Wellstone Action!

Amen. Thank you for saying this.

I'm a proud organizer and the Republican party should be ashamed that their leaders felt comfortable trashing an entire profession.

Yeaaaahhh.... it was certainly an insult to hear this put down among a myriad of negative attacks last night. Community Organizers are the most important position I can think of to create any meaningful social, economic or environmental change for justice and protect our Democracy and Freedom.... something people who are blindly patriotic and naively trusting of government and corporate power would not understand. Thanks for the response!

You can see why they wouldn't think this is a real job. Responsibilities of your average titan of industry: 5a - Wake up. Read Wall Street Journal. Lay off 20 people. Go back to bed. 1030a - Wake up again. Get served breakfast. Furlough waitstaff -- but only after you've finished eating. 12p - Meet insufferable jerks for golf. Agree that trickle down economics works for the very, very rich. 2p - Congratulate self on day full of accomplishments. Receive massage. 3p - Just sit there and listen to Sean Hannity. 5p - At first twinge in back of mind that life is empty and meaningless and will not result in trip to Heaven, open bottle of Johnny Walker Red. 8p - Show up at Big Oil reception. Keep drinking. (blur) 4a - Wake up next to someone who is not your wife. Call for limo service home.

Absolutely! Their attacks on the profession would have been laughable, had they not been so ignorant and mean. Organizers do some of the hardest, most underappreciated work in a democracy. Thank God for them!

Well said. Guess the Republicans have written off the votes of Community Organizers and anyone who has ever been helped by them! Stupid move!

susan b. anthony, and jesus were all community organizers.

Update the databases so you have the current contact info for your community members Write 20 grants so you can literally keep the lights on and the door open Stop all you are doing for the community member who just came in looking for help because they are losing their house, job, being abused, etc. Call the Mayor, Police, County. City for the umpteenth time trying to get information about that strange smell in the neighborhood. Order food for the meeting tonight that not only fits in the tiny budget but also has enough variety that everyone can have something to eat allowing for their religious or other dietary restrictions. etc .....

I think a lot of the reason they put that snide remark in is because in many cases, community organizers are necessary to help people who have been disenfranchized by the Republican party. If they act like it's a useless job, then it doesn't matter that they helped to create the need for it.

Outrage about dissing of Community Organizers? HELLO, EARTH TO MARS, THERE A CONSTITUTION MISSING IN ST PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS. WHERE'S THE OUTRAGE. Get over this Community Organizer slight and get to work on the massive issue of the day -- stopping raids, detentions, arrests and find the constitution, check it for life signs, and revive it! What would Wellstone do? (I just got this in the email, and cannot believe... there are much more important things that Wellstone Action should be doing RIGHT NOW!)

Thank you for the calm response to the attack on your profession. You could have gone into attack mode and put down Palin, but you did not and that decision gives more credence to your response. I would like to see a bit more detail in the sample schedule, maybe examples of some issues tackled by community organizers, just to make the description a bit more real. Thanks and keep up all the behind-the-scenes work!

In response to Sarah Palin's attacks on all community organizers, I've created a new Facebook group, "Community Organizers for Barack Obama". I'm also a proud community organizer and went through one of Wellstone Action's organizer trainings in 2004. I was very offended by the references Gov. Palin made about my chosen profession during her speech.

I found Sarah Palin's comments about community organizing to be extremely derogatory and uninformed. I was also quite disappointed by the response of the delegates who have obviously missed the roles that community organizers have played not only in local issue organizing but during times of national crisis. Our country would not be the place that we love and value without the tireless and under-appreciated work of community organizers. As an organizer, I have spent innumerable hours (about eight years and counting) working for the environment, civil rights, fair wages, health care, and human rights. Organizers do not work for glory or recognition, but for the idea that we can make a difference and make this world a better place. To downplay the role of organizers is to say that democracy does not really matter; after all, community organizers are the ones who work to ensure that people are involved in the otherwise intimidating political process. If you feel the same way, give an organizer a hug today and say thanks for the work that they are doing to make this world a better place for us and for future generations.

she's quite smug. reminiscent of both 2000 and 2004.

