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Alinsky's Rules

Mike

Well-known member
Alinski's Rules: Must Reading In Obama Era
By PHYLLIS SCHLAFLY | Posted Monday, February 02, 2009 4:20 PM PT

Immediately after the Democratic National Convention in Colorado, the Boston Globe published a letter from David Alinsky. He boasted about how Barack Obama had made effective use of his training in the methods of David's late father, the famous Chicago radical, Saul Alinsky.

David Alinsky gloated: "I am proud to see that my father's model for organizing is being applied successfully beyond local community organizing to affect the Democratic campaign in 2008. It is a fine tribute to Saul Alinsky as we approach his 100th birthday."

What was Saul Alinsky's model that Barack Obama used so successfully to defeat the Clinton machine plus the Republican Party in a dramatic one-two punch never before seen in politics?

What is known today as "the Alinsky ideology and Alinsky concepts of mass organization for power" are fully set forth in Alinsky's 1971 book, "Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals."

Alinsky's worldview was that mankind is divided into three parts: "the haves, the have-nots and the have-a-little, want mores." His purpose was to teach the have-nots how to take power and money away from the haves by creating mass organizations to seize power, and he admitted "this means revolution."

He wanted a radical change of America's social and economic structure, and he planned to achieve that through creating public discontent and moral confusion. Alinsky developed strategies to achieve power through mass organization, and organizing was his word for revolution.

He wanted to move the U.S. from capitalism to socialism, where the means of production would be owned by all the people (i.e., the government). A believer in economic determinism, he viewed unemployment, disease, crime and bigotry as byproducts of capitalism. "Change" was Alinsky's favorite word, used on page after page. "I will argue," he wrote, "that man's hopes lie in the acceptance of the great law of change."

Alinsky used what he called "general concepts of change" to move us toward "a science of revolution."

What he called change meant an alteration of our socioeconomic structure; what he called organizing meant pursuing confrontational political tactics.

Alinsky taught the have-nots to "hate the establishment of the haves" because they have "power, money, food, security and luxury." He claimed that "justice, morality, law and order are mere words used by the haves to justify and secure their status quo."

Alinsky didn't ignore traditional moral standards or dismiss them as unnecessary. He was more devious; he taught his followers that "moral rationalization is indispensable at all times of action whether to justify the selection or the use of ends or means."

To achieve his goals, he sought local community organizers who projected confidence and vision as well as change. Barack Obama fit the profile.

Alinsky didn't want just talkers. He wanted radicals who were prepared to take bold action to organize the discontented, precipitate crises, grab power and transform society. He taught his organizers how to infiltrate existing institutions such as churches, unions and political parties, gain influence in them and introduce change.

The qualities Alinsky looked for in a good organizer were ego ("reaching for the highest level for which man can reach — to create, to be a 'great creator,' to play God"), curiosity (raising "questions that agitate, that break through the accepted pattern"), irreverence ("nothing is sacred"; "detests dogma, defies any finite definition of morality"), a sense of humor ("the most potent weapons known to mankind are satire and ridicule") and a personality with confidence in presenting the right reason for his actions only "as a moral rationalization after the right end has been achieved."

The organizer must "rub raw the resentments of the people of the community, fan the latent hostilities of many of the people to the point of overt expression. . . . stir up dissatisfaction and discontent."

Alinsky trained his community organizers to adopt a "middle-class identity" and familiarity with their "values and problems." After achieving "the priceless value of his middle-class experience," he will "begin to dissect and examine that way of life as he never has before."

Alinsky's trainees are instructed to return to the suburban scene of the middle class with its variety of organizations, from PTAs to League of Women Voters, consumer groups, churches and clubs. Alinsky boasted: "With rare exceptions, our activists and radicals are products of and rebels against our middle-class society. . . . Our rebels have contemptuously rejected the values and way of life of the middle class."

Put "Rules for Radicals" on your must-read list if you want to understand much of contemporary politics.

Copyright 2008 Creators Syndicate, Inc
 

badaxemoo

Well-known member
Mike said:
Alinski's Rules: Must Reading In Obama Era
By PHYLLIS SCHLAFLY | Posted Monday, February 02, 2009 4:20 PM PT

Immediately after the Democratic National Convention in Colorado, the Boston Globe published a letter from David Alinsky. He boasted about how Barack Obama had made effective use of his training in the methods of David's late father, the famous Chicago radical, Saul Alinsky.

