activistpost--2020-09-08--Firefighters’ Testimony on Cell Towers and 5G is Not Favorable (California)

For many years , firefighter unions have been opposed to cell towers and antennas being installed at their stations due to health and safety risks ( see 1 , 2 , 3 ) .
If some of America ’ s strongest and bravest are opposed to cell towers and 5G being installed in close proximity to where they spend long periods of time – it would seem logical that most people would be opposed to them being installed within close proximity to where they and their loved ones spend long periods of time , right ?
Recently , firefighter opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again at a California council meeting .
Numerous testimonies against 5G were presented to the Malibu City Council at their Monday , August 24 , 2020 Meeting .
Medical Writer Susan Foster sent EHT her testimony to the Malibu City Council to share .
Foster was instrumental in working with firefighters on the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS Official Position Against Cell Towers on Fire Stations passed in 2004 .
She was also the organizer of a brain study of firefighters exposed to RF radiation from a cell tower adjacent to their fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brain damage .
Read her affidavit here .
Firefighter groups in the United States have long opposed cell towers on their stations .
Not only that , but in California firefighters have lobbied for and sometimes achieved certain exemptions from forced placement of towers on their stations because of their strong opposition due to health concerns from the radiation .
Firefighters have long contended they are willing to risk their lives for their fellow citizens ; they are unwilling to risk deadly consequences as a result of living with cell towers on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What exemptions were California firefighters fought for that that stopped cell towers on their stations ?
• AB57- Firefighters have gotten an exemption to have cell towers on or adjacent to their facilities .
This was codified in California ’ s 2015 legislation AB57 .
.
” Section 65964.1 .
( f ) Due to the unique duties and infrastructure requirements for the swift and effective deployment of firefighters , this section does not apply to a collocation or siting application for a wireless telecommunications facility where the project is proposed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • SB649- They also received an exemption in California ’ s SB649 ( 2018 ) , a bill which was .
– 65964.2 .
“ ( a ) A small cell shall be a permitted use subject only to a permitting process adopted by a city or county pursuant to subdivision ( b ) if it satisfies the following requirements : … .
( 3 ) The small cell is not located on a fire department facility.
” On Monday evening , August 24 , 2020 I spoke to you regarding the firefighter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a study conducted by Gunnar Heuser , MD , PhD of six firefighters in the Santa Barbara area who had been exposed to a 2G cell tower in front of their station for 5 years .
All six men were found to have brain abnormalities on SPECT brain scans .
Beginning the day the tower was activated , firefighters began experiencing the following symptoms : • Inability to go to sleep • Waking up as if they had been anesthetized All of these men were healthy prior to activation of the tower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wireless carrier that there were no ill effects from the technology .
When the firefighters complained to the carrier that they were ill and unable to function in their jobs at maximum capacity , they were told the tower was well within the FCC guidelines .
On Monday evening I told you that the tower was measured at 1/1000th of what the FCC allows .
Rather than reassurance , this is deeply concerning because what it tells us is that the men who passed rigorous cognitive and physical exams before entering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was placed in front of their station at a fraction of what the government allows .
When the strongest of the strong among us become ill at a fraction of what the government permits , what about children , what about pregnant women , what about women in general because their body mass is smaller than men , what about the elderly , the infirm , those fighting cancer , neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer ’ s and those with immunosuppression and autoimmune deficiencies .
I would like to address Councilmember Karen Farrer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jonathan Kramer .
The attorney was asked whether or not the firefighters had received an exemption and he said no .
That is not the whole truth .
There is a minor exemption for fire stations in AB 57 which did pass and was signed into law by Gov .
Brown .
The exemption referenced by earlier speakers in the evening is likely a reference to an exemption that was granted to the firefighters from 5G small cells in SB 649 which would have been California ’ s 5G law , had it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This bill was vetoed by Gov .
Brown in October 2017 .
AB 57 , which we did become law , exempts projects on fire department facilities from the “ deemed approved process ” , meaning an applicant can not use the simple notice process to obtain a deemed approval ; the applicant would have to go to court .
“ Health ” is not the stated reason for the fire facilities exemption ( as technically that would have been illegal ) , though that is the specific reason the firefighters went for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The law explains the rationale for the exemption as being “ [ d ] ue to the unique duties and infrastructure requirements for the swift and effective deployment of firefighters ” .
See Gov .
Code 65964.1 ( d ) .
( f ) Due to the unique duties and infrastructure requirements for the swift and effective deployment of firefighters , this section does not apply to a collocation or siting application for a wireless telecommunications facility where the project is proposed for placement on fire department facilities .
SB 649 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an exemption to fire stations with the following wording .
Again , his bill was vetoed by Gov .
Brown in October 2017 so the exemption to having small cells on fire department facilities did not become a reality .
: ( a ) A small cell shall be a permitted use subject only to a permitting process adopted by a city or county pursuant to subdivision ( b ) if it satisfies the following requirements : ( 1 ) The small cell is located in a public right-of-way in any zone or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or industrial use .
( 2 ) The small cell complies with all applicable federal , state , and local health and safety regulations , including the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C .
Sec .
12101 et seq. )
.
( 3 ) The small cell is not located on a fire department facility .
Attorney Jonathan Kramer may be unaware of the 300 foot setback from 5G towers for fire stations in San Diego County .
That exemption for fire stations in San Diego County was passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supervisors on August 7 , 2019 and was an addition to their Small Cell Ordinance .
The wording is as follows : • 3 .
In order to reduce clutter and maintain the aesthetic quality and community character of certain civic and community uses , SCWs in the right-of-way shall not be located within 300 feet of schools , child care centers , hospitals , religious facilities , fire stations , or sheriff stations unless the applicant demonstrates that compliance with this requirement would be technically infeasible .
Distance , without regard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line measured from the closest property lines .
I am going to take exception to what Jonathan Kramer said in his response to Councilmember Ferrar ’ s question regarding the firefighter exemption .
He said , in effect , firefighters/fire stations welcome the towers because the towers were placed where they needed to be .
Frankly , this is what the telecommunications industry says .
This is not what the firefighters say .
Mr. Kramer used FirstNET as an example .
This is simply not true .
FirstNET towers were targeted for fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were not invited by the firefighters nor the fire departments .
FirstNET was initially promoted as a First Responders emergency services network , a project promoted through FEMA .
Fire stations were targeted for these 120 foot towers that were going to be used in part for a First Responders telecommunications network .
In addition , FirstNET towers rent out space on the structures to commercial carriers as well provide space for Homeland Security .
In 2015 , I received a call from Lew Currier , Head of Health and Safety for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County .
Lew Currier told me the firefighters were very concerned because of complaints from some stations with cell towers where the men were already sick , including some stations where non-presumptive cancers were present ( i.e .
cancers not typically related to firefighting risks ) .
I will never forget listening to Lew Currier describe the firefighters ’ reactions to hearing that over 250 fire stations in Los Angeles were going to get hit with these towers .
They did not want to be used to facilitate a communications network that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember asking Lew Currier what communications problems they were having that would warrant this brand-new emergency system on a massive scale built throughout the country .
His response : “ We don ’ t have any communications problems.
” The firefighters felt they were being used and I believe they were .
I worked with Lew Currier – providing studies and letters from experts – as the firefighters in Los Angeles County and City joined forces along with the sheriff and police unions in an extremely united front not only in Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
After a tremendous lobbying effort by the combined unions , Los Angeles County and City greatly reduce the number of fire stations that were going to get hit with FirstNET towers and in the end AT & T towers have contracted with the federal government to carry part of the FirstNET signal across the country .
Not every fire station was spared but many were .
It was in the midst of this FirstNET fight the firefighters began lobbying for an exemption to the 5G towers .
Jonathan Kramer may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make deals with telecom because the chiefs are charged with bringing in revenue to the cities/counties .
But every chief has to be mindful of the fact that he or she is making such a deal with a potentially deadly trade-off .
As members of the Malibu City Council in the face of the FCC directives , you are not in an enviable position because you have been left with very little ability to protect your residents .
And clearly your residents are calling out for protection with respect to multiple concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and loss of local control .
Jonathan Kramer appeared to be taking the FCC strict interpretation of Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 when he said you can not talk about health .
Other attorneys I have spoken with such as Scott McCullough from whom you heard Monday night and Ariel Strauss who assisted the residents in the City of Encinitas have described this restriction as not being quite as prohibitive as Jonathan Kramer indicated .
It is my understanding from the attorneys I just mentioned that some of your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can not prohibit the placement of towers based on health concerns .
The concerns regarding these towers are many and one of my greatest concerns is fire .
This is a safety concern and therefore on the table for discussion and action if necessary , according to even the strictest FCC interpretation .
I wrote the fire section for the Encinitas Ordinance under the oversight of Ariel Strauss and would be happy to help Malibu borrow from the Encinitas Ordinance .
We took from and added to the existing Sebastopol Ordinance which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would invite you to take from what we have already researched and incorporated into existing ordinances .
