THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume VI, Issue # 164, July 24, 2004
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
DR. MICHAEL COFFMAN -- HIS FIGHT AGAINST A MASSIVE GOVERNMENT LAND GRAB:
A REPORT FROM THE FREEDOM21 CONFERENCE
By Alan Caruba
FULL STORY:
“They believe your land belongs to them,” said Dr. Michael Coffman, in addressing the Fifth Annual Freedom21 Conference
being held July 21-24, 2004, in Reno, Nevada. The author of several books, Dr. Coffman led the drive to defeat the proposal for U.S.
adoption of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
Citing Agenda 21, the basic land-grab plan adopted by the United Nations, Dr. Coffman told Conference attendees that the UN plan
mandates the control of land to prohibit human use and advocates the redistribution of the land’s assets, taking them from the
owners. This is incorporated in the UN Global Biodiversity Assessment, which, in turn, led to the “Wildlands Project,” a plan to
render fifty percent of the U.S. landmass “protected” against any human use.
Dr. Coffman brought this to the attention of the U.S. Senate and was instrumental in defeating its consideration. He warned,
however, that the essential elements of the plan were being implemented anyway by various levels of government in the U.S.A.,
citing, as an example at the federal governmental level, former President Bill Clinton’s creation of the Escalente National Reserves
“out of thin air,” with no vote or authorization by Congress, Other examples cited include a California plan called the Sierra Nevada
Ecosystem Wildlands, a plan designed to restrict use for any purpose. On the East Coast, “Highlands” plans are intended to
restrict land use from Virginia to Connecticut.
“All over the U.S.A., states and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are doing the same thing, buying up large tracts of land
and restricting their use. Thus, no natural resources can be extracted, nor can there be any farming or ranching activity, nor many
other normal forms of use. “When land owners discover that their land has been designated for this purpose, the value of their land
plummets” said Dr. Coffman, “and either the government or the NGOs come in and get it at far less than its original value.”
Dr. Coffman called those environmental organizations implementing these land grab programs “liars” who routinely deny their real
purpose and agenda. He warned against the growing use of “conservation easements” offered to land owners, easements which
eventually deny them the use of their land. Also cited was legislation passed in King County, Washington, that denied use of
sixty-five percent of land owned as private property.
The Wildlands Project and various comparable programs, said Dr. Coffman “are diabolical.”
Henry Lamb, the Conference organizer and President of Sovereignty International, also addressed the morning session, discussing
the falsehoods behind programs called “Smart Growth” and “Sustainable Development.” If successful, people would be forced to
live in “sustainable communities” said Lamb, warning that “Every State in this Union is in peril.”
“The ultimate purpose is to take control of people’s lives,” said Lamb. He urged Conference attendees to run for local office to
insure this would not happen, citing instances where sustainable development programs were reversed in this fashion. Sustainable
development, however, is supported from the highest level of government, beginning with the President’s Council on Sustainable
Development, initiated by former President Clinton. It is made up of Cabinet officers, representatives of environmental organizations,
and some people from business and industry. Lamb noted that former Enron President, Ken Lay, served on the Council.
“We are often laughed at when we discuss these things,” said Lamb, but it is no laughing matter, since the effort to gain control over
vast amounts of the nation’s land mass have been going on for years. Only in the past decade have efforts been made to organize
opposition. The Freedom21 Conference is in its fifth year. It is intended, said Lamb , “to advance the principles of freedom at every
level of government.”
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
Policy Issues Relating to Energy, Environment,
& Natural Resources
Alan Caruba is a veteran business and science writer, a Public Relations Counselor, Communications Director of the American Policy Center,
and Founder of the National Anxiety Center, a clearinghouse for information about media-driven scare campaigns. Caruba writes a weekly
column, "Warning Signs," posted on the Internet website of the National Anxiety Center
(www.anxietycenter.com). A compilation of his past columns, entitled Warning Signs, is published by Merril Press. In addition
to Warning Signs, Caruba is the author of A Pocket Guide to Militant Islam and The United Nations vs. the United States,
both of which are available from the National Anxiety Center, 9 Brookside Road, Maplewood, New Jersey, 07040.
Copyright 2004 Alan Caruba
Published with Permission of Alan Caruba
ACaruba@AOL.Com
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Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
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