Lovely note. I too was outraged when she tried to compare herself to a community organizer. I'm sorry that Palin feels that she could be at the same standard as an organizer. I love the work you and your colleagues are doing. Keep up the great work!

I was disappointed with this response, mainly because your suggested daily schedule seems so cut and dry when really, an organizer often has no two days in a week that look the same. And, you really did not talk about responsibilities - you talked about duties. A community organizer is *responsible* for educating and activating the people in a community so that they become powerful enough as a collective entity to create the change they wish to see. A community organizer is *responsible* for identifying and empowering leaders in a community to do for themselves and their community that which needs to be done. A community organizer is *responsible* to his or her executive (and the community in which they are working) to accomplish the tasks necessary to achieve specific goals. Sarah Palin would have been correct to say that being an executive is different than being an organizer - but she failed to point out the fact that its like the difference between being the colonel and a sergeant in a combat unit. Both have responsibilities, but they are different. One calls the shots on a broad level, and the other gets the job done, which sometimes includes making executive-like decisions as needed. Being an organizer was Obama's first job. Being a mayor was *not* Palin's first job. Apples and oranges. What makes Obama's use of his position as a community organizer as an important part of his resume is the fact that straight out of Harvard, he could have gone into a cushy job. Instead he chose to go help people in very tangible ways. This speaks to his character and his motivations. Obama's career has not been that of an organizer, but his skills developed while working as an organizer have clearly informed the way he does his work. This is why he has signed up over 1 million new donors. This is why he has built a machine that won the primaries where it mattered and why he's very likely to also win in the general election. And this is why he does not just shoot from the hip when a crisis arises - first he evaluates, consults and considers before deciding. We've had too much shooting from the hip. I look forward to having an executive in the White House who puts process before expedience.... Yours in the Struggle --abe Abraham J. Bonowitz abe@ncadp.org Director of Affiliate Support National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (for ID purposes only - NCADP takes no position on partisan matters) www.NCADP.org

Dear Sarah - You failed to note other important differences between a mayor and a community organizer. First, we don't get involved in our communities because we have the time. We rob that from our family, work and leisure time. Second, we don't get involved in community service for either a paycheck or public recognition. We do it because it's the right thing to do. Finally, we rely on our own passion and resources to do the work of community organizing. Not taxpayers! Sincerely, A Community Service junkie

Why do you feel you need to defend yourself? You assume a task, prepare and deliver, each in your own style and personality. If you do your job well, you are rewarded. Do you feel this is the same responsibility and workload of a city Mayor? I didn't think so- apples with apples and oranges with oranges.

