The first 'graph of this Post-Gazette story really says it all:
The [Pennsylvania] state House approved a measure yesterday to impose harsh penalties against "eco-terrorists," even though legislators sharply disagreed on what types of activity constituted eco-terrorism.
We're not sure exactly what it is, but it's got "terrorism" in it, so it must be horrible and worthy of the most draconian penalties we can think of!
Godshall contended that some environmental protesters, including those who protest what goes on inside drug-testing labs or research activity at veterinary schools, have gone too far, threatening to harm buildings and even scientists engaged in lawful activity.
The story is full of this kind of stuff. Note that a) they're only talking about animal-rights protesters, not "eco"-anything, b) they are advisedly using the word "protester," to cast the widest possible net, and c) all they can come up is that "some" have "threatened." And normal criminal penalties won't suffice for this? This is "terrorism"?
Godshall said one extremist group called the Environmental Liberation Front has said it "would no longer hesitate to pick up a gun" to protect the environment.
Not only did they "threaten" something, they "said" something else! Perhaps it's time to call in the National Guard!?
Rep. Kathy Manderino, D-Philadelphia, said veterinary and agricultural schools have been targeted by such protesters, who have even threatened violence against professors and researchers and their homes.
After "threatening" and "saying," now they're "targeting" -- and more "threatening"! Would declaring a state-wide emergency be too much?
But critics of the bill, including Rep. Greg Vitali, D-Delaware, said someone who protests the treatment of puppies at a pet store could be seen as an "eco-terrorist" under the bill."It's too broad," he said. "If a protester at a pigeon shoot picks up a wounded pigeon from private property he could be convicted of eco-terrorism under this."
Oops! I'm sure that wasn't the intention.
Look, I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist, but I hear more and more noises like this. Ever since 9/11 this country has been piss-our-pants panicked, gripped by an existential fear that's drifted free of any mooring in the real world and become a thing-in-itself, a beast that must be fed. It wants to generate domestic enemies. And since greens are so darn unreasonable -- a group even progressives won't defend -- what better candidate?
Imagine what's going to happen if one of these groups actually does hurt anyone.
Comments
View as Flat
IrishMafia Posted 8:49 am
17 Mar 2005
BOO! Infidel. trihad!
fatwah, natural.
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MikeCapone Posted 1:01 pm
17 Mar 2005
Actually, they were probably talking about the Earth Liberation Front...
If they can't even get that right, it doesn't augur well.
--
SUVs are squared-out minivans.
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jdhlax Posted 8:26 am
18 Mar 2005
My first gut reaction to 911 was "now the Bush administration can declare marshall law, something people like that have always wanted." They've been able to use the supposed threat of "terrorism" to justify all sorts of horrible stuff (starting with the bombing of innocent civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq). However, this administration, the rich people they represent, and American consumers who support their policies with their anti-environmetal behavior are the real eco-terrorists.
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IrishMafia Posted 9:14 am
18 Mar 2005
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From the angle of such nonsense as seen above, I postulate that with enough time, inevitably someone will be injured. Of course... I think vegans are tastier than plants so where the hell do I get off?!
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Biodiversivist Posted 11:35 am
19 Mar 2005
In reality, there is no organization called the ELF. There is only a website and people who vandalize things in the name of the ELF. I chuckle every time I think about the number one terrorist organization in America having its own website. That FBI sure is crafty. I suppose they expect to nab some members who are foolish enough to visit it and come to think or it, they probably will. Anyone who wants to vandalize or arson something under the auspice of protecting the environment simply has to leave a note behind claiming that it was done by the ELF. If it gets reported in the news, someone adds that particular act of vandalism to the list on the ELF website. One problem with an organization that has no organization is that there is absolutely no control over what some idiot might do in your name. So far, nobody has been hurt, but an accident will happen someday.
Be forewarned that the FBI is undoubtedly monitoring visitors to this site and adding them to a database. If an SUV gets spray painted in your neighborhood, you may find that you have inadvertently added yourself to the list of suspects. American citizens do not have the same protections from their government that they had prior to 9/11. You might want to think about it before visiting that site. As a matter of fact, right here in Washington State, $50,000 was added to the Senate Republicans' 2004 budget to make a database of people and organizations thought to be involved in eco-terrorism. Having visited the ELF sight to write this, I have undoubtedly added my name to that database.
Admittedly, their poorly thought-out and destructive actions have never failed to be counterproductive. They have single-handedly done more damage to the image of environmentalism than any other group I can think of. Although I can emphasize with their frustration, I do not buy their methodologies. When you think about it, this is analogous to the Indian wars at the turn of the last century were the ultimate and final struggle against urban sprawl played itself out resulting in the destruction of all Native American cultures at the hands of others with more money and power.
Typically, the ELF set fire to new construction that is causing urban sprawl. Lately, vandalizing SUVs has become very popular. Their reasoning can be hard to follow. For example, here in Seattle they chose to arson the Center for Urban Horticulture at the University of Washington, a lab that was conducting genetic research on trees, leaving the researchers--most of them staunch environmentalists--stunned and confused. The ELF is closely allied with ALF, the Animal Liberation Front, who just this summer vandalized a mink farm in Washington State by releasing 10,000 of the little devils into the surrounding countryside.
http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com
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IrishMafia Posted 3:12 pm
19 Mar 2005
Be forewarned that the FBI is undoubtedly monitoring visitors to this site and adding them to a database.
DOH! Who told you that? ANSWER ME! How'd this get out?! whooooooo gave you this information?
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IrishMafia Posted 3:14 pm
19 Mar 2005
all of us you see.
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IrishMafia Posted 2:37 am
20 Mar 2005
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jdhlax Posted 4:29 am
21 Mar 2005
Re your concern about the fire set in the GE lab, hey, GE trees are a big issue, GE is an affront to nature, and anyone who's working on them is either not an environmentalist, and certainly not a "staunch" one (as you claim that the GE reserchers are) or in serious need of education.
Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any ELF actions stopping or even significantly reducing the projects being attacked, so I know of no positive effect to weigh against the bad publicity created by the actions. However, bad publicity would be worth its cost if the action creating it did more good for the Earth than harm. My point is that we in the environmental movement should be here for the Earth, not to gratify our egos and worry about our image for its own sake. The only reason our image is important is to protect the Mother!
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Biodiversivist Posted 7:40 am
22 Mar 2005
The only reason our image is important is to protect the Mother!
Couldnn't agree more.
http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com
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ldmstr Posted 8:08 am
22 Mar 2005
ldmstr/of/the/left
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