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Sierra Club rejects immigration measure
AP ^ | 4/25/5 | KIM CURTIS

Posted on 04/25/2005 3:55:59 PM PDT by SmithL

SAN FRANCISCO - Sierra Club members Monday flatly rejected a change in the group's policies that would have advocated reducing immigration to the United States as a way to protect the environment.

The proposal was defeated by nearly 84 percent of the 122,308 members who voted, the club announced. About 16 percent of the club's more than 750,000 members cast ballots during voting that began in early March.

Members also elected five new members to the 15-member board of directors, which sets club policy and oversees the San Francisco-based organization's $100 million annual budget.

Sierrans for U.S. Population Stabilization, a network of club activists seeking stricter immigration limits, backed a "yes" vote and five of its own candidates; none won a board seat.

Advocates of stricter immigration said the U.S. population, now about 300 million, is expected to more than double this century if nothing is done to slow growth. They said overpopulation has led to a variety of environmental problems, including exploitation of resources, the erosion of wilderness areas and species extinction.

"I think there's a lack of understanding of the sheer magnitude of the problem," Dick Schneider, a supporter of the immigration proposal, said after its defeat. "The connection between population and environmental degradation is so clear-cut that it's a natural issue for the Sierra Club to be involved in."

Opponents, including many current and former club leaders, argued that wading into the politics of immigration would alienate allies such as labor unions and civil rights groups, and will not slow population growth worldwide.

"Our members have once again displayed great wisdom and made their views perfectly clear," Sierra Club president Larry Fahn said in a statement. "Now we can put our focus back where it is needed most, into strengthening communities and building alliances to protect our environment for our families and our future."

The vote against the immigration question was 102,455 to 18,998. Some members voted for directors but did not cast votes on the proposal.

The club, founded by famed conservationist John Muir in 1892, has debated its position on immigration for years and in 1998 voted to remain neutral.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; bayarea; environment; sierraclub; terrorists
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Proving that they're not about the environment, but rather promoting a leftist agenda.
1 posted on 04/25/2005 3:56:05 PM PDT by SmithL
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To: SmithL

I'm VERY interested in that 18,000 that didn't vote with the Useful Idiots.

Wonder if we can help create a new Conservative group with them.... Thoughts, anyone?


2 posted on 04/25/2005 4:00:59 PM PDT by The Spirit Of Allegiance (ATTN. MARXIST RED MSM: I RESENT your "RED STATE" switcheroo using our ELECTORAL MAP as PROPAGANDA!)
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To: SmithL

bttt


3 posted on 04/25/2005 4:01:08 PM PDT by BenLurkin (O beautiful for patriot dream - that sees beyond the years)
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To: SmithL

It also shows that they really aren't interested in solutions, but in perpetuation of the problems.


4 posted on 04/25/2005 4:03:16 PM PDT by TheMightyQuinn
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To: SmithL

Again the Sierra Club has put political correctness ahead of the eviorment and national security. :(


5 posted on 04/25/2005 4:03:43 PM PDT by undocumentedrat
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To: SmithL

The leopard reveals its spots.


6 posted on 04/25/2005 4:08:07 PM PDT by SpaceBar
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To: SmithL
Opponents, including many current and former club leaders, argued that wading into the politics of immigration would alienate allies such as labor unions and civil rights groups, and will not slow population growth worldwide.

"Now we can put our focus back where it is needed most, into strengthening communities and building alliances to protect our environment for our families and our future."

So their reasons for rejecting it were NOT to spare the U.S. environment, and in the next breath said we need to protect our environment for our families, who presumably live in the U.S.

Anyone else but me see a contradiction here? You'd think they'd do anything to protect the environment anywhere, including here in America but they're allowing their alliances with other political groups take precedence.

Do you need any more proof that caring for the environment is nothing more than a cover?

7 posted on 04/25/2005 4:08:37 PM PDT by Lizavetta
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To: SmithL
84% didn't bother participating in the vote one way or the other. That's because they are in Sierra Club for the magazine.

