My daughter asked me why our nation seems to be going mad of late. "The craziness and divisiveness is everywhere," she said.
I said I believe several things are behind the calculated turmoil.
They range from often needless presidential tweetings that inflame emotions to leftist groups sponsored by wealthy political manipulators with agendas, as well as devotion by many liberals to divisive Marxist spewings from the late Chicago reprobate Saul Alinsky who I'm sure detested successful Americans.
Alinsky infected our nation in 1971 with his Rules for Radicals handbook as a road map specifically to create societal turmoil.
Every American should become familiar with his so-called rules that provide a mantra for those intent on creating political division through chaos across America. As a community organizer, former President Barack Obama worked with a group that followed Alinsky's methods. Hillary Clinton wrote her senior college thesis about Alinsky's schismatic tactics.
Alinsky's rules for radicals:
"Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have."
"Never go outside the expertise of your people. When an action or tactic is outside the experience of the people, the result is confusion, fear and retreat."
"Whenever possible, go outside of the experience of the enemy. Here you want to cause confusion, fear and retreat."
"Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules. You can kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the Christian Church can live up to Christianity."
"Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage."
"A good tactic is one your people enjoy. If your people are not having a ball doing it, there is something very wrong with the tactic."
"A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag. Man can sustain militant interest in any issue for only a limited time, after which it becomes a ritualistic commitment, like going to church on Sunday mornings."
"Keep the pressure on, with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose."
"The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself."
"The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition. It is this unceasing pressure that results in the reactions from the opposition that are essential for the success of the campaign. ... The pressure produces the reaction, and constant pressure sustains action."
"If you push a negative hard and deep enough, it will break through into its counterside; this is based on the principle that every positive has its negative."
"The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative. You cannot risk being trapped by the enemy in his sudden agreement with your demand and saying 'You're right--we don't know what to do about this issue. Now you tell us.'"
"Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it."
Really, Saul? Marxist drivel from Chicago's prince of intentional divisiveness who, in his book, even acknowledged "Lucifer" as the original radical. I understand why he gave a nod to evil after reading these.
Try raisins
I have something to offer fellow nocturnal risers that might help reduce those repeated predawn jaunts to the bathroom many of us share. Just don't ask me how or why it seems to work for me and apparently others.
Far from being a urologist, I've happened across an unconventional method that I can't explain, and have reduced my nightly trips from three or four to a couple.
Eat 20 raisins during the day followed by that many at bedtime. Yep, plain ol' raisins in the red box. You'll know before long if it helps.
There's no charge for this perhaps meaningless suggestion. Besides, I'm told raisins are good for one's vitality.
Back to paddle
The Three Rivers Independent School District of South Texas has elected to resurrect the paddle for students who misbehave in class. The district's trustees say their school's failing test scores and other discipline problems have led them to conclude this is a wise and necessary decision.
Before any child can be paddled (I sure got my fanny crimsoned more than once at Harrison, and that paddle had holes, oucheewawa!) Three Rivers parents must agree to administering of corporal punishment.
I say the district should do what it believes is necessary to maintain and operate orderly and effective schools. I'm certain many reading this received their share of stinging licks in classrooms during the 1950s and '60s. I doubt they suffered more than embarrassment and an initial burn, followed by a motivating desire not to misbehave in class again.
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Mike Masterson is a longtime Arkansas journalist. Email him at mmasterson@arkansasonline.com.
Editorial on 10/03/2017