Thursday’s column: It’s all a giant conspiracy
By that rascal Dan
You might be surprised to learn that the effort to destroy private property rights in Roanoke County dates all the way back to a meeting in California’s woods in the spring of 1945.
That was one of the arguments made before the county Board of Supervisors Tuesday night.
It came from Ricardo Moreira, one of 10 Roanoke Tea Party speakers who demanded supervisors drop the county’s membership in the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives, or ICLEI.
County taxpayers pay $1,200 each year to ICLEI, a group composed of local and regional governments from 70 countries whose stated goal is sustainable development.
The problem, the supervisors heard from Tea Party members, is that ICLEI is an outgrowth of the United Nations anti-global warming initiative known as Agenda 21.
ICLEI promotes things like community gardening, cluster-style housing and land trusts. And through ICLEI, the UN will one day require Roanoke countians to live in townhouses, all because of global warming, or something like that.
Even worse, Moreira told supervisors, the UN was created by the Bohemian Grove, a secretive club of influential and wealthy men.
Photograph of a tent at the Bohemian Grove in the early 1900s, picturing occupants Porter Garnett, George Sterling and novelist Jack London. | Wikimedia Commons
Since 1893 that group has gathered for a few weeks each summer in pristine woods along the Russian River in Sonoma County, Calif. Some of them wear togas, and each year the Bohemian Grove’s big ceremony involves burning a large wooden owl on an altar.
Attendees have included former presidents, such as Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and some of this country’s richest and most prominent businessman, as well as some artists.
It all sounds kind of kooky. It’s like the annual Rainbow Gathering (which is held by hippies) for a bunch of rich old men. Except that the Bohemian Grove is invitation-only, and it takes extensive security precautions to keep its meetings private.
And that has made it a prime target of conspiracy theorists, who have ascribed all sort of nefarious plots to the Bohemians.
“The United Nations was created in Bohemian Grove. It’s a well-known fact,” Moreira told supervisors. Its members don’t care about the environment, or nature, or natural rights, he continued.
“They care about control,” Moreira added.
So there is the connection to Roanoke County’s comprehensive plan: The Bohemian Grove created the United Nations, which spawned Agenda 21, to which ICLEI has extensive ties. And Roanoke County planners have joined ICLEI. And it’s all about global warming.
After the meeting I spoke with Moreira, and asked him how he knew the UN was formed at Bohemian Grove.
He read it on the internet. It’s in the Bohemian Grove’s own documents, he said.
“Don’t believe me,” he added. “Read it for yourself.” Wednesday, he emailed me the document.
It turned out to be a 1994 Phd thesis, purportedly written by Peter Martin Phillips, a graduate student at the University of California, Davis.
On page 118, Phillips writes that the founding meetings of the United Nations were in San Francisco between April and June of 1945. During those 60 days, the Bohemian Grove held four receptions for the UN delegates.
That’s the proof: Four luncheons, noted in 150 words, in a 167-page thesis written 17 years ago. It’s right there on the internet for anyone to see.
In a larger sense, Moreira’s theory illustrates the big flaw with the Roanoke Tea Party’s recent fixation on ICLEI, and Agenda 21, and the United Nations.
Tiny shreds of intertwining fact suggest some elements may bear some relation to each other. And out of those, certain people with vivid imaginations have weaved a giant blanket of conspiracy about how global warming will lead to one-world government.
Tuesday, Heidi Beirich, research director for the Southern Poverty Law Center, told me Agenda 21 is the one of the hottest conspiracy theories presently being pushed by the far right.
In recent weeks a retired steelworker from Alabama named Don Casey (no relation) has going around western Virginia giving lectures on Agenda 21 to different Tea Party groups.
Chip Tarbutton, the leader of the Roanoke Tea Party, told me he was aware of the Roanoke County-ICLEI-global warming-Agenda 21-UN connection before Don Casey started doing his lectures here. I asked Tarbutton how he first learned about it.
“I read something about it on the internet, and then I did some research,” Tarbutton replied. “I read the primary stuff.”
That’s pretty much all you need to know: It’s on the internet.
Just like every other crackpot theory known to man.
