Environmentalists Turn To Violence

[dArKeR]

 It's been guerrilla warfare all summer out west, reports CBS News Correspondent Bill Whitaker.

The extremist Earth Liberation Front, or ELF, has claimed responsibility for a rash of fires in California, including a $50-million development in San Diego.

"The organization has never harmed a single person," said former ELF spokesman Craig Rosebraugh.

But, he says, property destruction is a necessary tactic. The goal is economic sabotage, to try and inflict maximum damage to the entities that are destroying the natural environment.

And it's not just environmental extremists.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/23/eveningnews/main574803.shtml

[slackmaster]

1. They are hitting targets years or decades too late to do any good

The big fire they claimed credit for in San Diego, which did $50 million in damage, was on a site that may have had some vernal pools before it was graded 25 years ago. What the fuck use is a stunt like that? All they accomplished was to pollute the air, raise the cost of housing for everyone, and killed some more trees in the process.

[arissa]

3. The complex was adjacent to Rose Canyon

"(Rose Canyon is) home to bobcats, coyotes, ash-throated flycatchers, red-shouldered hawks, bawn owls and orioles.

From 2,000 years ago until the last century, the Kumeyaay people inhabited a village in Rose Canyon, gathering acorns from the once abundant coastal live oaks, weaving baskets from the arroyo willow and hunting not far from where a seven-million-dollar crane was destroyed by the ELF fire.

San Diego County is one of the the most rapidly growing regions in the US and has been identified as one of the world's 25 biodiversity 'hotspots.'

...

The Garden Communities project was approved in 2000, despite opposition from nearby residents. Many who hike Rose Canyon's four-mile length are tired of the sprawl engulfing the canyon and have expressed support for the ELF's efforts to draw attention to the development of San Diego's last remaining wetlands and wild places.

...

Marose also noted that rain and humidity made the night of the fire moist enough to prevent it from spreading to Rose Canyon: 'The canyon would have gone up in smoke if this was done at any other time.'"

Above excerpted from page 3 of the Sept/Oct 2003 Earth First! Journal, written by Rod Coronado, Native American activist.

It's never too late.

[mastein]

5. Tactics not the message

First Arissa, I commend you for being the first to step up when challenged on this issue. Your peers in the "liberation fronts" have remained silent to this point after every post I have made on the topics.

On the topic, I strongly agree with you that development you mention was ill-concieved, and was done solely to make money for the developer. Building in wet-lands is illegal in most areas and stupid at best.

It is not message I disagree with. It is the means of getting the message out. Criminal acts especially these fires and animal liberations are dangerous to those who purpotrate them and to the responders who control them. Secondly, they scare people away from our side. It gives the general populace, who in a democracy we must convince to fight these fights with us, reason to fear and therefore not join us. Secondly, it gives those who oppose reason to call us names such as CRIMINAL. Therefore, I find the behavior pretty much indefensible.

[arissa]

8. Hello mastein

"First Arissa, I commend you for being the first to step up when challenged on this issue. Your peers in the "liberation fronts" have remained silent to this point after every post I have made on the topics."

What peers are you speaking of? I doubt hardly anyone who visits DU regularly is very passionate about the issue. I happen to be the exception, so I'm not sure why you seem to be "challenging" the ELF arsonists who spend their free time posting on DU, as I doubt any spend much time here, and if they did, and they were smart, they would absolutely NOT speak up about it because it could lead authorities right to them.

I however, not being someone who sets fires, am free to speak my mind in support of the Earth warriors who do, since I am not afraid of being targetted by authorities, since I haven't committed such acts.

So let's just forget about the grandstanding on both sides, anyone who did these things would be a fool to speak out about them on the internet.

"It is not message I disagree with."

Just to be clear, I was posting the message for our friend slackmaster, who seemed to think that there was no message, stating that they were 25 years too late. I was pointing out that it's never too late.

