Sarah Palin Would Hate Rosa Parks
Sarah Palin and the GOP had great fun this week belittling Barack Obama's background as a community organizer. But in doing so, they were not just putting down one person.
They were attacking the (small "d") democratic traditions of the United States, itself.
Let us not forget: the first of America's freedoms is the freedom to speak out for change. That is the rock upon which all of our other freedoms are built. And across the country, in roles paid and unpaid, America's community organizers are the people who help us exercise that freedom every day. They are the invisible champions of America's grassroots democracy.
For little or no pay, they work with neighbors -- or with people in need -- to address tough problems. They are often people who could make a great deal of money in other professions. But many have chosen to dedicate themselves to causes greater than themselves -- and to communities poorer than their own.
Their work epitomizes what it means to put community -- and, yes, country -- first.
Their dedication and sacrifice is nothing new; the idea of bottom-up, democratic action is as old as the republic itself. In fact, constant engagement and debate at the neighborhood, community and grassroots level is what keeps the nation's democracy vital and alive.
My question is this: how can any candidate or party that hopes to lead America take such joy in putting down American institutions -- like grassroots democracy and its hard-working stewards?
Rosa Parks was a community organizer. The PTA moms (with whom Sarah Palin loves to associate herself) are community organizers. Today, organizers are powering our democracy -- registering millions of young people, disadvantaged people and senior citizens to vote for the first time. They do the invaluable and thankless labor of making democracy work.
When factories are shut down and families find they have nowhere else to turn, community organizers step in and step up. They help frightened and frustrated people find shared solutions to wrenching problems.
They help our national leaders correct major policy mistakes. Not only were community organizers the first people in this country to stand up against the war in Iraq. They were also the first to talk about how U.S. soldiers in harm's way were not given enough protective gear.
They come from red states and blue states. Community organizers, including groups led by evangelical Rick Warren, helped to lead the rebuilding of New Orleans following Katrina. Many of those religiously motivated organizers have stayed there after the media, the government big shots and practically everyone else has left.
But apparently, it is not enough that they work under incredibly difficult circumstances for little pay and no recognition. Now they have to listen to broadcast put-down's from the party of Bush, McCain and Palin.
That's a shame -- and a disgrace. Those who make democracy work every day should be respected, along with America's other homeland heroes. Anyone who aspires to lead this country should be saluting them -- not sneering at them.
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Obama's stint as a community organizer resulted in few, if any accomplishments (not counting the subsequent votes it earned him in his first run for Congress). And I find it very interesting how little attention has been paid to his relationship with ACORN, you know, that radical, voter fraud loving little group. Sarah and Rudy weren't bashing community organizers in general, but rather BO specifically as he uses this short period in his lift to beef up his otherwise extremely thin resume.
HE IS ALSO A CIVIL RIGHT'S ATTORNEy, wrote for the Harvard law review for 12 years, .
Actually you are lying about the accomplishments Obama achieved as a community organizer. He got an employment center opened up in a low income neighborhood that wasn't bein served. He also got the local government to clean up asbestos, lead paint and renovate the low income housing in the South Side.
You know where I got this information? The special I just watched on Fox News about Obama.
Sarah Palin said community organizers 'don't have any responsibi
Van,,
Let me see if I can help you understand Gov. Palin;s comment. Being a journalist for the Wall Street Journal is a bit like being a blog journalist, except you need to be responsible for what you report. Does that help?
The title of this article...
Ok, let's look at the communitiy organizing thing not as a knock on those people who do it, but those people who do it and believe it parallels being President of the United States.
This quote from Obama:
"I can bring this country together," he said in a debate last February. "I have a track record, starting from the days I moved to Chicago as a community organizer.
I don't care if you're the Saul Alinsky (Obama's ideological mentor) of community organizing, it is not a "track record" that means you can run a country...
NOBAMA
Palin's "community organizer" barbs resulted from Obama staff comments concerning her experience as a small town mayor.
so where did 9/11-iani's barbs about "community organisers" come from then?
same place !!!!!!!!!!!!! the community organizer fired teh first shots with the qualification and experience questions .
Borderline fascists like Guiliani hate community organizers. Or any sort of independent assembly to challenge their authority. Just recall his back-slapping response to NYPD brutality.
Now what makes this election so inspiring is now I know that I have the qualifications to be President of the United States. Now I don’t have the same qualifications as Miss Palin because I’ve never been a Governor or Mayor but I have been a community activist and organizer and have balanced my checkbook in the past. I have some nice suits and from time to time speak well. The bottom-line is that Palin significantly highlights the extreme lack of qualifications of Obama for the most powerful position in the land.
She is that a small town mayor. I live in a small town and we have a mayor also but guess what folks. The one that carries out the mayor and the city commissioners wishes is the city administrator. I am sure her town has a city administrator. By the way for some of you so called college educated idiots if it weren't for community organizers a lot of volunteer stuff won't get done. I hope and pray you never need help. Palin and Rudy insulted a lot of organizations that help church communities and poor people. The greatest community organizer was jesus christ. Shame of anyone that belittles people that are the backbone of this country. Obama is just as much of a patriot as McCain. Remember when papa Bush said go out with those 1000 points of light? Who do you think he was talking to. The republican convention turned me off. McCain didn't say anything different .
McCAIN-PALIN BRIDGE TO NOWHERE
Palin took a pay cut so the town would hire a town manager. Meaning she couldn't handle the duties of administrating for a town of 5,000 so she had to hire help. In reality she didn't even save the town money because her salary and the manager's were still a lot more than if she didn't hire someone to help.
