How and why journalists avoid the 'population connection'

 

Definition; "Root-Cause" ­

 

Analysis - systemic process to find the fundamental cause of a result.

 

Why do you suppose most Americans remain apathetic to unchecked population growth; adding 100 million people to our country in 33 years?

 

Is anyone in favor of more gridlock, cramming, jamming and congestion in our cities?

 

Who stands in favor of more air & water pollution created by that extra 100 million?

 

Who in their right mind supports water shortages, climate change, accelerated gridlock and worse ramifications caused by more people?

 

Surprise ! More than a few readers of this series refute the harsh realities presented.

 

Why is that ?

 

Carrying-Capacity is Finite; Reasonable Limits to Growth

 

Four years ago, I personally called U.S. Congressman Chris Cannon, (R-UT). He said, "America can easily hold one billion people."

 

I nearly fell out of my chair. It's almost beyond my understanding that anyone can be that stupid.

 

How and why do Americans live in such denial? For the life of me, I don't understand.

 

The imminent writer T. Michael Maher said, "Recent surveys and media stories show that Americans are less concerned about population than they were 25 years ago, and they aren't connecting environmental degradation to population growth."

 

Connecting environmental degradation to population growth

 

Maher said, "Using a random sample of 150 stories about urban sprawl, endangered species and water shortages, Part I of this study shows that only about one story in 10 framed population growth as a source of the problem. Further, only one story in the entire sample mentioned population stability among the realm of possible solutions. Part II presents the results of interviews with 25 journalists whose stories on local environmental problems omitted the causal role of population growth. It shows that journalists are aware of the controversial nature of the population issue, and prefer to avoid it- if possible."

 

"In 1992 the National Academy of Sciences and the British Royal Society issued a joint statement urging world leaders to brake population growth before it is too late."

 

That same year, 1,600 scientists (including 99 Nobel laureates) issued a statement warning all humanity that it must soon stabilize population and halt environmental destruction.

 

Also that year (1992), world leaders (to include Al Gore) ignored population growth as causative at the largest environmental summit in history, the U.N. Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 

Impacts of Population Growth; WHY are Americans so unaware

 

"Why are the American public and political leaders so indifferent about this issue that so concerns the world's leading scientists and environmentalists?

 

"Not because Americans are anti-environment: Another recent Gallup Poll (Hueber, 1991), showed that 78 percent of Americans considered themselves environmentalists and 71 percent favored strong environmental protection, even at the expense of economic growth.

 

Illusion; Disconnect from Truth

 

"How can Americans express strong concern about the environment, yet a diminishing concern about population growth, which many environmental experts consider the ultimate environmental problem?"

 

I see a disconnect from reality, based on our history of unlimited resources, land, water and air. We continue with the myth of limitless expansion.

 

Denial-101; Our U.S. Culture is Addicted, but to what ?

 

If we ignore limitless-expansion, like a child that places his/her hands over its eyes, the bad thing will vanish. Or, how about this ? ­ If we ignore the 'monster' called 'too many people'- since it's not killing us today, it can be ignored.

 

Ehrlich; "Why Isn't Everyone as Scared as We Are?"

 

Maher explained, "Population researchers Paul and Anne Ehrlich opened their book, "The Population Explosion," with a chapter titled, "Why Isn't Everyone as Scared as We Are?"

 

They acknowledged, "The average person, even the average scientist, seldom makes the connection between environmental problems and the population problem, and thus remains unworried."

 

But, while they noted that the evening news almost never connects population growth to environmental problems, the Ehrlichs chiefly blamed social taboos fostered by the Catholic Church and "a colossal failure of education" for public indifference about population."

 

How the Honest Experts Frame Environmental Causality

 

Maher reported, "With specific reference to habitat loss, Sears (1956), Jackson (1981), Myers (1991), Ehrlich and Ehrlich (1990), Harrison (1992) and many others have shown that population growth pushes people into taking over relatively pristine, natural environments.

 

Endangered species problems are frequently the flip side of this coin: when people convert wildlife habitat to their own habitat, they bulldoze trees, introduce chemicals, divert streams, build dams, alter the water table, and disrupt habitat in numerous other ways.

