[CORRECTION: Although the Staff page on the OCCORD website lists her as Lead Organizer, it has been brought to my attention that Alejandra Ponce de Leon no longer works there — which doesn’t alter or invalidate the underlying point of this post].

“Personnel is policy,” as the saying goes. By the same token, politically active individuals tend to gravitate to organizations that are sympatico with their political beliefs.

OCCORD isn’t any different.

For example, take this sentiment expressed by former OCCORD Lead Organizer Alejandra Ponce de Leon on her Facebook page when Venezuelan strong-man Hugo Chavez died earlier this month:

Ponce de leon chavez VOC

“R.I.P Comandante Chavez“? A brutal strongman who intimidate, jailed, beat and sometimes killed his critics? An avowed enemy of the United States? A thug who packed the courts and the government with his cronies, squashed most of Venezuela’s free and independent press? A caudillo who greatly diminished liberty, violated human rights, and allied himself with the odious autocracy of the Castros and the oppressive, terrorist-sponsoring theocracy of the Iranian mullahs?

Then again, left-wingers will generally overlook an awful lot of oppression as long as the oppressed get free health care.

[Among those “liking” that graphic tribute to the fallen dictator was Lori Condinus, VP of UNITE-HERE Local 11  – another pillar of the left-wing coalition pushing for dividing Anaheim into eight single-member council districts].

Note the “Hasta Siempre Comandante” phrase in the heroic artwork of the dead dictator: it is a reference to a famous revolutionary ode to Che Guevara, the bloodthirsty Communist guerilla. [Oh, and note another link from the same day to the Voice of OC story on the Anaheim Citizens Advisory Committee].

Former OCCORD Lead Organizer Ponce de Leon also paid tribute to the dead socialist ruler by posting this Hugo Chavez quote – “don’t change the climate, change capitalism” — and this lovely photo on her Facebook page:

Hugo Chavez meme

Ho ho! A little anti-American, left-wing humor!

It’s a free country and everyone is entitled to have and express their opinions. The point here is that someone who mourns the death a socialist thug — and that’s what Chavez was — is also attracted to OCCORD and the ideas and causes for which that organization stands.

Alejandra Ponce de Leon, fan of Hugo Chavez and council districts for Anaheim.

Alejandra Ponce de Leon, fan of Hugo Chavez and council districts for Anaheim.

As we learn more about the actions and animating philosophies of the people and groups comprising the pro-council districts coalition, it ought to give pause to those who adhere to a belief in limited government as envisioned by the Founding Fathers.