Defending Community Organizing

In her Republican convention speech, Gov. Sarah Palin said:

I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities.

If the candidates are going to start attacking each other personally, why can't they leave hard working community organizers out of it? It's ironic that as both parties are focused on change, community organizers --- the ones who actually patch the holes and our democracy and help Americans demand change --- are now a political football.

I have the privilege of working everyday with community organizers across the country who wake up everyday burdened by the very real responsibilities of the people in the communities around them for whom our economy and our government isn't working, and hasn't worked, for a very long time. This election, the ranks of poor people, communities of color, factory workers, single moms, elderly Americans, janitors is swelling to include the vast majority of Americans who now realize that our economy and our democracy just is designed to benefit an elite few rather than all of us. The change voters are talking about this year builds on the shared problems community organizers have been helping people identify for decades. The change voters want builds on the solutions community organizers have been nurturing and putting into place, building the leadership of everyday Americans all across our country to demand that America work for everyone.

I thought I'd share this statement, released today, by Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director of the Center for Center for Community Change, a 40-year-old national organization that builds the field of community organizing with hundreds of local organizations nationwide (and for which I work):

When Sarah Palin demeaned community organizing, she didn't attack another candidate. She attacked an American tradition --- one that has helped everyday Americans engage with the political process and make a difference in their lives and the lives of their neighbors.

All across the country, in every state and every community, there are community organizers helping people find shared solutions to the shared problems they face. The candidates for President and Vice President should be working to solve our shared problems, too, rather than attack others who trying to do the same.

From winning living wages to expanding affordable housing to improving the quality of public schools to getting health coverage for the poor and elderly, community organizers have made and will continue to make our communities and our country better for all of us.

The values that community organizers and grassroots leaders represent are not Washington values or Wall Street values but American values, that we care for each other and look out for each other and know we're all interconnected and have a valuable role to play in making our country work for all of us. Candidates should be courting these Community Values, not condemning them.

How's about instead of debating the relative merits of community organizing, the candidates take a cue from community organizers and start talking about the real problems Americans are facing and the real solutions we need.

Follow Sally Kohn on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sallykohn

Comments

[power2people2power]

I am so angry at the GOP for snubbing community organizers. Who do they think brought them the success of the Gingrich Revolution or the intensity of the Pro-Life movement? For a party that believes in strong local government, I'm shocked that they would rip into the community organizers who work tirelessly to engage individuals in local decision making.

Thank goodness for Sarah Kohn and the leaders at the Center for Community Change who are publicly standing up for organizers.

I can't help but think that the GOP doesn't know who they are dealing with when they assault community organizers. I for one am even more motivated than ever to mobilize communities against them.

[CarolAnnSanDiego]

Sarah Palin is a hypocrite:

I have been a community organizer in San Diego since 2002 for interfaith dialogue among the Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities in San Diego, CA.. I resent Palin"s depiction of community organizer as worthless and meaningless especially since it was community organizers who ran her politiclal campaigns in Alaska..

To oppose abortion and to favor killing animals by hunting, helicopter gunning, destroying the environmnet and the habitat of wildlife is hyporisy.

[synthfiend]

For any of Hillary's supporters who want to throw in their lot with Palin: Just remember that Susan B. Anthony was a lowly "community organizer" too when you go to vote.

[Rady]

Shame on you! Mrs. Palin.....­.......May­be you were gratify by the Republican party with the governorship of Alaska, because it seems to me that you don't know anything about organizing.

I bet it is easier for you to become governor of Alaska than being a community organizer.

Rady

[dbterrell]

As a community organizer working in the Denver Metro area, I can't help but take offense to Palin's ignorant and blatantly untrue statements regarding community organizing. We work very closely with our city's Mayor and find that we work five times as many hours for a small fraction of the pay. So, what do we get out of it? Results! While the Mayor and City Council twiddle their thumbs over every small piece of minutia, we are the ones actually out in the community- listening to the residents, empowering new leaders, and working ourselves to the bone to gain some change. This goes on, while the Mayor and City Council sit back basking in the small power they have with little to no grasp on what is actually going on in their community (or maybe they simply don't care?). She needs to get her facts straight. Not to mention, community organizing is a universal language that works all over the world (I learned this employing the same strategies working as an organizer in Central and South America). What is her "international" experience anyway? Has she ever even ventured out of the country for an extended period of time???