I served as a consultant on the Encinitas Ordinance , having lived in neighboring Rancho Santa Fe for 32 years .
We learned from experts we sought out that there are several fire risks inherent in the cell towers themselves .
One risk has to do with smart meters within the 4G towers and some of the 5G towers .
4G is needed for 5G to work and unless all the carriers are functioning under a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measured by a smart meter within a large number of cell towers .
You may already be very well aware that smart meters can cause fires .
What we learned from our experts was that under certain circumstances the surge protection in smart meters is inadequate .
Smart meters utilize what is called a “ varistor ” as surge protection for up to around 350 V. That is the level of surge protection you would have typically find in a television set .
It is inadequate for smart meters in the following circumstances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the multi-thousands of volts .
In those cases , the varistor would be inadequate .
Another time electrical surges are an issue are when 1 ) power has been lost and restored ; and 2 ) during Santa Ana or El Diablo wind events , utilities may decide to turn power off and on in an effort to avoid sparks that could cause a fire .
In a dangerous twist of irony , the act of turning the power off and back on again may trigger surges the varistor can not hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a small percentage of the cases where this happens , likely 1 % – 2 % , electrical fires can be triggered .
Another circumstance in which electrical fires can be triggered almost 100 % of the time is if the “ connector ” linking the power supply to the antenna itself is not replaced .
This part should be replaced every 3 to 5 years but certainly closer to the 3-year mark if the towers are exposed to salty air ; this describes part of your County .
Our electrical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the time an electrical fire will ensue if connectors are allowed to corrode and the electrical supply is not held in place .
The 2007 Malibu Canyon Fire was determined to be caused by wireless equipment on a utility pole .
I don ’ t have to remind you of the tragedy of that fire .
I do not have a high degree of confidence that there has been a substantive change in maintenance among the wireless carriers .
I believe for this reason and so many others that indemnification by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollar amounts of insurance per instance and in the aggregate should be considered for Malibu .
You have the right to ask for both .
Lloyd ’ s of London and Swiss Re have long refused to indemnify for RF radiation harms .
These leading insurance companies are concerned about the eventual litigation that will come when the law has been adjusted to favor citizens/consumers as opposed to telecommunications companies .
Thus , the telecom industry is self-insured and you can make of that what you will .
I believe Encinitas was able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a pollution insurance company that did cover for RF radiation .
During the Monday evening hearing , attorney W. Scott McCullough had some extremely legitimate suggestions for legally slowing and controlling the placement of 5G small cells in Malibu .
I recall a comment , I believe it was made by Mayor Pro Tem Skylar Peak , that given the speed of the 5G buildout you are witnessing in Malibu , a focus on the ordinance may be an urgent matter .
In my opinion , this is correct .
I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towers were permitted for their stations for 19 years .
I will continue to speak out about the firefighter/cell tower study and assist firefighters as long as I am able .
As a medical writer and an Honorary Firefighter with the San Diego Fire Department , these men and women are my priority .
When our First Responders are compromised , society itself is unsafe .
You should know that the industry has not conducted a single safety study on 5G .
Representatives from the major wireless carriers testified to that effect before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They did not anticipate committing any funds to study the effects of this exponential increase in radiation to the population .
Thank you for the opportunity to speak .
I wish you the best of luck and I do hope that the Malibu City Council passes a resolution condemning the FCC ’ s evisceration of local control & the rollout of a completely untested 5G technology , thereby turning the residents of Malibu into test subjects .
Hopefully from this tragic mistake our legislators in Washington DC will start to read wireless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heavy Lobbying- Lawmakers Agree To Block Cell Towers Near Fire Stations – Not Schools Watch the video below of an important investigation highlighting the California firefighters opposition to cell towers .
Firefighter Union Local 1014 Message on Cell Towers and how our members can help and get involved The Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) is supposed to protect the public by regulating the telecom industry .
Their history of catering to the industry at the expense of the public pre-dates the Trump administration .
Despite research proving harm , they refuse to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines .
Lawsuits have been filed against them for NOT protecting Americans from unsafe levels of radiation as well as 5G deployment on land ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) and in space .
Federal agencies and other experts have also warned that 5G can threaten national security , public safety , and weather forecasting accuracy ( see 1 , 2 , 3 ) .
In 2019 telecom executives gave U.S. congressional testimony that they had NO scientific evidence that 5G is safe .
The majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it ’ s safe .
Cities worldwide AND entire countries have taken action to ban , delay , halt , and limit installation AS WELL AS issue moratoriums ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ) .
Since 2018 there have been reports of people and animals experiencing symptoms and illnesses after 5G has been turned on ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) .
Of course , other sources of wireless can cause illness too – hence firefighter unions ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their stations for the last several years .
Activist Post reports regularly about unsafe technology .
For more information visit our archives and the following websites .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
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By B.N. Frank
For many years, firefighter unions have been opposed to cell towers and antennas being installed at their stations due to health and safety risks (see 1, 2, 3). If some of America’s strongest and bravest are opposed to cell towers and 5G being installed in close proximity to where they spend long periods of time – it would seem logical that most people would be opposed to them being installed within close proximity to where they and their loved ones spend long periods of time, right?
Recently, firefighter opposition to cell towers and antennas was addressed again at a California council meeting.
From Environmental Health Trust:
Numerous testimonies against 5G were presented to the Malibu City Council at their Monday, August 24, 2020 Meeting.
Medical Writer Susan Foster sent EHT her testimony to the Malibu City Council to share. Foster was instrumental in working with firefighters on the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS Official Position Against Cell Towers on Fire Stations passed in 2004. She was also the organizer of a brain study of firefighters exposed to RF radiation from a cell tower adjacent to their fire station of over 5 years which found brain damage. Read her affidavit here.
Firefighter groups in the United States have long opposed cell towers on their stations. Not only that, but in California firefighters have lobbied for and sometimes achieved certain exemptions from forced placement of towers on their stations because of their strong opposition due to health concerns from the radiation. Firefighters have long contended they are willing to risk their lives for their fellow citizens; they are unwilling to risk deadly consequences as a result of living with cell towers on their stations in order to facilitate corporate profits.
What exemptions were California firefighters fought for that that stopped cell towers on their stations?
AB57- Firefighters have gotten an exemption to have cell towers on or adjacent to their facilities. This was codified in California’s 2015 legislation AB57 . CA AB57 (2015) Legiscan Text of Bill . ” Section 65964.1. ( f) Due to the unique duties and infrastructure requirements for the swift and effective deployment of firefighters, this section does not apply to a collocation or siting application for a wireless telecommunications facility where the project is proposed for placement on fire department facilities. “
Firefighters have gotten an exemption to have cell towers on or adjacent to their facilities. This was codified in . . ” Section 65964.1. ( SB649- They also received an exemption in California’s SB649 (2018 ), a bill which was vetoed by GovernorBrown . SB 649 California (2017) Wireless Telecommunications Facilities – 65964.2. “(a) A small cell shall be a permitted use subject only to a permitting process adopted by a city or county pursuant to subdivision (b) if it satisfies the following requirements: ….(3) The small cell is not located on a fire department facility.”
They also received an exemption in ), a bill which was . – 65964.2. Download a PDF of Letter.
August 25, 2020
Dear Mayor Pierson & Malibu City Councilmembers,
On Monday evening, August 24, 2020 I spoke to you regarding the firefighter study I organized in 2004. This was a study conducted by Gunnar Heuser, MD, PhD of six firefighters in the Santa Barbara area who had been exposed to a 2G cell tower in front of their station for 5 years. All six men were found to have brain abnormalities on SPECT brain scans. Beginning the day the tower was activated, firefighters began experiencing the following symptoms:
Headache, including migraine
Tinnitus
Lethargy
Cognitive impairment
Sleep disturbances
Inability to go to sleep
Waking up as if they had been anesthetized
Anxiety
Depression
Infertility
Immunosuppression
All of these men were healthy prior to activation of the tower. They had all been told by the wireless carrier that there were no ill effects from the technology. When the firefighters complained to the carrier that they were ill and unable to function in their jobs at maximum capacity, they were told the tower was well within the FCC guidelines. On Monday evening I told you that the tower was measured at 1/1000th of what the FCC allows .
Rather than reassurance, this is deeply concerning because what it tells us is that the men who passed rigorous cognitive and physical exams before entering the fire service became ill when a tower was placed in front of their station at a fraction of what the government allows. When the strongest of the strong among us become ill at a fraction of what the government permits, what about children, what about pregnant women, what about women in general because their body mass is smaller than men, what about the elderly, the infirm, those fighting cancer, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and those with immunosuppression and autoimmune deficiencies.
I would like to address Councilmember Karen Farrer’s question of Telecom Law attorney Jonathan Kramer. The attorney was asked whether or not the firefighters had received an exemption and he said no. That is not the whole truth. There is a minor exemption for fire stations in AB 57 which did pass and was signed into law by Gov. Brown. The exemption referenced by earlier speakers in the evening is likely a reference to an exemption that was granted to the firefighters from 5G small cells in SB 649 which would have been California’s 5G law, had it been signed by Gov. Brown. This bill was vetoed by Gov. Brown in October 2017.
