Community Organizing: Not For The Elites

We’ve already given you line item what Barack Obama has accomplished, including his years as a community organizer.  On “This Week” he answered those who would demean this worthy occupation.

Obama said he “worked with churches, who were dealing with steel plants that had closed in their neighborhoods, to set up job training programs for the unemployed and after-school programs for youth, and to try to deal with asbestos in homes with poor people — community service work — which John McCain has been talking about, putting country first and extolling the virtues of national service…

“I think there are a whole lot of people, young people in particular, who are teaching in under-served schools or working in a hospital in need, you know, volunteering for their community, that think that’s part of the change that we need,” Obama said.

Sarah Palin notably derided Obama during her RNC speech when she said being a mayor, was like a community organizer “with actual responsibilities.”   But the attempt to put down Obama’s early community work began long before most of the country heard of Sarah Palin, including attempts to define Obama as a radical because of his grassroots work.  Putting down low-wage employees of non-profit groups says more about the the insulter than the insulted.

[Former New York Mayor Rudy] Giuliani also sneered at Obama: “He worked as a community organizer. What?” After laughing derisively, Giuliani added, “Okay, Okay, maybe this is the first problem on the resume.”

Be aware that if you’re a volunteer or low-paid workers who chooses to help your neighbors as a way to begin a career of pubic service, you’d better not run for president, lest you risk being mocked. Now, who in America are the elites again?

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.