You know what - you're right. Palin did accomplish a lot as mayor of Wasilla. She hired lobbyists to secure her town $1,000 per person in earmarks in 2002. Quite an accomplishment for someone who is supposed to be against pork spending. Obama on the other hand, turned down offers to work on Wall Street and yes, worked as a community organizer to help displaced steel workers who lost their jobs. I'll take the community organizer over the earmark-ridden hockey mom any day of the week.
Origin of story, link please
Gov Palin would not have liked to shop at the Montgomery Fair of 1955 either.
But she's a hocky mom and her husband is a snowmobile raaaacer! What else do you want?
the truth about these stories in the Alaskan newspapers a few years before was picked as VP
when she was mayor time horizon (aka: time line data)
Uh...is this the code for calling Palin a racist? Why not just say it then. The entire Obma campaign is just waiting to figure out a way to make this gal a racist. But I think that old ploy is old. Not gonna work. Rosa Parks or no Rosa Parks, the Obama team should find a new track to run against this gal. The entire nation breathed the fresh air of new campaign. Obama should know that his world is stale now--Greek columns, Oprah, Oreilly, and all of that...sta
"The entire Obma campaign is just waiting to figure out a way to make this gal a racist. "
Obama's campaign will stay on message and talk about McCain and his policies. I think McCain's camp is trying to do one of those ropey-dopes - saying that Obama's camp is saying something that they have not said. Or accusing Obama's camp of doing something that they are not doing or lookng for ways to do something. Do they have spies in the Obama camp? Then how would they know what the Obama camp is trying tofigure out about Palin?
I suggest the McCain camp should stay on message. Oh, that's right their message resembles more of Bush's policies and they want to stay away from that. That is why the McCain camp had secret service throw a 60 year old women off public property that had a sign that said McCain = Bush.
Well they figured out how to call Obama a racist and a Muslim extremist, just like they figured if Palin could make fun of Obama for something he did 2-3 years out of college and mislead people by making them think this is all he had done.... because yes... people are that dumb.... why can't someone else take the heat for one moment!!!
Depends on your description of what a 'racist' is. However, Palin has been quoted as saying offhandedly "Sambo beat the Bitch'" upon learning that Obama had securred the nomination. I'm sure it was just said in jest . . .
SHE HATES JESUS ALSO BECAUSE HE WAS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AS WELL.
"If it wasn't for those god-d@%n community organizers people would have to turn to the church for assistance, and then we could deny help to anyone who doesn't go to church every week. Community organizers are doing the work of satan by keeping us from blackmailing people into church!"
That is what the right is thinking, but they are too smart to admit it.
This is what's so distrubing about Palin's comments.
She denegrates the hard working people who work to help the very people whom her party's policies
hurt.
Is that?
a. OUT OF TOUCH
b. ELITIST
c. ALL OF THE ABOVE
There's no wrong answer.
The revolution will be televised.
Obama/Biden 2008
smooth, I felt your message in my spirit. I agree 1000+% thank you
I truly needed that because reading some of these blogs can upset a person like me. I think I have read to many and responded all day. When I sign off I may not be back until after the election, to get ready for Bill and Hillary Clinton law suit in Los Angels coming up in Nov or Dec, the judge postpone in March so much as happen I forgot the date of the trail.
I serve in uniform too, just like thousands of other for this country, I have never heard POW stated so many time by republican party.
The trash/recycle man and other support staff serve this country
The mailman and support staff serve this country
The doctors and nurses and other medical personnel serve this country
Read Rick Warren book Purpose driven Life. WE all would be able to serve this country if the republican had not transferred our jobs to a communist nations for their non union cheaper labors.The
Of COURSE Palin, the most shamelessly racist candidate since George C. Wallace, would hate Rosa Parks. Palin is from a state and a culture that makes Alabama look like Boston. There are virtually no black people in Alaska, and there are plenty of Confederate license tags. These people are white and they're proud. The terrible tragedy shaping up for the fall is that because Palin is a woman, she's going to get a relatively free ride on her grotesque, redneck racism, which the Obama campaign has a hard time blasting directly because that would force him into the trap of being the "angry black man" Palin's small town America fears and hates. The Republicans are Satanically smart, we have to give them that. Everything hinges on whether or not there is at least a majority of one for decency at the polls this fall. If a Palin majority wins, then we might as well have elected George C. Wallace himself, and racists will have as free reign in our society as anti-feminist women, the poster girl for both of which groups Palin is. Both groups whooped with joy during her speech the same way they whoop for joy listening to the racist and anti-feminazi rants of Rush. The fascist rabble is now completely inflamed. If they end up being the majority, our country is truly finished. If, on the other hand, they lose, it will be their Confederate Gettysburg and our democracy will be saved.
In Sarah Palin's speech, her references to the "Servant Heart" comes from the idea that Jesus of Nazareth asked his followers to dedicate themselves to a life of service, just as Jesus had a life of servanthood to humanity on behalf of God the father, but "service" in this sense does not mean community organizing and feeding the poor. That's weak Jesus stuff.
Palin attended an Assemblies of God congregation which uses the buzzphrase "Destiny has come!". Destiny is a favorite of those in Joel's Army, which believes "An end-time army has one common purpose — to aggressively take ground for the kingdom of God under the authority of Jesus Christ, the Dread Champion,"
Palin's nomination is red meat to these wingers who believe that the free market is a perfectly designed instrument to reward good Christian behavior and to punish and humiliate the unrepentant.
I'm not sure she sees the irony that Jesus was a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a state governor.
Another HuffPost reader named Barbwire points out that Jesus of Nazareth was a community organizer!!
Don't you see? Palin = Pontius Pilate :)
Sarah Palin = Dick Cheny mini me!
It's been a few days since Palin disparaged community organizers and I'm still livid. Here's a petition asking for an apology. I doubt we will get it, but it would be great to get as many signatures as we can.
http://act
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