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September 05, 2008

Government and Politics Watch: Charities Protest Remark by Gov. Palin

A civil-rights group and others are protesting Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s jab at community organizers during her speech at the Republican National Convention, reports Government and Politics Watch, a Chronicle online column.

Plus: The Republican platform includes a plank for ‘faith-based’ groups.

Friday September 5, 2008 | Permalink

Comments

1. In the Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell reminds us of the difference that small inputs can make to systems. The black community is one where, according to research cited by Gladwell, the mere presence of responsible black men can make a huge difference in the outcomes for the youths of that community.

   Rather than devolving to namecalling, let’s raise this discussion to outcomes.

   What effect did Obama’s presence have in that community?

   Alaska has some of the highest rates of domestic abuse & alcoholism in the USA. Did she make an appreciable difference in changing the outcomes of those social issues in her town, as mayor, and state, as Lt. Gov. and then Governor?

   Respectfully submitted —

   — Betsy Nelson    Sep 5, 04:20 PM    #

2. SHOWS PALIN’S INEXPERIENCE WITH THE CHARITABLE COMMUNITY. WASN’T JESUS, GANDHI, AND MARTIN LUTHER KING COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS?

   — OBSERVER    Sep 5, 05:11 PM    #

3. Betsy,

   Please, do not be so silly as to take offense of Gov Palin’s comment about the term Community Organizer. Your comments are WAY out of perspective.

   To put Gov Palin’s comment in perspective Obama, for a year now, has been using a title of ‘Community Organizer’ to prove that he has experience to be the President of the United States of America. This has been Obama’s position. This is laughable in every way possible to think that this gives him presidential experience.

   Never-the-less Gov Palin’s comment that being a ‘Mayor of a small city is like a community organizer’ is a compliment on its face. Gov Palin, in the second half of her comment saying that the difference between her and Obama is ‘responsibility,’ is ONLY identifying that Obama has had ‘NO’ executive experience with his community assistance.

   In addition, to your other comment, Obama had virtually NO effect in the community that he was in by evidence of the fact that ‘you’ yourself cannot even state one good that he has completed that can be verified. Or, think about it this way. IF HE DID have an effect with outcomes, he would be taunting those outcomes from the roof tops, as he should. BUT, he has offered NO outcomes for anyone to check on to verify. Obama is the one blowing smoke, in the case, using the good name of Community Organizer to benefit or lift himself, but in reality, Obama is the one bring down the hard work of real community organizers.

   The fact that you bring up negatives about Alaska which if off topic demonstrates that you are politically motivated and that you are not truly concerned about the issue of Community Organizer. If you really were concerned I’m certain you would be calling upon Obama to identify what his actual outcomes were in specific detail to back up the importance of Community Organizing. Yet instead of doing this you attack Palin for calling Obama on the carpet-so to speak-of using the title Community Organizer as actual experience for being President of the United States of America.

   Taken the above into consideration it seems that your comments are not submitted respectfully but are in the end submitted to attack Palin. And, you are attacking Palin, in reality, for calling Obama out for his mis-use of the title Community Organizer.

   — Tyler    Sep 5, 05:14 PM    #

4. Dear Observer,

   Please read item # 3 so that you can observe what this issue is really about. It is clearly Obama that does not understand the charitable community.

   Also, your comparison of Obama’s unconfirmed and undocumented community work to Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King is SICK and DEMENTED of YOU!

   Please, know the facts before you speak in a public forum. Obama was an attorney of a ‘Slum-Lord’ which unarguably hurts communities! This is ‘Slum-Lord’ not ‘Jesus Christ the Lord.’

   If Obama really cared about communities, don’t you think that he would have used his attorney skills to fight against ‘Slum-Lords’ instead of fighting for ‘Slum-Lords and taking money deals for Real Estate that benefited who, the community?? NOT. His money deals with a now known criminal only benefited himself. Hey, what happened to your comparison now?? Maybe, since you brought up the subject, the true comparison is Obama to Judas. As in Obama turning his back on 100’s of people by lawyer-ing for a Slum-Lord!

   — Tyler    Sep 5, 05:34 PM    #

5. I find it disheartening that the comments left on this site are all so disrespectful to the candidates. As an independent politics are fascinating to me, it all depends on what side you are on, the issues are irrelevant. It’s funny to me that adults revert to junior high tactics of name calling rather than focusing on the issues at hand. Let’s start focusing on the issues that are affecting America. The childish behavior is so ridiculous to me with a recession and a war; can we not talk about the candidates’ plans of action? They are in the race for President demeaning their accomplishment won’t change that. Instead let’s make sure that the person who will help our country is the new President. We won’t figure that out by making fun of the candidate’s family or celebrity status. Let’s leave the name calling to the junior high kids.

