Organizing Fellowship Feels Wrong

I signed up to receive emails from both the Obama and Clinton campaigns. Last week I was sent an email from the Obama headquarters that was different from the typical ones asking for money. Normally I briefly glance over then delete them but this one caught my attention and I think it is something more people should know about.

Obama is announcing an Organizing Fellowship project. He first talks about being inspired by the civil rights movement and then how he worked as a community organizer in Chicago. And then he writes about this new Organizing Fellowship but instead of explaining it I will let you read his words about this new project.

That's why we're introducing a program that's going to train a new generation of leaders -- not only to help us win this election, but to help strengthen our democracy in communities across the country.

If you apply and are selected, you'll be trained in the basic organizing principles that this campaign and our movement for change are built on. You will be assigned to a community where you'll organize supporters. Assignments will begin in June, and you'll be required to work a minimum of six weeks over the summer.

I don’t know why but this concept bothers me. I suppose one problem I have with this is what will these organizers be doing this summer? I could understand if they organized during the general election this fall but Obama may not even be the presumptive Democratic candidate in June. And other than college students who else is available for six weeks without pay? What kind of activities will they be organizing? Can Obama control what they do? Will they harass McCain’s less organized supporters? How might they react if he ultimately loses? If Obama does become president what role might they play in perhaps “helping” to pass or enforce his new laws? And why hasn't any news organization picked up on this yet?

I suppose all political campaigns do something like this yet this idea seems more militant than in the past. Isn’t this the model by which the Black Panthers and even the KKK tried to get organized years ago? Or maybe I am just being paranoid. But I can’t help smell the whiff of fascism within this “fellowship” and its goal to "strengthen our democracy". Let’s hope I am wrong.