We spent the day at Terezin concentration camp just 40 miles from Prague, Czech Republic today.  Terezin was an existing town that had been used as a garrison and prison for hundreds of years -complete with a moat and fortifications--when the Nazis chose to use it as a collection center for Jews from all over Central Europe in 1941.  Existing residents of the town were relocated so that the entire fortified town could be used to house Jews prior to their further transfer to the work and murder 'camps'.

What makes Terezin unique among concentration camps is that it was a 'show' camp.  In order to hide the truth---that Jews were being murdered---Nazis perpetuated the lie that they were being relocated to new towns where they would be happy and able to live wonderful ives far from the disapproving eyes of others.  

People in Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Hungary, Moldavia, Czechoslovakia, and Germany had been prepared for the isolation of their Jewish neighbors by the Nazi restrictions on the Jews' daily interactions.  At first Jews were restricted to shopping just two hours a day, could not do business for more than a couple of hours a day, could not date a non-Jew, could not marry or do business with a non-Jew...as they were squeezed out of the normal transactions of life, the Jews were seen more as 'the other' and less as 'the neighbor.'  It was easy to identify them because Jews were forced to wear a yellow cloth star with the word Jew written on it pinned to every article of clothing.  

Yes, you say, impatiently.  Yes, I know all of that.   So what?  What does this have to do with Agenda 21?

Collection centers were used to concentrate Jews into central areas of Europe so that they could be moved more easily to the murder locations.

The Nazis never told them where they were going, never told the world what they were doing, never admitted to it.  As long as there was uncertainty about the purpose of the concentration camps the Nazis could continue to move populations without panicking them.  People who were being relocated, Jews, could believe that they were just being taken to a new town or work site where they would be treated decently, and there would be no need to fight against the relocation.  Why not go peacefully and with dignity?

By the time they knew what the true destination was it was too late.

The Nazis were clever.  They made propaganda films at Terezin, the concentration camp.  They used famous Jewish film directors who were prisoners, famous actors, musicians, and designers to make these films in order to fool the world.  They even remodeled some of the rooms at Terezin to make them look more pleasant, for the cameras.  These rooms were opened when the Red Cross came to inspect, and then closed again when they left.  In fact, when the Nazis knew that the Red Cross was coming they planted flowers and trees, and fed the children and provided services for the adults---but just for the time before and during the Red Cross visits.  Afterwards the Jews were taken to be murdered.

So what is the point?

Governments lie.  Is Smart Growth just another name for a collection center?  It is a concentration center for populations.  We don't know what these centers will be used for in the future.  Restricting our mobility, setting up trains, increasing surveillance, monitoring our energy usage, watching our children, tracking our movements, our purchases, our healthcare, our education...ratcheting up the restrictions.  This is Sustainable Development.

On this day, September 11, 2013, the president of the United States is advocating for the invasion of yet another country.  What is your government capable of?  Will the next targeted group be those who refuse to cooperate?