Right Wing Conspiracy Theories, Pt. 1

(Photo courtesy of WikiMedia.)

CONSPIRACY THEORIES COULD RUIN OUR COUNTRY
(or at least make us crazy in the meantime!)

A May issue of Newsweek magazine included “The Plots to Destroy America,” written by Kurt Eichenwald.  This article put forth a reasonable and logical argument that the numerous conspiracy theories Americans have bought into could lead to our ruin.  (A link to the article will be provided, below.)

image credit Fred's Bible Talk

Vaccinations, education, Agenda 21, New World Order, death panels, etc. are creating an environment in this country that is not sustainable.  The level of distrust many Americans have toward their government and each other is preventing us from engaging in real discussions about issues that are of vital importance to us all.

What makes this so disturbing is the apparent clout that some of the proponents of such conspiracies have.  Public figures, national figures, actors…it’s not just the nutters anymore.

Agenda 21  is a U.N. non-binding tract that 178 world leaders signed, including our own George W. Bush, in 1992.  It provides information on how to manage urban development with a minimal impact on the environment.  Ideas that, at the time, both mainstream conservatives and liberal politicians supported, and thought were no big deal.  (In my own hometown, building plans can be hotly contested, because citizens want to maintain our small town atmosphere and sense of community.  Agenda 21 is not our enemy!)

Imagine!  New development that could help our environment through eco-sensitive land-use policy!  Diabolical!  Definitely New World Order plans launched by the United Nations.  No doubt...say those who are looking for something to be frightened of.

image credit University of Toledo

Somehow Agenda 21 is now widely viewed as a plot to destroy individual property rights, impose communism and send Americans by rail to secret camps.  A purely made-up conspiracy theory is now causing communities to fight against things they previously supported, out of fear.  

image credit Jack Shafer, Reuters.com

In Baldwin County, Alabama, residents cheered and sang “God Bless America” when an award-winning plan to provide guidance for private-sector developers was voted down.  According to the Newsweek article, every member of the zoning commission resigned, disgusted by the public’s inability to understand the value of the plan.  These people let fear and suspicion ruin a perfectly good plan to better meet the needs of the community through management of future development.  Because they bought into a really silly conspiracy, laid out in a Glen Beck fiction novel, designed to inflame their fears of the government.

Some extremist organizations claim Agenda 21 is a plot to seize private property, that Agenda 21 will lead to “death maps” to dictate where people will live, Agenda 21 gives trees the same rights as people, Agenda 21 will allow electric companies to spy on their customers.  Don't these ideas seem insane?  It's because they are.

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In 2012, the Republican National Committee adopted a resolution stating that Agenda 21 is an “insidious scheme” to impose “socialist/communist redistribution of wealth.”  The RNC’s rhetoric became less inflammatory by the time the Republican National Convention occurred, but the GOP continued to characterize Agenda 21 as “insidious” and “erosive of American sovereignty.”

Today, when local zoning boards propose plans to prohibit unchecked, disorganized development and protect the natural resources of a community, or when state transportation agencies propose highway construction to ease traffic congestion, or when a state proposes a plan to restore a natural habitat, or when a city proposes the addition of bike paths, it is likely they will be confronted by citizens protesting against "sinister international conspiracies."

image credit Media Watch, Daily Kos

When Cliven Bundy made the news for his supposed refusal to leave his ranch or give up grazing rights he’d been granted by the government and hadn’t paid for, an Idaho woman wrote to the Coeur  d’Alene Press to warn of President Obama’s intent to use Agenda 21 to

“steal your land and rights via zoning changes.”  I wonder who the conspiracy will demonize once President Obama is out of office?

image credit Kelly and Geoff

It’s notable that this letter to the press wasn’t ignored completely.  (In the past, obviously paranoid letters from people who had no recognized authority on a topic, were dismissed.)  Instead, it was printed in the paper under an impressive headline, suggesting it was based in fact.  The local news outlet failed to do the job of journalism.  Had the Coeur d'Alene Press staff done the slightest research, they would have found that U.S. Grazing Service (BLM's predecessor) policies were enacted in 1934, over half a century before Agenda 21’s introduction.  Readers of the paper and critical thinkers in the region failed to recognize that Agenda 21 had no impact on the government’s intent to enforce decades old policies regarding land-use.

In fact, this irresponsible printing of a fear-fueled local's letter disguised as news seems to have further bolstered those who participated in the Bundy ranch episode.

image credit Wrapped In the Flag by Claire Conner on Facebook

In order to further show how poorly the media fact-checked any of Clive Bundy's claims before running with them, take10's Randa Morris reported in April that Cliven Bundy's historical claims are totally false. In fact, historic records prove that Cliven Bundy's family lived in the state of Arizona and did not move to Nevada until 1948, 2 years after the BLM was established. In addition, Bundy was never granted water rights under any agreement. What's more, the Bundy family did not begin to graze cattle on BLM land until 1954, a decade after the BLM was established. Read more about Cliven Bundy's bold faced lies here. 

Has the national media made any real effort to expose any of these facts about Cliven Bundy's historic claims? The fact that just about everyone has heard of Cliven Bundy, but few people realize how much he has lied to the media and the public, indicates that the media is promoting an agenda, but one which isn't benefited by facts. Hence the facts get left out when they interfere with the 'story.'

Please look for my next installment on the conspiracy theories America is struggling with currently...

More conspiracies will be discussed in Part Two of this series.

image credit Politusic

Sources:
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/05/23/plots-destroy-america-251123.html