AB 57, which we did become law, exempts projects on fire department facilities from the “deemed approved process”, meaning an applicant cannot use the simple notice process to obtain a deemed approval; the applicant would have to go to court. “Health” is not the stated reason for the fire facilities exemption (as technically that would have been illegal), though that is the specific reason the firefighters went for exemptions on AB 57 and SB 649. The law explains the rationale for the exemption as being “[d]ue to the unique duties and infrastructure requirements for the swift and effective deployment of firefighters”. See Gov. Code 65964.1(d).
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=65964.1
65964.1.
(f) Due to the unique duties and infrastructure requirements for the swift and effective deployment of firefighters, this section does not apply to a collocation or siting application for a wireless telecommunications facility where the project is proposed for placement on fire department facilities.
(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 685, Sec. 1. (AB 57) Effective January 1, 2016.)
SB 649, California’s 5G bill, offered an exemption to fire stations with the following wording. Again, his bill was vetoed by Gov. Brown in October 2017 so the exemption to having small cells on fire department facilities did not become a reality.:
65964.2.
(a) A small cell shall be a permitted use subject only to a permitting process adopted by a city or county pursuant to subdivision (b) if it satisfies the following requirements:
(1) The small cell is located in a public right-of-way in any zone or in any zone that includes a commercial or industrial use.
(2) The small cell complies with all applicable federal, state, and local health and safety regulations, including the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq.).
(3) The small cell is not located on a fire department facility.
Attorney Jonathan Kramer may be unaware of the 300 foot setback from 5G towers for fire stations in San Diego County. That exemption for fire stations in San Diego County was passed by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on August 7, 2019 and was an addition to their Small Cell Ordinance. The wording is as follows:
San Diego County: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/pds/zoning/z6000.pdf
3. In order to reduce clutter and maintain the aesthetic quality and community character of certain civic and community uses, SCWs in the right-of-way shall not be located within 300 feet of schools, child care centers, hospitals, religious facilities, fire stations, or sheriff stations unless the applicant demonstrates that compliance with this requirement would be technically infeasible. Distance, without regard to intervening structures, shall be a straight line measured from the closest property lines.
I am going to take exception to what Jonathan Kramer said in his response to Councilmember Ferrar’s question regarding the firefighter exemption. He said, in effect, firefighters/fire stations welcome the towers because the towers were placed where they needed to be. Frankly, this is what the telecommunications industry says. This is not what the firefighters say. Mr. Kramer used FirstNET as an example. This is simply not true.
FirstNET towers were targeted for fire stations and some sheriff stations, but they were not invited by the firefighters nor the fire departments. FirstNET was initially promoted as a First Responders emergency services network, a project promoted through FEMA. Fire stations were targeted for these 120 foot towers that were going to be used in part for a First Responders telecommunications network. In addition, FirstNET towers rent out space on the structures to commercial carriers as well provide space for Homeland Security.
In 2015, I received a call from Lew Currier, Head of Health and Safety for the IAFF Local 1014 in Los Angeles County. Lew Currier told me the firefighters were very concerned because of complaints from some stations with cell towers where the men were already sick, including some stations where non-presumptive cancers were present (i.e. cancers not typically related to firefighting risks).
I will never forget listening to Lew Currier describe the firefighters’ reactions to hearing that over 250 fire stations in Los Angeles were going to get hit with these towers. They did not want to be used to facilitate a communications network that the firefighters did not deem necessary. I remember asking Lew Currier what communications problems they were having that would warrant this brand-new emergency system on a massive scale built throughout the country. His response: “We don’t have any communications problems.”
The firefighters felt they were being used and I believe they were. I worked with Lew Currier – providing studies and letters from experts – as the firefighters in Los Angeles County and City joined forces along with the sheriff and police unions in an extremely united front not only in Los Angeles but also San Francisco and throughout the state.
After a tremendous lobbying effort by the combined unions, Los Angeles County and City greatly reduce the number of fire stations that were going to get hit with FirstNET towers and in the end AT&T towers have contracted with the federal government to carry part of the FirstNET signal across the country. Not every fire station was spared but many were.
It was in the midst of this FirstNET fight the firefighters began lobbying for an exemption to the 5G towers. Jonathan Kramer may be correct that some of the chiefs wanted to make deals with telecom because the chiefs are charged with bringing in revenue to the cities/counties. But every chief has to be mindful of the fact that he or she is making such a deal with a potentially deadly trade-off.
As members of the Malibu City Council in the face of the FCC directives, you are not in an enviable position because you have been left with very little ability to protect your residents. And clearly your residents are calling out for protection with respect to multiple concerns including safety, fire risks, aesthetics, and loss of local control.
Jonathan Kramer appeared to be taking the FCC strict interpretation of Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 when he said you cannot talk about health. Other attorneys I have spoken with such as Scott McCullough from whom you heard Monday night and Ariel Strauss who assisted the residents in the City of Encinitas have described this restriction as not being quite as prohibitive as Jonathan Kramer indicated. It is my understanding from the attorneys I just mentioned that some of your residents can talk about health, but you cannot prohibit the placement of towers based on health concerns.
The concerns regarding these towers are many and one of my greatest concerns is fire. This is a safety concern and therefore is on the table for discussion and action if necessary, according to even the strictest FCC interpretation. I wrote the fire section for the Encinitas Ordinance under the oversight of Ariel Strauss and would be happy to help Malibu borrow from the Encinitas Ordinance. We took from and added to the existing Sebastopol Ordinance which has an excellent fire section. I would invite you to take from what we have already researched and incorporated into existing ordinances.
I served as a consultant on the Encinitas Ordinance, having lived in neighboring Rancho Santa Fe for 32 years. We learned from experts we sought out that there are several fire risks inherent in the cell towers themselves. One risk has to do with smart meters within the 4G towers and some of the 5G towers. 4G is needed for 5G to work and unless all the carriers are functioning under a flat rate system, electric usage is measured by a smart meter within a large number of cell towers.
You may already be very well aware that smart meters can cause fires. What we learned from our experts was that under certain circumstances the surge protection in smart meters is inadequate. Smart meters utilize what is called a “varistor” as surge protection for up to around 350 V. That is the level of surge protection you would have typically find in a television set. It is inadequate for smart meters in the following circumstances. Lightning strikes cause surges of voltage in the multi-thousands of volts. In those cases, the varistor would be inadequate. Another time electrical surges are an issue are when 1) power has been lost and restored; and 2) during Santa Ana or El Diablo wind events, utilities may decide to turn power off and on in an effort to avoid sparks that could cause a fire.
In a dangerous twist of irony, the act of turning the power off and back on again may trigger surges the varistor cannot hold back in smart meters within cell towers. In a small percentage of the cases where this happens, likely 1% – 2%, electrical fires can be triggered.
Another circumstance in which electrical fires can be triggered almost 100% of the time is if the “connector” linking the power supply to the antenna itself is not replaced. This part should be replaced every 3 to 5 years but certainly closer to the 3-year mark if the towers are exposed to salty air; this describes part of your County. Our electrical engineering expert said that close to 100% of the time an electrical fire will ensue if connectors are allowed to corrode and the electrical supply is not held in place.
The 2007 Malibu Canyon Fire was determined to be caused by wireless equipment on a utility pole. I don’t have to remind you of the tragedy of that fire. I do not have a high degree of confidence that there has been a substantive change in maintenance among the wireless carriers.
I believe for this reason and so many others that indemnification by the wireless carriers as well as high dollar amounts of insurance per instance and in the aggregate should be considered for Malibu. You have the right to ask for both. Lloyd’s of London and Swiss Re have long refused to indemnify for RF radiation harms. These leading insurance companies are concerned about the eventual litigation that will come when the law has been adjusted to favor citizens/consumers as opposed to telecommunications companies. Thus, the telecom industry is self-insured and you can make of that what you will. I believe Encinitas was able to locate, through an insurance broker, a pollution insurance company that did cover for RF radiation.
During the Monday evening hearing, attorney W. Scott McCullough had some extremely legitimate suggestions for legally slowing and controlling the placement of 5G small cells in Malibu. I recall a comment, I believe it was made by Mayor Pro Tem Skylar Peak, that given the speed of the 5G buildout you are witnessing in Malibu, a focus on the ordinance may be an urgent matter. In my opinion, this is correct.
I have written appeals for California firefighters when cell towers were permitted for their stations for 19 years. I will continue to speak out about the firefighter/cell tower study and assist firefighters as long as I am able. As a medical writer and an Honorary Firefighter with the San Diego Fire Department, these men and women are my priority. When our First Responders are compromised, society itself is unsafe.
