Such is the case now with the enforcers of Agenda 21 and its policy called Sustainable Development. For the past several years, those imposing this policy have denied its United Nations origins, ignoring the many documents that clearly prove that the very term “sustainable development” can easily be traced back to the 1987 UN report titled, Our Common Future. That radical report has been used by the UN as a virtual springboard for a “wrenching transformation” (Al Gore’s words) of human society. The words “sustainable development” are used in nearly every federal, state, and local development plan; on nearly every federal, state, and local government web site; and in nearly every public statement on new development policies. We even had a President’s Council on Sustainable Development, created by an Executive Order of Bill Clinton, with the stated purpose to impose the policies of Agenda 21 into United States law. Many serving on the Council helped write Agenda 21, including John Sawhill of the Nature Conservancy, Jay Hair of the National Wildlife Federation and Michele Perrault, international Vice President of the Sierra Club.
So, the exact words “Sustainable Development” come from UN documents and its exact policies are imposed at the local level — yet, we are told by its proponents, none of these development plans have anything to do with UN policy. It’s an amazing tap dance. As local residents question their county commissioners, city councilmen, mayors, state legislators, and governors about the origins of their policies, it has become routine for these “representatives of the people” to get a puzzled look on their faces and a wrinkle in their brows, as they say, “I’ve never heard of Agenda 21.” “That’s just a conspiracy theory.”
Yes, we’ve heard it for years now. But as more and more citizens begin to learn the truth and opposition builds, what is the response of the Sustainablists? Do they now stand up and proudly defend their policies? Do they attempt to open debate and allow other voices to be heard in a legitimate discussion about our “Common Future?” Do they try to find reasonable solutions for citizens who have become victims of such policies? None of the above.
First they have ignored those protests with the usual, “don’t know what they are talking about.” Then they have tried to ridicule those of us who have led the charge against the policy, calling it a conspiracy theory. As our anti-Agenda 21 movement has picked up steam, they have enlisted the big guns to attack our credibility, including front page articles in the New York Times, and in the pages of the Washington Post. Each of those articles took the position that protestors at public meetings are simply wasting the valuable time of legitimate professional planners who are just trying to do their jobs. How dare we question their motives or the origins of their schemes? There’s serious business going on here. Will the peasants please get out of the way of progress?
But such arrogant, strong armed tactics which used to confuse and disperse opposition has ceased to work. Too much information is out there and too many citizens have become victims of the policies of Sustainable Development. Opposition has become fierce and organized in the face of this wrenching transformation of our lives.
So, since they can’t beat us with strong arms, the Sustainablists are rushing to change the entire playing field, changing tactics, re-educating their storm troopers to employ non- confrontational new-speak, and rewriting the dictionary to “avoid polarizing jargon.” In an attempt to neutralize their opposition they seek to lull us all into believing the policies they continue to enforce aren’t Agenda 21/Sustainable Development. There is no hidden agenda, they now promise. It’s just local planning by local officials, so they claim with a straight face.
Hiding their agenda in “new speak”
The worst of the worst of the Sustainablists is the American Planning Association (APA). So panicked is this American Trojan Horse over growing opposition to its policies that APA has organized a “Boot Camp” to teach its operatives how to counter our opposition. Recently APA released a memo entitled “Glossary for the Public.” It is quite telling on how an organization that is supposed to be one of the most respected planning groups in the nation, operating in nearly every city, will teach its people to lie at all costs in order to maintain their power and influence in our communities.
Say’s the introduction to this memo, “Given the heightened scrutiny of planners by some members of the public, what is said — or not said — is especially important in building support for planning.” Here is a list of words the APA warns planners not to use — because they cause “critics to see red,” as they have become “highly politicized and generate suspicion among some citizens:”Affordable; Agenda 21; Collaboration; Consensus; Delphi technique; Density; Livable; Localized planning; Long-term; region-wide planning; Organize and facilitate; Public visioning; Public- Private Partnerships; Regional, regionalism, regional planning; Smart growth; Stakeholders; Sustainability; Walkable.
So, the very policy they are implementing, the policy they have invoked time and again — Sustainability — is no longer to be used. So, what instead? Say’s the APA memo, “Some may find the words “district? or “central? to be an indication of a “top down? or “Big Brother? process. Using the common word “downtown? or “business area? may be more neutral and preferable.”
More words not to use: “Code enforcement, design review, design review standards.” Why? Explains the APA memo, “Avoid talking about or linking plans and planning with regulatory matters.” It is apparently necessary to point out to these stealth controllers of our lives that their planning process has EVERYTHING to do with regulatory matters and that is precisely why we are objecting to and fighting their policies in the first place!
It’s the “regulatory matters” that are taking our private property rights and creating victims.
More words to be eliminated: Councils of governments; metropolitan planning organizations; regional planning; Density; clusters; Eminent domain; police powers; Green infrastructure; Mixed-use development; Urban growth boundary; Zoning; and many more. The entire language of Sustainable Development is to be eliminated. And yet, says the memo to the planners — “stay on message.”What will the message now be? Some examples of the new speak now provided by the APA: “We have a responsibility to think through the long term consequences of our decisions. Planning enables us to do that.” “We need to understand together how to make sure our local community and our local economy are strong enough for our children to grow up and have a good life here. Planning helps us do that.” “We need to make decisions that are careful, cost effective, efficient, and fair to everybody. That is the purpose of this meeting. There is no hidden agenda.”
