The film is no less than riveting. By the brilliant team of Richard
and Stephen Payne, the father-son filmmakers who head Arcadia Films, it
explores the life and beliefs of one Saul Alinsky, often called the
father of community organizing.
Sure, he said he wanted to help the poor, but we see how his tactics
were no less than wrong and anti-Christian. He deceived many and used
and abused elements in the Catholic Church in the process.
Richard Payne explained that St. Matthew gave the filmmakers the classic three-act structure in 7:15-20.
Act One: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you
in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.” In this act we
get the story of the rise of Alinsky, where he got h
is ideas, and how
as a socialist/Marxist he began applying them to manipulate people and
society.
Act Two: “By their fruits you will know them.” Was there good fruit in his work, or did it lead to a basket of rotten goods?
Act Three: “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor
can a rotten tree bear good fruit.” Here comes the assessment of the
fruits which look ready for the trash heap. People at this point should
be asking themselves, How did we get to this precipice and is there hope
to back away.............
........Born in 1909 into an Orthodox Jewish family where the father was a
successful middle class tailor, Alinsky became an agnostic and wanted to
help the poor rise out of their condition. But how?
In college he took a social pathology course that, among other
things, devalued marriage and family and ideas were constructed in
Marxist terms.
“Treat persons not as persons but symbols,” says Alinsky in one of
the vignettes throughout the film, punctuating Alinsky’s ideas in his
own words. Actor Jim Morlino of Navis Pictures portrays Alinsky as that
disguised wolf yet shows his sinister and dark edge, like a commentator
in a 50s film noir.
“Life is a corrupting process…he who fears corruption fears life…” he says another time.
“Truth is relative and is changing,” he asserts. Get the picture?
There’s a healthy dose of relativism already here in early to mid-20th century. Make truth what you want it to be at the moment.
In his sheep’s clothing he says again, “The end justifies almost any
means.” And “You do what you can and clothe it in moral garments.”
That
he did, we learn. It all sounded so good, helping the poor improve
their lot. Who could be against that? But with what we learn are
Marxist, Socialist, Communist tactics?
Of course, he must have picked up a thing or two from Chicago’s mob
bosses. Studying criminality on a fellowship, he got to known the
ruthless Al Capone and then Frank Nitti who took over for Capone. By
his own admission, Alinsky said of Nitti, “I called him the professor
and I became his student.”
In sheep’s clothing, Alinsky linked with the trade unions to help
backside workers in Chicago’s meat packing industry. A noble goal to get
them out of squalor. He befriended a Catholic who introduced him to
members of the Church and subsequently parish leaders who didn’t spot
the wolf beneath.
The Paynes reveal some telling examples of the way Alinsky worked
among the sheep who maybe didn’t realize the philosophy behind the
tactics he was about to use.
One of the good examples we get is the conflict when the University
of Chicago attempted to expand its campus into a poor neighborhood.
Alinsky got the chance to apply his Marxist conflict theory using
division and deceit to conquer, casting the university into the role of
the big rich bully enemy against his poor group.
As we get other examples, one of the experts briefly interviewed in
the film says the organizing talk used was the language of peace and
light, but all this was putting into place something different — a great
evil coming in like a fog where people no longer see things distinctly.
His idea to help the poor was good, but the means were evil.........
.....The Paynes bring us some shattered news in the way we learn a number
of Catholics thought Alinsky’s way was the way to go to help empower the
poor. One was Msgr. John (Jack) Egan who became a close associate and
prompted Alinsky to write what would be his last book, Rules for Radicals (which is linked to Marx).
We learn that Cardinal John Cody of Chicago shut down the priest’s
office when he realized what was going on with the organizing. But Msgr.
Egan was invited to the Notre Dame University where he stayed for
several years, working with five priests — four were Alinsky supporters —
to form the Campaign for Human Development, convinced Alinsky’s
approach was the best.
Msgr. Egan was appointed co-chair of the first Call to Action
conference where radicals took over. One recommendation was training
Alinsky organizers. At a news conference Cardinal John Krol said that
“rebels have taken over our conference.”
It should be no surprise that Msgr. Egan up to a month before he died called for ordinations of women and married priests.
In this fascinating film, the Paynes are cinematic investigative
reporters showing us how after Alinsky died, the organization used its
Marxist, socialist progress causes to influence every facet of American
political power and culture. Alinsky organizing has vastly impacted our
society’s culture, marriage, family life, morality and even spiritualty.
Over 800 Alinsky organizations are spread throughout American
communities today..........
...........The film helps us understand how these goals have affected our
society, politics (some top politicians were Alinsky followers. VOCAL adds Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama), media,
entertainment, families, morality, culture and even, sadly, some inside
our Church. We have to be aware of that. St. John Paul II called this
culture of death.
We’re reminded the names of the devil are his tactics — liar,
deceiver, divider, accuser, adversary, lawless one, destroyer. Alinsky
dedicated his book to Lucifer. Sadly, and tragically, Alinsky said if
there is a heaven or hell, he would choose to the latter where he could
organize. We’re told not to hate Alinsky but pray for him.
Despite all this the Paynes don’t leave us stranded because
ultimately, they said the film is not a political one but a spiritual
one. The last part, beautifully intertwined with the delicacy of lace
yet the strength of steel, shows us that despite what has been done to
America, by seeing what we have to reclaim there is hope of restoration.
The filmmakers spell out the way with uplifting visual details that
multiply the effect of the narrative line which Stephen Payne delivers
in a way that brings the viewer to trust the facts as coming from a
caring authority who is also a friend.
We see what are the true social principles of the Catholic Church,
how to restore our country to a nation recognizing that rights come from
God and our God-given heritage, and how important our Blessed Mother is
in this reclamation.
The Paynes end as they began, with the story of a wolf — only this one ends differently.
Don’t miss this most timely film about the wolves in sheep’s clothing at this critical time in our country and world.
