Written by Alex Newman
New American
Posted 4/2/2013
Arizona- Under immense pressure from grassroots activists across the political spectrum, lawmakers in the Arizona Senate approved legislation last week that would ban the controversial United Nations “sustainable development” scheme known as UN Agenda 21 within the state. The measure in Arizona follows similar efforts in other states and comes amid increasing nationwide outrage about the international so-called “sustainability” plot, which according to UN documents aims to radically restructure human civilization under the guise of environmentalism and fighting poverty.
The legislation, S.B. 1403, is summarized in the bill as “an act prohibiting the state and its political subdivisions from recognizing the United Nations or any of its declarations as legal authority in this state.” Specifically targeted are the UN “Rio Declaration on Environment and Development” and the “Statement of Principles for Sustainable Development” adopted by dictators and national governments at the 1992 international “sustainability” summit held in Rio de Janeiro.
“Notwithstanding any other law, the state of Arizona and all political subdivisions of this state … shall not recognize the United Nations or any of its declarations as legal authority in this state,” the legislation reads, pointing out that officials are bound by their oaths to the Constitution. Political subdivisions are defined in the bill as the state, county, city, or town governments, as well as any “special districts” authorized by local officials.
The bill also addresses the fact that the UN has enlisted numerous so-called “non-governmental organizations” (NGOs) to implement its agenda around the world — especially noteworthy is a Germany-based group known as ICLEI, formerly the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives. Recognizing that, under the legislation, the state of Arizona and all its political subdivisions would be prohibited from financing or collaborating with such groups.
“We are very excited about the bill moving forward,” popular Republican state Sen. Judy Burges, who sponsored the legislation and a similar bill last year, told The New American. “Here in Arizona, Agenda 21 is slowly creeping into the state. It has its tentacles in everything from the schools to local government all the way up to the state.”
If approved by the GOP-controlled state House of Representatives and signed into law by Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, the measure would essentially aim to stop state and local government efforts to foist the controversial UN agenda on the people of Arizona — a process that has been quietly underway for two decades. The bill would also ensure that public officials, all of whom must swear an oath to the U.S. and state constitutions, understand that UN declarations have no legal authority.
Supporters of the legislation said it was important to recognize that the UN — critics regularly slam and ridicule the organization as a “dictators club” due to its mostly autocratic member regimes — should not be involved in setting policy for Americans. “I don’t think that we here in the states, under the Constitution of the United States, need other nations telling us what we need to do in our country that our people have fought for the freedoms that we have,” explained Republican state Sen. Chester Crandell.
However, speaking to the radical Huffington Post, which has long been waging a deceptive but largely unsuccessful campaign to drum up opposition to popular statewide bans on Agenda 21, a Democrat politician opposed to the measure resorted to lies, name calling, and fear mongering. State House Minority Leader Chad Campbell, a Democrat representing Phoenix, actually made among the most absurd claims to date about bi-partisan efforts to stop the UN scheme.
“You could shut down every government service in the state,” Rep. Campbell alleged falsely, apparently either deliberately lying or completely clueless — for perspective, Alabama banned Agenda 21 last year with an even more comprehensive law, yet all government “services” continue uninterrupted. Campbell also claimed it would be “helpful” if Gov. Brewer were to veto the legislation. It was not immediately clear what would be helped by a veto.
Finally, the Democrat leader resorted to childish name-calling — a typical tactic employed by people who have no facts or logic to stand on. Noting that Agenda 21 is being cited in Arizona by opponents of Obama’s lawless effort to impose a nationwide “Common Core” school curriculum, Campbell told the Huffington Post “reporter” that “it has gotten crazier.”
Despite generally staying on top of major Agenda 21-related developments, the far-left internet “news” site still refuses to inform its readers about the growing bi-partisan opposition to Agenda 21 or the fact that the regularly demonized “Big Business” community is fully behind the UN scheme. Genetically modified organism (GMO) powerhouse Monsanto just joined the pro-Agenda 21 club earlier this year. Comments attempting to point out those facts under the articles, however, are apparently regularly censored by “moderators.”
