Saul D. Alinsky: "From time to time..."

"From time to time there have been external enemies at our gates; there has always been the enemy within, the hidden and malignant inertia that foreshadows more certain destruction to our life and future than any nuclear warhead. There can be no darker or more devastating tragedy than the death of man's faith in himself and in his power to direct his future."

—Saul D. Alinsky, from Rules for Radicals (p xxvi)

Saul D. Alinsky: "To lose your 'identity'..."

"To lose your 'identity' as a citizen of democracy is but a step from losing your identity as a person. People react to this frustration by not acting at all. The separation of the people from the routine daily functions of citizenship is heartbreak in a democracy... [Such a] citizen sinks further into apathy, anonymity, and depersonalization."

—Saul D. Alinsky, on democracy as an political system. From Rules for Radicals (p xxvi)

Saul D. Alinsky: "People who profess the..."

"People who profess the democratic faith but yearn for the dark security of dependency where they can be spared the burden of decisions. Reluctant to grow up, or incapable of doing so, they want to remain children and be cared for by others... the fault lies not in the system, but in themselves."

—Saul D. Alinsky, on democracy as an political system. From Rules for Radicals (p xxv)

Saul D. Alinsky: "People cannot be free..."

"People cannot be free unless they are willing to sacrifice some of their interests to guarantee the freedom of others."

—Saul D. Alinsky, on democracy as an political system. From Rules for Radicals (p xxv)

Saul D. Alinsky: "Great dangers always accompany..."

"Great dangers always accompany great opportunities. The possibility of destruction is always implicit in the act of creation. Thus, the greatest enemy of individual freedom is the individual himself."

—Saul D. Alinsky, on democracy as an political system. From Rules for Radicals (p xxiv)

Saul D. Alinsky: "Do one of three..."

"Do 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 D. Alinsky, advice to an activist after gassing and violence by the Chicago Police and National Guard during 1968 Democratic Convention. From Rules for Radicals (p xxiii).

John Adams: "The Revolution was effected..."

"The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the hearts and minds of the people... This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments and affections of the people was the real American Revolution."

—John Adams (as quoted in Rules for Radicals by Saul D. Alinsky)