July 28, 2011 - 6:00 AM
But Dan, don’t you know, if it’s on the internet it has to be true. They don’t allow just anyone to own a computer, and surely people can’t just put out anything they want to and allow others to pass it on, whether it’s true or not. People most certainly never take a shred of truth and add falsehoods to it.
Sarcasm font off.
Makes me wonder what these folks are smoking. Also, it brings back memories of the old John Birch Society.
I just read Casey’s column on the Internet.
OK, here’s the bottom line. This is a bunch of crap that Roanoke County taxpayers are subsidizing. We don’t want it or need it, and that’s the basis of our opposition to it.
Could we make it any clearer? Or are you going to fixate on it for the next year like you do firearms or Michele Bachmann’s latest hairstyle?
Apparently the John Birch Society has latched onto Agenda 21, Ron.
“The United Nations was created in Bohemian Grove. It’s a well-known fact,” Moreira told supervisors. ”
The ultimate defense…”It’s a well known fact!” These guys wouldn’t make it out of 10th grade debate class. Are they familiar with President Wilson at all?
I forget who penned the quote or how it goes exactly, but it was something along the lines of the conspiracy grows infinitely more improbable as infinitely more people or organizations are involved. And considering the relative ineptitude and general uselessness of the UN as a governing body, I’d say the 21′ers are definitely aiming to be Yogi’s. Keep on stretching, it’s great exercise. But as a matter of exercising brain matter, perhaps come back down to reality with everyone else for a while.
Let me clue you folks in on a few things. The sky is not falling, socialists are not secretly thwarting the US government from the inside, caring for the environment is not an evil communist plot to destroy freedom, municipal tap water is safe to drink in this country, aliens are not abducting you in your sleep and taking you to their mothership, and the UN is not in the midst of overthrowing world governments so it can take over and make you live in a commune.
That is all.
“OK, here’s the bottom line. This is a bunch of crap that Roanoke County taxpayers are subsidizing. We don’t want it or need it, and that’s the basis of our opposition to it.
Could we make it any clearer?”
9 Roanoke County residents speaking at a Board of Supes meeting, out of 91,000 county residents, doesn’t constitute anywhere near a majority, Suzie.
OJ, obviously you rarely listen to the Coast-to-Coast radio show with George Noory.
Conspiracy theories abound with one gutter-snipe in particular, right wing radio talk show jerk, Mark Levin. http://theroanoketribune.com/catalog_27.html
Dan, I used to listen to it when Art Bell was the host, and I worked a schedule that allowed for it. I found the show to be entertaining, but wholly and generally full of crap. But entertaining crap to be sure. I don’t buy into conspiracy theories, but they make for good time sponges to watch on TV when nothing else is on. A person can only take so much of the Sham Wow! guy…
Guttersnipe is the perfect term for Mark Levin!
ahh the famous woodrow wilson communist , another like obama
dan obviously you never really listen to bambam either or you’d say the same.,..lol…a man that has never held a real job, a man so out of his element that is it actually funny to watch struggle and is a known proven liar…your pres..lol
I wonder if there’s a special conspiracy theorist gene. Some are born with a defective gene and some aren’t. Just wondering….
Dang,
So many conspiracies, so little time. What is it about the human mind that absolutely, positively desires to find some pattern or reason when none exists. Or to choose to live with irrational fear.
I recently had a long conversation with my daughter who is quickly coming up on a year of life in South Korea. One of her observations is that Korean news, and Koreans in general. don’t spend a whole lot of their time worrying about external threats or being frightened of various fictitious things. Mind you, they actually live next to the craziest country on the planet, but go about their lives as if it isn’t that big of a problem. (Or maybe the reality of such a big problem tends to minimize the everything else.)
In the US, we can find a bogey man behind every rainbow.
#14 Pammala, if you ant to be taken a tiny bit more seriously, you should consider composing your posts like an adult. If you actually are an adult.
Nice column, Dan. Captures the nuttiness perfectly.
BTW, did you know that I read on the Internet that protesters in Wisconsin did $7 million in damage to marble at the state capitol using painters tape alone? I think it must have been some brand of super painters tape. One of your intrepid readers posted that link as the absolute truth so it must be so.
