Thursday, September 04, 2008

Community Organizers: another viewpoint

I didn't watch the RNC circus last night... I sensed it would not be a good thing and that my stomach just was not going to take it well, so I opted for some mindless drivel, which was a good move. I managed to sleep well and I don't think I would have had I watched Gov. Palin speechify.

What I've read and surmised from online sources this morning... really scares me.

The quote from Dickens, A Christmas Carol, comes to mind: "Are there no workhouses; are there no prisons?". This was Scrooge's response to "community organizers" seeking donation for the poor.

Last night community organizers were equated with irresponsibility and radicalism by Gov. Palin in her speech.

Working for a faith-based nonprofit that offers (and people really know they can count on us to give them support with dignity) support and aid to individuals and families who are in tough ongoing or temporary financial situations, I consider myself to be a part of what was dismissed by Gov. Palin last night as irresponsible and radical. I worry that our sources of donations will fall not just because of having less disposable income to donate, but because of the truly irresponsible words that Gov. Palin used last night about the work that people like me, do.

I don't know that I am a community organizer per se, but as a parenting support worker I help women and families to connect with resources, as well as offer
practical resources so that kids can have the basics and parents can feel just a little bit of relief, get some contact with peers and not feel so isolated or alienated by their circumstances, whether those circumstances are temporary or ongoing. I feel that this and the grant work I've done, as well as the outreach I've done have been devalued and blown off by the RNC.

And you know...I've been very poor; I've been homeless and pregnant (and married at the time). I've watched my husband struggle to make things work when no one would hire me, a pregnant woman. I've slept in condemned houses, dodging the police who would have arrested us had they caught us sleeping in those houses- it came close a couple times. I've been on food stamps. I've experienced gratefully receiving food baskets for the holidays for our family. I've received the government commodities. We've worked our way through these things to get to where we are now in our middle age and it didn't happen because of a miracle; it happened because folks in the community cared and helped us to get education, training, etc. It also happened because of the union my husband was a member of at the time. We had motivation, yes, but we didn't do it alone.

Those to whom the words and works of Jesus- y'know that community organizer who irritated the heck out of the "Republicans" of his time- were an irritant, also attacked him and feared the strength of his message: "Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me." And of course we know how that legend ended, with execution at the hands of those Jesus could have actually helped find their own power to take it back... they chose to free the thief instead of show compassion for the one who cared about them. Fools, but I guess it was only human nature, just as poor and low income folks keep voting for the Republicans.

Knowing that the RNC attacks the strengths of their enemies, I am not surprised by Palin's willingness and enthusiasm for being used to spread her/their mental unease with others' vulnerability, which they mistake for weakness. They've pulled up their idealogical drawbridge to preserve their white privilege and keep the reality of the experience of the drone classes at bay so that they won't trouble their beautiful minds. They've made clear that they use their women- who are only too willing to comply and submit- for personal gain. They see the rest of us as drones and if poverty overtakes us and we become ill and die, well, that is one less mouth to minimally nourish- all the more to keep in their pockets. They don't intend on ever allowing the drawbridge to stay down and for some of us to actually gain access- not even through hard work and education- anymore.

This really is the ACTUAL war on our culture now- it's clear (and I know for many it was clear all along) and it's blatant now. It's blatant class warfare now.

If these unethical, hypocritical people gain the White House again, I am truly frightened now about what they will do. I am not alone. I spoke to my nearly 80-year old mother this AM and her first words to me were about Sara Palin and John McCain. She is very angry, frightened and worried. She wrote a letter to the editor that she will send in probably tomorrow and she knows she may be harrassed and/or shunned because of it and she doesn't care. She's going for broke about this.

I guess I would say now, that I work motivated by my "radical" compassion for others. And I will hold my head up today and go to work, and offer my respectful service to those whose tenuous and difficult positions I am not so removed from that I don't remember walking in those shoes. And I will look up at the wall that is opposite my desk at work at the simple wooden carving of Jesus sitting at the table with hands open toward a couple of folks, offering them bread. I will remember that we are all here to feed one another in the community, however we can, by our gifts, talents, skills and other resources shared with open hands.