[DarthVector]

This will blow up in her face like a joke cigar.

It's Palin's "how many houses" moment.

[speeddeeps]

Apparently they insulted Cathol!cs (bad strategy)

http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/09/what_a_community_organizer_doe.html

Belittling Catholics doesn't seem like good politics to me, given that they make up a large percentage of the swing vote. But maybe the Repubs see an advantage in spreading hatred against the catholic community, after all they are ''papist''

[cariboudenot]

The only reason Obama became a so-called “community organizer” was to shore up the appeal of his lackluster resume for his Harvard Law School application. His main motivation for serving as a ‘token’ community organizer was driven more by self-interest and self-promotion than that of the community’s interest. He also used his community organizer position to align himself with the powerful Chicago political machine. This is a 100% fact. So, stop griping about Palin’s attack on faux community organizers like Obama. Only real and selfless community organizers deserve our respect, not Obama’s sham effort that used this position to bolster his profile.

[LeftRight]

So did Rush tell you to type this, or did you get it straight from the Republican party directly?

[lachgirl]

What evidence do you have of this, exactly? Did you see his lackluster resume? Why do it for 3 years, instead of just one, to put it on a resume.

I'm sick of this type of cynicism, assuming people are incapable of true altruism. That somehow it makes them feel better for not participating in serving their communities themselves.

To those of us who HAVE spent significant time doing this kind of work, the sincerity of his work is visible in both his message and vision--he sees issues from both a policy and ground level standpoint. which is also why he is calling ALL college students to get active in their community.

Beyond that, Joe Biden's son also participated for a year in a service program who's motto is "ruined for life". Once you've done that kind of work, regardless of your motives, your life will never be the same.

[Livvy]

Of all the things said last night the sneering at community organizing was the lowest.

There is something really smarmy about all those wealthy white people making fun of the folks all over the country who are voices for those who have no voice and who lift up the least among us. Pretty disgraceful.

[optech007]

Which Democratic policies over the last 30 years have lifted anyone out of poverty?

[LeftRight]

The goal was never to lift them out of poverty, but to ensure that they don't DIE because of it!

And by the way, which REPUBLICAN policies over the last 50 years have done anything for anyone with a net worth less than $10,000,000 (2008 dollars)??

[Owaissa]

Hard working volunteers serving their communities with a servant's heart? We applaud you. Thank you for stepping in and mending the tears in the fabric of all our towns- large and small. As a fellow community organizer I know the thanklessness of these community jobs- PTA, Scouting, Little League, YMCA, Catholic Charities, Habitat for Humanity, Neighborhood Watch, Police Explorers, Covenant House, Meals on Wheels, the Shriner's and Elk's Clubs, Junior League, Red Cross, etc, etc, etc, Without these and millions of other organizations- our communities and citizens would be without vital and important services.

These compassionate conservatives, who for political gain, deride the Organizer turned Professor of Constitutional Law turned State Legislator turned US Senator. They diminish the strength and importance of Community Organizer/Volunteer Service Hours on everyone's resume.

I want the RNC to apologize to ALL volunteers, Democrats and Republican alike, and to stop the disparaging and contemptuous comments regarding vital community organizers. http://organizersfightback.wordpress.com/

[ProudCommunityOrganizer]

This notion that one individual can change washington is a pipe dream. To change washington you have to involve the community and it is the leader who recognises that it is the people and not an individual that can change Washington that will bring change to Washington.

AMERICA, BE VERY CAREFUL WITH PALIN. WHAT DOES SHE SHARE WITH BUSH, CHENEY AND MCCAIN? OIL, OIL, OIL, OIL.......­THEY ALL PROFIT FROM OIL

[optech007]

As a evidence of Obama's amazing skills as a community organizer over the summer in Chicago, in the same neighborhoods Obama was organizing, 123 people were murdered. That's almost twice the number of soldiers that died in Iraq over the same period.

[POINT84]

Can she really be the one inspiring you to speak such rubbish

[LeftRight]

And of course this matters how, now that he's not helping laid off workers to organize?

[clairemcnair]

Sarah Palin's speech really energized me. I'm ready to go out and "community organize" her and John McCain into political obscurity.