I agreee. Ms. Palin had only disparaging words to say about the work of community organizers last night during her speech at the RNC here in Minneapolis/ St. Paul. Stating that being a mayor was similar only that she had “actual responsibilities”. It was a remark that slights all the people working to make their community a better place. Here’s a short list of the types of duties and responsibilities I have to give people some perspective on the topic.  Organize large community events like the annual Como Cookout (800 people, 50 volunteers managed) providing free food, music, and entertainment  Door knock on issues, not solely for personal political gain or office  Create and distribute community newsletters & flyers (electronic & paper)  Set up meetings between community leaders and elected officials (like mayors, councilmembers, State Senators & Representatives) to work on problems  Answer phones and provide assistance to community members  Provide directions and information to community members who may otherwise not have access to it  Include everyone, exclude no one  Organize fundraisers to preserve community property and community organization  Write, manage and implement grants to perform activities in the community  Work with local industries to reduce toxic air pollution (along with other forms of pollution)  Work with other organizations who have the same mission as yours  Work with local businesses to be more involved in and have a stake in their community  Work with the University of Minnesota faculty, staff, and students on issues affecting all of us  Work with regulatory agencies and officials when it comes to dealing with air pollution  Organize public information meetings where community members can voice their concerns about a project/facility  Create websites and add content to the websites  Create signs, banners and other advertisements (including text messages) to reach as broad and audience as possible  Write articles for community newsletter, local paper, and regional papers when needed  Proof articles other community organizer staff have written  Motivate long term volunteers to continue to be active in the community even when they become “burned out”  Provide a listening ear to community members when no one else will listen or care  Help people in any way you can work to make their community a better place to live  Organize protests, boycotts, & letter writing campaigns when needed  Speak at conferences and public engagements about the importance of working at the grassroots level and what can be done there to benefit the local environment  Researching successful initiatives in other communities  Creating and implementing innovative solar thermal energy pilot projects  Creating and implementing a solar motion light distribution program  Eliminating coal fired power plants from Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the greater metro area  Encouraging neighborhood residents to purchase Wind power via Xcel Energy’s Windsource® Program  Encouraging neighbors to use bicycles, buses, car-share, or walk when possible  Creating a bicycle trailer rental program  Creating a “How to build your own bicycle trailer” workshop (a metal twin bed frame cut in half works well!)  Encouraging residents to utilize organic and low-input lawn care methods  Providing organic fertilizer products to neighborhood residents  Encouraging residents, industry, and commercial properties to install raingardens  Providing financial and otherwise for residents and business owners to implement raingardens  Writing reports to the City of Minneapolis and Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) on the activities in the neighborhood  Managing financial documents and undergoing annual audits and others as required  Smiling and being optimistic and calm no matter what things are being shouted at your or what you are being called  Working to preserve public property and public goods like Tuttle Elementary School (now closed), Southeast Library (now on reduced hours) and Van Cleve Park.  Providing funds to public entities so that they can have playgrounds, science labs, more hours and youth programming  Supervising interns and volunteers who engage in the above activities  Recruit volunteers and interns to get involved in the community  Acting when action is required  Persevere in the cause despite funding cuts or other obstacles  Listen…  Care, share and partner  Other responsibilities as assigned Justin Eibenholzl Minneapolis, MN 55414 612-676-1731

As a Community Psychologist, I am insulted by Ms. Palin's community organizing slam. My work is directed at social justice, community engagement, and creating healthier communities whatever their size. If Ms. Palin does not realize that grassroots organizing is really the only way for any change to be sustainable then I pity her ignorance!

Carol Overland's comment on the need to focus on the issues of the shredding of the Constitution is true. However; she might reflect upon the fact that it will we Community Organizers who are at the spear point of the struggle to restore the constitution. It is the Community Organizer who will rally the necessary outrage amongst the electorate to put pressure on our Congresspersons and Senators to take action. It will not be the Political parties, or the media, or individuals commenting in blogs who bring this action forward. It will be a collective response by vast numbers of citizens. That collective effort will only come from the work of COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS!!!!

I could not agree more with the note on the dismissive nature of Palin's remarks. Organizers promote the voices of average citizens to be heard, present, at the city council meetings. Does Palin's comment mean that those voices, so organized, don't matter? Without community leaders to rally support for even mayoral initiatives and to challenge them when needed, how would the voices of citizens be heard? In a big city and in a big country like ours...not in Alaska...we need 'boots on the ground.' Not everyone in this day and age can wield a wagon with their children and spouse to get opinions, input and get to know neighbors. Mobilization and issue education are done by organizers and Palin, of all people, ought to appreciate that. Even the NRA has its organizers. The responsibility to justice and a to a cause larger than oneself is not responsibility enough, I suppose. Choosing a lesser paycheck to help others and be responsible to ordinary needs and causes isn't grand enough for a grand old party. Yet, it is how our nation was built. "Remember the ladies" is what Abigail Adams urged her husband yet - organizing is what she did among the women of her day --- to boycott British goods, to believe in a new democracy never seen before. I hope the media will turn its sights on the woman taken out of the convention floor during the speeches last night - I don't know if she was a protester or what was going on there, but it was striking. So, let the organizing begin for the change we want to see.

