On Demand
Open Phones: Community Organizers
Community organizers took it on the chin at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, when vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani berated Barack Obama for his experience as one. John Raskin is a community organizer with Housing Conservation Coordinators, and he also started the website Community Organizers Fight Back. He talks about what he and other members of his profession do.
Listeners, weigh in: are you a community organizer? What do you do? What are you responsibilities? Where do you work? Is it good experience for being president of the United States? And: can you be both a conservative and a community organizer? Comment below!
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1.) "Community" == "black" for some people.
2.) Organising poor people gives power to those God has already predestined for Damnation, his dislike manifest in the fact that they are suffering*. This is nothing less than attempted usurpation of the Proper Relationship between people and Authority (God, whose will is known through his favoured prophets and rich people), that is to say Submission.
All-in-all, kinda uppity, if you ask me (which is why I like it).
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*As opposed to when middle and upper class evangelicals suffer, in which case it's proof that they are not in conformance with this world.
I always thought Community Organizers were simply lobbyists for regular people.
Many people are rightfully concerned about organizations whose main purpose seems to be extracting goods and services from other citizens (read, taxpayers).
They are ADVOCACY groups.
Community organizers are responsible for helping the people that they are organizing to get justice for their cause. Affordable housing, legal advice, better access to education and schools which work, etc., etc. If a community organizer is successful on behalf of the people he is trying to help, he becomes an important force, and if he does nothing, people in the community ignore him/her. Most community organizers that I have met and been aware of, keep city and state politican's and official's "feet to the fire" to make good on their campaign promises!
usually these efforts fail...like Obama's
"a Globe review found that thousands of apartments across Chicago that had been built with local, state, and federal subsidies - including several hundred in Obama's former district - deteriorated so completely that they were no longer habitable"
The Boston Globe
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/06/27/grim_proving_ground_for_obamas_housing_policy/
As a community organizer people see us as worthless low paid union employees, when in fact we try to empower people in the community to get involved, to help save budget cuts, empower people to vote or get involved in issues that effect their community, where they would otherwise not get involved without having organizers going to speak to them directly, no one knows how hard organizers have it, literaly being in the line of fire, injured in accidents and dealing with opposition from the community because they see us as scum!
Brian,
From listening to your show several times a week over the past three years, it is pretty clear your show espouses fairly liberal (politically and socially) points of view. Given that, it seems a bit over the top for you to give air time to defend Obama's record as a community organizer. Don't you think this is the job of Obama's campaign? Will you be choosing a topic on which to defend McCain? Perhaps you can discuss McCain's POW experience (7 years long and what he experienced)and how Ex-president Carter claimed it was being discussed too much by the McCain campaign.
Yes, I think Community Organizing is an excellent experience for someone running for president. Organizing is facilitating people to get together and make improvements and changes in their community. Regardless of if the housing organizing done in Chicago is seen as successful or not--it is good experience that makes Obama much more in touch with an average American and the issues they face in their community! He knows about challenges and grassroots empowerment more intimately than someone who has not worked as a community organizer like McCain. This can only help him as President to remember the lives of those less fortunate and how policy affects the majority of non-wealthy and less privileged Americans.
@8 Shauna
disagree. it might make him a good city leader or a congressman -- for that very group on whose behalf he ADVOCATES.
it is POOR executive experience, however, particularly for POTUS.
Business experience -- creating jobs and paying taxes for that "organizer" to spend -- would be FAR better.
Isn't a PTA member a community organizer?
Just like the repubs, so hell bent on attacking Senator Obama until they did't think about how they would be offending a whole other group of people by trying to make Community Organizer a dirty word!
Mocking the people that often work for the common good without the high pay of those that work for corporation wealth was a very sickening thing. Some people expected this from Republicans, I did not expect this from people who call themselves "Christians". Jesus was a community organizer "kind of" as Sarah would put it.
We would be proud if our sons one day become community organizers...
Obama's problem is he didn't stay put long enough to see projects through.
He has been fast tracking/
How About Obama '12
to #2 and #3 - what's wrong with the under-represented having lobbyists on their side? seems like it's not counter to the current (messed-up) system.
I have a deceased Aunt who was an excellent community organizer, so much so until a street in her community was named after her when she passed.
It truly takes a dedicated individual who cares about people to be a community organizer.
