Revolution You Can Believe In

by Melanie Phillips - September 9th, 2008 - Spectator (London)

Obama’s connection with [Saul] Alinsky, whom he never met but whom he reportedly idolised, was through two bodies promoting the Alinsky model of community organisation, ACORN and the Gamaliel Foundation. John Perazzo . . . "Obama was trained by the Alinsky-founded Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) in Chicago and worked for an affiliate of the Gamaliel Foundation, whose modus operandi for the creation of ‘a more just and democratic society’ is rooted firmly in the Alinsky method. As The Nation magazine puts it, ‘Obama worked in the organizing tradition of Saul Alinsky, who made Chicago the birthplace of modern community organizing...’ In fact, for several years Obama himself taught workshops on the Alinsky method."

But Obama brought a special slant to Alinsky’s radicalism. Far from being – as he has been painted – a ‘post-racial’ politician, Obama’s politics are all about promoting the cause of black people and achieving ‘reparations’ from white society (a perspective through which his whole welfare redistribution agenda is framed). Accordingly, he saw his three-year role as a community organiser in Chicago as mobilising black people for action against their white oppressors.

This is the most extreme interpretation of the relationship between Alinsky and Obama. It is also the most extreme interpretation of the racial component of Obama's agenda. It does explain why he was so complacent and deferential to his Pastor, Jeremiah Wright. If this opinion is an accurate explanation of Obama and his motives, his election will be a disaster for our nation.