I am so proud of everyone for speaking out and defending the work of community organizers. When Sarah Palin was making fun of community organizers, my husband and I just looked at each other and said "I can't believe she's doing this." But her reputed nickname in high school was "Sarah Barracuda," and she characterized herself as a "pitbull." This is nothing to be proud of--it shows a lack of intelligence and ingenuity, if nothing else. Anyone can be mean, and if the Republican Party wants to base it's platform on how mean they are, anyone with half a brain or the tiniest bit of conscience is going to run away. Can you imagine her as Vice President? All the information that is coming out about her shows that she is a mean-spirited, conniving, hypocritical political hack that will knife anybody in the back to be elected. McCain's choice is very, very telling of GOP insider's politics; anything to hang on to power. And it's easier to make fun of someone than challenging them by a better example. There is nothing that has been reported about Sarah Palin that indicates that she has ever done anything for anyone else. I love the direction the Democratic Party is going; we all need to help others in some fashion to get our country back on track.

Thank you Wellstone Action for using this as an opportunity to shed light on so many people across this country and across this world who are doing the day to day grunt work of building communities and advocating for those that are voiceless and a feel powerless. I want to respond to the post entitled "Where are Your Priorities" and this discussion in general. I understand how someone could feel as though the energy being utilized to respond to the sarcastic remarks made by Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani about community organizers is misdirected, however what we must realize is that community organizers, in all their varying roles, are the ones who wake up daily thinking about how we are going to address the issues of the day and reclaim the U.S. Constitution. Because "community organizers" fill a variety of roles within a broad range of professions, it is very problematic to have a Vice Presidential candidate who feels as though it is ok to mock the back bone of community involvement and civic engagement in this country. Sarah Palin stands as the Republican Vice Presidential nominee because of community organizers who worked within their communities and nationally on civil rights and voting rights issues to ensure that women and minorities were given their equal rights and a seat at the table. The contribution of all those that work daily to educate, empower, and mobilize people to become engaged in their community should never be mocked. Understand that when Mrs. Palin makes light of the work Barack Obama did on the south side of Chicago, that she is making light of the work being done every day by thousands of teachers, social workers, laborers, grassroots community educators, and Jane and Joe citizens all across this country and the world, and that I find unacceptable. Fired Up Community Organizer & Social Worker from the District of Columbia.

While Palin has obvious shortcomings on her idea of what community organizers do, it is nice to see the response from everyone on this page. We may not all agree totally on how organizers should be viewed or what the day to day is like for us, but we seemed to have come together to share our stories and backgrounds. This in my opinion is one of the best things about orgainizing. I guess it's not surprising we have organized ourselves around Palin's mockery of one of, if not the most important jobs in the next decade in order to bring about positive social change.

I was pondering the irony that Sarah Palin's Savior was a community organizer as I read the responses. Tiffany had already made the clear connection. Thank you, Tiffany. I wonder if Gov. Palin ( or Gov. Pawlenty) knows that when Jesus was born, it was Caesar Augustus who was known as the "Savior of the World". When Christians claimed this title for Christ, they were committing treason. I wonder if Gov. Palin ( or Gov. Pawlenty) knows what the cross symbolized for the people Jesus organized? It simply meant, "We Romans have the right to occupy your land and extract your wealth."

As a work site coordinator and volunteer coordinator for a non-profit I am deeply insulted by the comments of Palin. I work 70 + hours a week for minimal pay to rebuild the great city of New Orleans. It takes incredible reserves of will, tenacity and leadership skills to do my job. The people that work in various other non-profits around me are incredible people with a will to see positive and substantial progress within the realms of social justice, community rebuilding, educational awareness, and other issues. Our organization alone has hosted over 3,500 volunteers from 38 states and 13 countries. Community organizing is an essential and over looked position within our society, and i think that it should be supported and encouraged in any way possible.

I cant believe she said that. NO RESPONSABILITY! Is she that out of touch? What a dangerous woman.

In the end it sounded like the same old "tough" talk politics that fires up one side only. With a repulsive attitude toward the other side, nothing ever gets done in DC. If this country was a corporation we'd be filing for bankruptcy. If US citizens would act more like shareholders, we'd be in better shape. We should be looking for a new president, as we would a CEO, with the best education, best vision for the future, and ability to work with the other side to get things done.

