Blessed are the Organized

Life back on the hill is quickly approaching, so I thought I would ease myself back into the swing of things. Part of my goal this summer has been to pay attention to the news, and through trying to achieve that goal I've come across various bloggers, organizations, and online sources of information. One of which is "Religious Dispatches", an online magazine focusing on news and the spiritual world I first came in contact with in Amcon.  Recently they published an interview with Jeffrey Stout. Amongst conversation on the religiosity of organizing, he discussed money, accountability, grassroots movements and the current political system. That's where this quote comes from!

The labor unions are obviously much weaker. The civil rights movement ended. The struggle against the Vietnam War ran aground. But, meanwhile, there has been a remarkable growth in grassroots citizens’ organizations. Nearly all of that growth has been under the media radar, but it has been truly significant. And many important victories have been won. Community organizing, which was focused on organizing particular neighborhoods, has given way to what Cortes calls “broad-based” organizing, which is meant to build ethnically, racially, and religiously diverse coalitions that can last for generations.

Stout  was discussing the change in activism since the 1960's. Here there is almost a challenge to Putnam's discoveries. I suppose organizing and voluntary organizations are slightly different categories... But maybe there is a movement rolling under the radar. Especially with internet resources, many smaller movement have replaced nationwide fights for rights. But is that beneficial? After all, plights that one community faces are no doubt going to be mirrored in towns across the nation. This year I might make an effort to recognize some of the smaller movements in our communities. I think that would be an interesting take on Amcon.