Community organizers stand for liberal values, not well-looked upon in the GOP. Conservatives favor Christian activists who organize to, well, ban books and the like.

Via Tapped:

"Ms. Palin needs to remember that Jesus was a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a governor."

It's simple really. The GOP, institutionally, have little use for community organizers. The way organizers work is anathema to them. They want those in power to issue orders. They seek an authoritarian structure. Organizers seek consensus, understanding and to bring empowerment to the disenfranchised. Look at the recent spate of GOP originated election reforms. ID cards, barriers to registration, and other "reforms" meant to protect us from the (by all accounts fairly non-existent) threat of people voting illegally. They're all meant to kick power up another rung of the ladder.

Also check out this site, set up today by some community organizers to respond to the GOP attacks on them and what they do:

http://organizersfightback.wordpress.com/

The point of the campaign is not to prove that the other side is a bunch of thugs who will do anything to win, but to actually win.

I hope that Obama knows what he is doing.

Blazing Saddles updated.

The sheriff is a ... community organizer!

Ironically, community organizers are exactly the people Repulicans are looking to when they talk about getting 'Big Government' out of our lives & how regular folks should (or will) step up to fill the gap.

But as usual, when Repulican rhetoric bumps up against reality, you can see their words were just so much bullshit. Unless you're a Republican.

"Ms. Palin needs to remember that Jesus was a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a governor."

I don't know who wrote this (I'll check out TAPed) but this is maybe the best line I've heard from so far! Definite bumper-sticker material.

I don't think this has anything to do with GOP's contempt for grass roots activism. It's just the word they finally hit on to label something black/urban/somehow suspect.

It's the newest version of "Cadillac driving welfare mom"

The difference (I hope) this year is that in the past, the groups being maligned couldn't make websites overnight or get asked onto cabel talk shows.

I hope that Obama knows what he is doing.

He does. He's from Chicago, he beat the vaunted Clinton machine and he'll kick the crap out of a slapped together ticket like McCain/Palin.

Weren't our founding Father's in essence community organizers as well? Hell Lincoln organized a community of like minded folks to found the Republican party. Wasn't the Red Cross a community organization? What about Mother Theresa? What about Lech Walesa and the Solidarity movement, sure originally a union, but eventually an organization of an entire community. Ghandi was a community organizer also. Seems like pretty much every human advancement in this world from the time of Jesus onward has become reality because of the efforts of community organizers.

The Obama campaign needs to hit this one and hit it hard.

I don't think this has anything to do with GOP's contempt for grass roots activism.

But they seem more than happy to display contempt for it (a display of true elitism, by the way) because they think it will win them votes.

Either way, it's pretty despicable. And if it helps the Dems win more support from on-the-fence voters, they should be quick and repetitive in pointing this out.

My favorite come back to the community organizer thing comes from the Mudflats blog:

http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/palin-palooza-wrap-up/

Jesus was a Community Organizer, and Pontias Pilate was a Governor

Why does Sarah Palin hate our communities?

And, is she going to put on a hockey mask and go all Jason?

Gregory, your concern is one I addressed to some degree here this morning.

First, I offer my riff on Clauswitz:
Politics is war by other means.
Win the election first, then worry about “Post-Partisan Politics™.�

Related to that, Clinton/Carville had a “War Room.� Gore and Kerry had rapid response teams.

While the Jesus line is a good one, I have no doubt that if the Obama campaign were to use it, it'd be twisted by the McCain campaign to say that Obama thinks of himself as Jesus.

Of course, Palin lobbed insult upon insult...including the one in which she said that those of us who support the Democratic nominee are his "followers".

I'm surprised that I haven't seen more on this.

Community Organizers are just the ones to organize the communities to vote for Obama. Who do the Republicans think get the votes out for them? Governors of states, going door to door and holding fundraisers in homes, community centers, churches, schools and parks? I don't think so. I find Palin and her ilk to be disgusting and anti-human. To call herself a Christian is the epitomy of hypocrisy. She has a knocked-up daughter who obviously did not listen to her and follow her "sage" advice on abstinence, unless she is going to claim immaculate conception. I'm surprised this has not been given as the reason for her pregnancy. Levi is the Joseph of the Christmas story. And, she is sending another son off to kill those brown-skinned raghead infidels. Pro-life, indeed! Maybe Obama is above such attacks, but he cannot fire community organizers who are not on his payroll who go directly at the publicans of the village square.
peace,
st john

Dee Loralei said: Seems like pretty much every human advancement in this world from the time of Jesus onward has become reality because of the efforts of community organizers.

I bet there were community organizers doing things before the time of Jesus. :)

Maybe if Republicans in power were a little more concerned with responsible governance, providing services, and making sure laws were applied fairly and a little less concerned with making sure oil company executives can afford that extra helipad on their yachts, there wouldn't be such a need for communities to organize to demand a fair shake from government, hmmm?