You should know that the industry has not conducted a single safety study on 5G. Representatives from the major wireless carriers testified to that effect before Sen. Blumenthal’s subcommittee last year. They did not anticipate committing any funds to study the effects of this exponential increase in radiation to the population.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak. I wish you the best of luck and I do hope that the Malibu City Council passes a resolution condemning the FCC’s evisceration of local control & the rollout of a completely untested 5G technology, thereby turning the residents of Malibu into test subjects. Hopefully from this tragic mistake our legislators in Washington DC will start to read wireless bills before they pass them.
Respectfully,
Susan Foster
After Heavy Lobbying- Lawmakers Agree To Block Cell Towers Near Fire Stations – Not Schools
Watch the video below of an important investigation highlighting the California firefighters opposition to cell towers.
Firefighter Union Local 1014 Message on Cell Towers and how our members can help and get involved
For more YouTube video links, visit https://ehtrust.org/testimony-on-5g-firefighters-cell-towers-to-malibu-city-council-by-susan-foster/
News Stories
Los Angeles supervisors stop construction of cell towers at fire stations
Julie Watt Investigates: Blocking Cell Towers Near Fire Stations – Not Schools
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is supposed to protect the public by regulating the telecom industry. Their history of catering to the industry at the expense of the public pre-dates the Trump administration. Despite research proving harm, they refuse to update 24-year old federal RF radiation exposure guidelines. Lawsuits have been filed against them for NOT protecting Americans from unsafe levels of radiation as well as 5G deployment on land (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and in space. Federal agencies and other experts have also warned that 5G can threaten national security, public safety, and weather forecasting accuracy (see 1, 2, 3).
In 2019 telecom executives gave U.S. congressional testimony that they had NO scientific evidence that 5G is safe. The majority of scientists worldwide oppose deployment until studies show that it’s safe. Cities worldwide AND entire countries have taken action to ban, delay, halt, and limit installation AS WELL AS issue moratoriums (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). Since 2018 there have been reports of people and animals experiencing symptoms and illnesses after 5G has been turned on (see 1, 2, 3, 4). Of course, other sources of wireless can cause illness too – hence firefighter unions’ opposition to cell towers and antennas at their stations for the last several years.
Activist Post reports regularly about unsafe technology. For more information visit our archives and the following websites.
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activistpost--2020-09-08--Vodafone Court Defeat Could Make Way for Legal Challenges by Landowners Who Host 5G Phone Masts

5G opposition continues to increase worldwide .
Cities and ENTIRE COUNTRIES have taken action to ban , delay , halt , and limit 5G installation as well as issue moratoriums ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ) .
The majority of scientists worldwide are opposed to 5G until there is research that proves it ’ s safe .
A recent court decision will now make deployment more difficult for Vodafone .
From This is Money : Mobile phone giant Vodafone has suffered a defeat in court that could open the door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landowners that host 5G phone masts .
Operators such as Vodafone pay landowners billions of pounds in rents every year at thousands of sites – but hoped to reduce these under the Electronic Communications Code , which was introduced in 2017 .
It was designed to speed up the roll-out of 5G by cutting costs for operators hoping to install the infrastructure quickly and cheaply .
The judge said he came to his decision because four operators use the phone mast in a car park on an industrial estate outside Stockport .
Vodafone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its 18,000 UK sites are shared with other operators .
Although Vodafone was only hoping to slash a few thousand pounds off this particular bill , it had spent more than £300,000 fighting the case because of the significance for rents at its other phone masts across the country .
Hanover is an Isle of Man-based company owned by Mark Harrison , a property entrepreneur originally from Manchester but now based in Monaco .
He also owns property investment firm Praxis .
Lawyers for Harrison said the terms Vodafone was offering were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight them .
They said other landowners would now have a good comparison to help them negotiate a better deal .
It means thousands more landowners could now fight the company on rents .
Profit outside the rigged system !
Protect yourself from tyranny and economic collapse .
Learn to live free and spread peace !
- Trends & Strategies for Maximum Freedom SINCE 2018 , people have reported that they and their pets started having symptoms and illnesses after 5G was installed and turned on ( see 1 , 2 , 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other sources of wireless could be causing these health issues too .
In fact , last year The World Health Organization warned high levels of Electromagnetic Radiation ( aka Electrosmog ) could lead to health issues in 30 % of the population .
Expert warnings about 5G include more than health and environmental risks ( see 1 , 2 ) .
Unfortunately , it is still being deployed in many places as well as in space ( see 1 , 2 ) .
Activist Post reports regularly about 5G and other unsafe technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the following websites .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
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Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By B.N. Frank
5G opposition continues to increase worldwide. Cities and ENTIRE COUNTRIES have taken action to ban, delay, halt, and limit 5G installation as well as issue moratoriums (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).
The majority of scientists worldwide are opposed to 5G until there is research that proves it’s safe. A recent court decision will now make deployment more difficult for Vodafone.
From This is Money:
Mobile phone giant Vodafone has suffered a defeat in court that could open the door to a wave of legal challenges by landowners that host 5G phone masts.
Operators such as Vodafone pay landowners billions of pounds in rents every year at thousands of sites – but hoped to reduce these under the Electronic Communications Code, which was introduced in 2017.
It was designed to speed up the roll-out of 5G by cutting costs for operators hoping to install the infrastructure quickly and cheaply.
The judge said he came to his decision because four operators use the phone mast in a car park on an industrial estate outside Stockport. Vodafone estimates that only around 10 per cent of its 18,000 UK sites are shared with other operators. Although Vodafone was only hoping to slash a few thousand pounds off this particular bill, it had spent more than £300,000 fighting the case because of the significance for rents at its other phone masts across the country.
Hanover is an Isle of Man-based company owned by Mark Harrison, a property entrepreneur originally from Manchester but now based in Monaco. He also owns property investment firm Praxis. Lawyers for Harrison said the terms Vodafone was offering were ‘unfair’ and he decided to fight them. They said other landowners would now have a good comparison to help them negotiate a better deal.
It means thousands more landowners could now fight the company on rents.
Read full article


activistpost--2020-09-10--Apocalypse On Broadway: Study Finds 78% Increase In Vacant Storefronts

If the rising taxes and complete loss of law and order in the midst of a global pandemic wasn ’ t enough to drive you out of New York City , perhaps complete apocalypse on the city ’ s iconic Broadway will do it .
A stunning new report shows that more than 300 storefronts are now vacant along Broadway .
It marks a 78 % increase from three years ago .
More than 33 % of those vacancies were located between 14th and 59th streets , in the heart of Manhattan .
The tally was calculated by Manhattan Borough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late August while visiting 13 miles and 244 blocks , according to the Wall Street Journal .
Her staff was able to count 39 empty storefronts between 96th and 125th street , 66 empty spots between 59th and 96th street and 43 vacancies below 14th street .
42 stores were boarded up – though some were open for business .
Marilyn Jacques , a wholesaler of imported lace and tulle from France , who has a company off Broadway near West 36th Street , commented : She compared the current state of Broadway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1980 : Recall , we posted a video in mid-August of a dystopian looking New York City , following a car driving down a deserted 5th Avenue , with almost all of the area ’ s high end stores boarded up and shut down .
There are few people seen on what is usually a busy street .
He continues : “ This is all Manhattan , boarded up .
Have you ever seen Manhattan look like this ?
The media will not report this.
” “ Everything boarded up .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to you people because they ’ re afraid .
Saks 5th Avenue – boarded up from end to end .
They put up barbed wire .
Everywhere you see boards , windows are gone .
Look at New York City – what happened , ” he says .
The video runs over 2 minutes and shows dozens of boarded up businesses .
You can watch it here : The video was originally posted as a response to another Tweet that seems to tell the developing tale about DeBlasio ’ s New York : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Broadway or in the Garment District .
Manufacturing in the garment district has been slowing for the last 60 years and , prior to Covid , only 4 % of the district ’ s jobs were even in the industry , according to Barbara A. Blair , president of the not-for-profit Garment District Alliance .
Instead , many jobs are now in services , technology and media .
Blair commented : “ The restaurants were doing really well , and the happy hours at night , they ’ d be so crowded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” But that has all come to a screeching halt .
As we recently noted , indoor dining is still prohibited in the city and Mayor de Blasio has even commented that it may not come back until Summer 2021 .
Great work , Bill .
The city looks great .
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Provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s coming !
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By Tyler Durden
If the rising taxes and complete loss of law and order in the midst of a global pandemic wasn’t enough to drive you out of New York City, perhaps complete apocalypse on the city’s iconic Broadway will do it.
A stunning new report shows that more than 300 storefronts are now vacant along Broadway. It marks a 78% increase from three years ago. More than 33% of those vacancies were located between 14th and 59th streets, in the heart of Manhattan.
The tally was calculated by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and her staff in late August while visiting 13 miles and 244 blocks, according to the Wall Street Journal. Her staff was able to count 39 empty storefronts between 96th and 125th street, 66 empty spots between 59th and 96th street and 43 vacancies below 14th street.
42 stores were boarded up – though some were open for business.