 

"While it is well known that environmental experts connect environmental degradation to population growth, it is less well known that land developers are equally straightforward in implicating population growth as a causal agent for turning wildlife habitat and farmland into subdivisions."

 

Maher said, "The due-diligence search turned-up many media pieces; 1,349 water shortage stories, 1,942 urban sprawl stories, and 6,001 endangered species stories. To be considered for coding, the story had to describe (even though root-cause was rarely mentioned) a population-driven environmental impact-conflict.

 

Why ignore the ROOT CAUSE ? A media sample.

 

Is there some intentional obfuscation going on here, or are the authors simply ignorant ?

 

Maher; "Of the 150-article sample, 16 (less than 11%) mentioned population growth as a cause of the environmental problem described in the story. Population growth appeared in eight urban sprawl stories, seven water shortage stories, and one story on endangered species.

 

"Although many scientific groups, environmental scientists and even land development experts agree that population growth is a basic cause of environmental change, media framing diverges widely from expert framing.

 

"Just over 10% of a Lexis-Nexis (before Google) sample of environmental news stories links human population growth to the environmental problems it affects.

 

"Even more significantly, only one story in a sample of 150 presents the view that limiting population growth might be a solution to environmental problems. Such stories effectively tell the reader: population growth affects environmental degradation, but population stability is too outlandish even to be mentioned as a policy option."

 

Let's ignore the Population Stabilization option, shall we ?

 

Ignoring that a stable population might be a smart long-term solution to environmental problems, news stories instead direct the public's attention to palliative solutions: build new dams to supply water, change zoning to prevent urban sprawl, set aside land for endangered species.

 

In my state of Colorado, the governor addressed the problem by building more dams, created more light-rail and built more lanes on I-25 and I-70. His actions caused more growth- that will 'hit the wall' as another six million people add themselves to Colorado's current five million in the next few years.

 

"In thousands of communities across America, population growth wreaks changes: a mobile home park displaces an orchard, a farmer loses his water rights to a city hundreds of miles away, an endangered reptile's last known habitat is threatened by a subdivision," Maher said.

 

"These and countless other population-influenced disruptions reduce wildlife habitat, rural solitude, water availability, and many other environmental qualities. But this study shows that only one news story in 10 connects these events to population growth."

 

Cover-up ?

 

Dear readers, I ask you- why in the world would an otherwise smart media collectively cover-up the obvious ?

 

In plain English, those writers entrusted with informing the American public, are instead passing the buck. But WHY ? What are the underlying motivations ?

 

For example, when high-level elected and appointed leaders play games that keep our borders open, and the criminals who employ the illegal-alien slave-labor class are not investigated and prosecuted, is that in any way connected to the rampant population growth ?

 

Are you told the truth ?

 

The U.S. Census Bureau, a captive tool of the U.S. Department of Commerce (a cabinet-level position) has told you that, in 2006 "only one million legal immigrants and one million undocumented immigrants" came to the U.S., and our total population reached 300 million in Oct 2006.

 

Meanwhile, respected experts told us that we gained two million legal immigrants (each of the competing fiefdoms reports separately; Departments of State, Labor, Commerce, Homeland Security, etc. Yes, that is 100% more than the official proclamation. The right-hand INTENTIONALLY doesn't know what the left-hand is doing.

 

The honest-accurate head-count of illegal-aliens who entered the U.S. in 2006;

 

· 2 million "visitors" who forget to go home when their visas expired, and

 

· 1.9 million who entered from-through Canada, and

 

· 2.1 million who entered through our 'leaky' seaports and over our unguarded shores & beaches, and

 

· 4.5 million who entered from-through Mexico. The DHS- C&BP reported that they "interdicted 1.1 million, which is 17-23% of those who attempted the crossing."

 

In the same reporting period, Vanderbilt University told us that the U.S. population reached 327 million in Oct 2006, and other respected experts told us that the "U.S. National Illegal-Alien Cohort" (includes all of their children and grand-children) reached 40 million at the same time.