While UN proponents have tried to downplay the seriousness of the international scheme, the global body offers a concise summary on its website. “Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts (sic) on the environment,” the UN admits on its website, sparking suspicions from analysts who point out that virtually every aspect of human existence has some “impact” on the “environment.” The UN even claims carbon dioxide — a gas exhaled by everyone on earth — is a “pollutant” in need of a global CO2 regulation regime.
Of course, despite state Rep. Campbell’s hysterical antics, Arizona would not be alone in taking on the radical UN “sustainability” scheme. Last year, again under tremendous pressure from constituents across the political spectrum, Alabama lawmakers voted unanimously to completely ban UN Agenda 21 within the state. The bold, bi-partisan effort to protect private property and due process rights was celebrated worldwide as a major victory for individual liberty, national sovereignty, free markets, and more.
“The State of Alabama and all political subdivisions may not adopt or implement policy recommendations that deliberately or inadvertently infringe or restrict private property rights without due process, as may be required by policy recommendations originating in, or traceable to ‘Agenda 21,'” the wildly popular law states, adding a brief background on the UN plot. The people of Alabama acting through their elected representatives — not UN bureaucrats — must have the authority to develop the state’s environmental and development policies, the official synopsis of the law explains.
More recently, following states like Tennessee and Kansas, lawmakers in South Dakota adopted a resolution blasting the controversial UN scheme late last month as well. “The United Nations Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of extreme environmentalism, social engineering, and global political control,” the measure explains, adding that the controversial plan is being covertly foisted on America through various deceptive means.
“This United Nations Agenda 21 plan of radical so-called ‘sustainable development’ views the American way of life of private property ownership, single family homes, private car ownership and individual travel choices, and privately owned farms all as destructive to the environment,” the South Dakota resolution continues, citing UN documents. “According to the United Nations Agenda 21 policy, social justice is described as the right and opportunity of all people to benefit equally from the resources afforded them by society and the environment which would be accomplished by socialistic redistribution of wealth.”
The measure concludes by noting that the South Dakota legislature “recognizes the destructive and insidious nature of United Nations Agenda 21 and hereby exposes to the public and public policy makers the dangerous intent of the plan.” It also urges all levels of government — federal, state, and local — to reject the UN scheme, explaining that it has never been ratified by the U.S. Senate as required by the Constitution.
While lawmakers in Arizona were working to ban the UN plot, the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to approve an even stronger bi-partisan prohibition earlier this month. The Oklahoma bill, H.B. 1412, is also aimed at protecting state citizens from UN- or Agenda 21-linked government overreach — and even the erosion of unalienable rights such as ownership of private property and due process of law.
“The state or any political subdivision of the state shall not adopt or implement policy recommendations that deliberately or inadvertently infringe upon or restrict private property rights without due process, as may be required by policy recommendations originating in, or traceable to United Nations Agenda 21/Sustainable Development,” the legislation states. It also prohibits state or local government participation in imposing “any other international law or ancillary plan of action that contravenes the Constitution of the United States or the Oklahoma Constitution.”
A more comprehensive ban on Agenda 21 also made it out of the Arizona Senate and even a state House committee last year. However, the legislative session ended before the popular legislation ever reached the governor’s desk. Sources in the legislature said time for the House to act was running out again this time around — the session is set to end before May, though it could be extended. If needed, a special session could also be called.
Still, despite the ticking clock, activists in Arizona are hopeful that if enough pressure can be exerted on state representatives, the bill will make it to Gov. Brewer soon. The governor has not said whether or not she would sign it into law, but analysts say she has a decent record when it comes to taking on serious issues — even if it may upset President Obama or his allies at the UN. Numerous other states are working on similar efforts, but like in Arizona, success will depend on the work of grassroots activists.
Photo of Arizona State Capitol building in Phoenix, Arizona
Alex Newman is a correspondent for The New American, covering economics, politics, and more. He can be reached at anewman@thenewamerican.com.