RSSWatchdogs or wingnuts? Conspiracy theorists distrust U.N.
This isn’t your father’s conspiracy theory.
The idea that the United Nations wants to create a world government is no longer some obscure conspiracy shared by a few John Birch Society members.
In recent years the concern has grown, affecting politics and proposed legislation in Colorado and elsewhere in the nation in a variety of ways. Those who believe it say it isn’t a matter of if, but when.
Their proof that the pending new world order is coming is outlined in a 1992 U.N. document called Agenda 21, which was adopted by 178 governments, including the United States, at the U.N. Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro.
Instead of being seen as a plan to encourage sustainable development and protect the environment, some believe it to be a long-term scheme to take private property, herd people into population centers, destroy religion and indoctrinate children into believing that a world government under a socialist ideology is a good thing.
Just ask Delta County resident Barbara Hulet, who makes a point of saying she isn’t a lunatic, but someone with the facts.
“How in the world are they going to take United Nations mandates and bring them into our nation and shut our nation down?” Hulet said she’s often asked. “Well, we use agencies. We use the Forest Service, we use the BLM, and we use foundations.”
The evidence is there for all to see, she said.
Those agencies, particularly the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, have increasingly tried to impose their will in the name of Agenda 21 though burdensome regulations, she said, many of which are designed to shut down development, discourage certain industries such as mining and logging, and use eminent domain to take private property.
30 PEOPLE ON LIST
Hulet’s views have become so well-known in her community that she’s made Delta County’s “wingnut” list.
That list, provided to The Daily Sentinel by a source who asked not to be identified, includes a variety of people, all of whom allegedly have disrupted government operations in one way or another with anti-government ideas.
Whenever one of the 30 people on the list shows up at a government office or meeting, county workers are encouraged to notify the Sheriff’s Department, the source said.
That came as a surprise to Delta County Sheriff Fred Mc-Kee, who said he’s never heard of the list, but was familiar with many of the names on it.
As a law enforcement officer, McKee said he felt it important to understand the Agenda 21 theorists and other anti-government movements because some have led to the shooting deaths of law enforcement officers elsewhere in the nation.
McKee said it behooves law enforcement agencies to be aware of who they are and what they believe.
“I think these people are kind of like watchdogs,” McKee said. “They’re very persistent about watching trends and reading material. I don’t have any fear about Agenda 21, but I think it’s good that we have people who are watching things.”
Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey expressed similar concerns about overzealous, anti-government followers, but quickly added that the intentions of most of them don’t seem prone to violence.
Still, their views can cause them legal troubles in other ways, particularly those who believe they don’t have to pay taxes, get driver’s licences or pay mortgages, he said.
“We’re in a world where people get their information from different places, and there’s far more places out there that have wrong information,” Hilkey said. “What ends up happening is people ... see something that fits into their pattern of thinking, then they start to believe it and find themselves in a terrifically bad sideways position with the law.”
The sheriff laughs when he hears conspiracy theories about the federal government.
“A lot of those folks believe that a federal government exists that is really, really, really super-sophisticated and super-organized and super-sneaky,” he said. “The federal government that I work with, the FBI, can’t even figure out how to get voicemail on their phone.”
Though it may seem unlikely that such beliefs can impact lawmakers and their decisions, they have in recent years.
In 2010, then-Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes made headlines when he criticized a Denver bicycle-sharing program because he believed it would turn the city into a U.N. community.
Last year, Democratic President Barack Obama was highly criticized on some right-wing media outlets as following the precepts of Agenda 21 when he signed an executive order creating the White House Rural Council, which was designed to spur economic development in rural communities.
And delegates at the National Republican Convention in Tampa voted an anti-Agenda 21 stance to be part of the party’s official platform, calling it a “global U.N. tax” that is aimed at taking away private property rights.
In May, a Republican lawmaker in the Colorado House killed his own bill to create the Office of Early Childhood, whose mission was to coordinate state and local early childhood programs and improve their effectiveness.
Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs, never got a chance to tout the bill’s merits because a small group of Agenda 21 conspiracy theorists from Colorado Springs inundated members of a House committee with their objections, saying it was part of a U.N. plot.
“We probably could have tried to move the bill, but we didn’t want to let the anti-folks vet all their reasons that weren’t based on facts,” Massey said.
“The facts got so distorted. When you start talking about a state plan, people thought that meant we were going to take over the rearing of their children.”
Massey said members of his own party, which controls the House, didn’t want to upset the Agenda 21 folks because of fears it might hurt them in this year’s elections.
That’s part of the problem, said Michael McLachlan, the Democratic candidate running for House District 59 in Durango.
Some lawmakers, particularly on the right, give life to such conspiracies when they let it affect their decisions, he said.
A former La Plata County attorney, McLachlan first ran into U.N. conspiracy theorists years ago when it came to land-use planning in the county.
McLachlan believes their numbers have grown in recent years because of a more vitriolic political atmosphere and a down economy.
“When there’s a lot of economic uncertainty like we have now, then the fearmongers feed on that and generate a lot of anxiety,” he said. “There is more appetite for this fringe political thought. I’m running on the idea that the fringe groups should not control the process, either left or right.”
Hulet said it’s that kind of blind thinking that will allow the U.N. conspirators to win. She said most people are unaware of the plot, and that it can appear in places they wouldn’t expect.
Groups like the Telluride Foundation, Club 20 and any chamber of commerce are part of it even if they don’t know it, she said.
HELPING RURAL TOWNS
Earlier this year, the towns of Paonia, Hotchkiss and Crawford accepted a $100,000 grant from the Orton Family Foundation, a Vermont-based nonprofit that helps rural communities plan to retain their historic character.
To Hulet, however, the group’s “Heart and Soul” program is part of the U.N. plot.
“When you read about Heart and Soul, look at the great thing it’s doing. Oh, it’s that warm and fuzzy thing,” she said. “But what you don’t know are the regulations that are coming through when you buy into that. All of a sudden you see smart growth coming in. Smart growth was invented through the United Nations and the meeting at Rio de Janeiro.”
Foundation spokesman John Barstow said his group has been helping rural communities with long-range planning issues for years, but only recently has it seen opposition from U.N. conspiracy theorists.
It’s gotten so bad, he wanted proof he was talking with a reporter when contacted by The Daily Sentinel, saying the theorists sometimes pretend to be reporters asking for information.
“Everything we do is designed to bridge divides in towns and get people to see what they can agree on instead of what they disagree on, and try to build a good future with a lot of broad buy-in,” he said.
“We’re trying to remain positive and proactive, but it’s a challenge. We have a lot of challenges in our work, and this is a big one.”
Skeptics of the U.N. plot have said in numerous newspaper and magazine articles on the subject that it’s actually the Agenda 21 conspiracy theorists who are being manipulated. They say deep-pocketed corporations such as Koch Industries and other big oil companies want to discredit sustainable development as a way of keeping Americans driving cars and burning fossil fuels.
Hulet, however, says it’s the free market that’s the true target here, and she hopes to educate more people on how to identify hidden aspects of the conspiracy when it appears in their area.
She’s organizing a “Sustainable Development Awareness Conference” at the Delta Performing Arts Center on Sept. 22.
She said three nationally known experts on the subject will be there to show attendees that Agenda 21 is real, and that the U.N. plot dates back decades before Agenda 21 came onto the scene.
“When you have a full understanding of it, you will start seeing how it is affecting our county, our cities and our state, and why it is as big as it is,” Hulet said. “This has been in the works way prior to (Agenda 21), but they couldn’t get it to move. Once they approved Agenda 21, it went like wildfire.”
COMMENTS
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.Charles Ashby’s sardonic expose’ – “Watchdogs or wingnuts? Conspiracy theorists distrust U.N.” – in Monday’s Sentinel deserves a Pulitzer Prize for journalism (or black humor).
By chronicling their penchant for combining incessant “slippery slope” arguments with all-encompassing (but always “hidden”) conspiracies, Ashby answers his own rhetorical question and exposes (as such) the lunatic fringe that spouts extreme anti-government rhetoric (and fuels the “Tea Party”) for what they are – “wingnuts”.
