Chi-Town Activists? Joke Is On GOP

Yeah, that Jane Addams was a funny gal. Who wouldn't laugh at a community organizer who spent her adult life feeding hungry, homeless children and fighting for social reform? Founder of Hull House? Nobel Peace Prize winner? Please, enough with the jokes.

What's that you say? It's not funny. You're right. Only someone with a sick sense of humor would deride activists who toil in Chicago's worst neighborhoods, dedicating time and effort to providing poor and disenfranchised citizens with a voice in the political and social process.

Someone with a warped view like Sarah Palin, the Republican Party's newly-crowned vice-presidential nominee. Or Rudy Giuliani, who lusted for the GOP's presidential nod, but instead settled for making a keynote speech Wednesday before the party hopefuls.

Speaking to the convention, Sarah and Rudy poked fun at Democratic opponent Barack Obama's background as a community organizer from Chicago's inner-city. In doing so, they also derided the importance of such activism--slights that got the crowd yukking it up on cue.

I expect this duo to disagree with and attack the Democratic presidential candidate's politics and record. But it's a cheap, cheap shot to deride Obama's background as a community organizer, while in the same breath also diminishing the crucial role such activism has long had on improving Chicago and the world. Perhaps they can take their eyes off of the GOP talking points to reflect on the contributions such activists have made. As Sarah and Rudy chided Chicago activism, I recalled scores of community organizers who've made huge contributions by following in Jane Addams footsteps.

I thought of the late Florence Scala. This daughter of an Italian tailor gave the first Mayor Richard Daley fits when he set out to bulldoze her West Side neighborhood and build the University of Illinois. Scala didn't prevail against the mighty machine and took some knocks during her tussle with City Hall. But she also scored some important victories. Along the way, this brave yet modest woman--who later in life refused to have libraries or parks named after her--left a legacy and blue print for taking on the powerful and vested interests.

Then there's Gail Cincotta, a feisty and formidable fair housing advocate who dueled with the downtown banking giants over their redlining practices. Cincotta, who died a few years ago, was instrumental in forming a coalition of housing advocates that forced the banks--which were closing inner-city branches and heading for the suburbs--to end the exodus. Cincotta did the impossible. She convinced stubborn and fearful downtown bank executives that reinvesting in urban areas was also good business. To make that case, Gail and her cohorts did tons of protesting, picketing and lobbying outside bank buildings and at annual shareholder meetings.

While Sarah and Rudy chided community activism, I recalled Mary Nelson, founder of Bethel New Life on Chicago's West Side. For decades, Nelson doggedly sought private and charitable funding (she called them "seven layer cakes" of financing) needed to slowly rebuild abandoned buildings that had become havens for drug use and crime. Now, those buildings are spruced up apartments and retail stores. I've seen them.

There's still a long way to go, but progress was made because of those "funny" activists like Scala, Cincotta, Nelson and their backers. There's more that I'm not mentioning. Yet, even if you don't know them personally, you're probably aware of the organizations they helped spawn. They include: the Citizens Utility Board, which strives to keep the power and telecom companies honest; Woodstock Institute, which made lethargic state lawmakers aware of the excesses of payday lenders and the mortgage crisis, and South Shore Bank, which infuses capital and business disciplines into sagging residential properties and commercial districts, revitalizing neighborhoods, states and even other countries. All of these organizations, and many more, continue to fight the good fight at the grassroots level.

Was Barack Obama the most effective community activist Chicago has ever seen? Probably not.
But I wouldn't dare diminish what he choose to do on those city streets. On this score, the Dem's campaign rhetoric is spot on. Obama could have gone straight out of college into the welcoming arms of Wall Street or LaSalle Street and made big bucks. But, he didn't. Instead, he went to work on Chicago's South and West Sides trying to help those who were chronically unemployed and under-represented. You see, that's what community organizers do.

Maybe Sarah, Rudy and the GOP think it's just a punchline designed to degrade Obama's resume. But, seriously folks, that type of work is no joke.

Comments

[where-is-the-balance]

Not to mention, that if it hadn't been for community organizers for women's sufferage, Sarah Palin, would have not been able to take the podium in the first place...

[NCGigi]

It's not mine, but we should repeat it: Jesus was a community organizer. Pontius Pilate was a Governor.

[KillTheMessenger]

I heard it here first. It's a good one. Sadly, the GOP lusts for nailing people to their crosses.

[rwe]

Jesus was a right to work non-union carpenter who was a maverick

[seeking truth]

Wait, are you guys really complaining that Republicans are putting down Jesus Christ and the work that he did? I'm sorry that I'm not an atheist but that is a stretch. I am a newly registered voter so I have the privilege of looking at both sides and deciding for myself. Maybe everyone's point is that Republicans are putting down community activists then why do they put Obama's name in front of those kind of statements. I can't help but hear a LOT of animosity right now in the Democratic party. If you are truly in the right as far as ideals are concerned then you will surely win any struggle. All I hear is fear, anger and mudslinging.

To me Hillary Clinton is a statesman and Obama is immature. I'm lost as to how this guy could have won the party nomination. As for Palin, I don't know. I heard there are a whole lot of people sent up there to check into her background. Let the truth come out about all of them Democrats and Republicans both. I don't see change and it doesn't look like we will truly have it until Big government is no longer Big.