“ahh the famous woodrow wilson communist , another like obama”
I rarely say this online, but lmao. But with all of the recent unmitigated nonsense on this blog, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to lmao.
@#8 Unless Chip has recently moved, he lives in Botetourt.
and some are born with absolutely no leadership skills and could never gain them, see bambam
Is this what we get if Trip Godsey gets the Tea Party nomination? More not-ready-for-prime-time extremists?
“OK, here’s the bottom line. This is a bunch of crap that Roanoke County taxpayers are subsidizing. We don’t want it or need it, and that’s the basis of our opposition to it.”
Then that’s the case you need make. How effective is it to have opponents of such measures spin Harry Potter conspiracy yarns in a public forum to make their case?
#15- “I wonder if there’s a special conspiracy theorist gene. Some are born with a defective gene and some aren’t. Just wondering….”
Debbie, there actually is. It’s a single gene called WTF1.
“When Morris studied individual neurons within the supra-credulus, he found that gullibility was associated with the activity of a single gene called WTF1. The less active it was, the more feckless people were. This fits with existing evidence, for faulty versions of WTF1 have already been linked to a higher risk of being Rickrolled and buying the Daily Mail.”
Note: Yes, this is (<
I think most of these folks are like our resident troll. They crave attention and love to have their name mentioned. You can’t reason with them no matter how many facts you provide to dispell the myths. If we ignore them they just get louder but it’s really the best course. The County Board should not put any importance on anything these people have to say.
pammala,
You are aware that Woodrow Wilson was a native Virginian. Surely a “commie” couldn’t be from Virginia.
IDK about a “conspiracy gene” but there is a deep and recessive gene for ignorance and denial that cannot be denied. No wonder so many right wingers need to hide in anonymity.
Not really sure, Debbie. I like actual evidence and proof that confirms a theory or the existence of something. And unfortunately for most conspiracy theorists, the evidence is in their heads, or the results of a few hours playing in Photoshop.
I am sick of all those idiots in the Tea Party. Let them have their say, but for the love of Pete! don’t let them influence policy. They can spend hours connecting imaginary dots and propose draconian measures to eliminate government involvement yet they can’t see the cliff they are speeding toward. Morons. Away with them!
Icebunny,
That’s right. 9 Roanoke County residents spoke, and Chip Tarbutton from Botetourt County spoke. There were a total of 10 TP speakers.
The best line I recall from Chip is when he veered off the UN/Agenda 21/global warming/ICLEI/RC Clear/cluster development track for a bit to talk about windmills. Here’s what he said to the board, according to my notes: “Will you sanction giant nasty windmills that have a nasty habit of catching fire on the Poor Mountain ridgeline?”
That’s a great image — flaming mountaintop windmills! And certainly something no community should allow.
Most of the Tea Partiers I saw at the RoCo BOS meeting were wearing Tripp Godsey stickers. They had just come from the talk by Godsey and Dave Nutter in Roanoke City Hall.
Debbie, I suspect it’s more your garden-variety gullibility combined with a desperate need to make sense of a world that seems to be spiraling completely out of one’s control.
How much longer, I wonder, before someone claims Nostradamus predicted all this? (Or maybe someone already has, and I’ve not come across it yet.)
saintbridge,
I think they’re feeling their oats in Roanoke County these days, after they (just last month) persuaded the board to reject (4-0) a state law that called for establishment “urban development areas” because it’s a part of the Bohemian Grove/UN/Agenda 21/global warming/ICLEI/RC Clear/cluster development conspiracy.
Nostradamus:
The unseen is discovered, hidden for such a long time,
He will, Baraack, as a demi-God be honored;
This is when the moon completes her great cycle,
But through Tea-stained slanders, he will be dishonored.
From what I understand, most of the members of the Bohemian Grove Society… not all… but a majority, have been republicans. All the past republican presidents have been members. Women are not allowed membership, nor are they allowed to work there. They also evidently have a rule that no business is to be discussed while at the Grove.
Bill Clinton has said the Bohemian club is where “all those rich republicans go and stand naked next to redwood trees…”
I guess I’m confused as to why Tea Party members would be accusing the UN Agenda 21 to have been hatched at Bohemian Grove. Are we talking about the same Agenda 21 that’s supposed to save our planet by conserving resources and being environmentally aware and proactive? Certainly doesn’t sound like something a bunch of naked republicans would come up with!
