Dear Editor:
In response to 8/12/11 Commentary regarding Tea Party objections to our community being tied to ICLEI, consider these facts: Local government, residents, & businesses are capable of coming up with common sense ideas for energy efficiency and life style improvements that support our environment, without being tied to unknown, unelected “councils” from outside.
Also, taking grant money means tight strings and outside control over what should be local decisions over our local lives. I have used compact bulbs for over ten years because they save energy costs. I do not want energy audits in my home unless I call and ask for one. I also object to using children to control behavior of adults, as you mention is planned in the schools. We pay taxes for a real education, and that is not going as well as it could be, if there were more local control of education.
“Community planning” with ICLEI, goes a bit deeper, and as I understand, gradually, phases out the Right to Private Property by dictating where development can take place in smaller and smaller “clusters”as quoted in UN Agenda 21 documents. Some may think this is fine, but most people I’m sure, do not.
The 14th Principle in “Principles of Freedom 101″ is Life & Liberty Is Secure So Long As The Right To Private Property Is Secure.” It is our duty and responsibility as citizens to be informed. I believe most people are intelligent, well meaning, & reasonable. They may just be busy and a bit lazy about investigating controversial public policy on their own. It’s easier to follow along with seemingly harmless community plans with nice sounding names that no one can disagree with, with no indication of where they might lead or what the end goals are.
But imagine my surprise and disappointment to see “Tea Party and their ilk”. Ilk? Local citizens with concerns about our freedom and well being, who have done their homework?
“Kooky talk”, “Fringe movement” coming from an editor of this paper, of all papers, who has not done his homework and misses the point of the concerns of many people, about ICLEI.
-Kathleen Hall
