Community organizer

[crescent&pearls]

You meant a pro-life organization, right? As opposed to a pro abortion organization? People we've got to stop that kind of rhetoric and respect that we can disagree on important issues and still stand together as Americans, evaluating each candidate fairly, and knowing that we won't agree or disagree with either on on every position they take or decision they have made or will make.

Back to the topic, I've seen a few interesting programs on Obama's work as as a community organizer over the past few days and it's helping me, an undecided, registered independent form a better understanding of his experience and point of view.

So when did this term come into the current usage? From what I've seen Obama was working as a community activist or advocate, and a big part of what he was doing was registering people to vote and encouraging them to do so. So why call it "organizer" instead of activist or advocate?

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by crescent&pearls

You meant a pro-life organization, right? As opposed to a pro abortion organization? People we've got to stop that kind of rhetoric and respect that we can disagree on important issues and still stand together as Americans, evaluating each candidate fairly, and knowing that we won't agree or disagree with either on on every position they take or decision they have made or will make.

No, I don't mean pro-life, I mean anti-choice. They call me anti-life, I call them anti-choice.

[BetteDavisEyes]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

No, I don't mean pro-life, I mean anti-choice. They call me anti-life, I call them anti-choice.

HAHAHAHAHA!

FTW!

This is very true. My hubby's relatives all keep saying I'm anti-life so I say they are anti-choice which really pisses them off. They claim they are for choice as long as choice is defined by them.

[pbear19]

Originally Posted by crescent&pearls

You meant a pro-life organization, right? As opposed to a pro abortion organization? People we've got to stop that kind of rhetoric and respect that we can disagree on important issues and still stand together as Americans...

I am tickled to death by the irony of a post that asks to stop 'that kind of rhetoric' immediately after using the term 'pro abortion'. I would think that pro abortion would be equally troublesome to pro-choicers as anti-choice is to pro-lifers. (If not more so, because many people like me are pro-choice but not necessarily pro-abortion.) I am not meaning to pick on you, crescent&pearls, but it really did strike me as deliciously ironic.

As to the original topic, I don't know when community organizer became common terminology, but I've heard it for years. I don't have anything more than anecdotal evidence, but I personally don't think it's a terribly new phenomenon.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by pbear19

I am tickled to death by the irony of a post that asks to stop 'that kind of rhetoric' immediately after using the term 'pro abortion'. I would think that pro abortion would be equally troublesome to pro-choicers as anti-choice is to pro-lifers. (If not more so, because many people like me are pro-choice but not necessarily pro-abortion.) I am not meaning to pick on you, crescent&pearls, but it really did strike me as deliciously ironic.

As to the original topic, I don't know when community organizer became common terminology, but I've heard it for years. I don't have anything more than anecdotal evidence, but I personally don't think it's a terribly new phenomenon.

I feel the exact same way as you on that sis.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by pbear19

I am tickled to death by the irony of a post that asks to stop 'that kind of rhetoric' immediately after using the term 'pro abortion'. I would think that pro abortion would be equally troublesome to pro-choicers as anti-choice is to pro-lifers. (If not more so, because many people like me are pro-choice but not necessarily pro-abortion.) I am not meaning to pick on you, crescent&pearls, but it really did strike me as deliciously ironic.

I took to be intentionally ironic.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I took to be intentionally ironic.

Me too.

What's the organization that you mentioned, Geekypenguin? It seems odd to me that "community organizer" would fit for an anti-abortion/ anti-choice group? Who are they organizing, picketers?

On the other hand, I can see how you might be organizing a community to for women who were having babies and needed support, in which case, you might actually be Pro-Life. What group was it?

I hadn't realized the RNC had declared war. It seems like they were making fun of a job title.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Me too.

What's the organization that you mentioned, Geekypenguin? It seems odd to me that "community organizer" would fit for an anti-abortion/ anti-choice group? Who are they organizing, picketers?

On the other hand, I can see how you might be organizing a community to for women who were having babies and needed support, in which case, you might actually be Pro-Life. What group was it?

I hadn't realized the RNC had declared war. It seems like they were making fun of a job title.

Right-to-Life Wisconsin. I had several friends do it in college. They were organizing people to picket and to sign petitions to ban abortion everywhere all the time for any reason ever.

If the RNC wants to start making fun of job titles I don't think it's going to end well for them given some of the people they run in state races. I thought the mockery of community organizers was absurd. Several people that I graduated law school with are now working in a very similar capacity to what Obama did. It's not an easy job or a well paying one, but it's certainly an important one.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

Right-to-Life Wisconsin. I had several friends do it in college. They were organizing people to picket and to sign petitions to ban abortion everywhere all the time for any reason ever.

If the RNC wants to start making fun of job titles I don't think it's going to end well for them given some of the people they run in state races. I thought the mockery of community organizers was absurd. Several people that I graduated law school with are now working in a very similar capacity to what Obama did. It's not an easy job or a well paying one, but it's certainly an important one.

