The organizer must become schizoid, politically, in order to slip into becoming a true believer. Before men can act an issue must be polarized. Men will act when they are convinced their cause is 100 percent on the side of the angels and that the opposition are 100 percent on the side of the devil. He knows there can be no action until issues are polarized to this degree.

We must believe that it is the darkest before the dawn of a beautiful new world. We will see it when we believe it.

As an organizer I start from where the world is, as it is, not as I would like it to be.

Action comes from keeping the heat on. No politician can sit on a hot issue if you make it hot enough.

No issue can be negotiated unless you first have the clout to compel negotiation.

It should be borne in mind that the target is always trying to shift responsibility to get out of being the target. There is a constant squirming and moving and strategy . . . on the part of the designated target. The forces for change must keep this in mind and pin that target down securely. If an organization permits responsibility to be diffused and distributed in a number of areas, attack becomes impossible.

The second rule is: Never go outside the experience of your people. When an action is outside the experience of the people, the result is confusion, fear, and retreat.