Rules For Radicals

        Saul David Alinsky (1909-1972) is recognized as one of the first and most prominent community organizers, starting in the south side of Chicago.  Seems to be working out well for Chicago, right?  Community organizer Barrack Obama probably was strongly influenced by Alinsky’s ideas.

Alinsky was also a writer and published Reveille for Radicals in 1946.  He is often noted for his book Rules For Radicals, published in 1971 just prior to his death.    He said the book was written to show the “Have-Nots” how to take power from the “Haves”. 

        I was a collage student in the 1960’s and remember the student demonstrations protesting the Vietnam War and advocating many of Ailinsky’s ideas.  I was never involved in the demonstrations, because I was a full-time student and also worked full-time so I never had time or interest.  I could understand the Vietnam protests, but I just dismissed Ailinsky’s ideas and felt the easily influenced students would eventually grow up and become productive citizens.  Most did and still are today.

        Saul Ailinsky advocated eight objectives for creating a social state.  They are:

1.   Healthcare - Control healthcare and you control the people.

2.   Poverty - Increase the poverty level as high as possible. Poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if they are provided everything they need to live. 

3.   Debt - Increase the debt to an unsustainable level.  This will justify increasing taxes, and thus produce more poverty.

4.   Gun Control - Remove the ability of the people to defend themselves from the government, and create a police state.

5.   Welfare - Take control of every aspect of people’s lives. (Food, Housing, and Income)

6.   Education – Take control of the media and what people read and hear, and take control of what children learn in school.

7.   Religion – Remove any reference to belief in God from government and schools.

8.   Class Warfare – Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor.  This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to take from the wealthy with the support of the poor  (Wealth Redistribution).

I think it is interesting that Saul Alinsky’s books have the word ‘Radicals” in the titles, but his ideas sound like today’s Modern Progressives.  Have we moved too far left?