One more point: as the Clintons found out, Obama may lack "executive" experience, but not "organizing" experience. He understands how to motivate people to want to change things and then deliver that change. Community organizing breeds powerful politicians and Palin's little dig will haunt her later when they wonder where all that turnout in the swing states came from.

Have a look at Joe Klein's take on the issue, with specific attention to what Obama did:

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

I see the makings of a very strong commercial that begins with the attack and then flashes to famous community organizers in our history and then shows current organizers working in the cities and towns of the country. Finish it with Obama defending his time as an organizer while attacking the GOP as elitist and out-of-touch and I think you've got a winner.

Make no mistake, when you hear Republicans say "community organizer" they mean "black."

I don't think this has anything to do with GOP's contempt for grass roots activism. It's just the word they finally hit on to label something black/urban/somehow suspect.

Apparently not everyone got the memo that they're supposed to be saying "community organizer" and not "uppity."

Yes, that's right. A US congressman just called Michelle and Barack Obama "uppity," and then repeated it when reporters gave him a chance to back down. But I'm sure it's got nothing to do with race and Westmoreland is using that other common definition of "uppity," which is ... um ... lemme get back to you.

Ah - so now Republicans believe in government solutions, not community solutions?

if Republicans in power were a little more concerned with responsible governance, providing services, and making sure laws were applied fairly and a little less concerned with making sure oil company executives can afford that extra helipad on their yachts

...they'd be Democrats.

Mnemosyne, I actually gasped when I clicked on your link. This is going way too low; surely most Republicans aren't going to sit quietly by and let this kind of vulgarity go unanswered. Are they?

how about that Moses fellow? what did he do but organize his community against the Egyptians?

I would love to see the Obama campaign put together an ad with several "real" Americans--moms, dads, oldsters, kids--talking about how community organizers helped them, and saying, "Shame on you, Gov Palin, for mocking what you don't understand." Even better if the people in the ad are Alaskans.

I agree with capri and Saint Zak. When I was watching it last night, it felt a lot to me like Palin was saying "community organizer", but she wanted people to hear "black ghetto troublemaker".

That Barrack Obama should choose to do this rather than go directly to making the big bucks characteristic of one with his education speaks volumes as to motivation and dedication. This condescending “bitch� (hey, she’s the one that compared herself to a female dog, ie. Pit bull with lipstick) stands up there with her out of wedlock minor pregnant daughter as if this is family values over Obama’s normal family, forgetting that community organizers are also responsible for getting other minors in the same condition help and a place to live and medical treatment is hypocrisy at it’s best.

Just because the fringe repub base cheered and have the backing of the press doesn’t translate into approval or the continuation of this republican disaster which Palin refused to address pretending the last 8yrs was not brought about by exactly this kind of rhetoric. Obama has a plan, McCain has a condemnation. Palin represents all that we are trying to rid ourselves of in government…bad choice, judgment, decisions, and scandalized corruption.

Dare I say Jesus was a community organizer ?

I'm sure that "community organizer" was conceived as this month's belittling of all things liberal (with communist overtones), but as most people probably know *some* kind of community organizer, and in all likelihood admire volunteer work, this could backfire big time.

"..."Ms. Palin needs to remember that Jesus was a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a governor."
Posted by: Gregory on September 4, 2008 at 4:14 PM

Thanks for posting that...excellent

More statements from members and leaders of prominent community organizing groups:

http://blog.faithinpubliclife.org/2008/09/post_38.html

Ah - so now Republicans believe in government solutions, not community solutions?

This is just the point. They believe in neither, because to do so requires that you acknowledge there's a problem -- with anything. Got a problem with the economy? It's all in your head, and if it's not, you simply need to quit whining about it. Climate change? What problem? Science hasn't proven anything. Go back & read through any of those speeches from last night (because I wouldn't want anyone to have to watch that shit even once, much less again) and you'll notice that the only problems Republicans see are Democrats. Energy? Namby-pamby Democrats just don't want to drill. Terrorism? The problem isn't people who conspire against us, but liberal appeasers who don't want to spend a hundred years in Iraq.

So what's their solution? One-party rule. Trust them with government so they can kill all the community organizers.

You have to remember, about the 'uppity' quote, that it comes from Lynn Westmoreland, who might only be a second-bracket competitor in the 'craziest Congressperson competition' but has 'retired the cup' in the 'stupid competition.' (They don't even award a bronze or a silver, because no one is worthy to stand on the platform with him.)

This is the same guy who, on Colbert, announced that the Ten Commandments should be posted in all public buildings, but when he was asked to name them, he could name only three.

It's disgusting, sure, but Westmoreland is an embarrassment to Republicans, to Georgians, and even to garden variety idiots.

Old School wrote: "While the Jesus line is a good one, I have no doubt that if the Obama campaign were to use it, it'd be twisted by the McCain campaign to say that Obama thinks of himself as Jesus."