[rwe]

Bigger issues... Chicago, CookCounty and illinois have been the domain of the Chicago and democrat machine for perpetuity and the results are reprehensible... This is the legacy of the community activist

[wtfcharlie]

Giuliani's disparagement of Community Organizers was one of the uglier moments of the convention. He somehow managed to turn what is a clearly honorable service into a vicious, race-bating, McCarthyesque slur. It was hypocritical from the mouth of the former Mayor of NYC and clearly intended to divide white and black america. It had appallihg echo of George H. W. Bush taunting Michael Dukakis as a "card-carrying member of the A.C.L.U.".

As well, Giuliani mocked Obama when he said Mayor of New York he "never had the chance to vote 'present'. Here is a factoid:

MISSED VOTES
John McCain has missed 407 votes (63.8%) during the current Congress as opposed to Barrack Obama's 45% absentee record.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/m000303/

The lies and distortions of the Republicans are too many to number but these examples stand out to me for their qualities of high sarcasm and nastiness.

[seeking truth]

This is an interesting state of affairs, literally. You are bragging that Obama ONLY has a 45% absentee record. Something is missing from the record for BOTH of them. Is this typical of McCain, Obama and the rest of Congress? You should be saying, "Shame" on all of them. We really need to wake up and check on those elected not only represent us but to WORK for us. If Obama was such a great activist why aren't you touting his accomplishments so people will respect him more. Let's get back to the important facts of this race. Aim your anger where it belongs, at Bush!!!

[jhw22]

I think it's really dumb to insult people who organize. It's like poking an ant hill with a stick.

Jennifer

[TimmySlagle]

"I woudn't dare diminish what he choose to do on those city streets"

First of all, we need to figure out exactly what he did. He's pretty mum on that point.

Knowing Chicago politics, my guess is, that it involved registering dead people, and handing out "walking around money."

[Fudgefase]

The ladies ypu mention would ALL have been better VP's than Ms Palin.

[schers25]

The Republican Party has become dangerously near-sighted (and I suspect not very well read).

Jane Adams established a high standard of American communal mobilization. We can only grow by understanding what has made us strong in the past.

[UUDDLRLRBASelectStart]

Robert, you write eloquently but you're missing the point.

The GOP is not criticizing all community activists -- just Obama. And not for his intentions, which are admirable, but for his inability to point to specific accomplishments as a community organizer -- and more importantly, how those accomplishments prove he'll be an effective president.

Even Obama's official web site bio is vague on the subject, saying that his group "improved living conditions in poor neighborhoods" and "had some successes." But what are they?

What frustrates me is that Obama had a golden opportunity to highlight his community activist accomplishments in his convention speech. Talk about how he touched lives -- it's all in his books, for heaven's sake! Instead, he glossed over his accomplishments at the end of his speech like an afterthought. And no matter how great his speech was, that oversight has opened him up to criticism.

Did you notice how many times Palin and McCain highlighted things they've accomplished in their convention speeches (regardless of whether it was relevant or not), versus how many times Obama did in his? This is a weakness, the GOP knows it, and is capitalizing on it.

The brutal truth is this: Obama better start touting some specific accomplishments big time as activist and senator, because at the end of the day, voters pick a president based on proven successes, not just promises of change. And once Obama gets specific, it'll put all questions about his experience to rest.

[Totto]

Do you have C-Span? Did you see Obama in Pennsylvania yesterday? In front the the AARP today? He was very detailed and specific. McCain is not at all specific without a telepromter.

[chiteach]

Did she state specifics or lies? At the end of the day I choose to support someone who actually practices what they preach. It's important to me that my candidate campaigns like an adult, not a 16 year old. The sarcastic tone was obnoxious and offensive. I wouldn't want anyone representing my country that is capable of presenting that attitude to the nation, let alone the world. We don't need more embarrassment.

[linden]

Helping the least of those among us is not the Republican mantra.

[zedthewizard]

the deceit and contradiction will catch up. if the press can't ask palin, then they'll ask mccain. mccain's got some questions also.

he'll be a prickly one with the press.

she'll come off as crazy, unless there is a radical transformation. blame is small town politics. it can't hold up under the national spotlight with middle america. not for two months. even with a transformation, she still won't like the questions, and perhaps have answers. no answers doesn't get you to play the victim for two months.

[cvillelisa]

I found myself buckled with embarrassment for the GOP when that women spoke those words and pretty darn sad for Americans when the crowd laughed. And was reminded how just a few nights earlier -- Gustav provided, i guess, good press and photo ops for the Republicans but how awful it must have really been for them to have had to waste time helping people.

Ugly words that stand in such stark contrast to what we heard from Joe Biden and Barak Obama in Denver last week.

Give me a bumbling Joe Biden speech chock full of compassion any day. I will say that on a positive note, I donated to Obama's campaign first thing this morning and made calls to the local Rockthevote.org representative to see how I could help register new voters.

[SusanK1951]

This is a beautiful post. These people should be honored -- and Sarah Palin claims to be a small town girl fighting against business as usual. Those comments just made her sound like a Mean Girl.

[KillTheMessenger]

The meanest boys and girls come from the smallest towns. They have the least to win and the most to lose but they think it is the other way round.