[sustran] Re: "But it has been the way from the beginning for men to slip away from the truth."

[Cornie Huizenga]

Dear Eric,

Sorry, this is really going (too) far.

*PS. Sometimes the circumstances of life can make it necessary to
compromise.  The English psychoanalyst and friend Ernest Jones famously
wrote in his Sigmund Freud. Life and work:*

*One of the conditions for being granted an exit visa was that he sign a
document that ran as follows, "I Prof. Freud, hereby confirm that after the
Anschluss of Austria to the German Reich I have been treated by the German
authorities and particularly the Gestapo with all the respect and
consideration due to my scientific reputation, that I could live and work
in full freedom, that I could continue to pursue my activities in every way
I desired, that I found full support from all concerned in this respect,
and that I have not the slightest reason for any complaint." When the Nazi
Commissar brought it along Freud had of course no compunction in signing
it, but he asked if he might be allowed to add a sentence, which was: "I
can heartily recommend the Gestapo to anyone who requires their services".*

Cornie

On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 9:32 PM, FEKBRITTON <fekbritton at gmail.com> wrote:

> *"If everybody assures you that FIA/Foundation and FIA are not the same,
> there might be some truth to it."** *
>
> ** **
>
> Oh dear. ****
>
> ** **
>
> Cornie, when you write as you did a few hours ago "If everybody assures
> you that FIA/Foundation and FIA are not the same, there might be some truth
> to it". I was a bit surprised by the "everybody" since I had mentioned that
> I had talked to representatives of  the  FIA/Foundation, the UNEP project
> and some people from the WHO road safety project. But that was not the end
> of it.  I also discussed this unfortunate anomaly with a number of my most
> distinguished international colleagues, and while their positions were
> varied not one of them echoed the pat positions of those who accept the
> "normalcy" of  FIA/Foundation participation -- and indeed to an extent
> shaping -- of these programs. ****
>
> ** **
>
> After I read your note I was inspired to look into your membership listing
> and what do I see to my considerable surprise? Oops. I had not taken note
> of the fact that the FIA/Foundation is in fact a member of SLoCaT. This
> is extremely embarrassing and not at all planned. But since we are there we
> might as well keep going. ****
>
> ** **
>
> One of the things that I both like and admire about SLoCaT is the
> diversity of membership. That is extremely important because if there is
> one thing that we have learned over all these years in the uphill and for
> the most part unsuccessful battle for sustainable transportation, is that
> quite literally you can never be sure of where the next great idea will
> come from. So we have to be inclusive, what in happier days Lech Walesa
> called the "big house" approach to inclusiveness in a new democracy. I have
> always liked your big house approach to your membership.****
>
> ** **
>
> So in my case I am not what you could call an energy maven, or even a
> climate guy -- because while I certainly think those things are important,
> I do not believe that they can be the central arguments for a sustainable
> transport, sustainable cities program. The trick is, of course, that if you
> get the right strategic framework in place -- for example such things as
> slowing down the traffic in and around cities, targeting investments to
> serve the poorest 90% of the population (and yes, forgetting the top 10%
> who will I assure you be well able to figure it out for themselves), NMT,
> TDM, favoring the safe and affordable transit of women and girls, fiscal
> prudence --  well when we enact policies and practices in these ways, we
> will get those significant energy and climate improvements. Not only that,
> we will get them in the very near term -- as opposed to waiting for
> technology to do the job for us. So even if I do not put energy or climate
> at the top of my strategic framework, how happy I am to be able to share
> the forum with our fine energy and climate groups. The world and our aching
> cities need all of us. ****
>
> ** **
>
> We have a great and varied group here, so why all of a sudden am I -- and
> eventually others -- coming down so hard on the FIA/Foundation. Well,
> because their presence here, and in the UN programs, is, as my grandmother
> would have put it, just plain wrong. The FIA/Foundation is nothing other
> than a screamingly evident greenwash operation. They have nothing in common
> with the wonderful likes of the First African Bicycle Information
> Organization or the Fraunhofer-Institute
> <http://www.slocat.net/member/244>, the Korean Transport Institute<http://www.slocat.net/member/179>or the Rockefeller Foundation, Embarq or the ITDP, and the other great
> groups whom you have brought together. ****
>
