TACTICAL CHANGES

From My Perspective - - -

In sports, combat or politics, a wise strategy and tactic is to know your opponent – his strengths and weaknesses, as well as to know the goal and those with whom one hopes to achieve it. In Saul Alinsky’s Rules For Radicals (1971), he wrote: “For an elementary illustration of tactics, take parts of your face as the point of reference; your eyes, your ears, and your nose. First the eyes: if you have organized a vast, mass-based people's organization, you can parade it visibly before the enemy and openly show your power. Second the ears; if your organization is small in numbers, then do what Gideon did: conceal the members in the dark but raise a din and clamor that will make the listener believe that your organization numbers many more than it does. Third, the nose; if your organization is too tiny even for noise, stink up the place. Always remember the first rule of power tactics: Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have…”

Outlining his strategy in organizing, Alinsky writes in Rules For Radicals: “There's another reason for working inside the system. Dostoyevsky said: that taking a new step is what people fear most. Any revolutionary change must be preceded by a passive, affirmative, non-challenging attitude toward change among the mass of our people. They must feel so frustrated, so defeated, so lost, so futureless in the prevailing system that they are willing to let go of the past and chance the future. This acceptance is the reformation essential to any revolution…” For Alinsky, “…organizing is the process of highlighting whatever he believed to be wrong and convincing people they can actually do something about it. The two are linked. If people feel they don’t have the power to change a situation, they stop thinking about it…Through a process combining hope and resentment, the organizer tries to create a "mass army" that brings in as many recruits as possible from local organizations, churches, services groups, labor unions, corner gangs, and individuals…the main job of the organizer is to bait an opponent into reacting. The enemy properly goaded and guided in his reaction will be your major strength."

There is a very revealing illustration used in his writing. As a motivation for those seeking change Alinsky narrates: “Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment 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.” What Alinsky fails to mention – Lucifer acted with arrogance and pride. This resulted in his being  cast out of Heaven, along with the one-third of his legion who followed him,  was immediately removed from the presence of the only God, and will be cast into the eternal lake of fire.” There always has been and always will be consequence for arrogance and pride and revolution. One consequence is the designation and categorization of those who would follow the Lucifer Stratagem – John 8:44 – “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” Joseph Goebbels said: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” This principle worked for Nazi Germany leading up to World War II.

Three of Alinsky’s 12 Rules for Radicals: RULE 5:“Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. ”There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions.” RULE 8:“Keep the pressure on. Never let up. Keep trying new things to keep the opposition off balance. As the opposition masters one approach, hit them from the flank with something new…” RULE 11:“The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative. Never let the enemy score points because you’re caught without a solution to the problem.” When Jesus was sending His disciples into the world, He said – Matthew 10:16 – “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” The “wolves” are arrogant, proud, boastful and deceptive. Don’t let yourself be charmed, deceived or beguiled by them. Consider these things with me.