Saul Alinsky (1909-1972), born in Chicago to Russian parents, was a Marxist fellow-traveler and “community organizer” who created a blueprint for revolution disguised as “social change.” Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama number among his most famous contemporary disciples.

In his last book, Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals(1971), Alinsky noted (Rule Five) that “ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” Rule Eleven advises: “Pick a target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it….Identify a responsible individual.” He goes on to urge that revolutionaries “develop the necessary hostility” toward an opponent. Criticisms “must be a personification, not something general and abstract.” “All issues must be polarized” if action is to succeed.

The SPLC and its media allies, such as Rachel Maddow, employ ad hominem attacks on immigration reformers and other targets because they see destroying opponents as a positive tactic to achieve their goals. We should not be surprised that they are not interested in weighing evidence and engaging in honest debate. After all, they are playing by the book.