Brewer commented:
The rent is so high, particularly on Broadway in Manhattan, that it’s hard for the small shops to make a go of it. At this point, with the gates down and sometimes plywood on the storefront, you don’t know whether it’s going to be rented.
Marilyn Jacques, a wholesaler of imported lace and tulle from France, who has a company off Broadway near West 36th Street, commented:
It’s not only Broadway, it’s also all the side streets. Retail is in terrible trouble, we all know that. But now, when you’re working from home, you don’t need 25 pairs of leggings.
She compared the current state of Broadway to when she started her business back in 1980:
At lunch time you couldn’t walk on the sidewalk, it was so full. The side streets were filled with people with racks of clothes going through, yelling, ‘Watch your backs, watch your backs.’
Recall, we posted a video in mid-August of a dystopian looking New York City, following a car driving down a deserted 5th Avenue, with almost all of the area’s high end stores boarded up and shut down. There are few people seen on what is usually a busy street.
He continues: “This is all Manhattan, boarded up. Have you ever seen Manhattan look like this? The media will not report this.”
“Everything boarded up. They don’t want to show this to you people because they’re afraid. Saks 5th Avenue – boarded up from end to end. They put up barbed wire. Everywhere you see boards, windows are gone. Look at New York City – what happened,” he says.
The video runs over 2 minutes and shows dozens of boarded up businesses. You can watch it here:
Don't know who recorded it but I downloaded this yesterday He's single handedly wrecked Manhattan Ghost town "Beirut DeBlasio" without the explosion pic.twitter.com/5I48ZGcWTZ — tadgermania (@tadgermania) August 7, 2020
The video was originally posted as a response to another Tweet that seems to tell the developing tale about DeBlasio’s New York:
From an email chain I'm on this morning: "DeBlasio has made the city worse than Dinkins days. I’m selling my place. Already have interest, I’m out!" Now multiply this by the whole city. NYC is toast — Quoth the Raven (@QTRResearch) August 7, 2020
Things don’t look much different on Broadway or in the Garment District.
Manufacturing in the garment district has been slowing for the last 60 years and, prior to Covid, only 4% of the district’s jobs were even in the industry, according to Barbara A. Blair, president of the not-for-profit Garment District Alliance. Instead, many jobs are now in services, technology and media.
Blair commented: “The restaurants were doing really well, and the happy hours at night, they’d be so crowded you literally couldn’t get in.”
But that has all come to a screeching halt. As we recently noted, indoor dining is still prohibited in the city and Mayor de Blasio has even commented that it may not come back until Summer 2021. Great work, Bill. The city looks great.
Source: Zerohedge
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activistpost--2020-09-09--Geopolitics: How Maps Help Us Understand History, Predict the Future, and Go Beyond Politics

“ It is not often that nations learn from the past , even rarer that they draw the correct conclusions from it.
” – American students are notoriously bad at geography , and have been for some time .
In 2002 , for instance – the year after the 9/11 attacks – only 17 % of American students could find Afghanistan on a map .
In 2016 , less than one third were able to score a minimal pass of 66 % on the National Geographic Global Literacy Survey .
In 2015 , the United States Government Accountability Office reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t even know what geography is .
Picture your old-school geography class .
More likely than not , it was a boring subject requiring rote memorization of global factoids , U.S. state names , and their capitals .
This does American students a disservice , because an appreciation for the hidden power of geography helps one make sense of seemingly random historical tidbits , more accurately predict the future , and see beyond political rhetoric to what actually matters among nation-states .
When contemplating geography ’ s usefulness in better understanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Why is it important to the state to get a handle on its subjects and their environments , i.e.
, through long-established practices like land registries and the creation of permanent last names ?
Or more recent examples such as the census bureau , the passport system , the DMV , birth and death certificates , or just registering to vote ?
• Why is the state seemingly always the enemy of “ people who move around , ” i.e.
, nomads and pastoralists , hunter-gatherers , Gypsies , vagrants , homeless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and serfs ?
All have always been a thorn in the side of the state , and efforts to permanently settle these mobile peoples seem to rarely succeed .
The answers to these questions are straightforward when the classic imperatives of the state are known – and these are taxation , conscription , and the prevention of rebellion .
In order to satisfy these imperatives , the state has to know as much as possible about its inhabitants , and it wants them to be sedentary .
You can ’ t tax what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t draft someone to fight if you don ’ t know they exist .
And you can ’ t stop a rebellion if you don ’ t know those who seek to overthrow your order .
As a result of these imperatives , accurate maps of the land and the people that occupy it are necessary for the survival of the state .
And what ’ s in those maps is as important as what ’ s excluded from them .
Geography ’ s raison d ’ etre is straightforward : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better understand patterns and processes on Earth .
It ’ s not just maps and state capitals , nor is it simply the creation of maps ( that ’ s cartography ) .
Thus , when the hidden power of geography is appreciated – especially as it relates to the state ’ s imperatives – conflicts between competing states as well as the relationship between the state and the individual begins to make more sense .
To begin with a basic concept of geographic history , it ’ s important to consider the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is common today for the term “ nation ” and “ country ” to mean the same thing , but in geography , “ country ” actually means “ state ” and the term “ nation ” is defined by a shared identity among a large population within a state .
This shared identity is what Benedict Anderson referred to as “ imagined communities.
” These communities of the imagination had early relationships to the invention of the printing press , which allowed people ( other than elites ) to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Such publications contributed to standardizing languages , which allowed a variety of cultures to understand not only each other , but also the maps that explained the world .
The printing press contributed to standardizing the histories of the past so that many different cultures began to remember ( and forget ) the same things .
According to Anderson , communities became imagined because people of even the smallest nations will never know or interact with the majority of people in that country .
Yet , the majority will have an understanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Western perspective , the early history of geography has its origins during the Middle Ages .
European travelers would explore beyond the edge of known territory and map their observations of different places , races and cultures .
A common similarity of these early written accounts was that different types of climate were thought to be a defining factor for how races and cultures were different from the European traveler .
These early accounts were written from the perspective that European travelers were normal , and all non-Europeans were then defined by their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to these written accounts , Europeans were the reference point for what was normal and right .
During this period , the climates of the world were classified by three types : frigid ( very cold ) , temperate ( just right ) , and torrid ( very hot ) .
The frigid climate was thought to be too cold for people while the torrid climate was too hot .
This understanding of the climate is why , for example , Ethiopians were thought to have lived too close to the sun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black as a result – an observation considered a scientific fact because the European traveler was able to see it with their own eyes and then write about it .
An important aspect to these early written accounts was that as new cultures , terrain and races were “ discovered , ” they were often described as monsters from inhospitable lands .
These monsters were commonly written about and became a source of both myth and legend .
Such legends told of monstrous beings at the edge of where the known and unknown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embarked on new expeditions , each exploring further than the last , the unknown territories became known , but the monsters were always pushed further to the edge of the updated maps .
According to Joanne Sharp , this pattern was a result of two factors .
First , the Europeans had a need to define their territory with myths and legends of the unknown monster because this was a defining factor for European identity .
This is to say that an identity is not only based on how people are similar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as different .
The second factor was that for the earliest explorers during this time period , first contact and interaction with new cultures did generate fear .
Sharp noted : It was through these early expeditions that the Middle Aged maps of the world had a large influence on how people understood that world , and their place in it .
Roots of Geopolitics : From the Monarchy to the State The transition from the Middle Ages to the 17th century is not marked by a single event , but rather several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of the more discussed events was the transition from the monarchy to state sovereignty , a move that marks the early origin of geopolitics .
From 1618 to 1648 , one of the most destructive wars in history was waged in Central Europe .
At its end , the “ Thirty Years ’ War ” marked the creation of state sovereignty with the “ Peace of Westphalia ” settlement in 1648 .
This peace settlement defined territories by state sovereignty rather than a territory , and everything in it , owned solely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cornerstone of statehood and is defined by four basic principles : • A government structure with absolute authority over internal and external affairs .
An important aspect to state sovereignty was that the population of a territory was no longer the property of the monarchy .
A state relies on its territory as the source for political organization , but this became problematic because people who lived in those territories also had a new found freedom .
They were no longer serfs , or considered property owned by the king , but now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Similar to the previous example about monster myths being a political tool toward defining a European identity during the Middle Ages , maps and supporting literature played an essential role in not only marking a state ’ s territory , but also the imagined community of people inside and outside of that territory .
Prior to the rise of state sovereignty , loyalty to the monarchy could be an issue , and more so for the kings ’ armies .
It was not uncommon for these early armies to be made up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracted mercenaries .
These types of soldiers had little to no loyalty to the king , which was problematic for several reasons , one of which was because they were armed .
Following the 1648 peace settlement , loyalty became tied to nationalism and the country .
This was an important development because , as mentioned , defining an identity results from shared similarities as well as differences .
The expansion of territory through war could be more easily acceptable to the soldier if the enemy was different .
However , when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as can be found in any historical example of dueling Christian armies , the power of the state together with the nation changed the notion of territorial expansion from the “ sport of kings ” to a clash between nations .