Palin's comments about community organizers were way off base, as I have worked with a number of COs over the years who have done an outstanding job. However, having been victimized by the CO and board of the organization that is supposed to be representing my interests with the city, I can't agree with blanket statements that COs are always representing the "little guy." I also must respectfully disagree with the statement that COs are doing the job without tax money - not so in St. Paul. The district councils get a portion of their funding from my tax dollars. Bottom line - I am paying taxes to my city who turn around and fund a group that has persecuted me without cause. The scary part is that they don't think there is anything wrong with their behavior. They adopt a so called, "Code of Conduct" that they require all volunteers to sign, and this Code calls for giving due process to any individual that they feel is in violation, yet they chose to ignore this in my case. I was not informed when I was to be the subject of discussion at a public meeting, I was never given the opportunity to present my side of the story in an open community forum, and I have been black-balled from community service in my own neighborhood. True, a few bad COs are not representative of all, but this leaves such a bad taste in my mouth toward this profession, and community non-profits in general, that I have chosen to start a business to raise money to support my charitable cause rather than endure the hassles of the non-profit world.

Would Ms. Palin make the same comments about people who do mission work? I've never done mission work, but I can only imagine that one must get up early, talk to lots of people, figure out how to make lives better, ask people for money, ask people to put aside differences, organize people to make a difference. Each job has different requirements and challenges, so to make such a belittling comparison was unbecoming of her. Plus, call me crazy, but I can't believe that there aren't some Republican community organizers.... Wonder what they thought.

She could never compare or i'm sure even gave a thought to these people, just as she tried to overlook community organizing as a whole, isn't that what being a mayor is somewhat about?? Organizing the community you represent to embetter them?? She should've read her speech aloud once or twice!!!

Thank you Elana, for a very well written piece. I think this is very important to note. Kudos!

Thanks for your comments, iam community organizer and iam very proud of my work. i think she didn't what she was talking

Thank you for this! It was so needed! And thanks for all your amazing trainings that help us build our power as a movement for positive social change. -Brian Kelly

Naturally community organizers can be targets of the searches, arrests, detentions of journalists, activists and random bystanders perpetrated by the St. Paul police and other organizations. Whether this can be done within the structure of "Wellstone Action" depends upon stated objectives of the organization and the grants that fund "Wellstone Action". In any case, people can act outside the organization. I like that most comments here exhibit an "absence of malice". In addition to disagreeing with Palin on the issues she was willing to be semi-open about (building the nuclear and coal industries while saying she fights "big oil"), the sarcasm and mocking snide tone did not present the model for women, and men too re: how to stand up for what you believe in. I'd like to see community organizers with a plan to respond to the shredded U.S. Constitution--- now that community organizers, journalists, protesters and observers have been rounded up, detained, arrested, charged with "intent to riot" without legitimate basis, The various versions of the Patriot Act are being used to keep journalists from reporting and dissenters from marching, while also intimidating future protesters who cannot afford to be fighting charges of sedition, conspiracy to riot, resisting arrest when no arrest is warranted and no resistance is presented. I'm a little baffled that the mainstream news is NOT reporting a tiny bit more, because the near total news blackout has reduced the impact of the strategy and tactics of fear and intimidation given that so few people are aware of what is going on. So let's hear from some community organizers who are taking responsibility by modeling some ingenious ways to publicize and oppose the illegal actions of the police and FBI in St. Paul these past few days. I know that freepress.net and democracynow.org websites have some ideas, but the practice of "hands-on" community organizing is a needed complementary measure to internet petitions. As of 3:05 p.m. EST, no political party or presidential candidate has traipsed into my Inbox with protests about the news of this most horrifying Gestapo business taking place in St. Paul re: arrests, detentions, searches of papers and computers in people's homes along with physical abuse by St. Paul police who have received information on journalists and others to target, in addition to the police department's random attacks on bystanders. I first learned about the attacks on journalist by the police from a caller on C-SPAN. Long live C-SPAN, and the callers who are alerting others! Thanks for listing this....from a Wellstone admirer in Beulah, Michigan

Organizing is a hard and not-romantic at all way to prepare people to LEAD. Too bad Palin doesn't know anything about it, and therefore, feels free to bash organiziers. They get things done on next to no money, unlike the Gov. of Alaska, who is awash in oil $$$$.