"Criminal acts especially these fires and animal liberations are dangerous to those who purpotrate them"

I'm sure that anyone who goes through the preparations for something like this is far more aware of the dangers and how to prevent accidents than you are, no offense, but I know this for a fact. These aren't a bunch of teenagers running around drunk and having fun.

"and to the responders who control them."

This is an unfortunate risk. Thankfully, the responders are well-trained professionals and know how to handle themselves. Personally, I think global capitalist imperialism run amock and the death of our Mother Earth are far more dangerous to far more people than a fire. Maybe I'm crazy but the health of the planet, of it's inhabitants, is of far more consequence to me. Nothing comes without risks, no matter how righteous the cause.

Slave uprisings in the South killed many innocent people and put countless others in danger, but risks have to be taken if liberation is to be achieved. History is full of examples of this, and I think your outrage over this comes no from the innocent people put in danger but from your framing the issue different personally - you simply don't see the liberation of the Earth from the death-grasp choking Her to death as important as other struggles throughout history - I happen to disagree.

"Secondly, they scare people away from our side."

Again, I disagree. Sure, the upper-middle-class white yuppies in the suburbs are all in a huff about it. You know, the type who give $20 a year to the Sierra Club and stick the "Save ANWR!" sticker on their Expedition. Who gives a shit about them, they're part of the problem even more than the rabid conservative who hates environmentalists because these idiots actually believe they're NOT part of the problem, at least a conservative can admit it/doesn't give a shit - which is far less dangerous.

Another excerpt from the EF!J:

"Following the fire, a small, hand-printed sign was left near the construction site: 'Thank-You E.L.F. Burn, baby, burn.'

Tad Simmons of Carlsbad said that as an environmentalist he had mixed feelings about the fire. 'Part of me thinks it's kind of cool that somebody had the guts to stand for something like this-a cause, and that nobody ever gets hurt.'"

These actions get headlines, they draw attention to environmental issues, and they make people think. Their will always be people who claim to be turned off by them - most of those people would never lift a finger to help the Earth in any REAL way anyway. Their mind was made up beforehand, and personally I couldn't care less what they think.

In the end, it boils down this - NOTHING else has worked - end of story. The mainstream groups are a buncha sellout wannabe-enviros who sit in offices and cut deals to make themselves feel good. Depending on politicians has got us nowhere - our environmental protections are pathetic and broken everyday by corporations who buy off the authorities. The Earth is dying, and NOTHING we have depending on in the past has worked.

We can only sit around waiting for someone in Washington to do something about it for so long. Pretty soon, it'll be too late. There are only two problems with ELF/ALF actions:
1) They took too long to start, they should have started decades ago and never let up.
2) They don't happen often enough.

When will it be "ok" to take matters into our own hands and do WHATEVER IT TAKES to save the Earth from death? Will it be "ok" to fight back when another 500 species of plants and animals are extinct, gone forever? Will it be "ok" to fight back when the icecaps and glaciers finish (I say finish because they're already well on their way) melting and change the global jetstreams, which in turn wipes out tropical regions into deserts and turns temperate regions into wastelands? Will it be "ok" to fight back when another billion people die of preventable disease? Will it be "ok" to fight back when the last old-growth Redwood in Cascadia is about to be cut? When? When will it be "ok"? I say the line was crossed centuries ago.

[Redneck Socialist]

9. Right on arissa

a far more eloquent and passionate defense of direct action than my post. You raise three issues that I would like to open up to broader discussion.

1) "I doubt hardly anyone who visits DU regularily is very passionate about the issue "

2) "Depending on politicians has got us nowhere."

3) "The mainstream groups are a bunch of sellout wannabe enviros..."

#1 Is this true? I hope not, because if it is we ARE doomed. If is isn't why don't more DUr's frequent this board? Is it because they (we) assume that the dem's are "good" on this issue and that we don't have to worry about it?

#2 I take exception to this. The clean water act and the clean air act while not perfect and almost constantly under assult since the day they were passed have dramaticly improved the quality of the air we breath and the water we fish in, swim in, and drink.

