Remembering Morry Yanoff

Morry Yanoff was a long-time IVI member who canvassed a 50th ward precinct for Independent candidates - and usually won.

In the late 1970s, his grandson was abducted by the boy’s mother, following a messy divorce, and the two were harbored by the Hare Krishna, a religious sect, that refused to release the boy to his father, who had been awarded legal custody.

In those days, everybody had access to O’Hare Airport, and Hare Krishna members trolled the terminals selling their books to raise money for the sect.

Morry felt that choking off the group’s source of revenue would put pressure on it to release his grandson. So, he recruited fellow activists to shadow Hare Krishna members and to dissuade potential customers from purchasing the books.

The strategy worked. His grandson was released and eventually returned to a normal life.

And Morry continued canvassing his precinct at election time.

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