Virgil: Saul Alinsky on ‘Rules for Radicals’ and the 2020 Election

Breitbart ^ | 20 Sep 2020 | VIRGIL

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Editor’s note: Publius Vergilius Maro, the Roman poet known to history as Virgil, died in 19 B.C. Saul Alinsky, the American radical and inspiration to both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, died in 1972. However, for both of these legendary historical figures, their words, and their ideas, abide forever. So our Virgil had no trouble conducting this shade-to-shade interview with Alinsky.

VIRGIL: Saul, please tell us a little bit about yourself.

ALINSKY: I was born in Chicago in 1909, and as a young man I worked for various communist causes. Beginning in the late 1930s, I chose to focus my efforts on the South Side of Chicago; I soon created the Industrial Areas Foundation to further my work as a community organizer. My organizing campaigns then spread, from coast to coast, from California to New York. And along the way, I wrote two books, Reveille for Radicals and Rules for Radicals, which gained me an even larger following among young leftists.

For instance, in 1968, a Wellesley College student, Hillary Rodham, wrote a 92-page senior thesis on me, titled, “There Is Only the Fight . . .” Then, more than a decade after my death in 1972, a recent graduate of Columbia University, Barack Obama, came to Chicago to work in my organization.

Interestingly, in 2007, the Washington Post profiled both Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, then running against each other for the Democratic presidential nomination, viewing them through the prism of their connection to me. The piece quoted progressive activist Marian Wright Edelman as saying, “Both Hillary and Barack reflect that understanding of community-organizing strategy. Both just know how to leverage power.” And of course, one of them was elected president, and the other came close. So as you can see: Even though I’m dead, I rest in...

[Gay State Conservative]

Even though I’m dead, I rest in

...Hell

[Basket_of_Deplorables]

That’s scary good article.

Trump often uses Alinsky tactics against his enemies, on purpose or not. And it works. But mealy mouth Rs keep saying, “Oh, stop! We’re better than them.” And lose. Like it or not, Alinskys tactics work well. Too well. So use them, too.

“Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon...” So keep it up, Rs!!! Don’t handicap ourselves ala Romney, afraid on looking unseemly. Etc.

[Robert DeLong]

Creative, interesting and yet very frustrating article, because it nails it succinctly.

[gattaca]

Thanks for posting. I didn’t know that part about the Green Party.