Unfortunately, because there is so much intra-circle competition among conservatives, new ideas are sometimes discouraged or outright ignored. That is not necessary here. Since Sarah Palin has done far more than any other known individual to develop and display the meanness and sometimes outright hatred by the left for people who disagree with them, it is fitting that she be given the entire credit for the new system of political commentary called Alinsky Alerts.

Rule Number Five of Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals calls for ridicule of the opposition whenever there is opportunity. Alinsky dedicated his book to Lucifer and therein opened the gate to misconduct, just so long as it serves the cause. It seems the more vitriolic the attack the better. And truth, accuracy, fairness, all those things are simply a crutch for weak people and have no play in the radicals' game unless used in some kind of guise.

Today, Rule Number Five is the strongest tool that the liberals have among them and in light of current events, its use can only increase They don't dare stick with the issues because leftism has failed the people here just like it has failed people around the world. And more and more, even those people who trade their votes for entitlements are growing weary of the Democrats' official godlessness and unending excuses for continued failures, i.e., things like the stimulus legislation that stimulated government power but little else.

Over the years, anytime that victims have tried to defend against leftists' personal attacks, they took the chance of justifying the attacks merely by treating them seriously. And anytime that victims tried to ignore the personal attacks, the attacks only grew in force and effect because the left never gets tired of repeating its hatred. What to do.

Can you imagine the beauty of a phrase or a term that could be used immediately in response to the ridicule, one which would bounce the ridicule right back at the Alinskyites. If we take away their best tool, yea, verily, their only tool, then they have almost nothing left. They certainly can't go to the issues. They fear doing that even more than they fear Sarah Palin.

This is the new game we shall play with them. Anytime there is a personal attack on a conservative for some meaningless, insignificant occasion and the event is exploded into full-fledged ridicule and is gleefully passed around by the boys and girls in the media to show how dumb and inept that particular conservative happens to be, then the word should go out boldly that it is time for an Alinsky Alert to go forth across the land.

The Alert should fill the comment sections of every related article on the Internet. People on the right should shout out loud, over and over, "Should we call for an Alinsky Alert?" Can you hear Limbaugh, Levin, Hannity and others say, "Well, we have a new Alinsky Alert today." Think about the possibilities. Again, think about the possibilities. Ridicule in the other direction might even be kind of fun. Good grief, what if the kids start using it to defend against the bullying that they must contend with almost every day. ALINSKY ALERT!  ALINSKY ALERT!

Imagine how such a technique could have helped spare the pain of a young vice president who simply misspelled a word. Imagine how it could help turn the ridicule of one of the left's impersonators who can see Russia from her house, right back upon the impersonator and her leftist handlers.

It is quite possible, American politics being in the sorry state that it currently is in, that something like this could be picked up and suddenly become a part of the American lexicon; something not quite as significant in term or phrase as "Play Ball," or "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines," or "God Bless America" but it could evidence a fierce reaction in the American soul which says that yes, "times, they are a changing," and decency is on the comeback. It can start with you and me.

Rinos get a pass of course, lest they offend someone.

Note: Terms such as "Alinsky Alert" carry very little copyright protection if any at all, so there is no limit nor cost for its proper use of providing people with at least some protection from leftist ridicule. Deliberate misuse by the left, notwithstanding fair comment, may become another matter altogether. 

J. R. Nash is an attorney in Little Rock, Arkansas.