Post # 7
Maria, are you serious? The central attack theme of the McCain campaign since the announcement of Palin is that “Community Organizer” is a nothing position, that affords no real experience to a candidate’s resume. As for McCain’s POW experience; please explain to me how McCain applied for and was awarded the position of POW. The details of his POW experience are always being parroted by his surrogates, but where are the fellow soldiers who have offered there personal accounts of what they observed? McCain is both the son and grandson of two Navy Admirals. Of course the military never rewrites history to make itself and its personnel look better. Have you ever heard of Pat Tillman?
Ghouliani, another walking political corpse like most racists has always had the high school bully mentality. They take the low road because they are the lower form of life. Like the civil rights marchers and non whites during the Era of America's "open racist " period, The Obama crowd prefers to take the high road .
Question: Aren't community organizers the back bone of the Republican policy of "Faith Based" outreach (right before they slash funding)?
I was stupefied for days when I heard these two speeches. How far from reality are the GOP when grassroots organization is something to snicker about? It's truly a Marie Antoinette moment.
I think a PTA member is a PTA member.
Military experience is better TOO.
Read some of the histories of MOH (Medal of Honor) winners...what makes a young man so love his country that he will WILLFULLY jump on a handgrenade?!
McCain knows.
A POTUS need know.
I agree with the caller, dripping with disdain and disrespect, and still brian is enjoying the sound by by giuliani.
I think all of the backlash against Community Organizers is just that: a backlash. I don't think it was fair of Palin and Guiliani to make those remarks against Community Organizers; however, I believe the point was to fire back at those who looked down on small-town mayors. Somehow, it is ok to claim that mayorship is not a resume-booster; but when you claim the same about community organizing, there is a huge outcry. Granted, the communication of this point was not well-done.
There has been nothing that turned me off from Sarah Palin more than her comments about community organizers. I think it says so much about Barack Obama that after getting such a "fancy" education, he used his tremendous knowledge and skills to give back to the community as an organizer. I think it says so much about America that there are community organizers who help give voice to the little people. I think the Republicans will have a tough time pinning the elitist charge against Obama after making comments like these.
The reason you're not getting tons of calls is because the community organizers out there are too busy MEETING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES to the public, to the community, to their fellow tenants, parents, employees etc. But I'm sure Sarah Palin has time on her hands. She's not doing anything really until that ABC guy interviews her. Maybe she can phone in.
McCain has done some other stuff since the War,
One of the advantages of age is experience.
One of the problems with youth is inexperience.
isn't it ironic that advocates of small government who persumably to tALK about people solving their own problems at the community level) are belittling other people who actually DO this.
To me, the "What?" came across as Giuliani's disbelief that being a community organizer could be a qualification to be president, rather than a reaction to the existence of that position itself.
Just one more example of Republican hypocrisy. Aren't they always telling people to take issues in their own hands and organize their own communities and not rely on governmental assistance?
Hmmm, I guess it's the same logic that has Obama not experienced enough, but Palin with more experience than she could possibly ever need.
It's not that Rudy didn't know what a community organizer does, it's that he was mocking Obama for not making big bucks with his talent. After all, Rudy is the one out making big bucks off 9/11 all the time. Very Republican attitude!
Brian,
A good show would be to consider ways that (loving) liberals can accomplish the same goals a different way.
Like using the MARKETPLACE. The Internet is helpful in this regard too, as it makes information more transparent (for instance, you could put online the test score averages from various high schools, etc. and then give people vouchers)
The "left" needs to see this as an opportunity. Or is this anathema?
Why do you keep asking what were the specifics of the job Brian, aren't you listening? That is what they start out saying.
At our PTA there are 2 types of leaders:
1. Community organizers
2. Pit Bulls w lipstick.
Bossy know it alls kill the PTA quicker than a fresh batch of moose cookies.
Are Guillian's comments directed to the commmunity organized volunteer firefightes, EMT workers and all the community organized groups that came to NYC after September 11, 2001, with food, clothing, water, K-9 rescue dogs and equipment to support his city after our country was attacked.
We should all remember, especially the evangelical Republican crowd, that Jesus was a "community organizer" and Pontius Pilate was a "governor"! I don't mean to compare Obama to the Messiah, but "community organizing" should not be demeaned!
Based on what I'm hearing right now, it seems like the Republicans NEED to downplay the "community organizer" credit - they need to continue to make Obama seem elitist and out of touch with people, and community organizers are highly connected with the very blue-collar and middle-class communities they claim he is "above."
I guess I'm a budding community organizer.
I finally got the Hess station on 10th ave to make the sidewalk around their property safer for the School children of PS51.(Walking to and from School on 45th)
Took about a year for them to do the right thing.
