The practical revolutionary will understand Goethe's 'conscience is the virtue of observers and not of agents of action'; in action, one does not always enjoy the luxury of a decision that is consistent both with one's individual conscience and the good of mankind.
Saul AlinskyTrue revolutionaries do not flaunt their radicalism. They cut their hair, put on suits and infiltrate the system from within.
Saul AlinskyThe thirteenth rule of radical tactics: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.
Saul AlinskyDo one of three things. One, go find a wailing wall and feel sorry for yourselves. Two, go psycho and start bombing - but this will only swing people to the right. Three, learn a lesson. Go home, organize, build power and at the next convention, you be the delegates.
Saul AlinskyIt 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.
Saul AlinskyLet the liberal turn to the course of action, the course of all radicals, and the amused look vanishes from the face of society as it snarls, โThatโs radical!โ Society has good reason to fear the radical. Every shaking advance of mankind toward equality and justice has come from the radical. He hits, he hurts, he is dangerous. Conservative interests know that while liberals are most adept at breaking their own necks with their tongues, radicals are most adept at breaking the necks of conservatives.
Saul Alinsky