The internet is going to eventually extinguish that avenue of membership and reveal the Sierra Club for what it really is ~ a small clique of people who think they own the public lands in this country while believing you don't.

8 posted on 04/25/2005 4:09:08 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: SmithL
Opponents, including many current and former club leaders, argued that wading into the politics of immigration would alienate allies such as labor unions and civil rights groups, and will not slow population growth worldwide.

"Now we can put our focus back where it is needed most, into strengthening communities and building alliances to protect our environment for our families and our future."

So their reasons for rejecting it were NOT to spare the U.S. environment, and in the next breath said we need to protect our environment for our families, who presumably live in the U.S.

Anyone else but me see a contradiction here? You'd think they'd do anything to protect the environment anywhere, including here in America but they're allowing their alliances with other political groups take precedence.

Do you need any more proof that caring for the environment is nothing more than a cover?

9 posted on 04/25/2005 4:09:24 PM PDT by Lizavetta
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To: SmithL

What a bunch of phonies.


10 posted on 04/25/2005 4:11:26 PM PDT by truthkeeper (Yeah, I have a 1998 signup date. So?)
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To: Blurblogger
I'm VERY interested in that 18,000 that didn't vote with the Useful Idiots.
=======

Useful ???

.

11 posted on 04/25/2005 4:15:57 PM PDT by GeekDejure ( LOL = Liberals Obey Lucifer !!! -- Impeach Greer !!!.)
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To: SmithL

The "sierra club" is nothing more than a COMMUNIST front organization. It is Anti-American to the core!


12 posted on 04/25/2005 4:16:44 PM PDT by Don Corleone (Leave the gun..take the cannoli)
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To: muawiyah

I think you summed it up nicely.


13 posted on 04/25/2005 4:17:53 PM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: SwinneySwitch; HiJinx; KylaStarr; Cindy; StillProud2BeFree; nw_arizona_granny; Velveeta; Dolphy; ...

ping


14 posted on 04/25/2005 4:19:29 PM PDT by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: SmithL
They don't care about so-called "overpopulation." They just care that poor people are able to come here and be productive and become consumers of the wealth they help create. Better that they be malnourished elsewhere than live well here, they claim.
15 posted on 04/25/2005 4:19:43 PM PDT by Cultural Jihad
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To: SmithL

Are we surprised? They are leftists first, environmentalists second.

Just like NOW, which only stands up for a raped woman if the rapist was a Republican, or the ACLU, which only defends your freedom of speech if you are pro-abort.


16 posted on 04/25/2005 4:23:18 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: SmithL
For those who don't remember, the Sierra Club was rabidly anti-immigration in the 1960's. I archived their 1966 policy statements a few years ago so that I would still have them when they try to run from them.

They ran around for years condemning large families, screaming about overpopulation, environmental damage, blah blah. You couldn't open a newspaper without reading about it. Nixon mentioned overpopulation in a speech in 1969, and then appointed a commission on population chaired by Nelson Rockefeller. The conclusion? "The nation has no further need of population growth".

All of this pushed by the Sierra Club.

If it isn't obvious to everyone now that this organization is merely a leftist front organization, well, dunno what it would take...the only people they ever thought the country was overpopulated with was Americans.

17 posted on 04/25/2005 4:23:22 PM PDT by Regulator (Deport David Gelbaum)
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To: SmithL

Nearly all of the alphabet orgs. EPA, CDC, etc. and groups like the S. Club have been infiltrated by the commies. Notice their "public interest" slant, (phoney) and constantly running to court over anything they can think of.


18 posted on 04/25/2005 4:33:08 PM PDT by Waco
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To: SmithL

Any questions about these swine? No, ok let's never speak about them again.


19 posted on 04/25/2005 4:36:29 PM PDT by jmaroneps37 (In dealing with liberals remember When you wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty and he loves it.)
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To: Blurblogger

It would be better if you worked to support a conservative group among the elected Republicans, although probably harder to accomplish.


20 posted on 04/25/2005 4:42:08 PM PDT by jeremiah (In early reports, the sky did fall yesterday, and will fall again today......unless action is taken)
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