[FierceEagle]

"When Sarah Palin demeaned community organizing, she didn't attack another candidate.­"

You liberals have this all wrong, and you are taking her criticism of Obama out of context. Liberals taking things out of context. Shocking isn't it?

I doubt any Republicans would even be talking about Obama's time as "community organizer" if he and his supporters hadn't constantly made reference to it as experience relevant to becoming President of the United States. Maybe if Obama actually had more relevant experience he wouldn't need to pad his resume with such irrelevant fluff. Obama's "community organizer" experience is not at all comparable to the 13 years of elected executive office experience that Governor Palin brings to the table.

Palin isn't mocking or attacking "community organizers­." She's mocking someone who thinks being a "community organizer" is comparable to running an elected office and someone who thinks it's particularly noteworthy in the context of running for the most important job in the country -- President of the United States of America.

[Dhalgren]

Obama's three years as a community organizer (age 25-28, I believe) was a very positive experience for him. He helped people save themselves from poverty, and he springboarded into Harvard Law School so he could get 'real' jobs. You know like attorney, law school professor, state senator, and US Senator.

She was mocking community organizers without knowing their tradition or their value.

Does your side mock other non-traditional jobs that regular working Americans wouldn't understand? Such as -

Defense Contractor

Lobbyist

Security Consultant

[EllaMae]

"Irrelevent Fluff"?? You must not know anything about community organizing. It's an area where leadership is essential -- you have to inspire people to put in effort with possibly no reward. You have to keep the focus on the goal, yet listen to and respect other people's opinions. You have to be able to negotiate and make compromises (and no, compromise is not always a bad word). Most importantly you have to be able empathize, understand, and communicate with the people you are trying to help. Now, tell me how this is not relevant to being president?

[FierceEagle]

Listen, I'm not going to say that one can't gain leadership experience as a "community organizer," but that sort of experience pales in comparison to actual elected office experience which was the point Palin was making and it is the point I'm trying to make.

Further, have you even looked into the results of Obama's so-called "community organizer" experience. If not, have a look at the following articles. "Jamie Kalven, a longtime Chicago housing activist, put it this way: "I hope there is not much predictive value in his history and in his involvement with that community.­" Yeah, he organized the hell out of that community.

Obama forged path as Chicago community organizer
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usobam025598601mar02,1,6933215,full.story

Grim proving ground for Obama's housing policy
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/06/27/grim_proving_ground_for_obamas_housing_policy/

[qwr]

In fact you are very wrong. Obama's background as a community organizer is better political experience than being a POW. His organizing skills won him this nomination. If you go back to the very first debates, when Obama was hardly noticed, all he could talk about was motivating people and organizing people. The other Dem candidates ignored that zeal at their peril. And they were all beaten.

[FierceEagle]

". . . people in the communities around them for whom our economy and our government isn't working, and hasn't worked, for a very long time."

The government is not supposed to provide for the people. The people are supposed to provide for themselves. I'm tired of you liberals blaming the failures of individuals on the government and the economy. If you want socialism, leave America as that is not what we are about and that is not what makes us great. In fact, socialism never made any country great. It is these liberal, socialist, dependence-based policies that are more corrosive than anything.

[kristycu]

yes and we are tired of all you conservatives working us like dogs and taking all of our money after you do insider trading and you company goes under and now my pension is lost

[FierceEagle]

Take some personal responsibility. If you have a job where you have to work like a "dog," I suggest you get some skills and get yourself a better job. Stop blaming others for your lack of skill and ambition.

Ah, so all the insider trading, pension stealing, and anything else that might go wrong with a company is caused only by Conservatives. Liberals are perfect, selfless people that never commit crimes. I see.

Speaking of crimes, insider trading is illegal and no politician would endorse that. Again, stop blaming others for your misfortunes and lack of judgment. Is anything your fault?

[Dhalgren]

But Dood - that's what Obama was doing between 1985 and 1988 as a community organizer. He was helping people pick themselves back up.

And if you think that Ameircans shouldn't receive at least something for their tax dollars, then maybe we should bother with this democracy thing.

Keep in mind that the citizens of Alaska get a lot of subsidies and freebies from the Federal government. It's like they are all welfare queens up there. They have a poverty rate that is ridiculously low. They don't see homeless people.