In fact they arent done yet.
Construction started one week before school started.
Spot on Roger #31.
#21,
McCain jumped on a hand grenade? That wasn't in his bio.
It's likely that the man who jumps on the hand grenade doesn't do so because he loves his country, but because he's tightly bonded with his fellow soldiers. THAT's rational sacrifice. No one jumps on a hand grenade thinking, "Man, I gotta defend the Federalist Papers!" They're thinking, "Gotta protect my bro's here..." If they're thinking at all... I'm assuming there's not a lot of time to reflect in that kind of situation.
I thought it was pretty clear that what Giuliani was expressing was mock astonishment.
On LiveJournal, someone has made icons of people who were community organizers. I'll copy in the list:
1) Thomas Jefferson
2) Susan B Anthony
3) Mother Teresa
4) Dr Martin Luther King Jr
5) Gandhi
6) Jesus
7) Harriet Tubman
8) George Washington
9) Cesar Chavez
10) Benjamin Franklin
11) Zainab Salbi
12) William Wilberforce
13) Wilma Mankiller
14) Tecumseh
15) Sojourner Truth
16) Stephen Lewis
17) Sitting Bull
18) Saul Alinsky
19) Samuel Adams
20) Romeo Dallaire
21) Nelson Mandela
22) Martin Luther
23) John Lennon
24) Joe Hill
25) Fr James Groppi
26) Jane Addams
27) John Adams
28) Harvey Milk
29) Harriet Beecher Stowe
30) Geronimo
31) Frances Perkins
32) Elizabeth Cady Stanton
33) David Suzuki
34) His Holiness the Dalai Lama
35) HRH Diana, Princess of Wales
36) Delores Huerta
37) Dorothy Day
38) Dennis Banks
39) Aung San Suu Kyi
40) Alice Paul
Not sure I like having a slaveholder listed as #1, but this is what's there.
FYI---Wasn't Jane Jacobs a community organizer--some may argue that her work helped saved NYC
jon stewart had a great response to palin's community organizer comment - something to this effect: "palin, great job - discourage people from going out and making a difference in their communities" - wholly sarcastic, of course.
This caller is correct! Giuliani can not fathom a person with an "Ivy League" education looking back and helping to pull others up!
It is revealing that the Republicans were indignant and reactionary to the so called "unfair criticisms" against the choice of Palin before anyone actually had the chance to inflict the truth.
I was president of a neighborhood association. This was an unpaid position but not less important ... we offered a forum for political candiates (dem & rep) and elected leaders, we were a forum for the local police and a place for people to get to know each other and support clean neighborhood ... we recycled materials each weekend well before the city began to do so. We were instrumental in advocating left turn signals on Ocean Parkway. We also helped "green" our neighborhoods by helping people apply for and get trees planted on our blocks. There is so much more but the bottom line is that I am so personally insulted by the republican perspective that volunteering and community organizing is a bad thing.
14/shc
as I thought I was expressing and also as Brian just implied w his summary of the segment -- nothing is wrong w the underrepresented having lobbyists!
I would say the repubs have their hands full, can't wait to see what "snappy comebacks" and witty retorts they come up with to skate around this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VELIG92GDXw
Criticism of Obama as a community organizer is akin to criticizing Palin as just a PTA member hockey mom. I am sure Fox would be outraged at such an attack.
In response to "America Wins",
Aren't those "very groups" the smaller populations that make up the American public?
During the Democratic Convention, did you hear any speaker full-out mock the resume of either McCain or Palin?
If you want to talk about what is "professional", you should also consider the unprofessional approach to gaining followers that the Republican candidates have applied to their campaign.
I tuned in late, so perhaps someone has already mentioned this, but from the Inaugural Address of president George H.W. Bush (the first Bush):
"...I have spoken of a thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good...."
God forbid that you should go out and help people who have no voice in government, as opposed to, say, lobbyists who can easily buy their way into the RNC.
Hi, Brian:
Thanks for bringing this up on your show this morning.
I am on the steering committee of a community garden in Manhattan, run by volunteers.
As a co-chair, I run monthly meetings. I am the primary contact person for the garden for people who want to volunteer, hold events in the garden, or just find out how they can get a key. I also run monthly volunteer days which involve some teaching and lots of organizing of volunteers who want to get their hands in the dirt but don't necessarily know how to start. I give tours for local schools and other groups and take care of and plan activities for the children's garden. Part of my job is finding ways to get our 100+ membership more involved in the running of the garden and at the same time reaching out to the larger community in many different ways to be sure that everyone who wants to can become part of our gardening community. I also edit our newsletter (more outreach) and write grant letters. Environmentalism is, of course, something we take very seriously, so to that end we are always working on ways to teach our community about composting and recycling and organic methods.