Nevertheless, the delusionally “well-informed” Barbara Hulet is absolutely correct that “the U.N. plot dates back decades before Agenda 21 came onto the scene” in 1992.
Indeed, the all-American thread of the “plot” took root in 1777-1781, when thirteen independent sovereign states gradually ratified Articles of Confederation – to establish a (perish the thought!) national government!
From 1781-1787, a cadre of determined conspirators convinced unsuspecting former revolutionaries—who (not surprisingly) lacked “a full understanding” of the perils that lay 200+ years ahead—that the Confederation’s central government had insufficient powers to tax, levy tariffs, raise an army and/or navy, and/or conduct foreign policy.
Then, on July 3, 1787, our fatuous Founders succumbed to the machinations of this wily vanguard of “one-world” conspirators and ratified the U.S. Constitution – after which we inexorably slid into the clutches of Agenda 21. (Only the willfully naïve can ignore the clear parallels between—and shared purpose of—its Preamble and Agenda 21.)
From 1938-1945, Hitler, Mussolini, and Japan accelerated this slippage by inducing other countries to unite against their aggression and then form the United Nations to preserve the peace. From 1946-1989, the Soviet Union took their place.
Pursuant to Agenda 21, these indefatigable conspirators “sealed the deal” by contriving 9/11 to reunite the world—in a Global War on Terrorism.
Fortunately, we are blessed with true patriots like Sheriff Stan Hilkey to “watchdog” its (and their) activities.
Bill Hugenberg 543 Rim Drive, GJ 81507
257-1998
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Nuts or not, I am happy there are folks who watch the power of the government. Our founding fathers knew that a good government is a limited government.
“It is the responsibility of the patriot to protect his country from its government. “
—Thomas Paine
Used to be a big pretense that Agenda 21 didn’t even exist—it was a “secret, hidden conspiracy” dreamed up by the “wingnuts”. But then a few enlightened anti-human envirowhackos actually bothered to google it up and BINGO! there it is, right there in plain sight (not hidden at all) on the U.N.‘s website.
OK, OK—so maybe those wingnuts didn’t actually make it up after all. But now they’re making up what it says/does! Right? RIGHT?!
Easiest thing to do is google it (the actual document, not the conspiracy theory interpretations of it) and read it yourself. That’s what I did. It was, in fact, interesting to see that the unnamed authors of Agenda 21 think that people should only be allowed to eat meat once a week, should be required to ride bicycles to work a minimum of once a week, and all building codes should be international, among other things. There are some nice maps showing where people should be allowed to live and where humans should not be allowed to set foot (most of the land). These kind of ideas used to be called “totalitarian”, but now I guess they’re called “sustainable”. And people who don’t like it are called “wingnuts”.
Look, I’m all for making fun of people who don’t agree with me. Or even trying to persuade them to see things my way. But siccing the sheriff on people I don’t agree with? Not very cool at all. Pretty totalitarian, in fact. (Totalitarianism: ideas so good they’re mandatory!)
Since it is now established that Agenda 21 does in fact exist, why continue with the anti- “conspiracy theory wingnut” campaign? You either agree with the ideas set forth in Agenda 21, or you do not. No conspiracy involved. Our government has signed on, as have many others, and it is, in fact, being implemented. The U.N. now distances itself from “SmartGrowth”, even though first usage of the term (and policies) comes from Agenda 21.
Again, you either agree with Agenda 21 or you do not. There is no “conspiracy” involved. Calling people who do not agree “wingnuts” isn’t exactly “neutral” reporting. But that’s pretty typical of people—-if you can’t think of a good supporting argument for your position, then start calling names as a distraction.
I would like to thank Debbie Schum, and all the other “wing-nut” patriots for continuing the struggle to educate the population about Agenda 21. I have printed out the entire Agenda 21 book and read it all. You don’t have to print it but you should take the time to read it.
http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21/
This, too, might be of interest http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21/
Sustainable Development seeks:
· The step by step abolition of private property, primarily through the implementation of Wildlands Projects, Smart Growth, and Building Codes, i.e. the International Property Maintenance Code.