David Alinsky gloated: "I am proud to see that my father's model for organizing is being applied successfully beyond local community organizing to affect the Democratic campaign in 2008. It is a fine tribute to Saul Alinsky as we approach his 100th birthday."

What was Saul Alinsky's model that Barack Obama used so successfully to defeat the Clinton machine plus the Republican Party in a dramatic one-two punch never before seen in politics?

What is known today as "the Alinsky ideology and Alinsky concepts of mass organization for power" are fully set forth in Alinsky's 1971 book, "Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals."

Alinsky's worldview was that mankind is divided into three parts: "the haves, the have-nots and the have-a-little, want mores." His purpose was to teach the have-nots how to take power and money away from the haves by creating mass organizations to seize power, and he admitted "this means revolution."

He wanted a radical change of America's social and economic structure, and he planned to achieve that through creating public discontent and moral confusion. Alinsky developed strategies to achieve power through mass organization, and organizing was his word for revolution.

He wanted to move the U.S. from capitalism to socialism, where the means of production would be owned by all the people (i.e., the government). A believer in economic determinism, he viewed unemployment, disease, crime and bigotry as byproducts of capitalism. "Change" was Alinsky's favorite word, used on page after page. "I will argue," he wrote, "that man's hopes lie in the acceptance of the great law of change."

Alinsky used what he called "general concepts of change" to move us toward "a science of revolution."

What he called change meant an alteration of our socioeconomic structure; what he called organizing meant pursuing confrontational political tactics.

Alinsky taught the have-nots to "hate the establishment of the haves" because they have "power, money, food, security and luxury." He claimed that "justice, morality, law and order are mere words used by the haves to justify and secure their status quo."

Alinsky didn't ignore traditional moral standards or dismiss them as unnecessary. He was more devious; he taught his followers that "moral rationalization is indispensable at all times of action whether to justify the selection or the use of ends or means."

To achieve his goals, he sought local community organizers who projected confidence and vision as well as change. Barack Obama fit the profile.

Alinsky didn't want just talkers. He wanted radicals who were prepared to take bold action to organize the discontented, precipitate crises, grab power and transform society. He taught his organizers how to infiltrate existing institutions such as churches, unions and political parties, gain influence in them and introduce change.

The qualities Alinsky looked for in a good organizer were ego ("reaching for the highest level for which man can reach — to create, to be a 'great creator,' to play God"), curiosity (raising "questions that agitate, that break through the accepted pattern"), irreverence ("nothing is sacred"; "detests dogma, defies any finite definition of morality"), a sense of humor ("the most potent weapons known to mankind are satire and ridicule") and a personality with confidence in presenting the right reason for his actions only "as a moral rationalization after the right end has been achieved."

The organizer must "rub raw the resentments of the people of the community, fan the latent hostilities of many of the people to the point of overt expression. . . . stir up dissatisfaction and discontent."

Alinsky trained his community organizers to adopt a "middle-class identity" and familiarity with their "values and problems." After achieving "the priceless value of his middle-class experience," he will "begin to dissect and examine that way of life as he never has before."

Alinsky's trainees are instructed to return to the suburban scene of the middle class with its variety of organizations, from PTAs to League of Women Voters, consumer groups, churches and clubs. Alinsky boasted: "With rare exceptions, our activists and radicals are products of and rebels against our middle-class society. . . . Our rebels have contemptuously rejected the values and way of life of the middle class."

Put "Rules for Radicals" on your must-read list if you want to understand much of contemporary politics.

Copyright 2008 Creators Syndicate, Inc

Someone like Phyllis Schlafly SHOULD be afraid of Alinsky's grassroots organizing methods.
 

badaxemoo

Well-known member
Mike said:
She is afraid because she is an ardent "Constitutionalist" instead of a "Socialist".

A "constitutionalist"?

I think you forgot drooling, theocrati, reactionary, anti-woman, bigot constitutionalist.

If Phyllis Schlafly is a constitutionalist, I think it's time for a rewrite.

We are starting a movement in the state legislatures...to forbid the installation of clinics that dispense contraceptives. [Phyllis Schlafly, President, Eagle Forum]

Women have babies and men provide the support. If you don't like the way we're made you've got to take it up with God. [Phyllis Schlafly, who has had a successful business career and run for public office]

Sex education classes are like in-home sales parties for abortions.
[Schlafly]

Many years ago Christian pioneers had to fight savage Indians. Today missionaries of these former cultures are being sent via the public schools to heathenize our children. [Phylis Schlafly's Eagle Forum]
 

Mike

Well-known member
I agree with her on every point.

By the way, what is your point?