These histories serve as a simplified starting point for understanding geopolitics , and the types of influences that are embedded in the concept .
With state sovereignty came the dominant understanding that a state ’ s purpose was that of survival .
Said differently , states were seen to always be in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 19th century , Charles Darwin ’ s theory of natural selection was being applied by scholars to the study of societies ( Social Darwinism ) .
German geographer , Friedrich Ratzel , applied Darwin ’ s natural selection theory to state sovereignty ( particularly Germany ) , and together the concept became known as the “ Organic Theory of the State.
” The foundation of Ratzel ’ s theory was that states interact with different states through the “ survival of the fittest ” perspective , and that a state must grow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The implementation of this theory had a particular consequence .
Ratzel ’ s theory of state survival is said to have legitimized “ continual war of all against all , as each country must seek the path of the least resistance to territorial expansion and must simultaneously defend its territory at all costs.
” The term “ geopolitics ” was coined by Swedish political scientist Rudolf Kjellen ( a student of Ratzel ’ s ) in 1899 , and inspired an intellectual movement between German and Scandinavian scholars .
This movement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ geopolitics , resulted in a veneer of legitimacy that a state , and its nation , should be viewed as combined elements that together produce a stronger effect .
Ratzel envisioned the nation and state relationship as a “ super-organism ” whose strength was determined by the size of its territory , population , and the availability of natural resources .
Ratzel further published The Sea as a Source of Greatness of a People in 1901 , and identified ways in which the land and sea provide opportunity for expansion .
This work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ translated to mean “ living space , ” which argued that stronger states would naturally take territory and resources from weaker states .
Prior to World War I , Ratzel and Kjellen ’ s work contributed to the idea that Germany was the “ land of geographers , ” as German universities were among the first to teach geography .
This renewed interest , supported by such geopolitical theories , positioned geography as the “ god ’ s eye view ” of how the world “ really ” worked .
The relationship between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party is accredited to political geographer Karl Haushofer .
Prior to Haushofer ’ s career in “ Geopolitik , ” he was active German military who spent time in Japan studying their armed forces between 1908 and 1910 .
Haushofer ’ s interaction with both military officials and scholars during that time would later be accredited to the rise of geopolitical institutions in Japan during the 1920s and 1930s .
His influence would also stretch as far as South America .
Following World War I , Haushofer retired as a major general in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teaching geography at the University of Munich .
Haushofer , like Ratzel before him , believed that German greatness was dependent upon Lebensraum : According to Haushofer , if Germany was to grow into a world power , and rebound from the losses of the WWI defeat , its leadership would need to be thoughtful of five essential elements : Haushofer ’ s own geopolitical theories promoted the concept of “ pan regions , ” which argued that Germany and other state powers , such as Japan , should develop distinct geopolitical strategies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do so was to carve up the map and become neighbors in world domination rather than interfering within each state ’ s territory of interest .
For Haushofer , his geopolitical focus was to the East and Africa .
Following the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 , Rudolf Hess ( Hitler ’ s personal secretary , and one of five people who held key positions in the Nazi party ) , was arrested and imprisoned for participating in the failed coup against the Weimar Republic .
Hess was a former student of Haushofer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would lead Haushofer to visit Hess in prison , thus becoming introduced to Hitler .
As we are familiar , Hitler authored Mein Kampf while in prison , and the work draws from the theory of Lebensraum ( living space ) to support Hitler ’ s vision of German destiny , territorial expansion and “ the master race.
” Some common misconceptions around this history ( especially in America ) are that Haushofer was thought to be the intellectual powerhouse behind Hitler ’ s ambition of territorial expansion and genocide .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambitions of territorial expansion , but it was Hitler who placed the far greater emphasis on the identity of people – i.e.
, the master race vs. the Jewish monster .
Haushofer was never a Nazi himself , and his son had been executed in 1945 for his role in a bomb plot to assassinate Hitler the year prior .
With learning of his son ’ s role in the assassination attempt , Haushofer would commit suicide in 1946 .
It is also a misconception that Hitler manifested the hatred of the Jewish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not to undermine Hitler ’ s role in the atrocities of WWII , but it is useful to explore the longer history of persecution and violence against Jewish people in this part of the world long before Hitler was born .
In this way , it becomes more useful for understanding geopolitical concepts to recognize the ways in which Hitler “ tapped ” in to preexisting prejudices and manipulated identities as to justify territorial expansion and genocide .
There were several theoretical and scientific concepts that shaped the thoughts of world leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are commonly associated with the Third Reich .
Some examples include propaganda ( Himmler ) , the systematic approach to genocide ( Fordism ) , and eugenics to only name a few .
However , none of these examples originated with the Nazis , and geopolitics is no exception .
Geopolitics did play an integral role in the rise of the Third Reich , but following the Allied victory of WWII , geopolitics was seen as an “ intellectual poison.
” With few exceptions after 1945 , geopolitics was tainted with Nazism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain , Russia , Japan and other parts of Europe .
In relation to Haushofer ’ s early influence stretching to South America , Lebensraum and theories of the organic state were alive and well in South American military strategy post-WWII .
Geopolitics later reemerged in the West during the 1970s , due to Henry Kissinger making sense of the Cold War .
The focus in this article is only a small snapshot of a particular geography and its history in relation to a single geopolitical theory .
Other influential theories around this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s classic on sea power , and Halford Mackinder ’ s “ The Heartland Theory.
” Mahan ’ s theory on sea power suggested that the Navy was the most important factor in projecting state power ( Japan found this useful ) , and Mackinder believed that world power was not obtainable through the sea , but through the control of the Eurasian landmass with the anticipation of a rising Russian power .
There are also many other political geographies that justify the use of violence that include imperialism , both British and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Our focus here is only one of many examples .
However , there are some important geographic concepts which can be taken away from this .
The Hidden Power of Maps : What ’ s Included ( and What ’ s Not ) Maps are an important aspect of geography , and they all have hidden forms of power .
As can be found in the earlier discussion of “ imagined geographies , ” it ’ s important to be aware that all maps ( the same goes for all media today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowingly or unknowingly – projects what they value and find important onto their creation .
As such , it is always useful to be aware of what types of places , history or knowledge is not on a particular map .
While we know that what is on a map is certainly useful , what is not on a map can be much more important if we are interested in charting a course to better understand the power of geopolitics .
A common theme embedded in these early geopolitical theories is traced back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human behavior is shaped directly by climate and geographic location .
This type of thought is known as environmental determinism .
Scholars who take a deterministic view suggest that intellectual advancement in Greece was a result of the mountainous landscape that inspired “ loftier thoughts.
” The same concept has been applied in America because our wide open plains inspire people to “ think big.
” If only human behavior was this simple .
The problem with the environmental deterministic view is that it suffers from a lack of attention to types of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social dynamics , coercion , violence and types of technology that also shape human behavior .
While the environment does play a part , it is only a small part of a much larger process of how human behavior is shaped .
Not to mention that today , the environment is no longer understood as “ nature ” or the “ natural ” world , but also includes human-built environments ( urban spaces ) .
When clearly defined , environmental determinism is too simple of an explanation to be useful .
As an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think the TV show Hee Haw ) can often be associated with the thought that rural people are unintelligent .
However , as can be found in the work of John Gaventa , this common stereotype has its origins in a corporation violently exploiting people in the Appalachian Valley and framing their culture as too simple-minded to understand capitalism .
This example is interesting in several ways because Appalachia is mountainous , but the “ loftier thoughts ” that attempt to explain how the Greeks were intellectually advanced is absent in this context @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental determinism can be found in this news article that attempts to describe “ white nationalism ” as a characteristic of all firearm owners .
According to this narrative , people who own firearms are white , violent , and are said to be on a level similar to Islamist extremists .
As we know , there are many different cultures and races that understand the importance of firearm ownership .
However , this current narrative is geopolitical at its core , and has elements of every concept contained within this article .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared and forgotten histories ) , a strong emphasis of identity ( us vs. them ) , a stripped-down version of Lebensraum ( tying up the nation and the state for ideological expansion , rather than geographical ) , and the environmental deterministic view that attempts to simplify and single out a particular race .
It should also be noted that environmental determinism is commonly discussed in ways that focus on how non-white races are repressed .
Many of those discussions are absolutely valid and true .
Nevertheless , our focus here is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather highlight how such deterministic views do not discriminate in their political use .
Environmental determinism has impacted all races and cultures in one way or another .
At the outset , we posed the question : Why do so many people not know what geography is all about ?
The answer to that question is perhaps because geography has such a long and violent history in the project of state creation and civilization .
Thus understanding the value of geography helps us see the state ’ s imperatives – taxation , conscription @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for what they are .
It also helps each of us better orient our relationship to the state : What information we divulge to it , whether that be for a gun background check or an income tax return .
What state policies ( up to and including war ) we support .
And why politicians say one thing and regularly do another .
