Common Purpose

[Lovenotfear]

Hey, does anyone know if the organization/charity, "common purpose" has any foothold in the IOM yet?

[jehovah]

http://www.tpuc.org/node/107

I certainly hope not.

[John Wright]

There is no common purpose. Its a conspiracy theory figment of the imagination of one John James Harris who runs the web site on the link above

 

I would be much more worried abot the activities of JJ Harris than of the EU, he and his conspiracy theory friends, are at the extreme right of British politics and if not in or of the BNP certainly consort with it

[alpha-acid]

Sounds like the next new Conspiracy Theory

 

[bluemonday]

[Chinahand]

There is no common purpose. Its a conspiracy theory figment of the imagination of one John James Harris who runs the web site on the link above

Cough

[John Wright]

oops

 

I should have said with "aims as set out by Mr Harris".

[Freggyragh]

From a quick glance at the website it is clear that the 'common purpose' conspiracy is crackers. On the other hand, the way European governments have been pushing to deliver a federal superstate as a fait accompli - with hardly any discussion or explanation, is worrying. It is not too much of a stretch to say that the UK has Sinn Fein to thank for its independence - Ireland was the only member of the EU to allow a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty - Sinn Fein was the only mainstream party to campaign for a No vote. If the vote had been won by the Yes camp then, in effect, all 27 members would have been in a position to ratify a treaty that would have created a new European Union profoundly different from the EU established by the 1992 Maastricht Treaty. Lisbon would have meant an effective end to parliamentary sovereignty in the UK - leaving the UK about as much autonomy as Texas enjoys within the US, or Bavaria within Federal Germany. The EU would have acted as a state in its own right, signing international treaties, had its own embassies and diplomatic service, a voice at the UN, and all UK citizens would have woken up after ratification to find that their rights and duties as European Citizens were superior to their rights and duties as British citizens, and any conflict between these rights would have to be settled in the EU Court of Justice - not the House of Lords. The lack of clarity of the Treaty itself, and the lack of discussion about its consequences was bound to provoke 'common purpose' conspiracy nuts, because the way the whole process has been handled is hardly believable.

[Hermes]

The BNP is one of the leading groups kicking up a fuss about Common Purpose in the UK, and we know that they are active in the Isle of Man to some degree, and also active on ManxForums.

 

If anyone here has the stomach to look at the BNP website, then they will get the idea.

 

Please don't post any links there on this website, though. It will only encourage them...

[bluemonday]

So that explains all the men striding round Douglas with big boots and leather jackets this week.

[Chinahand]

As ever with posts by Lovenotfear I am unclear of the point he is trying to make.

 

He is a prowler of the more conspiritorial-believing areas of the internet and it looks like various fringe organizations are fixated on Common Purpose - anyone know why?

 

On the face of it they look like the sort of organization PAG would invite to give a speech - lots of consultant speak, and a big contacts list - sounds highly sinister to me (not) - but who knows they could be the Elders of Zion in league with the KKK.

[bluemonday]

Beware Chinahand, the Lizard Masters are watching you...........

[Skeddan]

It’s not exactly clear what ‘Common Purpose’ is about, but one might be tempted to draw some conclusions from what they say on their website:

 

In every democracy, there is an invisible, open space. It lies between the citizen and the state. … It is political, but not party political: a place where people come together and act for a greater good.

 

[when] this space is empty People … leave the decisions to the governments they elect.

 

[when] this space is full. It teems with individuals, businesses, community organisations and political groups. They oppose and propose. And, free from the short-term pressures of the election cycle, they can think and act for the longer term and in the wider interest.

 

At Common Purpose, we have a passionate belief in the importance of this space. .. Involving the best leadership from all parts of the community, not just from the people we elect.

 

We develop leaders who can lead beyond their authority, beyond their direct circle of control. Who can lead networks as well as organisations. Who can produce change even when they can't instruct or elicit trust in familiar ways.

 

The leaders of this civil society are likely to be leaders already within their own areas: companies, hospitals, communities. But they need to see themselves as leaders of society too - and use their talents accordingly.

 

We aim to open people's eyes. Show them where the levers of power are and how they work. … Introduce them to their peers in other fields. …. Harness energy and focus talent. Build teams with greater strength than the sum of the individuals within them.

 

Adhere strictly to the Chatham House Rule of confidentiality

 

Whether or not this is what is intended, one might be forgiven for interpreting this as:

 

Common Purpose seeks to fill an invisible political space with a ‘network of leaders’ dedicated to a higher purpose, free from democratic accountability and meeting under rules of secrecy who will ‘lead beyond their authority’ and harness the ‘levers of power’ (even though they cannot elicit trust in familiar ways) so that decisions are no longer left to the democratically elected government.

 

In short, it could perhaps give one the impression that this organisation is setting out to be a bit like P2 (Propaganda Due) was in Italy. Political power networks like P2 can be enormously attractive and powerful, and ‘Common Purpose’ might give the impression of trying to be a ‘friendly’ form of this.

 

(I imagine P2 also claimed to be acting for the ‘greater good’ and ‘wider interest’ and such nebulous terms shouldn’t give much comfort).

 

I really have no idea whether or not this is a fair reflection of their ‘manifesto’, or what their agenda for the 'greater good' is (and for whom), or what they are about, but given what little information is available on their website I don’t think one can draw any conclusions – whether this is benign, or an organisation which might develop into something to give legitimate cause for concern. (Would anyone venture that P2 was just the figment of the imagination of conspiracy theorists?)

 

I'd also be wary of jumping to conclusions simply because the far right website has effectively 'poisoned the well' so discrediting any concerns raised over CP through guilt by association. That crackpot rant shouldn't lead one to draw conclusions either way.

 

John – you seem to be fairly adamant that there is nothing untoward about Common Purpose and to dismiss any such suggestion as conspiracy theory. Can you share with us the information you have which leads you to this conclusion?

[Lovenotfear]

As ever with posts by Lovenotfear I am unclear of the point he is trying to make.

 

He is a prowler of the more conspiritorial-believing areas of the internet and it looks like various fringe organizations are fixated on Common Purpose - anyone know why?

 

On the face of it they look like the sort of organization PAG would invite to give a speech - lots of consultant speak, and a big contacts list - sounds highly sinister to me (not) - but who knows they could be the Elders of Zion in league with the KKK.

 

Well thats a little presumptuous china, what is it you are unsure about in my point?

I am just asking if they are involved in any activities!!! Are you not allowed to ask questions anymore?

[jimbms]

So that explains all the men striding round Douglas with big boots and leather jackets this week.

No they are over for Amedeus birthday bash