Decades ago, when I was in seminary, one of the texts set as required reading was Saul Alinski’s “Rules for Radicals.” As an aside, I will say that in the full-time, three-year course of attaining a master of divinity degree, a text on evangelism was never required.
Forty plus years have passed, and I now believe that Mr. Alinski’s “Rules” should be mandatory text across the board. Why? Because this politically popular volume offers particular insight as to why our country is so hatefully and hurtfully divided today.
After all, if you don’t understand the disease, you can’t hope to find a cure.
Opening the book, we read that Lucifer is the stated inspiration, and delving into the concepts championed, it’s easy to see why. As Alinski states, “The first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom – Lucifer.”
Sadly, yet predictably, Alinski transforms political opponents into “enemies.” Thus we are advised that, “Ridicule is man’s most important weapon,” and, “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, polarize it.”
Any of this feel vaguely familiar?
So, now that we’ve gone through another presidential election, I think it’s time we used this juncture to re-examine how we mean to behave as Americans going forward, with one another.
I believe each of us needs to be wary of scare tactics and hateful rhetoric that seeks to ridicule and denigrate our neighbors who disagree with us by implying the candidate of their choice is akin to Hitler, Mussolini, Genghis Khan, Jack the Ripper, or others.
President Trump is not Hitler, and his supporters are not Nazis, or garbage. Trump is someone who could easily bask in billions, yet took a bullet in the ear and still persevered to win election. Like all people (me included), he is far from perfect, but it’s doubtful he’s any worse than, say, JFK (the president who nevertheless started us on the road of inter-planetary travel).
Like King David, all of our leaders, great and small are human. We need to remember that, and consider that if they do well, we do well.
Trump’s criminal conviction won’t stop him from getting security clearance as president
Journalists need to begin practicing their craft by recognizing their own biases and working around them, not using their platform to actualize them. Journalists are not cheerleaders, and when one goes on YouTube and compares the coverage of the 1980 Presidential election returns versus 2016, 2020, & 2024, the difference is glaring. I believe some networks and newspapers should be ashamed at what they’ve done to our national discourse.
Personally, while I had not voted for him, I was able to own my first home because of the economy President Trump enabled (even through Covid). Admittedly, that’s an enormously biased assessment. I’m also a big fan of the Abraham Accords (that never got their due recognition).
Regardless, I hope President Trump is allowed to enjoy a few minutes of cooperation and that we as a country will respect the democracy some have openly said is so much in danger.
The Saul Alinski, “Rules for Radicals” approach to political action needs to stop, immediately. Whatever the tactics espoused achieve for some may well exact profound losses for all.
“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me…”
The Rev. Bill Keane is a 40+ year veteran of pastoral ministry, with chaplaincy experience at Ground Zero, post-Katrina New Orleans, and multi-national work in 6 countries.