· Education of youth to prepare them for global citizenship.
· Control and ultimate reduction of human population.
Under Sustainable Development, the recognition of the Unalienable Right to one’s life, liberty and property is lost.
If your public servants believe this is a conspiracy theory you must consider if it is time to get rid of their influence and repeal their agendas. Grand Junction must believe the conspiracy theory because it was sold out years ago by Jim Doody who was just re-elected to the city council and laps up the “education” put forth by Mr. Hugenberg.
I never knew any skeptic to question whether there is a UN document titled “agenda 21’ agreed to in Rio. Yes there is, along with file cabinets full of thousands of other UN plans, resolutions,etc. The questions is: Are local land use planning and groups like Club 20 part and parcel of a UN takeover of the United States? Thanks for linking to the documents—however, take the next step generally required of providing a source: the citation. Provide the cite of where one might find the maps, the anti-meat-eating etc. directions, quotes, goals, etc. Me, I like to understand my conspiracy theories in actual context, not by having someone tell me what I should think.
Peter, I don’t believe anyone here is “telling” you what to think. They have tried to provide some links that would be helpful to anyone who has an open mind and would be intelligent enough to do some research. No one should ever believe what they are told by anyone including “educators” or those who make their living from the “enviromentalist movement” without verifying it with their own “open minded research”.
Anyone with no preconceived ideas or agendas can come to their own conclusions. I realize that many people are just too intellectually lazy to think for themselves and that is what lets others control the direction society takes.
Dear Editors:
Charles Ashby’s sardonic expose’ – “Watchdogs or wingnuts? Conspiracy theorists distrust U.N.” – in Monday’s Sentinel deserves a Pulitzer Prize for journalism (or black humor).
By chronicling (or lampooning) their penchant for combining incessant “slippery slope” arguments with all-encompassing (but “hidden”) conspiracy theories, Ashby answers his own rhetorical question by exposing (as such) the lunatic fringe that spouts extreme anti-government rhetoric (and fuels the Kochs’ “Tea Party”) for what they are – “wingnuts”.
Nevertheless, the delusionally “well-informed” Barbara Hulet is absolutely correct that “the U.N. plot dates back decades before Agenda 21 came onto the scene” in 1992.
Indeed, the all-American thread of the “plot” took root in 1777-1781, when our thirteen independent and sovereign “states” gradually ratified the Articles of Confederation – to establish a “collective” government!
From 1781-1787, a cadre of determined collaborators convinced unsuspecting former patriots—who (not surprisingly) lacked “a full understanding” of the perils that lay 200+ years ahead—that the Confederation’s central authority had insufficient powers to tax, levy tariffs, raise an army and/or navy, and/or conduct foreign policy.
So, on July 3, 1787, our fatuous Founders succumbed to the machinations of this wily vanguard of “one-world” insurgents and ratified the U.S. Constitution – after which we inexorably slid into the clutches of Agenda 21. (Only the willfully naïve ignore the self-evident parallels between—and shared purposes of—its Preamble and Agenda 21.)
From 1938-1945, Hitler, Mussolini, and Japan accelerated this slippage by inducing other countries to unite against their aggression and form the United Nations – only ostensibly to “preserve peace”. From 1946-1989, the Soviet Union conveniently replaced them.
Thereafter, and pursuant to 1992’s Agenda, these indefatigable conspirators “sealed the deal” by contriving “9/11” to reunite the gullible—in a Global War on Terrorism.
Fortunately, we are blessed with true “watchdogs” like Sheriff Stan Hilkey to monitor both the conspirators and the “wingnuts”.
Bill Hugenberg 543 Rim Drive, GJ 81507
257-1998
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Yes, Bill—we heard you the first time.
Peter, google the U.N.‘s website. Then internal search Agenda 21. Then read it yourself. Then you can’t critisize anyone’s choice of links/citations.