> ** **
>
> How can anyone be blind to what they so clearly are. They represent speed
> and noise, greed and blind technology, infantilization and passivity, macho
> values and profligacy, danger and irresponsible behavior.  They above all
> are experts in double-talk.  They are not sustainable in any sense of the
> word. ****
>
> ** **
>
> So, dear Cornie, what the hell are they doing here?  Or will we just take
> their money and silently "slip away from the truth".****
>
> ** **
>
> As always, your difficult friend and colleague,****
>
> ** **
>
> Eric Britton****
>
> ** **
>
> PS. Sometimes the circumstances of life can make it necessary to
> compromise.  The English psychoanalyst and friend Ernest Jones famously
> wrote in his *Sigmund Freud. Life and work*:****
>
> One of the conditions for being granted an exit visa was that he sign a
> document that ran as follows, "I Prof. Freud, hereby confirm that after the
> Anschluss of Austria to the German Reich I have been treated by the German
> authorities and particularly the Gestapo with all the respect and
> consideration due to my scientific reputation, that I could live and work
> in full freedom, that I could continue to pursue my activities in every way
> I desired, that I found full support from all concerned in this respect,
> and that I have not the slightest reason for any complaint." When the Nazi
> Commissar brought it along Freud had of course no compunction in signing
> it, but he asked if he might be allowed to add a sentence, which was: "I
> can heartily recommend the Gestapo to anyone who requires their services".
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* Cornie Huizenga [mailto:cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org]
> *Sent:* Monday, 24 June, 2013 12:05
> *To:* FEKBRITTON
> *Cc:* Global 'South' Sustainable Transport; Morten Lange; Sujit J
> Patwardhan
> *Subject:* Re: "But it has been the way from the beginning for men to
> slip away from the truth."****
>
> ** **
>
> Dear Eric,****
>
> ** **
>
> If everybody assures you that FIA Foundation and FIA are not the same,
> there might be some truth to it.****
>
> ** **
>
> best regards,****
>
> Cornie****
>
> On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 4:09 PM, FEKBRITTON <fekbritton at gmail.com> wrote:*
> ***
>
> Dear Cornie,****
>
>  ****
>
> You wrote on this date, in what was otherwise a good letter outlining your
> middle of the road position and philosophy on transport in the Global
> South, one thing that really stuck in my craw. . . ****
>
>  ****
>
> ·        "The VCs in the report are by FIA Foundation and not FIA."****
>
>  ****
>
> That's an insider joke, right?****
>
>  ****
>
> Kind regards/****
>
>  ****
>
> Eric Britton****
>
>  ****
> PS. Perhaps I should mention that over the last year I have spoken on
> several occasions about this with representatives of the UNEP ('Share the
> *Road*'<http://www.fiafoundation.org/news/archive/2010/Pages/SharetheRoadcallbyFIAFoundationandUNEP.aspx>)
> and WHO ('Road Safety Fund ') cooperative programs, as well as with
> representatives of the FIA as well. And they all assured me exactly and
> most vigorously as you have today.  So why is it that my brow is still
> mightily furrowed?  **** ****
>
> " The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is the governing body for
> world motor sport and the federation of the world’s leading motoring
> organisations. The FIA has been dedicated to representing the rights of
> motoring organisations and motor car users throughout the world via
> campaigns and activities that defend their interests. On issues such as
> safety, mobility, the environment and consumer law the FIA actively
> promotes the interests of motorists at the United Nations, within the
> European Union and through other international bodies. The FIA is also the
> governing body for motor sport worldwide. It administers the rules and
> regulations for all international four-wheel motor sport including the FIA
> Formula One World Championship, FIA World Rally Championship and FIA World
> Touring Car Championship." (
> http://www.fia.com/en-GB/the-fia/about-fia/Pages/AboutFIA.aspx))****
>
>  ****
>
> "The FIA Foundation is an independent UK registered charity which manages
> and supports an international programme of activities promoting road
> safety, environmental protection and sustainable mobility, as well as
> funding specialist motor sport safety research."  (
> http://www.fiafoundation.org/Pages/homepage.aspx)****
>
>  ****
>  **** ****
>
>  ****
>
>  ****
>
>
>
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> --
> Cornie Huizenga****
>
> Joint Convener, SLoCaT Partnership****
>
> 317 Xianxia Road, B 1811****
>
> 200051 Shanghai, China****
>
> ** **
>
> www.slocat.net****
>
> @SLOCATcornie****
>
> +8613901949332****
>



-- 
Cornie Huizenga
Joint Convener, SLoCaT Partnership
317 Xianxia Road, B 1811
200051 Shanghai, China

www.slocat.net
@SLOCATcornie
+8613901949332