Tony, you and I are friends. We have been friends for a very long time. I have never commented on your blog, though I have read it faithfully for some time. You and Calvin Crest were sources of great change in my life, and I will always hold you both dear. For that I wondered if I should respond to you privately, but then I decided that though our politicians aren't modeling it, public discourse can be both public and humane.
Yes, Sarah Palin is charming and eloquent, and yes, even spunky. But Sarah Palin missed a chance last night. Instead of offering policy details and meaningful responses, she retorted with nasty rhetoric and empty blows. In a race, and a time, so ripe with actual need, I was let down. Equally disappointing were her and Rudy Guliani's attack on community organizers, with whom, I'd imagine, you'd identify, given the work you do and the ground you sow, and the way you speak of the 'Revolution' coming to pass.
In response to Sarah Palin's remarks about the difference between a small town mayor and a community organizer (which was that the mayor has actual responsibilities), I quote my dear friend Annie's boss, John DeCock, who is the President of Clean Water Action, the organization where Annie works as a community organizer. It sheds light on some figures who may not have been spunky, but damn if they weren't the salt of the earth.:
"Community Organizers. Like Ben Franklin? Like John Adams? Like Mahatma Gandhi? Like Martin Luther King, Jr.? Like Caesar Chavez? You mean the people who go from door to door, person to person, and engage in discussion with members of their communities to make this a better world? You mean people like us?...
There was so little truth and integrity in Governor Palin's remarks last night that it was almost an honor for community organizers to be singled out for a sarcastic jab. Let's make those casually disrespectful comments look very scary in the rear view mirror.
Thanks to all of you who canvass and organize with Clean Water Action to carry on the noble work of community organizing."
For the full text, feel free to email me at cdesvaux@gmail.com
I took the community organizers remark as a jab against Barack Obama's claim that having been a community organizer gave him the experience to be president. Are his claims that her experience as mayor of a small town and governor of Alaska have not given her the experience to be president an attack on small town mayors and governors of small population states? Obama doth protest too much, methinks.
More to the point of the post, I agree, Tony, that the election got fun (though certainly infuriating as well)! The word fresh is a perfect descriptor.
Timbo, your assessment is missing a few key facts. First, Giuliani blatantly mocked community organizing. Not just a jab- but mocked it and reveled in the crowd's reaction. And I would consider Palin's remarks as more than a jab, as when she stated that community organizers held no 'actual responsibilities,' and therefor implying their work as holding little value.
Secondly, I have heard Obama and his campaign cite his experience much more along the lines of showing his character. Much like McCain and his campaign has so often reminded us of his time as a POW. Thompson said, correctly, that being a POW doesn't make a man ready to be Prez, but shows his character. While community organizing might not qualify a man to be President... it certainly helps show his character. Both examples, in my opinion, are used fairly and neither deserving of being mocked.
6 comments:
After her speech I asked my 18 and 23 year old daughters if they would vote for her for vice-president.
They both said "The heck with vice-president, we'd vote for her for president!"
Hmmm, I thought only giving a good speech wasn't supposed to count for much. Can't have it both ways.
Tony, you and I are friends. We have been friends for a very long time. I have never commented on your blog, though I have read it faithfully for some time. You and Calvin Crest were sources of great change in my life, and I will always hold you both dear. For that I wondered if I should respond to you privately, but then I decided that though our politicians aren't modeling it, public discourse can be both public and humane.
Yes, Sarah Palin is charming and eloquent, and yes, even spunky. But Sarah Palin missed a chance last night. Instead of offering policy details and meaningful responses, she retorted with nasty rhetoric and empty blows. In a race, and a time, so ripe with actual need, I was let down. Equally disappointing were her and Rudy Guliani's attack on community organizers, with whom, I'd imagine, you'd identify, given the work you do and the ground you sow, and the way you speak of the 'Revolution' coming to pass.
In response to Sarah Palin's remarks about the difference between a small town mayor and a community organizer (which was that the mayor has actual responsibilities), I quote my dear friend Annie's boss, John DeCock, who is the President of Clean Water Action, the organization where Annie works as a community organizer. It sheds light on some figures who may not have been spunky, but damn if they weren't the salt of the earth.:
"Community Organizers. Like Ben Franklin? Like John Adams? Like Mahatma Gandhi? Like Martin Luther King, Jr.? Like Caesar Chavez? You mean the people who go from door to door, person to person, and engage in discussion with members of their communities to make this a better world? You mean people like us?...
There was so little truth and integrity in Governor Palin's remarks last night that it was almost an honor for community organizers to be singled out for a sarcastic jab. Let's make those casually disrespectful comments look very scary in the rear view mirror.
Thanks to all of you who canvass and organize with Clean Water Action to carry on the noble work of community organizing."
For the full text, feel free to email me at cdesvaux@gmail.com
From Uruguay,
Christina Maria
I took the community organizers remark as a jab against Barack Obama's claim that having been a community organizer gave him the experience to be president. Are his claims that her experience as mayor of a small town and governor of Alaska have not given her the experience to be president an attack on small town mayors and governors of small population states? Obama doth protest too much, methinks.
More to the point of the post, I agree, Tony, that the election got fun (though certainly infuriating as well)! The word fresh is a perfect descriptor.
Timbo, your assessment is missing a few key facts. First, Giuliani blatantly mocked community organizing. Not just a jab- but mocked it and reveled in the crowd's reaction. And I would consider Palin's remarks as more than a jab, as when she stated that community organizers held no 'actual responsibilities,' and therefor implying their work as holding little value.
Secondly, I have heard Obama and his campaign cite his experience much more along the lines of showing his character. Much like McCain and his campaign has so often reminded us of his time as a POW. Thompson said, correctly, that being a POW doesn't make a man ready to be Prez, but shows his character. While community organizing might not qualify a man to be President... it certainly helps show his character. Both examples, in my opinion, are used fairly and neither deserving of being mocked.
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