Geography also provides an opportunity to place seemingly random histories under a microscope – to question and better understand why certain patterns and processes shape how we understand the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While some believe that geopolitics declined following WWII , later re-emerged and declined yet again with the Cold War , geopolitics is very much alive and well today .
The maps of the world are still being carved up , and states are still in competition with one another either overtly or in more subtle ways .
For American foreign policy in particular , this is evidenced where the U.S. military maintains foreign bases , to whom the military-industrial complex is permitted to sell American-made weapons , why Washington orders drone strikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among many others .
Geography can certainly provide a clearer understanding of potential futures , because states have been playing by the same basic rules since the rise of state sovereignty in 1648 .
The better we can understand these geographic histories and the maps that define them , the better equipped we become at making sense of seemingly random occurrences throughout the world .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow us on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Minds , and Twitter .
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By Sam Jacobs
“It is not often that nations learn from the past, even rarer that they draw the correct conclusions from it.” – Henry Kissinger
American students are notoriously bad at geography, and have been for some time. In 2002, for instance – the year after the 9/11 attacks – only 17% of American students could find Afghanistan on a map. In 2016, less than one third were able to score a minimal pass of 66% on the National Geographic Global Literacy Survey. In 2015, the United States Government Accountability Office reported that 75% of eighth grade students don’t even know what geography is.
Picture your old-school geography class. More likely than not, it was a boring subject requiring rote memorization of global factoids, U.S. state names, and their capitals. This does American students a disservice, because an appreciation for the hidden power of geography helps one make sense of seemingly random historical tidbits, more accurately predict the future, and see beyond political rhetoric to what actually matters among nation-states.
When contemplating geography’s usefulness in better understanding our world, consider the following:
Why is it important to the state to get a handle on its subjects and their environments, i.e., through long-established practices like land registries and the creation of permanent last names? Or more recent examples such as the census bureau, the passport system, the DMV, birth and death certificates, or just registering to vote? Why is the state seemingly always the enemy of “people who move around,” i.e., nomads and pastoralists, hunter-gatherers, Gypsies, vagrants, homeless people, itinerants, runaway slaves, and serfs? All have always been a thorn in the side of the state, and efforts to permanently settle these mobile peoples seem to rarely succeed.
The answers to these questions are straightforward when the classic imperatives of the state are known – and these are taxation, conscription, and the prevention of rebellion.
In order to satisfy these imperatives, the state has to know as much as possible about its inhabitants, and it wants them to be sedentary. You can’t tax what you can’t measure. You can’t draft someone to fight if you don’t know they exist. And you can’t stop a rebellion if you don’t know those who seek to overthrow your order.
As a result of these imperatives, accurate maps of the land and the people that occupy it are necessary for the survival of the state. And what’s in those maps is as important as what’s excluded from them.
Geography’s raison d’etre is straightforward: to write about, describe, or better understand patterns and processes on Earth. It’s not just maps and state capitals, nor is it simply the creation of maps (that’s cartography).
Thus, when the hidden power of geography is appreciated – especially as it relates to the state’s imperatives – conflicts between competing states as well as the relationship between the state and the individual begins to make more sense.
Early Geography: The Printing Press and “Imagined Communities”
To begin with a basic concept of geographic history, it’s important to consider the difference between a nation and a state. It is common today for the term “nation” and “country” to mean the same thing, but in geography, “country” actually means “state” and the term “nation” is defined by a shared identity among a large population within a state.
This shared identity is what Benedict Anderson referred to as “imagined communities.” These communities of the imagination had early relationships to the invention of the printing press, which allowed people (other than elites) to have easier access to both maps and literature. Such publications contributed to standardizing languages, which allowed a variety of cultures to understand not only each other, but also the maps that explained the world.
The printing press contributed to standardizing the histories of the past so that many different cultures began to remember (and forget) the same things. According to Anderson, communities became imagined because people of even the smallest nations will never know or interact with the majority of people in that country. Yet, the majority will have an understanding of their shared histories.
From the Western perspective, the early history of geography has its origins during the Middle Ages. European travelers would explore beyond the edge of known territory and map their observations of different places, races and cultures. A common similarity of these early written accounts was that different types of climate were thought to be a defining factor for how races and cultures were different from the European traveler.
These early accounts were written from the perspective that European travelers were normal, and all non-Europeans were then defined by their difference. This is to say that according to these written accounts, Europeans were the reference point for what was normal and right.
During this period, the climates of the world were classified by three types: frigid (very cold), temperate (just right), and torrid (very hot). The frigid climate was thought to be too cold for people while the torrid climate was too hot. This understanding of the climate is why, for example, Ethiopians were thought to have lived too close to the sun, and that their skin was burnt black as a result – an observation considered a scientific fact because the European traveler was able to see it with their own eyes and then write about it.
An important aspect to these early written accounts was that as new cultures, terrain and races were “discovered,” they were often described as monsters from inhospitable lands. These monsters were commonly written about and became a source of both myth and legend. Such legends told of monstrous beings at the edge of where the known and unknown territories meet.
As these early Europeans embarked on new expeditions, each exploring further than the last, the unknown territories became known, but the monsters were always pushed further to the edge of the updated maps. According to Joanne Sharp, this pattern was a result of two factors.
First, the Europeans had a need to define their territory with myths and legends of the unknown monster because this was a defining factor for European identity. This is to say that an identity is not only based on how people are similar, but also how people are thought of as different.
The second factor was that for the earliest explorers during this time period, first contact and interaction with new cultures did generate fear. Sharp noted:
Practices of lip stretching and yoga could seem like distorted bodies to the first travelers; warriors’ use of colorful shields might look – from a distance – like faces on their chests; and non-European languages could sound very alien to travelers.
It was through these early expeditions that the Middle Aged maps of the world had a large influence on how people understood that world, and their place in it.
Roots of Geopolitics: From the Monarchy to the State
The transition from the Middle Ages to the 17th century is not marked by a single event, but rather several events over long periods of time. One of the more discussed events was the transition from the monarchy to state sovereignty, a move that marks the early origin of geopolitics.
From 1618 to 1648, one of the most destructive wars in history was waged in Central Europe. At its end, the “Thirty Years’ War” marked the creation of state sovereignty with the “Peace of Westphalia” settlement in 1648. This peace settlement defined territories by state sovereignty rather than a territory, and everything in it, owned solely by the monarchy. Sovereignty is the cornerstone of statehood and is defined by four basic principles:
Defined boundaries of state territory.
A government structure with absolute authority over internal and external affairs.
Recognition by other states.
A permanent population in that territory.
An important aspect to state sovereignty was that the population of a territory was no longer the property of the monarchy. A state relies on its territory as the source for political organization, but this became problematic because people who lived in those territories also had a new found freedom. They were no longer serfs, or considered property owned by the king, but now viewed as citizens of the sovereign state.
Similar to the previous example about monster myths being a political tool toward defining a European identity during the Middle Ages, maps and supporting literature played an essential role in not only marking a state’s territory, but also the imagined community of people inside and outside of that territory.
Prior to the rise of state sovereignty, loyalty to the monarchy could be an issue, and more so for the kings’ armies. It was not uncommon for these early armies to be made up of thieves and vagabonds as well as contracted mercenaries. These types of soldiers had little to no loyalty to the king, which was problematic for several reasons, one of which was because they were armed. Following the 1648 peace settlement, loyalty became tied to nationalism and the country.
This was an important development because, as mentioned, defining an identity results from shared similarities as well as differences. The expansion of territory through war could be more easily acceptable to the soldier if the enemy was different. However, when the enemy looked more like a friend, as can be found in any historical example of dueling Christian armies, the power of the state together with the nation changed the notion of territorial expansion from the “sport of kings” to a clash between nations.
Geopolitics, Social Darwinism, State Survival, and “Lebensraum”
These histories serve as a simplified starting point for understanding geopolitics, and the types of influences that are embedded in the concept. With state sovereignty came the dominant understanding that a state’s purpose was that of survival. Said differently, states were seen to always be in competition with different states.
In the late 19th century, Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection was being applied by scholars to the study of societies (Social Darwinism). German geographer, Friedrich Ratzel, applied Darwin’s natural selection theory to state sovereignty (particularly Germany), and together the concept became known as the “Organic Theory of the State.”
The foundation of Ratzel’s theory was that states interact with different states through the “survival of the fittest” perspective, and that a state must grow through territorial expansion in order to thrive.
The implementation of this theory had a particular consequence. Ratzel’s theory of state survival is said to have legitimized “continual war of all against all, as each country must seek the path of the least resistance to territorial expansion and must simultaneously defend its territory at all costs.”
The term “geopolitics” was coined by Swedish political scientist Rudolf Kjellen (a student of Ratzel’s) in 1899, and inspired an intellectual movement between German and Scandinavian scholars. This movement, supported by the “science” of geopolitics, resulted in a veneer of legitimacy that a state, and its nation, should be viewed as combined elements that together produce a stronger effect.