No doubt community organizers are important, but again, I think small town mayor is at least comparable. Maybe I missed a lot of dismissal of community organizers even before that.

But you know, this is just partisan BS. Community Organizers probably skew heavily Democratic and it's not a big risk for the GOP to make fun. It'd be the same with Democrats talking about corporate fat cats. It's not going to really make your own base mad.

Personally, I doubt there was anyone in American who said, “I was all about John McCain and the Republican party, but darn it, they're making fun of community organizers.”

And I doubt any Democratic mayors of small towns switched parties when Palin's experience was minimized either.

As Michelle Obama might say, "this conversation isn't helping my kids." I'm happy to have it with you, but I don't think it matters much.

And even as someone who wants to see abortion restricted, I'm usually creeped out by Right to Life. I think they frequently do a lot to set back the cause more than they help it. ETA: okay, maybe I've overstating here about R to L in particular. But a lot of pro-life groups will go through periods of behavior when their own conduct is far more off putting than it is effective.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

No doubt community organizers are important, but again, I think small town mayor is at least comparable. Maybe I missed a lot of dismissal of community organizers even before that.

But you know, this is just partisan BS. Community Organizers probably skew heavily Democratic and it's not a big risk for the GOP to make fun. It'd be the same with Democrats talking about corporate fat cats. It's not going to really make your own base mad.

Personally, I doubt there was anyone in American who said, “I was all about John McCain and the Republican party, but darn it, they're making fun of community organizers.”

And I doubt any Democratic mayors of small towns switched parties when Palin's experience was minimized either.

As Michelle Obama might say, this conversation isn't helping my kids. I'm happy to have it with you, but I don't think it matters much.

And even as someone who wants to see abortion restricted, I'm usually creeped out by Right to Life. I think they frequently do a lot to set back the cause more than they help it.

Then you haven't met my boyfriend. He's leaning away from McCain/Palin because he thinks she's unqualified and the community organizer railing really pissed him off. I think it might be hard for Republicans to understand how much that part of Obama's background impresses people who understand the reality of grad school loans - he could have taken a six figure job and didn't.

[crescent&pearls]

Thank you Mystic Cat.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

Then you haven't met my boyfriend. He's leaning away from McCain/Palin because he thinks she's unqualified and the community organizer railing really pissed him off. I think it might be hard for Republicans to understand how much that part of Obama's background impresses people who understand the reality of grad school loans - he could have taken a six figure job and didn't.

If he had believed she were qualified, would it matter? Maybe it would. I'm sincerely wondering.

I think there are Republicans who understand the reality of grad school loans. But I think they filter Obama's decision through the lens of "but he knew he wanted to be a politician." Unless you think you might seek office as a Republican, I'm not sure the six figure job helps as much as being a community organizer would.

Had he stayed a community organizer, more Republicans would probably find his authentic desire to improve his local community admirable, but we wouldn't be having this conversation.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

Then you haven't met my boyfriend. He's leaning away from McCain/Palin because he thinks she's unqualified and the community organizer railing really pissed him off. I think it might be hard for Republicans to understand how much that part of Obama's background impresses people who understand the reality of grad school loans - he could have taken a six figure job and didn't.

Serious question - does anyone know of a reputable site that talks about the per capita income of Democrats and Republicans? I did a quick Google search but couldn't find anything solid. Because, my own experience has been that I've been around just as many Democrats (if not more) who came from wealthy families.

I'm not sure that Democrats really understand Obama's community organizer background any more than Republicans, as a whole. One way to look at it is, if someone is going to support Obama, his experience as a community organizer is one thing they can offer in his favor.

Again, I really don't have any numbers to back this up, and would be interested to see any stats on the subject. But, as a Republican from a lower-middle class background who has had to work and utilize loans to pay for college and law school, it would be interesting to see how many people are in a similar position.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Serious question - does anyone know of a reputable site that talks about the per capita income of Democrats and Republicans? I did a quick Google search but couldn't find anything solid. Because, my own experience has been that I've been around just as many Democrats (if not more) who came from wealthy families.

I'm not sure that Democrats really understand Obama's community organizer background any more than Republicans, as a whole. One way to look at it is, if someone is going to support Obama, his experience as a community organizer is one thing they can offer in his favor.

Again, I really don't have any numbers to back this up, and would be interested to see any stats on the subject. But, as a Republican from a lower-middle class background who has had to work and utilize loans to pay for college and law school, it would be interesting to see how many people are in a similar position.

I googled Democrat Republican demographics and got this:

http://forum.objectivismonline.net/i...showtopic=7967
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/200...me-and-voting/
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...0081551AAu0Izm

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I googled Democrat Republican demographics and got this:

http://forum.objectivismonline.net/i...showtopic=7967
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/200...me-and-voting/
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...0081551AAu0Izm

Thank you, that's interesting.