The San Antonio Tea Party continued a long tradition of mixing Texas politics with insane United Nations conspiracy theories this week, when it warned of a second Battle of the Alamo: the UN vs. the Tea Party.
“Texans should be aware that San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro may have started a new ‘battle of the Alamo.’ He has made some initial moves to allow the United Nations to influence and even manage the Alamo,” San Antonio Tea Party president George Rodriguez warned in late September. He was referring to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s decision to grant World Heritage status to the famed memorial.
“It is ironic that while many Texans across the state talk about the dangers of the UN’s Agenda 21, the Alamo, the very symbol of Texas liberty and freedom, may fall under U.N. influence,” he added.
The rumor stayed safely contained within the right-wing bubble until this week, when it was picked up by — you guessed it — conspiracy king Alex Jones.
“A blue UN flag may fly above the historic shrine of liberty once it falls under UN control,” Jones’ InfoWars warned, adding that the UN may restrict public access to the site “due to ‘environmental concerns,’” and that “sovereign jurisdiction means little when governments and the UN are completely interconnected.”
The outrage grew loud enough that Texas land commissioner Jerry Patterson — who is presumably aware that Mayor Castro’s office has literally nothing to do with the state-run national park, and that the UN is no more likely to seize control of the Alamo than it is to take over fellow UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon — felt compelled to dispel the rumors.
“Horse hockey,” Patterson said in a Texas-flavored statement.
Luckily for Patterson, Jones has already moved on to the next crazy conspiracy.
November 14, 2013 5:37 AM
