Conspiracy Theories 101: Agenda 21 (the tea party fixation with the UN and national sovereignty)

[pampango]

There is a never-ending stream of wacky conspiracy theories emanating from the extreme right media. Recent examples include birtherism, the “false flag”attack of the Boston bombings, Feds buying-up bullets, and the Benghazi cover-up. These loony tales have in common a desire to paint the President of the United States as not one of “us”- foreign born, a socialist, Muslim, or acting against the interests of our country.

A frequent focus for these conspiracy theorists is the United Nations and how the US is ceding our national sovereignty to that organization. This UN fixation is nothing new. In the 60's, the John Birch Society advocated leaving the UN. They concocted the idea that an international cabal of bankers, greedy industrialists, and corrupt politicians was using the UN to institute a One-World Government.

UN-related conspiracies really took-off in 1992, when George H.W. Bush signed a UN treaty on sustainable development, known as Agenda 21. (For some odd reason, Poppy Bush is a central figure in many conspiracy theories). The treaty came out of discussions at the First Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Agenda 21 is a non-binding framework for sustainability in economic development. It contains broad proposals and recommendations on such “radical” concepts as maintaining biodiversity, protecting the atmosphere, and combating deforestation.

As the Republican Party has sprinted to the far right, criticism of Agenda 21 has become a mainstream party cause. Last year's Republican National platform included a resolution rejecting Agenda 21, calling it “a comprehensive plan of extreme environmentalism, social engineering, and global political control.” So one of the two major parties has bought into the anti-environment paranoia.

http://www.germantownnow.com/blogs/communityblogs/207353181.html

It is amazing that ideas of the JBS are still around and motivating the far-right 50 years later. There was a Pew poll recently that showed that tea-party supporters are the only partisan group in which a majority believe there exists a "One-World Government" (or New World Order) conspiracy.

You would think that if conservatives believe that their policies (lower taxes, less regulation, smaller government, etc.) were superior they would simply use facts to support their policies rather than constantly using fear, emotion and suspicion to try to make their case. Of course, facts don't support their policies so they really have little choice than to go with fear and emotion. Unfortunately, they are quite good at it.

[treestar]

1. Amen to the last paragraph.

I always wonder why the right wing is so against getting along with other countries or working with other countries.

[hootinholler]

2. It's not that surprising

Since the people who funded and founded the JBS are the same people who funded and astroturfed the TeaBaggers.

As to Poppy Bush, he seems to be in the right places at the right times for speculation to stick. Personally, I think he's a dirty mother fucker.

[stevenleser]

3. Yes, it's taken 60 years but the JBS has managed to push some of their crazy conspiracy theories

into the mainstream. I wonder if many on the left who buy some of these things understand that most modern conspiracies have their roots in the JBS, that includes Bilderberg/CFR, UN, black helicopters, etc. and even chemtrails and HAARP and anti-vax are either JBS or JBS inspired.