“When designating an area as an Urban Development Area, a locality is to consider the following criteria:
•Proximity to a city, town or other developed area
•Proximity to transportation facilities
•Availability of a public or community water and sewer system”
Wow..thank god they saved us from this. Imagine…people actually building and living where there are services available.
I had no idea we were on the brink of such tyranny. Thank you, brave Tea Partiers, from saving us from something like….ASHLEY PLANTATION.
“Women are not allowed membership, nor are they allowed to work there.”
Well…I’m sure they can find something for the ladies to do…
Thanks for the link Magpie. How appropriate that the gene is called WTF1.
Believe anything and everything you are told. Never question authority. Never use the critical thinking skills you were taught in college. Only trust information that is handed down from one of these major news conglomerates :
News Corporation
CBS Corporation
Time Warner
Viacom
The Walt Disney Company
Which conglomerate does the Roanoke Times fall under?
You will obey.
Dan, Thanks for helping focus our attention on assertions and proposals by the Tea Party that threaten our property and ask us to walk away from our responsibilities to our community. As you have begun to point out, much of the Tea Party critique of sustainable development is based on misunderstanding and misperception. I review many other mis-perceptions here (http://www.constructingsustainability.com/?p=156) and speculate about some of the deeper issues behind Tea Party concerns (http://www.constructingsustainability.com/?p=169).
One more time:
Tea Party platform: To reduce government spending, and to refrain from raising taxes especially during a recession.
That’s it. That’s the whole agenda. Make the case against it, leftwingers. Let’s hear it. Stop the silly stuff, the obfuscation and take our platform on head on. Let’s watch you lose. Just like you’re losing the debt ceiling battle.
I notice you quoted 2 out of 10 speakers, and with very limited quotes. You understand surely that these meetings are televised, and the the actual gist of the remarks delivered to the BOS is widely available.
The entire meeting will be televised tonight (7/28) at 7:00 p.m. on RVTV 3 (Cox).
What you are generating is propaganda, which is your right, and the right of the Roanoke Times to publish, but it is only convincing to people who are already persuaded to your point of view.
Perhaps I’m the fool expecting you to present rebuttals rather than merely engage in self-serving mockery.
Along with JHL, I encourage everyone to watch the tape of the BOS meeting.
I believe that once they do, many readers will accuse me of trying to protect some of the speakers (by not quoting them) from looking like fools because of some of the things they said.
Don’t believe me. Listen to it for yourselves.
One of the women there said (she was reading a fundraising letter from American for Properity), “President Obama wants to control all the land and all the water in the United States.” She seemed to believe that, but ended with “I use this as an example of how crazy things are becoming.”
Listen to the man who described ICLEI’s effect on Roanoke County as to “take our marching orders from the United Nations.”
Listen to Chip Tarbutton talk about flaming windmills on Poor Mountain.
Listen to the guy who explained the dastardly reasoning behind the change of the term from “global warming” to “climate change.”
Or the guy who told the supervisors “I do not doubt that you are being dictated to by ICLEI, you are buying into it,” and then begged them to “read paragraph two of the Declaration of Independence . . . You are allowing the camel’s nose under the tent!”
Listen to the woman who opined: “ICLEI does not care about Roanoke County and its beauty … ICLEI wants to take control … The more I learn about it, the more sure I am that you’re giving them your power … You and I, not the UN, and not it tentacles, are the stewards of this area.”
All of that, and much more, will be in the taped meeting tonight. Enjoy, folks.
#38- Debbie, when you read the article you’ll see it’s a spoof. That’s why I put (< which stands for tongue-in-cheek. Although I think many of these people may actually fear it's true, and there really is a vaccine that could cure them. Maybe they also think these communities are where the UN is going to round everyone up who suffers from this condition and administer the vaccine against their will.
You can also watch it online as long as you have real player installed.
http://www.roanokecountyva.gov/index.aspx?NID=15
I don’t have Cox Cable so I don’t get the RVTV channel.
I wasn’t aware that the Dec of Ind references camels and tents.
