I don't know about you but I have no trouble being labeled a community organizer. Tip O'Neill once said that "All politics is local" and I know so many people who embody that idea. From my neighbors who spend countless hours tutoring in the local housing project to friends who have knocked on hundreds of doors in our upcoming mayoral race, those who care start at home first. They have no higher aspirations, they are not running for office. They just know that you have to make a difference at home.Community organizing provides a way for disenfranchised people to speak out and make change. It opens doors that have been shut repeatedly. As the technology changes, community organizing changes to reflect the values of those it represents. Many bloggers are now community organizers who disseminate information to those who otherwise would not receive it. My buddy Joe Sacramento is a prime example of a 21st century organizer. Without his research, thoughtful commentary and insight, so many Sacramentans would still believe that Heather Fargo is the savior of our town.
I'm not embarrassed to be thrown in the category of community organizer. I'd rather be one with my community than mayor any day...
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8 comments:
I am a proud community dis-organizer!
Citizens in this country are all organized as sheep and pacified by the media machine. BTW, I've seen your posts.. you clearly have a liberal agenda...how about organizing your community to learn critical thinking skills,a dn to be skeptical about everything the read or see on TV...that way they can read your posts and understand you have an agenda all to your own besides just wanting to help your community.
A-
I never said I wasn't a liberal. My agenda is obvious, on the table and in the open. You're obviously new here if you're just figuring that out.
Everyone has an agenda... even you. Your use of the word "liberal" in an antagonistic way betrays any idea that you are somehow different than a sheep or that you have your own critical thinking skills.
"Your use of the word "liberal" in an antagonistic way betrays any idea that you are somehow different than a sheep or that you have your own critical thinking skills."
LOL really? so those with critical thinking skills or independent thoughts cannot discern a bleeding heart liberal from any other political spectrum? Or did you mean that since I detest Liberalism I have no critical thinking skills? Either way...You should put down the Democratic Party handbook of knee jerk responses and try using your own Critical thinking skills
Welcome to the party BayAreaJim.
I've done my critical thinking thanks. Spent years studying Jefferson, Adams, Hobbes and Locke. I do the same critical thinking every time I hear a candidate or news reporter. Why is it that if I agree with someone I must not have thought about it? Awfully bold to assume I must be stupid if I've found a candidate I can stand by. If you find someone you agree with, does that also make you a stupid sheep?
I've decided that I agree with much of the Democratic Party. I often am more liberal than the average Democrat. I'd be happy to explain and have a thoughtful political discussion if you'd like. However, since you prefaced your comment with your detest of liberalism, perhaps you are not interested.
If you'd kindly go back and read the comment from A, you will discover that A implies that liberals do not have critical thinking skills. Independent thoughts do not come as an attack about someone's "liberal agenda". Talk about a packaged playbook... right off the desk of Karl Rove.
Everyone has an agenda. Detest away... perhaps that is your agenda.
Ok great, so you understand Hobbes and Locke's theory of the Social Contract to include socialism, communism and individuals turning over their right of self determination to a form of government in return for uncontrolled taxation and social programs? Well maybe you wouldn’t agree with that statement, I’ll try to spell it out for you, maybe you feel that some protected classes of citizens should have everything they want, self determination, a separate culture, food stamps, and don’t forget the subsidized breathing; and those who don’t happen to believe in this fascist form of government, mostly those who are productive members of society, and thereby comparatively prosperous, are forced at gun point to pay for those unproductive citizens right to be drug addicts or criminals who don't FEEL like being a productive members of society. Is that it, did I capture the image of your philosophy?
You need to go back and re read all of the authors you listed…you didn’t get any of their points correct, and you clearly have no understanding of the basic political philosophy our country was founded upon. Also try expanding your reading to the US Constitution, Hannah Arendt’s “The Origins of Totalitarianism”. And last but not least, throw in Ayn Rand, educated yourself on individual self determination and the concept of individual FREEDOM!
