Streetsblog New York City

Yesterday, we couldn’t help poking fun at Glenn Beck’s red alert about the words he associates with an imaginary UN plot to take away our cars and our freedoms. But it gets better: Everyone’s favorite conspiracy-monger is touting his newest project — a “city-theme park hybrid” called Independence, USA that in some ways bears a shocking resemblance to the urbanism he sneers at, and in other ways seems far more coercive than the planning ideas he wants people to fear.

Wouldn’t you know it, this $2 billion master-planned community will be modeled after the walkable streets of Disneyland, without Disneyland’s fatal flaw, according to Beck — being overly “commercialized.”

Look at the video and read about what he has planned, and see if you don’t think it sounds just a little bit, I don’t know, collectivist. And please excuse the (many) typos; we didn’t change a thing from the original treatise:

The Marketplace would be a place where craftmen and artisan could open and run real small businesses and stores. The owners and tradesmen could hold apprenticeships and teach young people the skills and entrepreneurial spirit that has been lost in today’s entitlement state.

There would also be an Media Center, where Glenn’s production company would film television, movies, documentaries, and more. Glenn hoped to include scripted television that would challenge viewers without resorting to a loss of human decency. He also said it would be a place where aspiring journalists would learn how to be great reporters.

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Sure, we know the movement for “sustainable” transportation and development is a front for Agenda 21, a.k.a. The UN Plot to End Private Property in the United States. But what to do?

As with any battle, the first step is identifying the enemy. Fortunately (and none too soon), Glenn Beck has published a “comprehensive list of key words and phrases that are often used at the local level when discussing Agenda 21 related initiatives.”

You no doubt know the biggies like “Climate Change,” “Global Warming,” and “Prosperity.”  Here are less obvious dog-whistle terms to listen for at your next “town council” or “planning commission” meeting:

Greenways, High Speed Rail, Land Use Policies, Livable communities, Livable Communities, Local, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (this one is also kind of a biggie, actually), Mixed Use Development, Multi-Use Dwellings, Open Space, Parking Policy, Regional, Resilient Cities, Responsible development, Safe Routes to Schools (!!), Smart growth, Sustainable development, Traffic calming, Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Transportation Justice, Vehicle Mileage Traveled Tax, Vibrant Neighborhoods, Vision, Walkable Communities

Other watchwords include “Choice,” “Communities,” “Consensus,” “Fair,” and ”Common good.”

Above all, remember this: If you are in a “public meeting” or “public forum” and you hear the word “Outcomes,” resist! Scream and shout and don’t let up until the UN agents abandon their plot!

Click through for brother Glenn’s complete list, and be sure to buy his new book — essential reading to thwart responsible, vibrant tyranny!

Hat tip to brother Jason Henderson. / End transmission

If you haven’t been following the story of the Agenda 21 conspiracy theory, here’s a quick overview. Some people believe a two-decade-old, non-binding UN plan to promote sustainable development means the government is going to seize their land and cars and force them to live in tenements. The ultra-conservative John Birch Society says that Agenda 21 “seeks to curtail your freedom to travel as you please, own a gas-powered car, live in suburbs or rural areas, and raise a family.”

Despite its complete detachment from reality, the conspiracy theory seems to have influence and staying power. The Republican National Committee has condemned Agenda 21. The state of Tennessee passed a resolution against it (one legislator even said it would result in “forced abortions“). Colorado gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes infamously cited Agenda 21 as the basis of his opposition to Denver’s bike-share system. Tea Party adherents convinced that smart growth projects are a threat to their liberties have disrupted planning meetings all over the country. In Maine, Republican Governor Paul LePage halted an award-winning transportation and land use plan after one such outburst, though state officials denied that the decision was influenced by the conspiracy theorists.

Overall, a small percentage of Americans have been taken in by Agenda 21 paranoia, according to a survey commissioned by the firm Collective Strength, which does market research for many smart growth-related organizations. They found that 85 percent of Americans had never heard of Agenda 21, and only six percent oppose it.

“I genuinely believe the Agenda 21 phenomenon is highly manufactured,” Collective Strength’s Robin Rather told TreeHugger. “It’s not out there in the mainstream.”

She continued:

Usually when you listen to complaints like those of Tea Party members, there are different inflections, a much wider variation. But this isn’t organic and local, the same talking points come up everywhere. They are being played and used. The whole campaign serves no interest to anyone who isn’t trying to ensure that we keep burning as much fossil fuel as we can for as long as possible.

So who’s manufacturing the paranoia?

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