Perhaps a flaming windmill would make an excellent avatar for the TP members.
“President Obama wants to control all the land and all the water in the United States.”
- some lady at the Roanoke County BOS meeting
“This isn’t just about them saying we should reduce the deficit,” she said, adding: “This is an excuse. The budget deficit is an excuse for the Republicans to undermine government plain and simple. They don’t just want to make cuts, they want to destroy. They want to destroy food safety, clean air, clean water, the department of education. They want to destroy your rights.”
- Nancy Pelosi, Former Speaker of the House
To quote:
“One more time:
Tea Party platform: To reduce government spending, and to refrain from raising taxes especially during a recession.
That’s it. That’s the whole agenda.”
Then where in the world were all the Tea Partiers when G.W. Bush turned the surplus the Clinton presidency left our country into a massive deficit?
Or were they all happy that we were spending the nation’s money killing brown people in two different wars. Oh yeah, and tax cuts for the rich.
“Perhaps a flaming windmill would make an excellent avatar for the TP members.”
Or an excellent graphic for the anti-post of the day!
Dang, maybe the windmill thing is true…..
Walker, I’m not sure what the point of your posting of Ms. Pelosi’s quote is, but a simple search reveals:
The House GOP passed a bill in July that would strip the EPA’s authority to enforce clean water standards.
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/07/republicans-move-gut-clean-water-act
The House GOP has passed bills to cut the FDA’s budget that would impact recent food safety laws, and they have voted to reduce funding to the food inspection functions of the Agriculture department (that which keeps things like meat and eggs safe).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-republicans-vote-to-cut-funds-to-implement-food-safety-law/2011/06/16/AGMS82XH_story.html
Further, it’s well known that many of the freshmen GOP in the House support the elimination of the federal Department of Education.
<a href=http://www.google.com/search?q=windmills+on+fire&hl=en&biw=955&bih=468&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=d6UxToC9OtStgQex1IDsDA&sqi=2&ved=0CD4QsAQ
Here are lots of them!
VT Hokie, on the flickr page you linked to there’s a link to this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/canuck01/sets/72157624296258352/with/4709751212/
Flaming windmills – I like it…as in Don Quixote.
“I intend to do battle with them (windmills) and slay the. With their spoils we shall begin to be rich for this is a righteous war and the removal of such a foul brood from off the face of the earth is a service God will bless” – Don Quixote
Sound familiar?
I wonder if Tea Partiers buy Reynolds Wrap or generic foil?
Hootiefish, what’s the matter with you? Don’t you know that the Tea Party was simply hiding under a rock when WHITE presidents did all of the things they claim are their basis for opposing our current president? It was purely a coincidence that the astroturf chumps were able to find their way out from under their rock at the same time as when the Koch brothers came along with their checkbooks.
“Perhaps a flaming windmill would make an excellent avatar for the TP members.”
Or a great name for a drink. Any bartenders around to suggest recipes?
Sorry about my link…I screwed it up. Anyway Google has lots of images of flaming windmills.
Alas, I can’t find any flaming wind turbines (or mills) on wikimedia commons, my regular art resource. And I don’t have time to search thru google images for public domain pix of the real deal.
flaming windmills
About 2,050,000 results (0.19 seconds)
Seriously. Wait till the TP finds out about THIS.
So just go find one, wait for it to catch fire, and take a photo. Shouldn’t take long.
@#57
I didn’t realize there were so many recipes already out there for flaming drinks. Some of these I don’t think I’d be able to order with a straight face.
http://www.drinknation.com/theme/Flaming
“Daisy Duke’s Dirty Panties” Say what??
Dan Casey is having a little fun at my expense, but as usual he is ignoring the
message and the facts. My request was for Roanoke County to withdraw from ICLEI
and my comment about Bohemian Grove was to provide some historical information
regarding the formation of the United Nations. The doctoral thesis he wants to
ridicule was written by Peter Martin Philips, PHD, from the University of
California, now a professor a Sonoma State University and one of the founders
of Project Censored. I invite you to read the link that I sent Casey and look up
Project Censored.