 

Which version do YOU believe ?

 

We have been made to believe a giant lie, but why ?

 

What is the role of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce plays in this 'mystery ?'

 

In the meantime, your U.S. Senate proceeds to not only endorse and support massive illegal and legal immigration, the new S.B. 9 doubles the current 1 million legal immigrants annually to 2 million! In the Flake-Gutierrez Bill, the U.S. House is doing the same thing.

 

Think about it; if the current actual numbers (2006) saw 2 million legal immigrants (to include all 'exceptions') enter the U.S., what do the Senate and House bills actually mean in future impacts ?

Is somebody trying to hornswoggle YOU ?

 

Conventional wisdom has it that no one understands the horrendous consequences of runaway population growth, but I do- and you do.

How can that be ?

 

It won't be pretty when this "Human Katrina" of 100 million more Americans hits a mere 33 years from now. And, worse than that conservative estimate, respected experts are telling us that the 330 million now (April 2007) will be 400 million by 2015, and more than 500 million by 2025.

 

In any event, YOU have a role to play here. In a simple beginning, how about politely bugging your elected representatives in the U.S. Congress;

 

ü We need a single-point immigration-czar, cabinet-level (NOT Homeland Security or Labor or Commerce), NOW, and

 

ü We need a world-class, intelligent "U.S. National Immigration Strategic Plan," NOW, and

 

ü We MUST investigate and prosecute 99 greedy-criminals who employ illegal-aliens NOW, and

 

ü We need to implement a Ten-Year Immigration Moratorium, and totally control our borders, NOW.

 

Above I asked a key question, and left the answer hanging.

 

Is it coincidence that the member corporations of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are addicted to growth- and the U.S. electorate is addicted to growth ?

 

How, exactly, did that 'coincidence' happen ?

 

Simple; WE gave away the farm, and gave the reins to the politicians. We can decide, today, to take back control. Why not ?

 

Watch the wizards behind the curtain; find out WHY.

What you can do for a better future for your country:

A republican form of government is not a spectator sport. It means you must jump in, roll up you sleeves and take personal and collective action. Of course, you could let a dictator take over and do everything for you, but that path would give you Cuba, China, North Korea and other unsavory examples.

To stop Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid from giving an amnesty, take action.

CALL Nancy Pelosi: Washington, DC - (202) 225-4965

San Francisco, CA - (415) 556-4862 ; Email Nancy Pelosi

sf.nancy@mail.house.gov ; Email form for Nancy Pelosi; http://www.house.gov/pelosi/contact/contact.html

Senator Harry Reid: 202 224 3121 in Washington DC

775 686 5750 in Reno, NV;

George Bush

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW

Washington, DC 20500

comments@whitehouse.gov

Comments: 202-456-1111

Switchboard for live listener: 202 456 1414

Fax: 202-456-2461

We must 'sour the milk.' Bring out your points in the call:

1. America cannot support another 100 million people added to our country in 34 years, i.e., water crisis, resource depletion, air pollution, gridlock, loss of quality of life, etc.

2. America cannot support lawbreakers being given citizenship.

3. America must maintain our English language.

4. America wants only legal immigrants who play by the rules and speak English.

5. America's working poor deserve a chance at jobs taken by illegals.

6. America already has too many people and I support a 10 year moratorium on all immigration.

7. Americans must maintain our schools for our children.

8. We can no longer tolerate 350,000 birthright citizens (anchor babies) annually that subtract from our own citizens.

9. Attrition through enforcement by stopping their ability to wire money home, obtain rental housing and jobs.

10. An amnesty failed in 1986, and it will only be worse today. We're being displaced out of our jobs and out of our own country. Call with relentless and never-give-up passion.

To reduce illegal aliens in your community, you may follow the course of action by Mayor Louis Barletta of Hazelton, PA. He offers a bomb proof ordinance that takes business licenses away from those who hire illegals. He legally halts landlords from renting to illegals. Without work and without housing, illegals cannot stay in your community. Check out his website for instructions: www.SmallTownDefenders.com/public/node/6

Visit D.A. King at the www.thedustininmansociety.org to see how Georgia created the best laws to stop illegals at the state level.

