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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Why do the republiCORPS hate America & her people so much? Especially since most of them were handed "The American Dream" on a silver platter, when we've all had to break our backs working multiple jobs just to get by - nevermind being able raise up OUR "quality of life"! So, I also assume that since they have NO respect for community organizers, then they're trashing their deity, J e s u s, & his diciples as well!!! I'd hate to be THEM when God seeks retribution!
(What was I thinking? Their "deity" is MONEY!)
Refering to the earlier posts: If Jesus Christ was a Community Organizer, it follows that Pontius Pilate was an Executive. Which experience background has meant more to the Western world?
Obama's thought's exactly:
Obama = Jesus
keep twisting words ......desp
that wasn't predictabl
I am a Republican who is voting for Mr. O. I cannot understand how any lower or middle class American citizen, Dem, Ind., or Rep. could vote for the GOP. A HuffPo blogger wrote earlier about the chickens voting for Colonel Sanders...
I'm surprised that this is the attack line against Palin people have latched on to. Though, I guess there's not much else material for you to run against her that has a chance of being effective.
Anyway, this argument -- that Sarah Palin hates "community organizers" and "the little guy" -- is a stretch, and the American people recognize it as foolish.
It completely misses the point. ...probabl
Nobody (especially not conservatives who are for private charity over government handouts) is against community organizers. There are millions of them across the country that do good work, and that's great. Everyone loves that.
In her speech, Palin was highlighting how silly Obama is for touting his particular experience as a "community organizer" as some sort of great executive experience that qualifies him to be president.
Obama hasn't been seriously pressed on explaining what it was that he did. He either can't say or doesn't want to say for fear that the reality will turn off voters --
“When classmates in college asked me just what it was that a community organizer did, I couldn’t answer them directly,” --Obama, Dreams of My Father.
As soon as the words left her mouth, I knew that it would cause a huge uproar. But, I really do not think that she meant it as a slam to community organizers, in general. I think that she was simply defending her credentials and experience as a governor and comparing them to BO's. I think it was a poor choice of words. Community organizers are the backbone of our society and have done great things.
I agree.
Nobody can seriously believe that Palin is against community organizers. Community organizers are essential to the conservative philosophy that prefers personal, individual charity and local government over government handouts and federal bureaucracy.
At most, her comment was ham-fisted in that she could've known that pundits would spin the line and use it against her. But the vast majority of American's who actually listened to the speech comprehended the joke and the resume comparison.
Sorry, but every word in such a speech is very carefully parsed.
It was no accident, or a poor choice of words.
She isn't bright enough to see the irony of such a statement in relation to her own life..
Nor is she bright enough to have had major input into the content of the speech. It was hatched in the lower realms of the Heritage Foundation ....... and by the same folks who produce the Repug talking points on a daily basis Hannity and Rush.
and once again why would 9/11-iani make a reference to the same thing? from out of the blue? this was a planned attack point.. i just can't quite understand the reasoning behind it..
Defending her credentials? We don't know her credentials. But I do know:
1)Palin isn't just known as a pit bull or The barracuda she’s also known as The Queen of Pork, so much so that John McCain listed her in 2001 in his List of Shame for receiving 31 earmarks in excess of $27M.
2)During Palin’s tenure government spending increased by 33%.
3)Palin left her home town, which is known as The Meth Capital of Alaska, $22M in debt.
4)Palin raised taxes on Wasilla residents during her tenure as mayor to the tune of 38%, but cut taxes on businesses.
5)Palin had to hire an administrator during her tenure as mayor to do the actual work. So when she tells the RNC and the American people that she had actual responsibilities what she didn’t say was that she had a paid administrator do most of the work.
6)Palin took the money from the federal treasurer for the Bridge to Nowhere, and didn’t offer to give it back. Lindsey Graham told reporters when this was pointed out that he wasn’t sure after it left the treasurer if a person could give it back.
7)Palin cut funding to teen moms and disabled children by 69%. Even with all that Bridge money there was apparently a budget crisis.
I am beginning to see why McCain refuses to allow Palin to answer any questions at all.
You cannot separate the two.
Get over it. There is nothing wrong with stating that being a community organizer does not necessarily qualify someone to be president. Obama is the one that focused on the organizing. All Palin stated was the obvious.
Backbone?
I think not!
The backbone is people who work for a living and pay taxes, not people who who have government jobs with zero accountability for results.
Obama spent 2 years as a 'community organizer' and achieved nothing at all. In the last two years I have paid tens of thousands in taxes. How much of my taxes go to support people who accomplish nothing?
Perhaps if I could keep more of my money that I earn, I would need less organizing!
Van Jones,
Thank you for expressing what so many of us know:
Community organizers are the rock of this nation.
They are the ones that unite "We the People". You see, "We the People", are working 2-jobs, sitting in traffic, doing laundry, grocery shopping, taking our children to little league/dance classes, teaching our children values and keeping our families safe. These organizers are listening to us, seeing our challenges (first hand) and working with those in power (that are less concerned) to find solutions.
I want to say thank you to all the unsung heroes, the community organizers.
What I admire the most....
What has been most encouragin
Watching these mouthbreathers, male and female, posture, preen, preach and proselytiz
And watch Barack Obama just keep sailing on. Calm under pressure, he do not let these inanities distract him.
He does not ever seem to get angry or flustered.
I read the thoughts of some and feel the immediate need for a shower.
He has faced some of the harshest criticism, the most offensive remarks, the most ignorant mindset, and yet he keeps sailing on.