Surely you aren't really defending Alinsky, are you? :roll:
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Mike said:
I agree with her on every point.

By the way, what is your point?

Surely you aren't really defending Alinsky, are you? :roll:

Liberal debate move #4; Detract from the message by attacking the messenger.
 

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
Exactly, how many times has Obama, detractied from Alinsky's message?

Read about how he preached to cause a crisis, that's a good one!

Or how he wrote to use their tools against them, like the internet? Obama is friends with who from Google?
 

badaxemoo

Well-known member
Mike said:
I agree with her on every point.

By the way, what is your point?

Surely you aren't really defending Alinsky, are you? :roll:

My point is that presenting a criticism of a radical like Alinsky written by a fascist like Schlafly is about as productive as asking the Grand Wizard's opinion about the finer points of civil rights policy.

I think that is an analogy you can probably understand.

Alinsky doesn't need any defense from me. I have a copy of Rules for Radicals on my bookshelf. It's a bit dated, but it has also been useful.

Unlike many of the wingnut spout-offs on this board, my political activism has gone beyond listening to talk radio, regurgitating its contents onto a discussion board, or surfing Free Republic looking for articles to cut and paste.
 

backhoeboogie

Well-known member
Sandhusker said:
Mike said:
I agree with her on every point.

By the way, what is your point?

Surely you aren't really defending Alinsky, are you? :roll:

Liberal debate move #4; Detract from the message by attacking the messenger.

Bullseye. Starting a new thread is out of the question.
 

badaxemoo

Well-known member
hypocritexposer said:
Maybe I need to get the book!

Why don't you enlighten us?

Run down a list of Democrats in the House and Senate.

There are very few "radicals" in that group, particularly by international standards.

Ask any Canadian! The left up there is quite a bit farther out the political spectrum than it is here.

If most Democrats have Rules for Radicals on their bookshelves, they apparently haven't opened it.
 

Mike

Well-known member
badaxemoo said:
hypocritexposer said:
I have a copy of Rules for Racicals on my bookshelf

I would expect most Democrats do.

Then you don't have a very good understanding of the current makeup of the Democratic Party.

We know the make up of the LEADER of the Democratic Party and that's sufficient for me to pass personal judgment. :roll:
 

badaxemoo

Well-known member
Mike said:
badaxemoo said:
hypocritexposer said:
I would expect most Democrats do.

Then you don't have a very good understanding of the current makeup of the Democratic Party.

We know the make up of the LEADER of the Democratic Party and that's sufficient for me to pass personal judgment. :roll:

I know. Ain't it great?

Obama is one of the few that has actually read and implemented some of Alinsky's methods.

It gives me hope that deep down he actually is a progressive.

Whether he will be able to implement progressive reforms or not in his current job is another question.

What a nightmare this must be for a Phyllis Schlafly fan!
 

badaxemoo

Well-known member
Sandhusker said:
Mike said:
I agree with her on every point.

By the way, what is your point?

Surely you aren't really defending Alinsky, are you? :roll:

Liberal debate move #4; Detract from the message by attacking the messenger.

In this case, the messenger IS the message.
 

badaxemoo

Well-known member
Creek Side Farms said:
backhoeboogie said:
Sandhusker said:
Liberal debate move #4; Detract from the message by attacking the messenger.

Bullseye. Starting a new thread is out of the question.


Pay a little attention to who badax is and you will understand. Who is missing in action from political bull? it should only take 3 --- stokes on the keyboard

Huh? Are you implying that my account is a sock puppet?

Why don't you go over to Cattle Today and type my name into the search engine.

I don't post there that much, but I think it would be a bit of a stretch to hint that I'm a fake.
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
badaxemoo said:
Mike said:
badaxemoo said:
Then you don't have a very good understanding of the current makeup of the Democratic Party.

We know the make up of the LEADER of the Democratic Party and that's sufficient for me to pass personal judgment. :roll:

I know. Ain't it great?

Obama is one of the few that has actually read and implemented some of Alinsky's methods.

It gives me hope that deep down he actually is a progressive.

Whether he will be able to implement progressive reforms or not in his current job is another question.

What a nightmare this must be for a Phyllis Schlafly fan!

"Progressive"? Who decides what is progress?
 

badaxemoo

Well-known member
backhoeboogie said:
hypocritexposer said:
Maybe I need to get the book!

Why don't you enlighten us?

Can I opt out of the enlightening?

I think you already have.

You and your fellow conservatives are stuck in the Dark Ages and its like The Enlightening never happened. :wink:
 
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