#3 err...ahhh, yes and no. I would like them to be more agressive, but they are not wholly without merit. My biggest beef with them is that except for a couple of notable exceptions (the sierra club and the league of conservation voters)they almost universaliy don't get involved in electoral politics. Why the hell not?

I agree with arissa that direct action groups are vitally necessary, but I have not abandoned hope in the political system. I will go so far as to hazard a guess that anyone who frequents DU still has hope that we can changes things throught the democratic process. If you have abandoned that hope why bother with a forum such as this?

Many if not most politicians don't treat the environment as a serious issue and most mainstream environmental groups don't get involved in campaigns. Until the environmental community comes together and becomes a force in elections our issues are going to continue to be marginalized and all the direct actions in the world are not going to be enough to save the planet.

My broader questions to the DU community are these: If environmental issues don't play a role in how you vote why not? If you care about the environment why aren't you involved in politics?

I hope this generates some discussion. I would like to see more activity on this board.

[arissa]

10. In response to the issues you raised (well two of them at least)

#1) That sentence came out differently than I intended. What I meant by it was that most people who passionately support direct action don't come to places like DU. I know these communities, and mainstream Democratic discussion boards on the internet are the least of their concerns. I realize that the way I phrased that sentence came out poorly. :)

#2) The Earth is still dying, clean air and water act or not. Those acts have done nothing to stop the destruction of the Earth and have done little to improve the quality of water and air. Here in Illinois, we have dozens of "grandfathered" coal-fired power plants that are 100% exempt from the clear air act. And anyone who thinks water is clean from the Missippi eastward is misinformed. But these extraordinarily minor two acts have done absolutely nothing to stop the death of the Earth, and even these two things are falling apart. They're bones thrown around to make people complacent and make them believe something is being done.

#3) I don't have much to add to the issues you raised for this one.

Thanks for the response. Like you, I hope this generates quality discussion. :)

[Redneck Socialist]

11. I did not mean to suggest

that the CAA and CWA solved the proplems of air and water polution. They have improved things though. I offer one personal anacdote as evidence and then will get back to mostly agreeing with you. There is a papermill in the town next to where I grew up and the river the mill dumps into would run green, brown, blue depending on what the mill was putting out. The river stank like the open sewer it was. No fish, almost no life, virtually a dead river. The CWA act changed that. The fish are back and the river "appears clean." However the fish are full of dioxin (not addressed by the CWA) and I wouldn't recomend eating them. I think this proves both our points. Mine that legislation (formed through the politcal process) like the CWA has improved things and yours that it didn't go far enough. I am willing to admit that by ending the worst, most obvious and most visible abuses the CWA has made further progress more difficult by making it appear that the problem is solved. However those "bones" were only tossed to us because people organized and demanded that changes be made. We can't abandon that because direct action won't solve the problem by itself. We have to attack from both sides. Through politics AND with direct action.

[arissa]

12. I agree with your final sentence - eom

n/t

[blindpig]

16. the environment is THE bottom line

....and best I can tell the vast majority over in GD are virtually clueless. Abstract concepts & social constructs of dubious real value generate great verbage & passion while the Real Deal gets lip service. I think the mainstream orgs do the planet a real disservice by giving the impression that they are accomplishing anything significant. Like arrisa said, $20 gets you a bumpersticker & absolution. Until rape&plunder capitalism and human population are reigned in there is no hope for the future. Try postulating that in GD and get your ass handed to yu.
It's going to take one of them there "paragrim shifts" you here tell of to turn things around.(assuming that democracy does work) Don't know how that works, but if we have to wait arround until some disaster wakes the masses then it wll probably be too late.
Like the Trainites say, "STOP KILLING ME!"

[mastein]

13. Several topics

Howdy all, I am enjoying this discussion to no end. Thank you all for the input. I am going to try to address several issues since my last posting. . .
1) I'm sure that anyone who goes through the preparations for something like this is far more aware of the dangers and how to prevent accidents than you are, no offense, but I know this for a fact. These aren't a bunch of teenagers running around drunk and having fun.

