A History of Community Organizers

It is clear from the GOP Convention last week and over the past few days that the republicans have decided to make a hard right and make their campaign about disparaging the character of their opponents. And Rick Davis, Mccain Campaign Manager is certainly not trying to hide this strategy, as you can see here.

But that is for another post; here I want to dive into the history of the community organizer. Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani and the rest of the right-wing talk radio believes that the job of community organizer is void of responsibilities and they are also generally unsure of what these organizers do. So in an effort to clear that up I am going to list a few community organizers from American History and World History.

1) Susan B. Anthony is credited as a leader who helped bring about women's rights and women's suffrage in the United States. She founded the National Women's Suffrage Association an organization dedicated to gaining equal women's rights. She was ahead of her time when she declared "Where, under our Declaration of Independence does the Saxon man get his power to deprive all women and Negroes of their inalienable rights?"

2) Martin Luther King Jr. a man that needs no introduction and is considered a leader in civil rights and human rights. He successfully organized peaceful protests during the civil rights movement and for his work was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Congressional Gold Medal.

3) Mohandas Gandhi The leader of India's Independent Movement. By organizing rural and urban citizens, farmers and peasants he managed to pioneer the resistance to tyranny through non-violent protests. He is credited with expanding women's rights, easing poverty, and establishing India's independence among many other noble causes.

These are only a few, others include Cesar Chavez (co-founder or National Farm Workers Association), Dorthy Day (founder of Catholic Worker Movement), Harriet Tubman (Antislavery and the underground Railroad), Jesus Christ (founder of the Christian Faith).

I am not arguing that these people are fit to be President of the United States, but they all made a decision to put the interests of their community, state, or nation above their own. They did so without violence and without asking for anything but justice and equality in return. It should also be noted that each of these figures while working as community organizers were also agents of change and often ridiculed and attacked for doing so.