Alinsky VS Paine (Intro)

Rules for Radicals 1/25/10
Posted on 25 มกราคม 2553 21:55:59 by eeevil conservative
The purpose of these writings is quite simple. We wanted to provide an easy to use tool in understanding Alinsky’s teachings, the tactics used by his followers, their motives, and the contrast of these to the spirit of America and her forefathers. Alinsky’s goal was revolution, just as our forefathers; but the outcome of each revolution are as different as freedom vs slavery.
No one can begin the study of Rules for Radicals without noting that Alinsky includes a quote from Thomas Paine and one from himself at the onset.
Paine quote:
“Lest them call me rebel and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul….”
Alinsky quote:
“Lest we forge at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgement to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins- or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom—Lucifer.”
Alinsky makes it clear with his quote from Paine, that his soul is invested in this revolution; hence calling him a name, like “rebel,” does not concern him. Yet he uses Paine of all people to establish this. I submit he used Paine as some way to not just legitimize himself, but to portray him as noble in his own eyes as well to others. I also conclude that he uses Lucifer as an example of a rebel, the first one to set the record straight that even calling him Satan himself will not dissuade him, he is committed. He wants his followers to be just as committed. He also establishes with his quote about Lucifer that the prize or goal for this deep dedication is one’s own “kingdom.” I’d also like to note that it is quite cute that he compares history to legends and mythology and challenges that no one really knows that there is any difference between them. As we continue this study, you will notice that he uses this technique quite often. He takes legitimate things, and mixes them among “evils” in an attempt to subliminally make them equal.
In the first paragraph of his prologue he attempts to establish that the “system” is flawed, everyone knows it, and the people cry out to “burn it down.” In the second paragraph he claims that the radicals of his generation are the vanguard, and few of them survived the “Joe McCarty holocaust of the early 1950’s” and even fewer gained an insight “beyond the “dialectical materialism of orthodox Marxism.” Alinsky wastes not time making very clear his motivation and his end game objective; Marxism.
The third paragraph begins with this:
“Today’s generation is desperately trying to make some sense out of their lives and out of the world. Most of them are products of the middle class. They have rejected their materialistic backgrounds, the goal of a well-paid job, suburban home, automobile, country club membership, first class travel, status, security, and everything that meant success to their parents. They have had it, they watched it lead their parents to tranquilizers, alcohol, long-term-endurance marriages, or divorces, high blood pressure, ulcers, frustration, and the disillusionment of “the good life.”
Note that he combines country club membership, first class travel, and status, with a well-paid job, suburban home, automobile, and security; while labeling them all as materialistic. I have yet to find a youngster who does not long for the freedom of the use of or for the possession of their own car. He is suggesting that a poor paying dead-end job, an inner city shack, dependence upon public transportation (government run and subsidized transportation, by the way), and lack of security should be the goals of true radicals? What kind of world or future is that? You see, security and personal property are evil and materialistic. Having nothing to live for is noble and makes you sincere and worthy to be his foot soldier. He believes the youth have rejected these sins of their parents. He wants his followers, his fellow radicals, to have NOTHING that would interfere with what he wants from them. He wants them to have nothing to lose, so there is no action or deed with too big a price for them to take.
We are only 2 and a half paragraphs into the prologue folks, but I think this is enough for today. I want to keep these short so that busy folks can keep up without giving up too much time with their families, etc.
Please feel free to share your thoughts on anything I have written above or to add your own insights.
Open mike time!
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