   — independent    Sep 5, 06:04 PM    #

6. Tyler, you’re not contributing; you’re ranting. Ease off the capital letters and references to “sick” and “demented.” Betsy and Observer may not share your opinion, but their views are every bit as viable as yours.

   — Dennis    Sep 5, 06:06 PM    #

7. Dennis,

   We will need to agree to disagree. I believe that I am contributing in a crucial way. If you re-read my comments as I have just done again, you will see that I am not ranting as I am not speaking violently, which is a definitional of ranting. I am, however, emphasizing certain points when someone trys to compare a human being to God. Comparing Obama’s unverifiable community work to Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King is sick and that comment holds true. This gives the GOP the encouragement to continue saying such things as Obama rolling back the waters and healing the planet. Comparing Obama to God (Jesus) hurts all sides and needs to be addressed strongly and accurately as I did.

   Regarding Observer, his/her views in this context ‘is not’ every bit as viable; it is not viable to compare Obama to God and other truly great men who’s community work is documented and celebrated.

   Regarding Betsy, her opinion is as viable as mine, yours etc, but you need to back up your comments with verifiable facts or sound reasoning.

   Regarding #5 Independent, has made a great point. The only issue with her/his comments is that we are not in a recession. The last recession we were in was the last quarter of Bill Clinton’s Presidency. A recession is when we have two or more months in a row of Gross National Product in the negative. This has never happened with the current administration. Perhaps, we are so spoiled that when we have small GNP growth we claim recession to play politics. Thank goodness for America, the free economy that we have that for the past eight years we have not been in a recession. Possibly, being in a small put continual GNP growth period we all can re-evaluate our personal standings and live within our means so that we can prosper regardless of our GNP being a stead slow climb or a robust climb.

   With regard to name calling, indicating that the above messages are resorting to junior high school tactics is in itself name calling.

   And, one last comment with Independent. Issues are not relevant or non-relevant pending which side of the political isle that you are on. Regardless of what side you are on, one ‘must’ support their opinion with facts, or, with sound reason. And, I mean ‘sound reason’ in a collegiate philosophical defined way.

   Dennis, you may not have liked my strong opinion(s), but at least I provided sound reasoning as to my comments and I provided areas where others need to supply facts in order to support their comments.

   — Tyler    Sep 5, 07:00 PM    #

8. Holy free time. I want Tyler’s job.

   — Brooksy    Sep 7, 11:09 PM    #

9. Free time you assume… I work approx. 10 hour days, raise 5 kids with a wonderful wife, take time to have a personal date with each of my kids and my wife every week, one evening per/wk the whole family gets together for only family time, cook breakfast, have home cooked dinner every day with the entire family, clean the house, wash dishes, do the laundry, help with the kids homework, help with the local PTA, volunteer time for the boy scouts, help Leukemia and Lymphoma society raise money, help the Diabetes Association, help raise money for Breast Cancer, give 11% of my gross income to charity every year, volunteer coach soccer, volunteer coach baseball, volunteer at my local church, and help raise money for various community needs (but I do not claim that my community organization qualifies me for President of the United States as some actually have).

   Busy people get things done, but free time? It must be nice to assume… Why do I take all my ‘free time’ to do all these things and more? Because I care and time is short. That’s why it is important to me that people do not mindlessly repeat opinions from the media that has no evidence and that which does not have sound reasoning. Life is too short to not take the time to really think about what our values and morals really are. I suggest that everyone backs up their opinions and decisions in life with supporting evidence or sound reasoning and really mean what they say, think and feel instead of the all too easy; repeating what they hear and see on TV from someone that has their own agenda with hopes that we won’t think enough about what they are saying to ask ourselves, ‘what supporting evidence or reasoning is there for that statement to be true. In fact, my 6 year old boy can now watch a political debate or discussion on TV and he has said before, Dad, he didn’t answer the question. He must be hiding something, or, there is a reason he won’t tell (meaning answering the question directly).

   By the way, I type very fast.

   — Tyler    Sep 8, 03:08 AM    #

10. It’s too bad that any Presidential Candidate must resort to mud slinging. I would prefer integrity of character over experience if I had to choose, as the President does not act alone but relies upon many advisors and cabinet members. I think that Palin’s comments were not unusual for this race, as everyone seems to be ‘fair game’, and both sides are engaged in this, though I believe it’s not necessary. As for the Observers comments, I don’t know how you could even relate Gandhi, Martin Luther King with Jesus. Jesus was not an organizer, nor merely a man, He was God who came in the form of man to bring light into a world of darkness. Look to Him for guidance. The Light of the World.

    — Gail    Sep 8, 03:32 PM    #

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