I enjoyed Casey’s reference to the Southern Poverty Law Center and the supposed
quote that Agenda 21 is one of the hottest conspiracy theories being pushed by
the far-right. Coming directly from one of the most socialist organizations in
our country, it shouldn’t be shocking that they would defend any agenda of the
U.N. or provide the same disinformation that my favorite blogger does.
Dan conveniently confuses conspiracy with conspiracy theory. As Jack Webb said
on the old show Dragnet “Just the facts ma’am, just the facts.”
Speaking of avatars, Bill Perdue, what is yours? I can’t tell.
@ Dan Casey – let me first applaud you for actually doing some research before writing a column this week. I was glad to read you went to the BOS meeting. Let me also add, I have absolutely no aversion to your being skeptical, or even critical of RTP’s work against ICLEI/Agenda 21 locally.
I do however, take issue with the sarcastic tone, particularly prevalent in last weeks’ column mocking citizens for voicing concerns to their elected officials. In addition to shamelessly promoting the ridicule of these citizens acting properly, and completely within their right, there are consistent and recurring inaccuracies in your account – several in today’s column alone.
Realizing you are not an RTP insider, and without itemizing each one, I’ll say what strikes me most is this – the closest you have come yet to an accurate portrayal of the evenings events was: “The problem, the supervisors heard from Tea Party members, is that ICLEI is an outgrowth of the United Nations anti-global warming initiative known as Agenda 21.”
Fact: Roanoke Co. is actively engaged with, and is paying dues to an outside group with documented ties to the UN, that is promoting and aiding the implementation of social and economic policy based on what many consider to be flawed science at best.
These individuals you refer to, some of whom belong to Roanoke Tea Party, and some of whom are peripherally connected, went through proper channels, and asked their local government to end this relationship. There is absolutely no shame in that. Do you honestly think the people who addressed the Board of Supervisors are the only ones, or is it likely there are more, and these are the ones who felt compelled to speak out? Need I also remind you, decisions are made by those who show up?
With apologies for the extra-long post, Dan, instead of being a journalist, you wrote another slanted hit piece on RTP, that was marginally better than last weeks’ rant.
I thought you were better than this. Was I wrong?
I agree with Ricardo on one thing: go to the link to the thesis and read what it says about Bohemian Grove and the UN. It’s about 150 words that begins on page 118. And it is perhaps the weakest “proof” I’ve ever heard for the claim.
But don’t take my word for it. Go look at it yourself.
As I told Ricardo in an email earlier today:
“If the UN formation conference had been held in New Haven, Conn., that doesn’t necessarily make it a creation of Skull and Bones. Nor does the fact that it was held in San Francisco make it necessarily a creation of Bohemian Grove. BG held four receptions for the conferees, in 60 days of conferring, and ALL of those receptions were held weeks prior to the annual gathering of old naked rich influential power brokers at Bohemian Grove.
I appreciate you talking to me for the column. Thank you for reading it, and writing in.”
What has the U.N. ever done that is so terrible? That is a sincere question.
They can spend hours connecting imaginary dots and propose draconian measures to eliminate government involvement yet they can’t see the cliff they are speeding toward. Morons.
Right. It’s better to keep spending money we don’t have and getting our credit rating downgraded. It’s fine that we’re headed the way of Greece than to listen to the Tea Party.
“Daisy Duke’s Dirty Panties” Say what??
Comment by VT Hokie — July 28, 2011 @ 4:21 pm
Sounds like an answer to a Jeopardy question. What does a hillbilly pervert have a fetish for?
It’s angry and it’s flipping off the world.
Edward, I will hand it to you for cagey communication but I frankly believe that the ideological and partisan prism through which you view issues prevents you from being any more open minded than you accuse Dan or others of being.
You, yourself are very careful not to outright insult people and you do not post volumes, but surely you realize that the disrespect that you believe the RTP or TEA Protesters in general are receiving and have received is not one iota more vitriolic, impassioned or misguided than the less than open minded reception that the world citizens who also are just “voicing concerns”, and “acting properly, and completely within their right” have received. Yes, “Roanoke County is actively engaged with, and is paying dues to an outside group with documented ties to the UN” because they decided that there was benefit to the community they serve in joining and promoting the items that a minority of the UN hating and conspiracy agenda fearing “one world conspiracy” folks are opposing. That too is their prerogative and they acted properly and completely within their rights to do so. Where is the respect for that truth? Instead they are treated with the insult of being told in effect, you are so stupid you joined a plot to overthrow…blah blah blah. And that should be treated with respect? It is your, and that minority of complainers, opinion that they are “promoting and aiding the implementation of social and economic policy based on what many consider to be flawed science at best”, there is no established fact that you are correct on either point.
