What can we do?

People With a Say in our Future

American education is sorely lacking in its world view. For example, little is known by the typical citizen of the influential groups "in the know" who are influencing our futures, as nations and as people. They are not all bad to be sure. Neither are they all good. They exist mostly out of sight of the media; they have little or no oversight.

Links to some influential groups are provided for those interested.

Amnesty International "A worldwide campaigning movement that works to promote internationally recognized human rights... Mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of our work to promote all human rights."

Council of Foreign Relations "The Council on Foreign Relations, Inc., is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization devoted to promoting improved understanding of international affairs through the free exchange of ideas. The Council takes no institutional position on policy issues and has no affiliation with the US Government. The Council has four goals:

1. Add value to the public debate on international affairs.
2. Energize foreign policy discussions nationwide by making the Council a truly national organization with membership across the country.
3. Identify and nurture the next generation of foreign policy leaders.
4. Provide the interested public with reliable, clear, nonpartisan information on key international issues primarily via our website."

The Club of Rome "contributes to the solution of what it calls the world problematique, the complex set of the most crucial problems political, social, economic, technological, environmental, psychological and cultural - facing humanity... [Principal activity is to] demonstrate the intellectual capacity of the Club of Rome, to transfer ideas to the public, to raise new issues, and to initiate debates by conferences and reports." See also: Limits to Growth

Bilderberg Group An off-the-record international forum where different viewpoints can be expressed and mutual understanding enhanced. Consists of about 120 of the most influential men and women on earth. This is a most controversial group. It is alternately credited with restructuring Europe after WW II to fostering American Imperialism, or alternately, as being a century behind in outlook to being a most valued forum for moving forward. Closed meetings are the rule and the basic reason for criticism. Unless this group goes public with its proceedings it will always be so.

"The Trilateral Commission was formed in 1973 by private citizens of Japan, Europe (European Union countries), and North America (United States and Canada) to foster closer cooperation among these core democratic industrialized areas of the world with shared leadership responsibilities in the wider international system. Originally established for three years, our work has been renewed for successive triennia (three-year periods), most recently for a triennium to be completed in 2003."

Royal Institute of International Affairs "The Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA), also known as Chatham House, is one of the world's leading institutes for the analysis of international issues. RIIA is membership-based and aims to help individuals and organizations to be at the forefront of developments in an ever-changing and increasingly complex world." This group was formed in 1920.

The Sierra Club "Inspired by nature, we work together to protect our communities and the planet. The Club is America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization."

Not surprisingly, all of the groups have come under fire from special interest groups as well as the Third World.