Thanks to Newt Gingrich, a new generation is about to be radicalized.
Newt Gingrich mentioned Saul Alinsky twice in his South Carolina Klan rally Primary victory speech. This is a classic example of the coded language of Right-Wing True Believers failing to resonate outside their epistemically closed bubble. Maybe 1% of people who don’t watch Fox News or save screen-shots of Glenn Beck’s chalkboard know who he was, or why they should be frightened that he influenced President Obama somehow.
We here at the Angry Black Lady Chronicles would like to correct this ignorance by inviting you to join us for a book chat. We would like you to read Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals with us, and we’ll have a post each week to review a chapter and invite you to join us in the comments for a discussion. We’ll look to you to share what you’ve learned, what resonated with you, and how you can apply his ideas in your own political organizing for change.
So your first assignment is to get your hands on a copy of Rules for Radicals. It’s available via Amazon and as a download for Kindle, and probably stocked at your local independent bookseller as well.
Later this week I’ll put up a background post about Saul Alinsky’s life and the people who have been influenced by his work, then we’ll meet back here next weekend to discuss the Prologue, and each week thereafter we’ll tackle the next chapter.
Deal? Great! Get busy!
I feel more radical just thinking about it.
Alinsky is the backbone of several FAITH organizations’ work to end injustice. How freaking scary is THAT? When he developed the strategies for organizing Chicago’s “Back of the Yards” neighborhood – those Eastern European immigrants who lived near and labored in the stockyards – it was hailed as pretty wonderful be even fairly conservative people. PICO nationally and in various states uses the same principles: let the people define their needs, then find a way to make them better. This is not even a threat to the establishment since a great deal of focus is on the use of the existing democracy and legislature to make changes that help everyone.
Thanks for bringing Alinsky back in a positive way, ABL. It will be very useful to be reminded of what real people can do to help themselves.
Hilary Clinton wrote her <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17388372/ns/politics-decision_08/t/reading-hillary-rodhams-hidden-thesis/#.TxxtjWNWpxA" senior thesis at Wellesley about Alinsky.
Yes, that will be part of my upcoming appreciation of Alinsky’s career.
I think I’m going to join you for this, Allan.
Newt Gingrich has inspired me to finally read this book :)
Honestly, I feel like I need something positive and forward-looking after listening to them last week in South Carolina.
Whenever I hear Newt mention the name I think, there’s a dog whistle that’s only being heard by those already barking. I’ll be 46 in march, am Princeton educated, a teacher of US History & Government and I have just a vague awareness of Alinsky as a “lefty organizer.” Can’t imagine that the vast majority of the electorate, outside the Fox/Rush bubble have any sense of what his name is supposed to evoke.
Think about how Fox news used to rant against social justice. Let them tell it, Alinski’s some kind of Stalin supporter, Van Jones is public enemy #1, ACORN was a fifth column, healthcare reform was a gateway to the new USSR, and too many more to name. There’s nothing wrong with catering to your base provided they are normal people. Normal is defined as not believing Obama’s the Anti-Christ(I know the bar’s low).
I wish they’d get Tim Wise on tv to discuss Newt’s years in college. Maybe someone can use it in a future debate.
I’m in. Cesar Chavez was a great admirer of Alinsky and often quoted him. I’ll have to get a copy of his book and start reading. Thanks, this should be interesting.
Damn, I haven’t read that book since my undergrad days. That’s apparently what I was reading when the entirety of the GOPers my age were reading Rand. I may even have the book laying around in a box somewhere.
Damn you, Allan! Another book club I get to feel guilty about!
Helping out the poor is a bad thing now?
Being the man who went after companies, raided anything that wasnt nailed down, and replace it with debt is good?
Multiple ethics violations as well as multiple incidents of infidelity is A-OK?
Man, fuck this bullshit, just bring on the damn Idiocracy already
Guess what? Rules for Radicals is right here in PDF form: http://f.cl.ly/items/3h2i421m3J1w1K160f1Y/Alinsky_RulesForRadicals.pdf
And yes, I will be joining the chat along with Aquagranny. This sounds like it’ll be fun. :) Thanks, ABL.
Thanks Doc! I don’t have the money right now to even get a used copy, so this is great! I’ll be in on the chat too!
I’m in the same position at the moment. Glad to help. :)
Good spot! Thanks!
Thank you!
Dude, this is a fucking BRILLIANT idea.
I have find my copy in my apartment, bought it years ago. I’m down.
I’ve just downloaded it on my Kindle. Go ABL! Heart, heart, heart.
GREAT idea!!!
People might also be interested in this article written back in 2007 by Ryan Lizza titled The Agitator that describes President Obama’s early years as a community organizer and what he learned from Alinsky.
Thanks, Smartypants! (I love Ryan Lizza.)
Oh goody! I bought the book thru Kindle a coupla monrhs ago because I knew it would be valuable info; now I have motivation to get busy reading it!
I’m in! Wonderful idea!
Thanks to everyone for your enthusiasm! I’m feeling the pressure now to deliver. This is going to be a lot of fun. I’m finding the book to be very accessible, low on jargon, and timely as hell.
Well, Saul was a Chicagoan — we have a low tolerance for self-serving bullshit as a rule! ;)
Aha! Just started re-reading “Rules for Radicals” a few days ago. (It’s just a coincidence.)
Whenever I hear Alinsky invoked in a conversation, I always wonder what America would be like if the Left had dug in with a sustained effort to organize white workers in the rural South, rather than leaving the region to the “Southern Strategy.”
Does it really matter if Hillary talks about Alinsky in college if an unemployed textile worker in SC has no idea who he really was?
“Does it really matter if Hillary talks about Alinsky in college if an unemployed textile worker in SC has no idea who he really was?”
So true.
Just downloaded to my Kindle app. ::golf clap::
I really need to finish Sister Citizen this week. Otherwise I’ll be in the middle of five books, and that just won’t do.
How fortuitous. My (very right wing) in-laws bought me Rules for Radicals for Christmas. I’d love to join y’all in a read-through.
I’d never heard of Alinsky until now, so I look forward to reading with y’all!
I’m in, I’ve been discussing him with others but want to here what y’all have to say after reading it.
Count me in. The smug look on Newt’s face during his sc pc was enough to start an Obama 2012 money bomb. This feels just as good. Might read the entire book tonight! No MFN!
I just listened to Newt from yesterday’s meet the press. I backed up to get the name. I read the prologue on Google Books. I’ll have to pick it up and join you.
Newt is inspiring revolution. Very funny.
I’m concerned that I didn’t know he was using rwnj code and that Beck and Levin have been warning the right for years. I thought reading the WSJ would be enough of a peek into the rwnj back yard. The thought of watching fox or listening to beck/levin gives me chills. I guess action requires sacrifice … //smile
//so it goes
Count me in, I have always wanted to read this book, now is my chance to do it. Went to a teacher organizing workshop a couple of years ago where this book was discussed and recommended by those radical teacher union folks.
Another great book to read is Marshall Ganz’s book “Sometimes David Wins” he writes about the California farm workers and how they were able to organize. Marshall Ganz also helped format the community organizing that the Obama campaign put into place for the 2008 election. You can face book Marshall he is offering some online courses on organizing. He is a prof. at Harvard.
Read this once, five years ago, and it really stuck with me. Helps not only to understand the President’s method, but also to understand change generally. Looking very forward to the discussion. Got my copy from the library this afternoon. First check out date in the copy: 1972. Cool.