Please check out William Gheen at www.alipac.us. He's a mover and shaker. He will direct you to specific actions that make you more powerful and effective.

To stop this invasion locally and nationally: join www.numbersusa.com for free and you can join www.fairus.org and www.thesocialcontract.com

Wooldridge presents a 45 minute program to colleges, high schools, civic clubs, church groups and political clubs across America titled: "COMING POPULATION CRISIS IN AMERICA: WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT." Go to his website for further information on booking the program. www.frostywooldridge.com

Check out www.populationmedia.org for an exciting method for creating overpopulation awareness in Third World countries. Their prime directive works with the media in order to educate and activate leaders and women worldwide.

Whether we like it or not, global warming is upon us. We can take action to correct it. Please join www.stopglobalwarming.org for up to the minute information and action items.

Awareness Campaign web site, www.mcs-global.org, which is purely to help save and protect human health and environmental health globally. Diana Buckland is founder and global coordinator at diana@mcs-global.org or dbucklan@bigpond.net.au. Diana makes impact all over the world by alerting everyone about chemical sensitivities caused by poisons sprayed, injected and applied to our crops and elsewhere.

From Part 5 of this series, "Destroying our oceans", if you would like to become involved please refer to <http://www.savetheoceans.org/>www.savetheoceans.org for a first rate lesson on how to take action in order to cleanse our oceans, restock our fish population, move toward recycling and cleanup of our world's most important living resource. Watch shows on PBS that expose where we threw two million tires into the waters off the East Coast and all the damage those tires are doing to marine life. You'll find out what you can do to have them raised from the deep. Additionally, check out www.greenpeace.org for actions at the national and international levels.

www.21stCenturyPaulRevereRide.us ; www.numbersusa.com ; www.carryingcapacity.org ; www.balance.org ; www.thesocialcontract.com

www.alipac.us at 1 866 329 3999; www.theamericanresistance.com ; www.ccir.net ; www.theByteShow.com ;  www.projectusa.org ; www.borderguardians.org ; www.immigrationwatchcanada.org ; www.mothersagainstillegalaliens.org ; www.unitedpatriotsofamerica.com ; www.unitedstates.fm ; www.worldfreedomtour.info ; My book: "IMMIGRATION'S UNARMED INVASION: DEADLY CONSEQUENCES" Call: 1 888 280 7715. http://www.TiANews.com ­ www.victimsofillegalaliens.org ; www.pacinlaw.org; http://USABorderAlert.com/http://SanDiegoBorderAlert.com ; for motorcyclists:

www.americanfreedomriders.com and www.immigrationbuzz.com ;

www.mcs-global.org ; On April 1, 2007, the Paul Revere Riders will again ride to stop the illegal invasion and accompany Arizona long haul truckers and motorcyclists in a freedom border ride to block illegal aliens from crossing our borders. We invite all veterans, truckers and bikers to join us. Contact Rusty Childress at www.immigrationbuzz.com and www.americanfreedomriders.com for further information. Please write with your ideas on what to name the ride.

Frosty Wooldridge possesses a unique view of the world, cultures and families in that he has bicycled around the globe 100,000 miles, on six continents and six times across the United States in the past 30 years. He presents a program to colleges, conferences, high schools and civic clubs around the country: "THE COMING POPULATION CRISIS IN AMERICA: WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT". His published books include: "HANDBOOK FOR TOURING BICYCLISTS" ; "STRIKE THREE! TAKE YOUR BASE" ; "IMMIGRATION'S UNARMED INVASION: DEADLY CONSEQUENCES" ; "MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURE TO ALASKA: INTO THE WIND-A TEEN NOVEL" ; "BICYCLING AROUND THE WORLD: TIRE TRACKS FOR YOUR IMAGINATION" ; "AN EXTREME ENCOUNTER: ANTARCTICA". His next book: "TILTING THE STATUE OF LIBERTY INTO A SWAMP". He lives in Denver, Colorado. frostyw@juno.com  

www.frostywooldridge.com