The people in the ICLEI are also individuals who “went through proper channels” and asked local governments to join in the efforts and share information and programs. Likewise, there “is absolutely no shame in that”. I honestly think that the people who addressed the Board of Supervisors are a passionate and energetic minority. Sure they deserve their moment of address but no more. And they do not deserve any more respect than any other group has received in the public arena and as someone who has been called many insults I think they fared a lot better even here than liberals, the UN and the ICLEI have on Conservative sites, many of which do not even allow dissent or defense.
Decisions are made by people who should consider the best interests of the entire community they serve. The only people who enjoy “mob rule” are the people in the mob. Dan has not treated this subject as a journalist, on that I agree. He has treated this with the practiced eye of a witty columnist observing a slice of life. Oddly, if he had agreed with you and treated the ICLEI and the UN as your friends have, I daresay you would never have called it a “slanted hit piece” on them. That says something even your controlled posts refuse to divulge about you as well IMO.
#42 JHL,
“The entire meeting will be televised tonight (7/28) at 7:00 p.m. on RVTV 3 (Cox).”
Oh, joy. I can hardly wait. Unfortunately, this conflicts with my pre-arranged schedule of watching paint dry and grass growing. Pray tell, will they be rebroadcasting it? Perhaps I can squeeze this gripping drama in between my hobbies of grooming hornets and volunteering as the staff psychologist for the Islamic Jihad. Too bad my schedule is kinda’ tied up for the next year and a half with far more productive pursuits, like helping Sisyphus roll a boulder up a never-ending hill. Please keep me in mind and send me a link if it ever gets put up on Youtube.
You kids run along and play outdoors for a bit so the adults can have some peace and quiet.
How could anyone forget the Flaming Moe?
“Coming directly from one of the most socialist organizations in
our country, it shouldn’t be shocking that they would defend any agenda of the
U.N. or provide the same disinformation that my favorite blogger does”
Yes, god forbid anyone seek to provide legal services for anyone other than the filthy stinking rich. Certainly, the rich deserve better legal representation. It’s probably somewhere in the UN charter.
I’d like to think that the TPs are basically decent people with the best interests of the country at heart, but nothing they say supports it. Sorry.
Ed of H,
Do you realize how much credit you’re paying to the power and majesty of the United Nations with your critique of 2 columns (fyi, I write about 140 per year, not counting the blog posts)?
I don’t pay it such respect. The UN is about as functional an organization as the Hatfield and McCoy clans were. Only the Security Council has any power whatsoever, and even that is a toothless tiger. If it wasn’t toothless (almost all the time) UN Security Resolution 242 would have been enforced long ago. UN military forces were present for the Rwandan genocide, and the “Black Hawk Down” incident in Somalia. Seriously, do you think they did anything in those? Give me a break.
As for what I do:
Occasionally, I write what someone else could characterize as a “hit piece.” I wouldn’t call it that, but I can conceive that somebody would. I’ve done this on David Bowers, Sheriff Hunt — once I even did one on food stamps — and it made Sandi really really mad (just ask her).
Sometimes, certainly not all the time, certainly not even most of the time, I write satire. I have done that before, and I will do it again, when the muse stirs me. Last week’s memo column was a satire. This week’s column, in both content and tone, was 100 percent driven by what happened at that meeting. And there was opinion in it, absolutely.
What I try to do, always, is write accurately on interesting topics and with a point of view that stirs emotion.
What I will never do is make any apologies for that. It’s what (IMHO) columnists are supposed to do.
I’m watching the BOS meeting and I have to say, I still think the TPers are the Chicken Little crowd. Mrs. Robert Hardin’s letter about the EPA and the Corps of Engineers was laughable to say the least. I shudder to think what will happen if the GOP gets their way and shuts down the EPA.