If Obama were Jesus, the Republicans would be calling him an uppity Jew instead of an uppity black man.

Republicans don't like community organizers because when communities get organized, they vote for Democrats.

Community organizers do not incur $20 Million of public debt for their municipalities. Bad mayors do that.

"So... Obama really is the messiah for the progressives. mmm."

Back in the olden days when Jesus was around, he was considered the Messiah for the progressives. Still is, to this day.

When did liberal and progressive become slurs?

Unless I have my stories mixed up, wasn't Obama VOLUNTEERING as a community organizer while he worked as a civil rights attorney AND taught constitutional law? I'm sure they could beat McCain & Palin over the head with that - he's an expert on the constitution and civil rights and volunteered extensively in his spare time... there are just so many directions you can go in terms of turning the tables on the McPalin from that start.

Repubs don't work as community organizers because repubs don't need them - they have lobbyists helping to ensure that they are taken care of.

How far the Republican Party has fallen in 20 years since the sitting Vice-President and their presidential nominee called community organizers "1000 points of light," an object of derision by this vice-presidential nominee.

And to think I was concerned that Sara Palin might develop a deceptive appeal to moderates and undecideds with her speech last night, by casting herself as a humble mom who is just like you and me. Instead, she casts herself as the angry, snarling pit bull, like the ones that attack small children.

And, to think that 37 million people got to see that ugly display firsthand, with their own eyes and ears. Well, at least for as long as they could stand it.

I love the fact that the Republican Convention is a full-throated hatefest, broadcast to the masses for their amazement, horror, and ridicule. As long as I don't have to watch it myself.

The talk of experiences one thing but a more important part is the wisdom to use what you have. I find that the argument about experiences way over raided. lets talk about for site and wisdom for an example, Obama talked about we should talk to Iran, and should leave Iraq, and have a time table for leaving, and should be going after Teliban and Al-Qaida In Pakistani. He was attacked by the right wing relentlessly for days on end. But guess what? there a time table for leaving Iraq They been talking to Iran and there going into Pakistan after Al-Qaida and Taliban. I'll take that kind of wisdom and for sight any day of the week over experiences, real or not

You would think that the party of small government would believe that America needs more community organizers and fewer government officials. But when it suits their needs, they denigrate the former and exalt the latter.

Republicans don't believe in communities. They believe in private clubs.

In my younger days, I too, was a community organizer. I worked, unpaid, for the United Farmworkers Union, started by Cesar Chavez, as Steve noted. I was deeply offended by Gov Palin's denigration of that work. I know how hard it is, and I know that it takes alot of personal conviction to do the work. And I know that Obama is using his community organizing skills to build a community to elect him president. But then, that is working from the grass roots, something which the Republicans appear to know nothing about.
May I just add, to encourage all you excellent people at this site, to refrain from vulgar, obscene language? I enjoy the opinions, but they can be made without the language. We can certainly hold the higher ground over the Republican opponent without the language. After all, if I can put up with the Republican convention in my fair city of St Paul without resorting to physical violence, why can't we refrain from verbal violence?
Peace,
Mark

[...] the truth is, the more Republicans are in positions of power, the more Americans need community organizers to help families deal with the consequences of Republicans' bankrupt governing philosophy. -- Steve Benen

Your writing is always good but the above should be engraved in gold letters.

8yrs ago, we had a food bank and a free clinic in our town/county. The food bank had a fundraising drive once a year, the clinic ditto. Both served as emergency resources. Now, fundraising -- and a call for volunteers -- is almost constant, because the number of people depending on both has more than doubled. And this is rural Virginia, not a city ghetto. Our black population is, maybe, 10-15% in the city and far less than that in the county. Out Hispanic population (we are told, at the clinic, not to ask their status, but estimation is that most are legally here)is, maybe, 1-2%.

BTW... I got steered to the free clinic (I just signed up as a volunteer, for "grunt work" a couple of weeks ago. Tomorrow is my second and last training session and I'll start working the week after) by two ladies (one a volunteer one a full time employee), both Dems. The employee one said that, of all the paid staff, she's the only Dem; all others are Repubs. But, 80% of volunteers -- including doctors, nurses, dentists and dental assistants -- are Dems. Repubs are big on *talk* about volunteering but sure as heck don't stand up to be counted, when it comes to actual *work*. They're all "ladies who lunch". Bleh.

That Roland Martin video was awesome! Yes, Roland is black, so the GOP wasn't exactly trying to win his vote. But he's also pretty conservative and very, very Christian. If the GOP just chased off the non-hypocrite Christan vote, they're through.

CafePress has several T-shirt, button, and bumper-sticker designs with this catchy quote:
Jesus was a Community Organizer; Pontias Pilate was a Governor.

I must say, it took either considerable guts or considerable idiocy, or both, to choose to piss off the people who collectively run the largest Get Out The Vote effort around the nation. Do you suppose that will have an effect on November 4?

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