This all takes up a lot of time. I have two children and work that I get paid for. Fortunately, my family agrees that taking care of the garden is also important work.
And, yes, I believe hands-on experience and working side-by-side with one's neighbors toward a mutual and worthy goal is invaluable experience for any kind of leader.
Palin and Gulliani's sarcastic ridicule of "commmunity organizing" was hard to stomach. Who knows how these comments were perceived by the vast range of "average Americans" but they did make me think:
1. With more and more Americans living farther and farther from each other, both geographically and psychologically, It may be that many Americans have never acually encountered a community organizer.
2. I think the RNC cleverly exploited the fact that the Obama campaign assumed that everyone knew what a community organizer did. Just the fact that Brian did this show speaks to the fact that many people, even within the WNYC audience don't know.
3. Do "average Americans" know what it means to have been the editor of the Harvard Law Review? The only reason I know is that my wife is a lawyer. Perhaps Brian should do a show on that one.
4. Community organizing will always sound "urban under or working working class" to most suburnanites even if they have people who do this sort of work in their own communities. This evokes people of color. The "southern strategy" has become the "suburban strategy"
nice to know that wnyc's moderators are now editing out germane comments that include criticism when they don't like it. i'll say it again: giuliani wasn't reading that speech for the first time the way brian suggested and he (brian) is a dope if he thinks that. sorry if that violates your perception of polite chat but it's a patently ridiculous thing to have suggested anyway. but the republicans always have to be given the benefit of the doubt on nyc. and it gets you guys nowhere. conservatives will continue to insist that you guys are biased against them and you'll keep bending over backwards to accomodate them. it'll never be far enough and you'll end up sounding stupider and stupider. like suggesting that a guy gets up to make a speech before millions of people and doesn't even read it beforehand since you have to give him some kind of excuse for being such a total tool. pathetic.
Of course it's all code for: he's black! he'll let THOSE people into the White House!
Obama should point out that becoming a community organizer instead of a well-paid corporate lawyer was another way of showing love for country over self. Joining the armed forces isn't the only way to be patriotic-- or is McCain calling the hundreds of millions of American men and women who haven't served militarily unpatriotic??
I was initially very disturbed by the effective speeches made last week by the Republicans. However, on reflection, I believe that their incoherent, inconsistent presentation was so mean-spirited and disorganized that it will eventually blow back on them. Flipping from 'experience' to 'change' while continuing Bush policies; the emphasis on national security while tapping an unvetted, inexperienced Palin; the disdain for community organizers while touting 'Country First'; even promoting Palin as a celeb after trashing Barack's appeal. These are all positions that can't be supported long term. You can't fool all of the people all of the time.
To me, the worst Republican insult to community organizers at the RNC was from George Pataki to the Ohio delegation. Hope you play that sometime. It was disgusting.
It is nice to have community organizers in our community. I fully support that! However, Obama did not stay in that postion long. He used the position to advance himself. This is just like what Sarah Palin said in her speech. Some people use their career to make change happen versus some people change to make a career. I think those like McCain showed us that he had tried to make change wherever he had been. Even for Palin, she had reformed her party in her city and state. That's the kind of leader we need.
obama owes apology to community organizers
For 20 years ago I have been among a group of 'community organizers.' These men and women served at the local mission, helped in latchkey school programs and we got involved in politics teaching on free enterprise and the constitution, helped register voters, and ran for precinct chairs all for the betterment of our communities. And we did it for free. In the windy city of Chicago, Barack Obama was doing his own 'organizing' involving himself for a $12,000 salary for doing what? Serving soup? Mr. Obama has not yet answered to the public about his involvement with the far-left ACORN, Bill Ayers and those who masquerade as clergy. I guess that is why he has some skewed ideas about what service really is. I am not surprised why in the recent Service Nation Summit he promoted offering college tuition credits to students for community service. Maybe he should use the acronym IDRC for his big idea. It means - I Don't Really Care; I'm Doing it to Reduce my College tuition. Maybe he can enlist the IDRC's from liberal colleges to get more bogus voter registrations as ACORN has in over 12 states! I think Barack Obama owes an apology to those of us who have and continue to serve from the heart in communities all over this nation.
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