reverend has not provided anything.

About Major Topps. Back in 1989, I worked at KMOJ radio. There was a big concert in town (cannot remember who). Some of the staff members rented the Carl Pohlad suite at the Marriott for a before/after party. I stopped by about 1:30 a.m. expecting to find a big party. After I was let in, everyone was pretty much passed out. Me and a friend went to each door. The second room we went to, they laid Major Topps in bed with some dude giving him a blow job. #ick #nasty.

John, I respect you. But when its all said and done, everything Allen has said about this group of people and Insight's Al McFarlane (who by the way is the chairman of the board for the Minneapolis Urban League), is absolutely correct.

Johnny Northside! said...

In regard to that Facebook conversation you say you are watching, if you would snap some screenshots and send them to my email, hoffjohnw@gmail.com, maybe I can make use of them.

Or you can create links and link them here. But that sounds like an interesting conversation if it's really happening like you say. McAfee's gay-bashing is a topic in the community which flares up now and then. As more and more gay people move into our community at the very moment McAfee is consolidating his power base, well, this topic isn't going to cool down.

The "facts" you have outlined are your own assertions and I am not responsible for them.

Anonymous said...

Oi! Don!



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Anonymous said...

Damn, Reverse McAfee is a race baiting homophobic. In his world I wonder if Obama or RuPaul would qualify for that CLOWN organization.
Don Allen is a joke and everyone knew it would be a matter of time before the Alpha and the Omega had it out with a whole bunch of cat-fighting yet to come. I would actually like to see some midget wrestling instead.

Anonymous said...

McAfee takes the Bible literally when it says a woman should be beholden to her man and if not, then she is to be stoned at her father's doorstep. The man rules and the woman is a second class citizen in his eyes. Just ask one of the women who just got the hell out of that mess. I smell a class action lawsuit.

Anonymous said...

You seem to have this myth that you are protected by the Minnesota Free Flow of Information Act (Shield Law). You really should investigate this law, and court decisions, as your blogging may not be covered because many of your articles are retaliatory in nature, with the intent of damaging the reputation of your subjects.
Your disdain for Don Allen is well documented, and the insinuations of this writing are very clear.
Your clear intent is to uncover information and put your spin on it to tarnish his reputation.
FYI, actual malice is not protected by FFIA.

Here is a recent Appellate Court ruling worth reading.

The more trash you put into the dump, the more it stinks. Eventually people get tired of the stench and get the dump removed.
Think about it. You could be a toxic clean up site with the amount of trash you disperse.

Johnny Northside! said...

How long has this blog been operating? Since February 2008, right? How many lawsuits have been filed against this blog, counting up all those filed by Rickmyer and Moore? I have lost count. And this blog is still blogging.

No lawsuit will ever shut down this blog.

Ever.

Anonymous said...

How careless of me, I forgot to include the link to the Appellate case.
While not on point, it reaffirms that actual malice is not protected:
http://mn.gov/web/prod/static/lawlib/live/archive/ctapun/2014/opa131279-030314.pdf

READ:
http://www.dmlp.org/minnesota-statutes-595-021-025

Again, the FFIA is not a guarantee that your sources are protected, since you clearly blog to cause harm.

No lawsuit may shut down your blog, but your reputation is already damaged.
You were used as the example on "how not to blog" at the Minnesota Bloggers Conference.

Johnny Northside! said...

Funny, the way I hear it, I'm used as the penultimate example of good blogging. If you have some proof to the contrary feel free to link to that instead of just making things up.

Anonymous said...

At the 2012 MN Bloggers Conference held in September, Steve Aggergaard gave a presentation on 10 steps bloggers should take to keep from getting sued. Steve specifically mentioned you and your blog because you violate almost each of his 10 steps. You were well known at the conference because the court had just reversed your jury verdict a month earlier. Your blog was used as an example, and Steve made it a point to say don't do what he does, that's why he keeps getting sued and everyone laughed.
http://medialawminnesota.com/2012/09/

Johnny Northside! said...

I have looked over your link. There is no mention of me in that link.

The only proof you have this individual ever had my name come out of his mouth is your own anonymous say-so which is worth less than nothing.

I will note the Number One Rule is Tell The Truth, which is how this blog manages to avoid being sued SUCCESSFULLY.

Apparently the advice you've linked to is advice is aimed toward a crowd that worries about being sued more than they worry about having an impact. They should sit at home and clip coupons instead of blogging. People like that just fill the internet with pointless, milquetoast content that gums up search engines.