What an example.
Even if he doesn't win the WH, he has given folks like me hope that the world is not entirely full of hopeless idiots.
When it serves their interests, like in dismantling the federal government, Republicans LOVE community organizers - i.e. President H. W. Bush's Thousand Points of Light. He got to cut federal funding for public services, AND pander to the "self reliance" and "local control" crowds without appearing hard hearted (which he was). His son, W, used the community organizer ruse to shovel federal tax money to religious groups who supported him. This also paid off twice, he got to shirk federal responsibility to people, AND pay his religious friends to do what they should do in the first place.
But now, it serves Republican interests to smear Barack Obama as some kind of flim-flam man, a trouble maker, a "community organizer" - this shows the Republican game for what it truly is - heartless exploitation. Talk about being out of touch !
Palin derided the Greek Columns that graced Barack's Podium-- Greek Columns that symbolize virtue and justice in the public square--Huckabee derided European values and yet millions of Americans are from European descent--- even the Bushes had to come from England and the McCain's Scotland? or Ireland? Guess we should be in awe not of majestic columns-- but only of hunting, guns, war, crusades in the name of religion while killing is justified, ya know --- symbols of the grand ole party GOP symbols-- who needs those foreigners in our country (anti-immigration) we'll elect pistol-packing mommas and when our kids start wanting one (cause the GOP is anti-gun control) we'll just have to explain to our kids and grandkids that we elected the wild west that was our frontier hundreds of uncivilized years ago to run a nation that decided to step backwards into history instaed of into the bright, majestic future...
CHANGE DID COME..
I am a women living in the great state of Ohio that was watching today McCain and Sarah on the stump...An
Thank you.
Change did come.
She would hate Matin Luther King, too.
Sarah Palin, Rudy Guiliani, and the GOP’s ridicule of Barack Obama and “community organizers” indicates an utter disrespect for oppressed women, children and minorities.
Sarah and the GOP must also ahte other community organizers like Jane Addams, César Chávez, Mother Jones, and Paul Wellstone, too.
This is why McCain repeatedly voted against MLK holiday in AZ, doesn’t respect union workers, doesn’t want equal pay for women, won’t fight to make our economy better, and so on and son on…
Enough, already.
Please excuse the typos....(
She would hate Matin Luther King, too.
Sarah Palin, Rudy Guiliani, and the GOP's ridicule of Barack Obama and "community organizers" indicates an utter disrespect for oppressed women, children and minorities.
Sarah and the GOP must also hate other community organizers like Jane Addams, César Chávez, Mother Jones, and Paul Wellstone, too.
This is why McCain repeatedly voted against MLK holiday in AZ, doesn"t respect union workers, doesn"t want equal pay for women, won"t fight to make our economy better, and so on and so on.
Enough, already.
MLK was a Republican.
Learn some history. MLK would be appaled at how his vision has been distorted to provide a entitlement society based on the soft bigotry of low expectations.
You are correct. MLK, Sr. was a Republican.
His son, MLK, Jr., the man for whom we have a national holiday, the man famous for his "I have a Dream Speech", the man to whom I was obviously referring in my post, WAS NOT A REPUBLICAN.
I recommend that you study your history as well as MLK, Jr. would be appalled at the suggestion of being associated with the Republican Party of today.
the beat goes on!
"Today’s jobs report is a reminder of what’s at stake in this election – John McCain showed last night that he is intent on continuing the economic policies that just this year have caused the American economy to lose 605,000 jobs. John McCain may believe that the fundamentals of our economy are ‘strong,’ but the working men and women I meet every day are working harder for less, the typical working age family’s income is down $2,000 since George Bush took office, and their purchasing power is as low as it’s been in a decade. John McCain’s answer is more of the same: $200 billion in tax cuts to big corporations and oil companies, and not one dime of tax relief to more than 100 million middle-class families. If I am President, I will cut taxes for 95% of all working families and provide an immediate $50 billion to struggling states so that they don’t have to cut back on health care and education and can rebuild roads and schools. That’s the change working families need right now."
Well said Van. I was thinking along the same lines when I sent the below to the Obama campain yesterday:
"I just have to get this off my chest and offer it for potential use by the campaign. The RNC and Palin’s derision of Barack Obama as a community organizer is really disgusting. After all, some of the most successful community organizers in history had names like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton and John Adams. Then again Susan B. Anthony was a community organizer and, of course, so was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Through organizing and dedication they all changed the world, and for the better. Too bad they didn’t have as, Palin put it “actual responsibi
Cheers to all
Craig
I think Jesus was a community organizer. He came to serve not to be serve. For someone who is suppose to be a christian I think she needs to pick up her bible and read about the first community organizer.
Doesn't she know as a chirstian you are suppose to uplift people not bring them down.
I saw an episode on Colbert Report. He reported that Bristol chose to have her baby (kudos for her) shouldn't everyone else be given an equal chance to choose?
Community organizers? You mean people like Sam Adams? John Adams? Thomas Paine? Thomas Jefferson? Alexander Hamilton? How about W.E.B. Dubois? Susan B. Anthony? Al Gore (after his public service)? There are MANY more of course, that we've never heard of, but NONE of them were a JOKE. How dare RGuilian-i and Pa-lin laugh at the accomploishments of community organizers. these people worked FOR FREE BTW and every single one of them made America a better place. Scoff and belittle these American heros all you want Repugs, but MY vote will be for BO&JB in November.
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