And as for Liberalism…The Liberal Left movement has killed over one hundred million people worldwide in the last century…this is not a political philosophy that I would be trumpeting if I were you.
Try talking to someone who has emigrated from a communist country…they will enlighten you.
LastPatriot-
Glad to see that everyone is quite riled up around here.
I'm fairly certain if you actually read what I wrote, I was stating that I do have critical thinking skills and that I am well educated, not just espousing a Democratic playbook. I didn't say that I believe that government should look identical to Hobbes, Locke or Jefferson. I've also read Rand, studied the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Magna Carta and so on... I'm a history teacher... you must be new here if you don't know that already.
You make such bold assumptions. Not only have I talked to folks who have lived in communist countries, I myself have lived in one. There are many parts of a communist government structure that I believe work. There are others that don't. But I just don't see it as black and white as you seem to see it.
You state that the liberal left has killed 100 million people in the last century. Do you have a legitimate reference to back that up?
I spend many hours a week volunteering, which if you hadn't popped in just to make comments you'd also know. Last week I was with a 17 year old girl who has a 6 month old by her boyfriend and is pregnant with her step-father's child due to incest. Can you seriously sit there and espouse that everyone on aide is a criminal druggie who is getting what he deserves? That's not the world I live in. It must be nice where you are though.
Rand's ideology of self-determination only works in a small society where everyone begins on equal footing with equal access. When you begin disadvantaged, it's not exactly like you can just pull a little harder on those bootstraps.
That would be clear to you if you saw what I see every day.
I grew up with extreme poverty in the projects on welfare..the last of seven kids.. I know social disadvantage very well, first hand. This reality did not stop me from getting to where I am today, completely on my own accord through hard work and paying for my own education. Everyone has an excuse, the government cannot listen to everyone's excuse, at some point personal responsibility, must come into play.
Oh and as for you 17 year old who has a 6 month old...I for one support the right choose...she should have had an abortion...both times. Her life would be much less difficult. But I suspect she is a person of color who lives in a distinct sub-culture that values having children at a young age, or who may cling to a certain religion which is against birth control and abortion. Often these teenage mothers use pregnancy as a means of independence, often from a bad home environment, through liberal social programs. I should not be forced at gun point to support her or her illegitimate children so she can sit on the couch and blame her woes on being somehow disadvantaged by society. In California our Society not only supports abortion it pays for it.
By the tone of your response I suspect that you are one of those revisionist history teachers. The ones that teaches our young that America is evil, that due to the color of their skin or socioeconomic status, they have been disadvantaged purposefully by those that work, and that society must pay for this transgression through huge social programs and entitlements.
I believe in MLK Dream...and I say this in true belief...we should all be treated the same regardless of skin color or socioeconomic status.
Divisiveness and Multiculturalism is destroying America. Except for a very few elite, we are all in the same boat and we all need to pitch in and either help bail our sinking ship or to row, no matter what the color of our skin may be, or social status we are born into.
LastPatriot-
Good for you. Sounds like you are one of the lucky few who can actually make good on the American Dream. I'm willing to bet that despite your poverty and circumstance that you had at least one adult on your side. Many do not.
As for my teen client, wrong on most fronts. White, poor, cracky hooker mom who married her abuser. She never intended to get pregnant. California also does not pay for abortion... not sure where you got that info. She's working hard to fix her life (that's how I even ended up knowing her). But her story isn't that different from yours. I'm surprised by your lack of compassion.
I teach my students to think, analyze and to wonder if everything they see in front of them is true. I give them resources to explore a variety of truths and ask them to put it together into their own understanding.
Revisionism? No. Critical analysis? Yes. Is America evil? No. Has America done evil things? Certainly. Do I believe in entitlements or reparations? No. Do I believe we owe everyone of this country an opportunity to do better? Yes.
Do I believe we are currently offering that opportunity? No. And that's why I do all that I do- to try to make a little difference, to give a little opportunity.
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