Runnymede Institute

Oldy but Goody on Globalist Stooge Mik ‘Mark of the Beast’ Gorbachev>

State of the World Forum
From William Jasper 1996

. . . an event of another sort (and of arguably much greater consequence) was getting under way with considerably less attention: “The State of the World Forum,” a planetary confabulation sponsored by the Gorbachev Foundation. Held atop the city’s famed Nob Hill at the luxurious Fairmont Hotel, the forum brought together a glittering constellation of global notables representing the epitome of worldly power, prestige, fame, wealth, and influence: presidents, princes, potentates, philanthropists, poets, philosophers, and poohbahs. (They meet again this year, 1998—B Weeks)

Who’s Who: “The weighty seriousness and ambitious reach of the conference indicated by the title of the event — “Toward a New Civilization: Launching a Global Initiative” — were underscored by the list of attendees, a veritable Who’s Who of Wall Street, the Trilateral Commission, the World Economic Forum, the Aspen Institute, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Club of Rome, the Bilderbergers, the Politburo, the Commission on Global Governance, the World Future Society, and other Insider bastions of power.

Among the 400-plus eminent personages from 50 countries who flocked to the five-day affair (September 27th-October 1st) were former Secretaries of State James Baker and George Shultz (both co-chairs of the forum), former President George Bush, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, President Askar Akaev of Kyrgystan, former President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica, Prime Minister Tansu Ciller of Turkey, Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel, former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, and South African Vice President Thabo Mbeki.

Additional participants included: Worldwatch President Lester Brown; New Age gurus Fritjof Capra, Jeremy Rifkin, Willis Harman, Deepak Chopra, Robert Muller, and Matthew Fox; Marxist poetess Rigoberta Menchu; Earth Council president and billionaire eco-warrior Maurice Strong; Microsoft wizard Bill Gates; media mogul Rupert Murdoch; futurists Alvin Toffler and John Naisbitt; Senator George Mitchell; Archer Daniels Midland CEO Dwayne Andreas; computer tycoon David Packard; Esalen founder Michael Murphy; motivation superstar Tony Robbins; Men’s Wearhouse CEO George Zimmer; chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall — not to mention Zbigniew Brzezinski, Carl Sagan, John Denver, Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Weaver, Ted Turner, Jane Fonda, Theodore Hesburgh, Timothy Wirth, Max Kampleman, Milton Friedman, Randall Forsberg, Saul Mendlovitz, and Alan Cranston.

Overseeing the entirety of this summit of the anointed was, of course, Mikhail Gorbachev himself. The purpose of the convocation, he proclaimed, was to “launch a multi-year process, culminating in the year 2000, to articulate the fundamental [world] priorities, values, and actions necessary to constructively shape our common future.” And who better to kick off an ostentatious extravaganza of that sort than global media titan and former “Humanist of the Year” Ted Turner. Identifying himself as a “great student of history” and a long-time friend of Gorbachev, Turner praised the “ex-Communist” and former dictator for ending the Cold War, which he acclaimed as “the greatest accomplishment in the history of humanity.” “Now, with the Cold War behind us,” said Ted, “this forum’s job is to help chart the way for humanity.”

. . .But drastic measures are needed, says Gorby. The traditional political structures “no longer respond to the needs of an interdependent world. The political culture that we inherited from the past stands in the way of efforts to unite mankind’s resources in the face of global challenges.”

Mere transformation of political structures, however, is far from adequate. “We are in dire need of redefining the parameters of our society’s economic, social, political, and spiritual development,” the Soviet seer told his worshipful votaries. “Indeed, we have to reinvent the paradigm of our existence, to build a new civilization.” It was a rehearkening to other familiar themes Gorbachev has sung: “developing a global consciousness,” “embracing the task of spiritual renewal,” launching “the next phase of human development.” An awesome undertaking, to be sure. Fortunately for us, he is graciously willing to enlighten and minister to our darkened souls as well as our sick body politic. How does he propose to do this? Comrade Gorbachev proposes to “set up a kind of United Nations Council of Elders.”

It was in this “Elder” capacity that Gorbachev offered the next part of his lecture. “Civilization will shift and new values and new ways of life will be needed to find real solutions to the problems of our environment, a way out of the ecological crisis,” the sage of Moscow told his San Francisco gathering. Then came the punch line:

“Gradually we will have to achieve a change of emphasis in the archetypal dilemma: to have or to be; to change the nature of consumption.” “Perhaps it is a little risky in this country to speak about that,” he beamed to a titter of audience chuckles. “We have to change the nature of consumption. And I have much to say about that here.”

Compassion Con He certainly did have much to say on the topic, as did many of the other participants during the course of the forum. What was most amazing was that no one gagged or guffawed at the brazen effrontery and hypocrisy of the sainted one’s sermonizing on conspicuous consumption while his rapt audience feasted on a sumptuous array of epicurean comestibles fit for royalty: smoked trout salad, filet of beef in shashlik marinade, and a dessert of panna cotta with autumn fruit. . . Getting to the crux of the matter, Gorbachev pontificated: “We have to, I believe, gear consumption more to people’s cultural and spiritual needs. Also, through culture and education and within the framework of laws we shall have to address the problem of controlling the world’s population.” And control, of course, as always, is the key word and concept here. Control. Power. . . . .

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