Here’s an excerpt from Asheville Citizen-Times column by John Boyle:
They’re coming to get you.
It’s hard to know exactly who “they” are at all times, but just remember: They’ve got their eye on you and your land, your possessions, your way of life, maybe even, I don’t know, your champion goat or your prized stamp collection.
Sorry for the sarcasm, but it’s hard not to indulge in a little during the silly season of politics when the extremists emerge to sow seeds of paranoia — and politicians play to those fears.
The latest inanity to take hold is the “Agenda 21” conspiracy theorists who believe the United Nations is coming after your land via code words such as “sustainability.”
Indeed, the United Nations does have an Agenda 21 plan that calls for “sustainable land development” and outlines methods for fighting poverty and improving health and environmental conditions in developing nations. But I don’t think you really have to worry about it here in the mountains.
That’s not stopping folks, though. At the Henderson County Tea Party candidates forum Tuesday, Republican congressional candidates Mark Meadows and Vance Patterson jumped into the Agenda 21 debate with both feet.
They need something to scare people with; since this group emerged (claiming to be ‘bipartisan, although they only endorse extremist Republicans), it’s been the ubiquitous blather about ‘taxes and regulations’ coupled with incessant and disrespectful charges against the President, attacks on American’s privacy, efforts to keep insurance companies and the Church between patients and doctors, attacking collective bargaining, creating bogus issues such as ‘voter fraud’ to disenfranchise Democratic-leaning voters, and a whole litany of extremist (and simplistic) views animated.