In every one of those canned descriptions of the “planning process” you will find the tenets of Agenda 21. The use of the word we is the standard “Delphi technique” of the consensus process they are trying to hide. The reference to the future for the children is right out of the UN Agenda 21 definition: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Of course, as we have learned, that to accomplish such an innocent-sounding goal, means locked away lands and resources. Agenda 21.
The APA intends to dazzle citizens with meaningless statements designed to appeal to their personal interests, appeal to their local patriotism, and crush them with the results when they aren’t watching.
As Henry Lamb, of Freedom 21 describes the true American tradition of planning, “The process is truly similar to a sausage-making machine. At open meetings, ordinary citizens are free to suggest new ideas about community needs, for consideration by the governing authority. Other citizens are free to oppose those ideas. Ultimately the elected officials discuss and debate the suggestions then vote.” Now is that so hard? But none of those easy and established practices of honest and open government are used by the APA and their ilk. In fact, they are adamantly opposed and crushed every step of the way.
The American Planning Association and their allies have chosen to counter the anti-Agenda 21 movement with lies, double speak and stealth. Why? Aren’t they proud of their policies? I guess Seattle planner J. Gary Lawrence said it best when he admitted several years ago that “participating in a U.N. advocated planning process would very likely bring out many … who would actively work to defeat any elected official… undertaking Local Agenda 21. So we will call our process something else, such as comprehensive planning, growth management or smart growth.” Now, even those words have caught up with their secret agenda. Soon they will have to start inventing their own words.
How to fight back
However, those citizens who want to end this deception and take back their communities don’t have to wait for the next round of lies and secret tactics. They can begin to fight back right now.
As many know, I have been working to create a “Stop Agenda 21 Action Kit.” It’s now ready and it is the most comprehensive tool ever created to provide a complete education on Agenda 21 and the tools necessary to combat it. With this specially designed Action Kit you and I can begin to turn the tables on those who are working at every level of government to destroy our unique system of freedom. You will be fully armed to stand up to any challenge presented; any planner trained by the APA to lie; and to any elected official who still proclaims ignorance of Agenda 21.
Included in the Stop Agenda 21 Action Kit are four DVD presentations; an overview presentation of Agenda 21 by me; connecting the dots to other issues by Dr. Michael Coffman; connecting the dots to the public education curriculum by Mike Chapman; and connecting the dots to rural areas and farming by Don Casey. In addition, there are two workshops; one presented by Beverly Eakman on tactics to stop the group manipulation tactics (consensus); and a workshop presented by Dan Byfield of American Stewards of Liberty on “Coordination.” The Kit also includes manuals from each of these experts. In addition, there is a 14 minute power point presentation created by by John Anthony specifically designed for showing to busy elected officials.
But, that’s not all in the Stop Agenda 21 Action Kit. Included is a detailed manual, with a complete history of Agenda 21 and Sustainable Development, from the back rooms of the UN to local government. In addition, it details policies such as regionalism; sustainable farming, conservation easements, sustainable medicine; the lies of global warming; smart growth; the Agenda 21 links to the education curriculum and to Christian churches; and more details about ICLEI than you have probably ever seen. In addition, the manual details the top planning groups, their histories and their planning goals.
And more: The heart of the Stop Agenda 21 Action Kit is the Work Book. Here you will find details on how to fight back; copies of actual legislation being used successfully to protect rights and repeal regulations; how to begin researching these policies in your town; links to Agenda 21 and the Presidents Council on Sustainable Development; analysis of actual development plans, showing their direct links to Agenda 21; actual documents from the Federal Register showing direct links between the Environmental Protection Agency and Agenda 21; and a speaker’s bureau featuring some of the top experts in the nation that you can bring to your community. Above all, the workbook includes reprintable handouts that you can use at public meetings. There is even a CD containing those handouts that you can load into your computer and copy from there.
And finally, there is a manual with stories of the victims of Sustainable Development — people who have lost their homes; seen their livelihoods destroyed; even gone to jail for offenses as silly as filling in a ditch. These stories are important because the Sustainablists like the American Planning Association will again get that puzzled look on their faces and that wrinkle in their brow as they say, “why, I’ve never heard of anyone being victimized by these policies.” After reading these horror stories you’ll never again question if you are right or not. The drive for justice will keep you in the fight.
I’ve worked on this project for months trying to be certain that it contains everything possible to help activists fight back. I have consulted activists about what tools they need and I have worked with the top experts to provide them. The full Stop Agenda 21 Action Kit can be ordered from the American Policy Center Web site at http://americanpolicy.org.
For over 20 years, Agenda 21 has made a steady, unchecked advance across America, eradicating property rights in the name of Sustainable Development, while cloaked in environmentally friendly terms like open space, smart growth and climate change. It is changing our style of government, our way of life, and our hope for a happy, peaceful future.
The latest tactics by the American Planning Association reveals the dark intent of the Sustainablists and the lengths they will go to hide their goals. Honest intent doesn’t have to hide in lies and double speak. Those are the tactics of tyranny.
Arm yourselves well, my fellow freedom fighters. Arm yourselves with the truth of the tyranny of Agenda 21. Get the knowledge. Learn their tactics — and let’s take these liars down as we take America back.
Tom DeWeese is one of the nation’s leading advocates of individual liberty, free enterprise, private property rights, personal privacy, back-to-basics education and American sovereignty and independence. Go toamericanpolicy.org for more information”
