@Lash,
Yeah, actually seeing the work his organisation does in action, and the impact it has on the ground, for years with my own eyes probably allows for a different opinion than what you're basing yours on.
Our program helped to advocate for better educational opportunities for Roma, who are often segregated into inferior schools and classes on the basis of racist prejudice.
It helped highlight discrimination and unequal opportunities for European Muslims, and identify constructive measures to help, at a time when a resurgent far right incites hatred against them.
It helped advocate for the rights and freedoms of journalists, at a time when an increasing number of authoritarian governments are restricting media freedom.
I have seen colleagues in other programs work tirelessly and selflessly on an immense range of causes. They ranged from the protection of dissidents in post-Soviet dictatorships, to efforts to combat HIV and TB in developing countries, to criminal reform in the United States that would lessen the disproportionate victimization of African-Americans.
I do not have a favourable opinion about everything I saw back then. As in any organisation of a corporate size, there are arrogant managers, snobbish employees, useless bureaucratic procedures, etc. I also do not wholly align ideologically with Soros's ideas: he's a liberal, I'm more on the left.
But the comparison with his foes is a pretty straightforward one. Because I'm keenly aware, of course, that George Soros has made many enemies over the past 25 years or so. They make for quite the gallery of rogues - including, for random example:
* Putin's Russia
* Post-Soviet dictators from Central Asia to Belarus
* Authoritarian, nationalist governments like Orban's here, in Hungary
* Extreme-right parties and organisations across Europe
* Communist parties and organisations in Europe and elsewhere
* Corrupt petty tyrants like Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe
* Republicans and conservatives in the United States
And, of course, a legion of anti-semites and conspiracy theorists worldwide.
I'm happy to have spent some time on the other side.