Ratzel envisioned the nation and state relationship as a “super-organism” whose strength was determined by the size of its territory, population, and the availability of natural resources. Ratzel further published The Sea as a Source of Greatness of a People in 1901, and identified ways in which the land and sea provide opportunity for expansion. This work introduced the concept “Lebensraum,” translated to mean “living space,” which argued that stronger states would naturally take territory and resources from weaker states.
Prior to World War I, Ratzel and Kjellen’s work contributed to the idea that Germany was the “land of geographers,” as German universities were among the first to teach geography. This renewed interest, supported by such geopolitical theories, positioned geography as the “god’s eye view” of how the world “really” worked.
The Nazi Connection: Geopolitk and Hitler’s “Mein Kampf”
The relationship between geopolitics and the rise of the Nazi party is accredited to political geographer Karl Haushofer. Prior to Haushofer’s career in “Geopolitik,” he was active German military who spent time in Japan studying their armed forces between 1908 and 1910. Haushofer’s interaction with both military officials and scholars during that time would later be accredited to the rise of geopolitical institutions in Japan during the 1920s and 1930s. His influence would also stretch as far as South America.
Following World War I, Haushofer retired as a major general in 1919, and took a professor position teaching geography at the University of Munich. Haushofer, like Ratzel before him, believed that German greatness was dependent upon Lebensraum:
If the state was to prosper rather than just survive, the acquisition of ‘living space,’ particularly in the East, was vital and moreover achievable with the help of potential allies such as Italy and Japan.
According to Haushofer, if Germany was to grow into a world power, and rebound from the losses of the WWI defeat, its leadership would need to be thoughtful of five essential elements:
Physical location
Resources
Territory
Morphology
Population
Haushofer’s own geopolitical theories promoted the concept of “pan regions,” which argued that Germany and other state powers, such as Japan, should develop distinct geopolitical strategies that focus on separate regions. To do so was to carve up the map and become neighbors in world domination rather than interfering within each state’s territory of interest. For Haushofer, his geopolitical focus was to the East and Africa.
Following the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923, Rudolf Hess (Hitler’s personal secretary, and one of five people who held key positions in the Nazi party), was arrested and imprisoned for participating in the failed coup against the Weimar Republic. Hess was a former student of Haushofer, and it was this relationship that would lead Haushofer to visit Hess in prison, thus becoming introduced to Hitler.
As we are familiar, Hitler authored Mein Kampf while in prison, and the work draws from the theory of Lebensraum (living space) to support Hitler’s vision of German destiny, territorial expansion and “the master race.”
Some common misconceptions around this history (especially in America) are that Haushofer was thought to be the intellectual powerhouse behind Hitler’s ambition of territorial expansion and genocide. It is true that Haushofer was highly influential with ambitions of territorial expansion, but it was Hitler who placed the far greater emphasis on the identity of people – i.e., the master race vs. the Jewish monster.
Haushofer was never a Nazi himself, and his son had been executed in 1945 for his role in a bomb plot to assassinate Hitler the year prior. With learning of his son’s role in the assassination attempt, Haushofer would commit suicide in 1946.
It is also a misconception that Hitler manifested the hatred of the Jewish people on his own. This claim is not to undermine Hitler’s role in the atrocities of WWII, but it is useful to explore the longer history of persecution and violence against Jewish people in this part of the world long before Hitler was born. In this way, it becomes more useful for understanding geopolitical concepts to recognize the ways in which Hitler “tapped” in to preexisting prejudices and manipulated identities as to justify territorial expansion and genocide.
The Decline of Geopolitics
There were several theoretical and scientific concepts that shaped the thoughts of world leaders leading up to and during WWII that are commonly associated with the Third Reich. Some examples include propaganda (Himmler), the systematic approach to genocide (Fordism), and eugenics to only name a few. However, none of these examples originated with the Nazis, and geopolitics is no exception.
Geopolitics did play an integral role in the rise of the Third Reich, but following the Allied victory of WWII, geopolitics was seen as an “intellectual poison.” With few exceptions after 1945, geopolitics was tainted with Nazism and lost credibility in the United States, Britain, Russia, Japan and other parts of Europe.
In relation to Haushofer’s early influence stretching to South America, Lebensraum and theories of the organic state were alive and well in South American military strategy post-WWII. Geopolitics later reemerged in the West during the 1970s, due to Henry Kissinger making sense of the Cold War.
The focus in this article is only a small snapshot of a particular geography and its history in relation to a single geopolitical theory. Other influential theories around this period include U.S. Admiral Thomas Mahan’s classic on sea power, and Halford Mackinder’s “The Heartland Theory.”
Mahan’s theory on sea power suggested that the Navy was the most important factor in projecting state power (Japan found this useful), and Mackinder believed that world power was not obtainable through the sea, but through the control of the Eurasian landmass with the anticipation of a rising Russian power.
There are also many other political geographies that justify the use of violence that include imperialism, both British and Spanish colonialism, and even earlier empires. Our focus here is only one of many examples. However, there are some important geographic concepts which can be taken away from this.
The Hidden Power of Maps: What’s Included (and What’s Not)
Maps are an important aspect of geography, and they all have hidden forms of power. As can be found in the earlier discussion of “imagined geographies,” it’s important to be aware that all maps (the same goes for all media today) have a creator that – either knowingly or unknowingly – projects what they value and find important onto their creation.
As such, it is always useful to be aware of what types of places, history or knowledge is not on a particular map. While we know that what is on a map is certainly useful, what is not on a map can be much more important if we are interested in charting a course to better understand the power of geopolitics.
Environmental Determinism: From Ancient Greece to Rural Appalachia
A common theme embedded in these early geopolitical theories is traced back to the Greeks, who speculated that human behavior is shaped directly by climate and geographic location. This type of thought is known as environmental determinism. Scholars who take a deterministic view suggest that intellectual advancement in Greece was a result of the mountainous landscape that inspired “loftier thoughts.” The same concept has been applied in America because our wide open plains inspire people to “think big.”
If only human behavior was this simple. The problem with the environmental deterministic view is that it suffers from a lack of attention to types of government structure, laws, history, social dynamics, coercion, violence and types of technology that also shape human behavior. While the environment does play a part, it is only a small part of a much larger process of how human behavior is shaped. Not to mention that today, the environment is no longer understood as “nature” or the “natural” world, but also includes human-built environments (urban spaces). When clearly defined, environmental determinism is too simple of an explanation to be useful.
As an example, the American southern accent (think the TV show Hee Haw) can often be associated with the thought that rural people are unintelligent. However, as can be found in the work of John Gaventa, this common stereotype has its origins in a corporation violently exploiting people in the Appalachian Valley and framing their culture as too simple-minded to understand capitalism. This example is interesting in several ways because Appalachia is mountainous, but the “loftier thoughts” that attempt to explain how the Greeks were intellectually advanced is absent in this context.
Perhaps a more recent example of environmental determinism can be found in this news article that attempts to describe “white nationalism” as a characteristic of all firearm owners. According to this narrative, people who own firearms are white, violent, and are said to be on a level similar to Islamist extremists. As we know, there are many different cultures and races that understand the importance of firearm ownership.
However, this current narrative is geopolitical at its core, and has elements of every concept contained within this article. We have imagined geographies (includes both shared and forgotten histories), a strong emphasis of identity (us vs. them), a stripped-down version of Lebensraum (tying up the nation and the state for ideological expansion, rather than geographical), and the environmental deterministic view that attempts to simplify and single out a particular race.
It should also be noted that environmental determinism is commonly discussed in ways that focus on how non-white races are repressed. Many of those discussions are absolutely valid and true. Nevertheless, our focus here is not to marginalize those repressions, but rather highlight how such deterministic views do not discriminate in their political use. Environmental determinism has impacted all races and cultures in one way or another.
Applying Geography
At the outset, we posed the question: Why do so many people not know what geography is all about? The answer to that question is perhaps because geography has such a long and violent history in the project of state creation and civilization.
Thus understanding the value of geography helps us see the state’s imperatives – taxation, conscription, and the prevention of rebellion – for what they are. It also helps each of us better orient our relationship to the state: What information we divulge to it, whether that be for a gun background check or an income tax return. What state policies (up to and including war) we support. And why politicians say one thing and regularly do another.
Geography also provides an opportunity to place seemingly random histories under a microscope – to question and better understand why certain patterns and processes shape how we understand the world, and our place in it.
While some believe that geopolitics declined following WWII, later re-emerged and declined yet again with the Cold War, geopolitics is very much alive and well today. The maps of the world are still being carved up, and states are still in competition with one another either overtly or in more subtle ways.
For American foreign policy in particular, this is evidenced where the U.S. military maintains foreign bases, to whom the military-industrial complex is permitted to sell American-made weapons, why Washington orders drone strikes in certain places and not others, among many others.
Geography can certainly provide a clearer understanding of potential futures, because states have been playing by the same basic rules since the rise of state sovereignty in 1648. The better we can understand these geographic histories and the maps that define them, the better equipped we become at making sense of seemingly random occurrences throughout the world.
Source: Ammo.com
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