I am a community organizer that grew up in the Chicago area. This is one of the main things I like about Obama and his campaign. I am looking forward to him being our next (and possibly greatest) president primarily because I know that he will use the tools of empathy, diffusion, communication, and collaboration that he used as a community organizer to make our country better than its ever been. I actually choked up when Guliani and Palin mocked this important and needed skill that can only be gained by first-hand experience with a wide variety of people. I am really angry and I feel like they are mocking my values and beliefs. I thought I was listening to a Rush Limbaugh broadcast. In my opinion the Republicans are a bunch of hate-filled, frightened weaklings.

Thank you for explaining the difficult job of being on the front line... from the perspective of people who are truly trying to create change. There are enough people ridiculing the work we do and trying to undermine the changes that are necessary to improve our communities without a VP nominee getting on national television and adding her own snide comments. Community organizing is non-partisan and geared toward the public good. That is nothing to mock and codemn.

For 20 something years I worked with and around organizers. Most of this was with the canvassing folks of Clean Water Action. I have never known a more dedicated group of people. They were dedicated to making lives and situations better for people that often could not speak for themselves because of intimidation practices by the power brokers in society such government bureacrats, elitists and others who "knew" everything and especially what was best for the minority, middle and lower income populations. My admiration and respect for these folks who were out in North Dakota and Minnesota winters, rains and summer heat has never diminished. Maybe Ms Palin should get to know organizers and walk in their shoes (during winters, rains and searing heat while getting doors slammed in her face). I think that Ms Palin needs to connect with the folks that really make things happen in this country. My most appreciative thanks to orgainzers and my sympathy to Ms Palin for her lack of knowledge and understanding.

Oh this is so priceless. Thank you for a good laugh. That is so right. I mean mayors are important grant it. But why must you tear down a person to make yourself look better. Cheap tactics. Just because a person decided instead of going taking some high paying do nothing job but wants to give back to the community and get down to the nitty gritty does not make them any less prepared to make executive decisions. Instead it makes them prepared to be level headed and fair minded to all not just those of your party.

Sorry this was in connection with the post about the day of the rich who just waste money and lay off people and not have the compassion for others. It was not in any way saying the post are funny or that they are making me laugh.

Was there no one in the Xcel Center who noticed a comatose, mentally challenged youngster being passed around as a political football; in a noisy/lighted arena ? Is there no human-ness left in politics?

I saw this on a blog out of Alaska today, and I thought it was perfect! Jesus was a community organizer, and Pontius Pilate was a governor. (My apologies to any of you who aren't religious or are of a different faith)

I have to say I feel very sorry for all the community organizers that are working to get out the vote for the republicans, truly we the community organizers are the lead power for change in this country; community organizers do the work of lazy politicians the only difference between us and them is the payment we get.

No offense, but the job, as described, sounds pretty light. I am a huge fan of Obama, but you need to come up with better information, maybe anecdotes from real community organizers, etc.

thanks for the inspiration...i wrote a letter to our newspaper about Palin's insult to the powerful work of organizers and groups of organized people. What a divisive dork Palin is...what about all those anti-abortion activists, what are they doing? Organizing.

Sarah Palin's experience is absolutely a drop in the bucket compared to the huge responsibility, dedication and compassion shown by community organizers. She is insulting hundreds of thousands of community minded people who throw in their all to improve their communities and bring a glimmer of light to many dark lives. She has directly attacked intelligent compassionate people who think of others and work to improve the quality of people's lives. She has truly shown herself as hard, selfish, insensitive and with no clue about the big wide world outside of Wasilla, Alaska.

Yes, and a fine Empire they had, didn't they! Seems community organizers had much to do with its destruction. Amen!

I suggest you try it! You appear only to be speculating on what the job entails after having read one brief (albeit good) description.