If this is supposedly a Christian country as so many like to profess, then the open-hearted, open-minded and open-handed spirit of Christ should be permeating all that we do. But these right-wing people want to promote Jesus as being in "WAR MODE" as I read in one of the now-scrubbed sermons from a church in Wasilla, AK. That outlook twists the point Jesus' life and twists his own words and deeds too, if one believes the Bible; if one is Bible-believing like Sara Palin professes.

I will not forget the intentions of McCain and Palin to spread that idealogical corruption to twist, devalue, dismiss and plant seeds of distrust of the role of "community organizer" and those who walk the walk of helping others. Y'know McCain probably doesn't even believe a word of it, but is willing to do ANYTHING to win.

Today I've had a radical awakening. I will be a community organizer for my candidate and continue that tradition of caring for my country, beginning in my own back yard.
Which brings to mind: "Love your neighbor as yourself".

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5 Comments:

At 6:57 AM, Blogger Karen said...

Joyce, I am really enjoying reading your writings!!!

I heard a really interesting little quip last night and was reminded of it while reading this post -- Jesus was a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a governor. :)

 
At 11:06 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank You, Joyce.

One of the things that I heard in McCain's speech last night alluded to the GOP talking point that public education=bad teachers. So we should get rid of them, as far as the GOP is concerned. That sentiment was met with applause.

My mother taught English and music for over 25 years. She was gifted. She was inspirational. She changed kids' lives.
Last month she died. Her death is a huge loss to my whole family and the many who loved her.
A student of hers left a thought about my mother that sums her up her influence:

'Mrs. Cooper's lasting lesson to me was that our world is much stranger, mysterious and more beautiful than we can possibly imagine and that its genius is accessible to everyone.'

My mother. Lifetime Southern Liberal and champion of higher learning. If she were alive, she'd punch McCain in the chompers.

And now, it's all about action.

Cathy Cooper
Los Angeles

 
At 11:14 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

bravo, joyce!

 
At 1:14 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks for the Scrooge quote. We are all a community of peace keepers and makers. Times are changing. The Daily KOS has a long list of community organizers getting posted, but to me, it is people like you or my High School English teacher who make my world a wondrous journey of hope and renewal.

 
At 5:43 PM, Blogger Scott Huminski said...

Американский рок-музыкант Облицовочные тюрьме по политическим исторических песен и музыкальных клипов.

Скотт X и Конституцию Commandos сталкиваются тюрьмы и возможные покушения на свою оппозицию американскогополицейского государства.

Свобода музыкальных клипов наступление на правительство США, по крайней,

http://www.youtube.com/user/scottxmysteryband

Правительство Соединенных Штатов стала неистовой Споследней записи рок-группы, или бой на пребываниебесплатно

http://www.purevolume.com/ScottXandtheConstitutionCommandos/albums/Fighting+the+U.S.+Police+State+with+Music


Конституция команды запросить поддержку от международных организаций в их борьбе против американской террористической государственной полиции. ПравительствоСоединенных Штатов находит политической речью в музыке, как наступление, как террор и взрывы самодельных взрывных устройств. Речь критикует правительство в настоящее время является преступлением в Соединенных Штатах.


الموسيقار الاميركي روك مواجهة السجن لأغاني تاريخية وسياسية وأشرطة الفيديو والموسيقى.

سكوت X والمغاوير الدستور يواجهون السجن والاغتيال المحتملة لمعارضتهم للدولة على السياسة الاميركية.

وأشرطة الفيديو والموسيقى حرية هجومية لحكومة الولايات المتحدة وصلت،

http://www.youtube.com/user/scottxmysteryband

أصبحت حكومة الولايات المتحدة غاضبة من أحدث ما تم تسجيله من لموسيقى الروك، أو القتالفي البقاء الحرة



الأوامر دستور طلب الدعم من المنظمات الدولية في نضالهم ضد الدولة البوليسية الإرهابيةالأمريكية. حكومة الولايات المتحدة ترى أن الخطاب السياسي في الموسيقى كما خليع التفجيرات الإرهابية والعبوات الناسفة. خطاب حاسم من الحكومة الآن جريمة في الولايات المتحدة.

 

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