The difference between a community organizer and a governor.
Awesome quote found at Mudflats.
“Jesus was a Community Organizer, and Pontias Pilate was a Governor.”
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Whoa...That's powerful...
September 5, 2008 3:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
My take in the comments here. Forget the Jesus comments - anytime liberals reference Jesus in this way, they step into the culture wars of "Was Jesus a hippie?", for which the conservative response is a riled up negatory.
Bring it back to the kitchen table - dollars, food on the table, security, keeping the kids/spouse out of useless foreign wars.
America doesn't vote for good deeds. It votes its pocket book and its fear.
September 5, 2008 6:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Succinct, but fear should probably come before pocket book.
September 5, 2008 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think it's fear of pocket book and then fear.
September 6, 2008 2:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have to say, that comment would hit home with a lot of people. If that quote went viral, I think it could actually have an impact on some people.
September 5, 2008 6:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
For what it's worth, I was the one who coined that phrase. And I quickly learned how quickly viral spreading works on the internet.
And, like Desidero, I sort of regret it.
It was Thursday morning, 11:00-ish west coast time, and I was pissed that the Republicans were denigrating Obama for his community organizing experience.
The phrase "Jesus was a community organizer" was already out there (there are T-shirts that you can buy with that phrase). But I quickly leaped to the fact that she's now a governor, which immediately tossed my squirrel brain to the governor of Judaea, Pontius Pilate. I did a quick Wikipeadia check to verify it (actually, he was the Roman Prefect -- but close enough), and posted the phrase on the Washington Post ("Palin in the Spotlight" article, registered as terry1960).
Immediately I got a "Hey, I like it!" comment; then I saw it pop up several times with less and less attribution on that thread and others on the WaPo site, then on the DailyKos. Later that afternoon, I saw it come up in a couple of other places. So I Googled it, and found it all over the place, including a Caribbean cricket website discussion board!
My point in the phrase was more about how the job doesn't make the person, the person makes the job. Being a "governor" doesn't immediately make you great; after all, Pontius Pilate was a governor, too. Like I said, I didn't come up with the "Jesus is was a community organizer" part, but that's the part that seems to get all the attention.
And, like Desidero, I am weary of comparing Obama to Jesus. I wanted to make people think of Pontius Pilate when they think of Palin as a governor.
So I'm not happy with it, but I have been amazed at how far it spread so quickly. (Google it and see.)
September 5, 2008 8:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Like any work of art - fiction, music, painting or poem - once it's out there, people react to it from their own internal perspective. You had one perspective. And it's fascinating to understand it actually. But for each of us who has come upon it unawares, there is an initial shock of discovery and a sense that "this fits."
People want it on T-shirts. On bumper stickers. I read someone wanting to put it on tote bags.
You've started a "meme" in a way. It "frames" some issues so well. And it's obviously taken on a life of its own.
Doris Lessing, who won the Nobel for Literature this year, described her writing long ago as an attempt to catch and set down feelings and thoughts and experiences of many people.
You've done that! Bravo!
September 5, 2008 10:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Looking forward to all those residuals!
September 5, 2008 11:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sorry but I did not know who to cite when I borrowed the quote.
It is a strong comparison and I applaud you for coming up with it.
It didn't occur to me that it might be a mistake to compare Jesus to Obama but I can now see how that it might be seen in a negative light. Actually my first instinct wasn't to compare Obama to a holy man. Instead (and I'm sure most others would agree with me in this) I saw community work as positive and honorable work not to be demeaned and sneered at but to be commended and admired.
September 5, 2008 11:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
It seems to be going around in email, too. My mother-in-law sent it to me this afternoon.
September 5, 2008 9:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's very weird. I knew it was a good snarky line when I wrote it, but I didn't think it would go beyond that single comments thread. I just Googled the phrase, and it's all over the place.
Again, I didn't come up with the "Jesus is a community organizer" part, but I turned the corollary that, "Pontius Pilate was a governor." But it seems that it is the corollary couplet that hit a nerve.
Very freaky.
My big fear is that people are pinning it on the Obama camp, and that he's going to now get the John Lennon treatment. I came up with it as a little snark, with no intentions of getting a firestorm going with the Christian community (some good, some bad), which is what seems to be happening.
Oops.
Terry Carroll
Oakland, California
September 5, 2008 9:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Be at peace. You done good!
I came up with "trophy running mate." Used it as a title. Others came up with that or similar words and it all seemed to happen serendipitously. It's a part of history. It's a good part of history!
September 5, 2008 10:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Trophy vice, anyone? :)
September 5, 2008 11:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's a compelling and informative open letter found at Mudflats written by a resident of Wasilla.
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/a-letter-about-sarah-palin-from-anne-kilkenny/
September 5, 2008 11:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think that the attacks on Obama resumee by dismissing or belittling his stint at community organizer will cost the Republicans very few votes. I'm no sociologist but it would seem that community organizers are mainly in the Democratic camp to begin and -- if they are Republicans -- they would have to be pretty naive not to understand that the target was Obama and not them.
I think that if the neighborhoods around Chicago still have problems, people would be more likely to blame Obama the senator than Obama the community organizer. Community organizers are morally responsible people but they are not HELD RESPONSIBLE in the same way as DULY ELECTED officials. And the MAYOR of Chicago and the GOVERNOR of Illinois -- because they are EXECUTIVES -- are held more responsible than senators. Obama has not been in a position where he is an executive. He is not even running his campaign. Axelrod is.
September 6, 2008 2:47 AM | Reply | Permalink