Regarding the meeting, BOS could accurately be an acronym for something other than Board of Supervisors.
“I enjoyed Casey’s reference to the Southern Poverty Law Center and the supposed quote that Agenda 21 is one of the hottest conspiracy theories being pushed by the far-right. Coming directly from one of the most socialist organizations in our country, it shouldn’t be shocking that they would defend any agenda of the U.N. or provide the same disinformation that my favorite blogger does.”
Did someone just attack the SPLC as a socialist organization? Really? Since when has upholding individual civil rights been considered a strictly socialist ideal?
This is getting ridiculous.
Hootiefish,
All civil rights are necessarily socialist, except for such things as business civil rights, which the Supreme Court not too long ago ruled on in the case of Citizens United. That one was a capitalist civil right.
“Did someone just attack the SPLC as a socialist organization? Really? Since when has upholding individual civil rights been considered a strictly socialist ideal?”
I doubt our poster above has a remote clue what it is that they do. Someone told him they were “socialist” (which I also doubt he could define) and he’s just regurgitating what he’s been told. That’s all any of them are doing. If you’d asked them 20 minutes ago what ICLEI was, you’d get a big blank stare….now they’ve been convinced it will be taking their houses away.
@68: At the risk you can’t comprehend facts, let me spell it out, Suzie: Bush 43 turned a surplus into the deficit we have now, not Obama. He presided over an unfunded Medicare Rx program that cost billions, tax cuts for the richest of the rich and two wars who’s expenses he kept off the books so as to make it not look so costly to the country. Got that? So President Obama put the wars back into the budget — which is what should have been done all along — and now we find ourselves in deep doo-doo. We have obligations to seniors, veterans and creditors that must be paid. The hangup here is that nobody on the right wants to do anything but pay for all this on the backs of the poor and middle class w/o asking for anything in return from the wealthy Americans and corporations who don’t pay their fair share now. Everyone must pay, not just you and me.
We understand each other pretty well, Casey, I call ‘em like I see ‘em too. Keep in mind, I’m not angry, only mildly annoyed and a little disappointed, since I’ve seen you write pieces I totally disagreed with, but didn’t find insulting. Anyway, its not like I’m mad, and going away… =)
Saintbridge,
And on top of everything you said, the RWers, through a variety of means, are now funding a multimillion advertising campaign to persuade Americans that it’s all Obama’s (and other Dems;) fault.
#83 Dan, the right wingers HAVE top put that much money into a deceptive ad campaign because they certainly can’t win the argument on facts alone. Why else would they be spending that much money?
@ Sandi – Through this post and a couple preceeding it on the same subject, you and a couple others have been pretty classy. As usual, you and I can’t agree on much other than love for the furry ones. =) I must post rebuttal on this one point though…
“It is your, and that minority of complainers’ opinion that they (ICLEI)are “promoting and aiding the implementation of social and economic policy based on what many consider to be flawed science at best”, there is no established fact that you are correct on either point.”
You bolded the word opinion, and questioned the accuracy of the statement, so I want to answer. First – ICLEI’s mission statement spells out rather unambiguously what their goals are on social and economic policy as pertains to sustainable development. Read them; don’t read them, it’s entirely up to you, but it’s not my opinion, they are there – it’s fact. Second – not everyone in the scientific community embraces man-made global warming as fact. You don’t have to agree with the other side, but right or wrong, there is another side. That’s also not just my opinion – it’s fact.
I really am not parsing over words, the paragraph you critiqued is the (summarized) central point to the issue for RTP. When Chip Tarbutton addressed the Board, part of his statement was; (and I’ll have to listen to it back to be certain of the exact verbiage) “…of course it’s incumbent upon us all to be good stewards of the environment in which we live…” They’re not talking about watering the garden with battery acid or pouring motor oil down the storm drains… they’re simply questioning why local government needs outside council to do what’s best for it’s citizens well-being. Again, this was the central point that got buried.
Lastly, I recognize that accepting the UN’s involvement is relevant in these matters is a stretch for some. Whether you believe it’s an evil conspiracy, or think it’s just benign coincidence, or fall somewhere in between those two (like me) – that it’s happening in Roanoke Co. is quite real and cannot be disputed.