--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One acts decisively only in the…" description: "\"One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other.\" — Saul Alinsky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/saul-alinsky-3048_angel_one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-convicti_301304.png" --- # One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the… ![“One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other.” quote by Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/saul-alinsky-3048_angel_one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-convicti_301304.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/saul-alinsky-3048_angel_one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-convicti_301304.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/saul-alinsky-3048_angel_one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-convicti_301304.png) > “One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other.” [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Decisive action comes from believing that moral forces are clearly divided, simplifying complex conflicts into good versus evil. **In simple terms:** Act strongly when you see a clear moral divide. Key Takeaway Identify and act on clear moral alignments. Themes politics ethics strategy Mood determined critical Type political motivational When to use this quote - community organizing - political campaigning - social movements Key Concepts binary thinking moral clarity activism Questions to Reflect On - Is the situation truly black and white? - How can you address moral complexity? A Different Perspective Real-world issues often involve nuanced perspectives, not just two sides. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acts Decisively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-decisively-2877967/) [Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) [Angels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angels/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Conviction Angels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction-angels-2877969/) [Decisively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisively-1159779/) [Decisively Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisively-conviction-2877968/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Rules for radicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-for-radicals/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) ## Related quotes > [“The devil may in the details, but I've a firm conviction many angels reside there as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-a-chrisman/the-devil-may-in-the-details-but-i-ve-a-firm-conviction-many-angels/) [Sarah A. Chrisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-a-chrisman/) > [The very first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-very-first-radical-known-to-man-who-rebelled-against-the/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The cry of the Have-Nots has never been "give us our hearts," but always "get off our backs"; they ask not for love but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-cry-of-the-have-nots-has-never-been-give-us-our-hearts-but-always/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The democratic ideal springs from the ideas of liberty, equality, majority rule through free elections, protection of the rights of minorities, and freedom to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-democratic-ideal-springs-from-the-ideas-of-liberty-equality/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [In this world laws are written for the lofty aim of "the common good" and then acted out in life on the basis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/in-this-world-laws-are-written-for-the-lofty-aim-of-the-common-good-2/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [One’s concern with the ethics of means and ends varies inversely with one’s personal interest in the issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/one-s-concern-with-the-ethics-of-means-and-ends-varies-inversely-with/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The organizers first job is to create the issues or problems, and organizations must be based on many issues. The organizer must first rub…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-organizers-first-job-is-to-create-the-issues-or-problems-and/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [In this world laws are written for the lofty aim of "the common good" and then acted out in life on the basis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/in-this-world-laws-are-written-for-the-lofty-aim-of-the-common-good/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [An organizer working in and for an open society is in an ideological dilemma to begin with, he does not have a fixed truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/an-organizer-working-in-and-for-an-open-society-is-in-an-ideological/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The preferred world can be seen any evening on television in the succession of programs where the good always wins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-preferred-world-can-be-seen-any-evening-on-television-in-the/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Life is there ahead of you and either one tests oneself in its challenges or huddles in the valleys of a dreamless day-to-day existence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/life-is-there-ahead-of-you-and-either-one-tests-oneself-in-its/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [A good tactic is one that your people enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/a-good-tactic-is-one-that-your-people-enjoy/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The standards of judgment must be rooted in the whys and wherefores of life as it is lived, the world as it is, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-standards-of-judgment-must-be-rooted-in-the-whys-and-wherefores/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/pick-the-target-freeze-it-personalize-it-and-polarize-it-cut-off-the/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The ninth rule of the ethics of means and ends is that any effective means is automatically judged by the opposition as being unethical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-ninth-rule-of-the-ethics-of-means-and-ends-is-that-any-effective/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) ## More by Saul Alinsky > [The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-threat-is-usually-more-terrifying-than-the-thing-itself/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The very first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-very-first-radical-known-to-man-who-rebelled-against-the/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [I've never joined any organization - not even the ones I've organized myself. I prize my own independence too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/i-ve-never-joined-any-organization-not-even-the-ones-i-ve-organized/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Everybody owned stock in the Capone mob; in a way, he was a public benefactor. I remember one time when he arrived at his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/everybody-owned-stock-in-the-capone-mob-in-a-way-he-was-a-public/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [First rule of change is controversy. You can't get away from it for the simple reason all issues are controversial. Change means movement, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/first-rule-of-change-is-controversy-you-can-t-get-away-from-it-for/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Radicals, on the other hand, want to advance from the jungle of laissez-faire capitalism to a world worthy of the name of human civilization.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/radicals-on-the-other-hand-want-to-advance-from-the-jungle-of-laissez/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/pick-the-target-freeze-it-personalize-it-and-polarize-it-cut-off-the/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The first step in community organization is community disorganization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-first-step-in-community-organization-is-community-disorganization/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Power just goes to two poles — to those who've got money, and those who've got people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/power-just-goes-to-two-poles-to-those-who-ve-got-money-and-those-who/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The establishment can accept being screwed, but not being laughed at](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-establishment-can-accept-being-screwed-but-not-being-laughed-at/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [To the organizer, compromise is a key and beautiful word. It is always present in the pragmatics of operation... If you start with nothing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/to-the-organizer-compromise-is-a-key-and-beautiful-word-it-is-always/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/power-is-not-only-what-you-have-but-what-the-enemy-thinks-you-have/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The standards of judgment must be rooted in the whys and wherefores of life as it is lived, the world as it is, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-standards-of-judgment-must-be-rooted-in-the-whys-and-wherefores/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Organized business has assumed that greater profits would be pretty much of a cure-all, and it has to a major extent ignored the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/organized-business-has-assumed-that-greater-profits-would-be-pretty/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [A good tactic is one that your people enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/a-good-tactic-is-one-that-your-people-enjoy/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) [Explore all 141 Saul Alinsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) ## More Angel quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [If I wer an angel,i would make all your wishes come true..but I'm only a girl a girl who loves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/if-i-wer-an-angel-i-would-make-all-your-wishes-come-true-but-i-m-only/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Behind my eyelids, I saw him dancing in spirals of coloured light, emerald, blue, and brilliant purple, enfolding him like the wings of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/behind-my-eyelids-i-saw-him-dancing-in-spirals-of-coloured-light/) [Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. And maybe they'll protect all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-believe-in-ufos-i-believe-in-extraterrestrials-and-i-believe-in/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/) > [Hark the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the new-born king.' Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/hark-the-herald-angels-sing-glory-to-the-new-born-king-peace-on-earth/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [Man was created a little lower than the angels and has been getting a little lower ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/man-was-created-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-and-has-been-getting-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Browse all 4,625 Angel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Saul Alinsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-conviction-that-all-the-angels-are-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-conviction-that-all-the-angels-are-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/saul-alinsky-3048_angel_one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-convicti_301304.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/saul-alinsky-3048_angel_one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-convicti_301304.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/saul-alinsky-3048_angel_one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-convicti_301304.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the…” — Saul Alinsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Saul Alinsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One acts decisively only in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-conviction-that-all-the-angels-are-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-conviction-that-all-the-angels-are-on/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```