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It seems to me that Republicans were desperate to find something to insult in his resume after several days of attacks on Palin’s skimpy resume, and they picked the least significant (first thing he did out of college) item. I think nearly anyone who wasn’t already biased would be shocked to see them mock community organizing. Since then, the bloggers and right-wing radio have been rushing to justify this in any number of ways. It almost suggests they are feeling guilty or know it was a cheap shot. I’ve seen this issue constantly brought up by conservatives, and only the occasional mention by liberals since then.

Mike

In such a comparison, you must agree that they have been very fair.

Unfair? Stop misrepresenting. They are by far, UnTrue. What we claim about Obama, is true, even if you don’t think it is relevant. What they and you claim about Sarah Palin is false.

There is some connection here you want to make?

I also would point out that, while I get your point that outsiders coming in can be bad for making the right reforms or even sustainable ones, there are indeed examples where outsiders have done good work. Think about the early part of the Civil Rights movement and the work done by liberal, elitist lawyers from Harvard and other snobby northeastern institutions in getting black voters registered and educating them on their rights. Those outsiders played a very important role in the process and were definitely community organizers in the finest tradition of reform and progress.

Dg – Talk about trying to shut off debate!

One of the points on Alinski, and on community organizers, is that they come from outside a community, with a specific agenda in mind, and proceed to “organize the community” to achieve the agenda. And then they leave. The “Good Works” model you allude to arises from individuals within the community who seek to improve it.

In addition, the “community organizer” belongs to an organization composed of many community organizers. They are a cadre, if you will, who are all following the meta-goals set by their organization. This is all according to the Saul Alinski playbook. Again, there’s nothing intrinsic about it; everything arises from the Outside. It can hardly be construed as performing Good Works when the organization in question has a much different set of plans.

If Obama was acting entirely on his own, without coordinating his activities with a set of fellow-cadre community organizers, all with higher goals in mind, then perhaps he wasn’t engaging in Alinski tactics. Does anyone know if Obama was selflessly working entirely on his own, and has he maintained close contact and involvement in the community(ies) in question where he did the organizing? My current impression is, no, he has not. I don’t have an answer for the “did he belong to a cadre of organizers with common goals” question.

But back to Governor Paterson. Here I thought Alinski community organization was a tool of the left. Now I find it’s a tool specifically and exclusively of blacks. Even though Alinski was white and trained many white community organizers. Gee, Wilbur, ya learn sumtin new ever single day!

When Obama tells people not to appear on Fox News, that’s blacklisting Fox News.

When she tells us we have no obligation to respond to you, dg, who is that censoring? You or… us? Logic doesn’t simply because you want it to, dg.