Umm, Arissa, I work in the health and safety field for a living, and have trained many a responder. I also know that political zealots tend not to take their own S&H into consideration. If these folks are smart enough to do that, good, at least that way responders don't have go into harms way to rescue people.

and to the responders who control them."

"This is an unfortunate risk."

Tell that to the widows, young families and parents of the fire fighters who have given their lives to put out forest fires over the last several years.

2) Onto the methods and actions section. I agree with RS and Arissa both that both political action and events are needed. I do however have a big problem with someone saying political action has got us nowhwere. TSCA (toxic substane control act), CAA, CWA, RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) and SARA (Superfund Reauthorization Act) have all been huge upgrades in environmental law and all have come in the last 30 or so years. Unfortunately, each has come only as a reaction to major env. problems. So do not think policitcal action doesn't work. Thanks to folks like SC, it does.

As for getting at developers, it amazes me how year after year I see so many uncontested seats for zoning boards. Most of the time zoning boards races are single candidate races with people put up by developers. I would like to see the Greens step up and start running candidates in these elections. A group in my county won election to the county board in a landslide 4 years ago on a slow/stop growth campaign. It can and does work. Any political group hasn't tried to work from the inside first doesn't have legitimate outsider status and is doing things so they can make the papers. ELF is one of those groups in my eyes.

[arissa]

15. Wha...??

This sentence baffles me!

"Tell that to the widows, young families and parents of the fire fighters who have given their lives to put out forest fires over the last several years."

What's that supposed to mean?

a) The ELF doesn't set forest fires
b) The ELF, as quoted above, took steps to set this fire on a rainy, humid night which prevented it from spreading
c) Forest fires are natural and any environmentalist worth their salt knows that they should be let to burn because it creates healthier forests - it's stopping natural forest fires and logging large, fire-resistant trees that leads to wildfires

How can you possibly put the blame for forest fires on environmentalists??

[blindpig]

17. sometimes you can't get inside

here in the sunny south many counties have no zoning and consider the possibility communism. the developers own the county council here in spartanburg, literally & figuratively.on the national level we get window dressing & a handful of showpieces while the rest is being raped for the good of the economy..................

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. They require the killing of more trees via these actions

it's not like the developer is going to not replace the damaged structures. :shrug:

[mastein]

2. A corrupt practice

The ELF tactics make me sick. They are a corrupting influence to the environmental movement and go directly against the non-violent civil disobediance tactics that have spurred major wins throughout the west against logging and energy interests.

As for the fire setting, in addition to being criminal activity they harm no one but the insurance company who underwrites the developer. Those are probably the same insurance cos. who insure our vehicles, homes etc.

So if the economic damage doesn't hurt the target what is left? Publicity. . . yeah publicity for those against us to use against us to portray us envirionmental conservatives (we do want to conserve the environment) a bunch of criminals. WHAT UTTER BRILLIANCE on your part making the entire environmental movement look like a bunch of criminals. I cannot thank you enough for dragging us down with your ship.

[DaleFM]

4. I'm with mastein

on this.


Will it take a death of a firefighter or a person for it to allow reality to set in? This is not a protest of anything. Just some fire bug seeking justification for his fetish.

[Redneck Socialist]

7. I'm likely to get burned alive

no pun intended, but let me play devil's advocate here. There are times when direct action is called for. We are losing the battle for our survival and the survival of many (most?) of the other species on the planet. I don't know enough about the San Diego action to say if it was justified or not, but one real benefit of the direct action arm of the environmental movement is that it makes the rest of us seem reasonable. There has to be people pushing the boundries otherwise what is acceptable keeps moving further and further to the right. I am sick and tired of being reasonable. I am sick and tired of compromising. We have to fight, literally in some cases, the greedheads who want to pave everything. At some point we have to develop enough humility recognize that the planet is not ours to trash and to say enough is enough. Until that point I am glad that some people have the courage to draw a line in the sand and say this far and no farther. OK I will stop ranting now. Let the flame war begin.

[DrGonzoLives]

14. "Property destruction is a necessary tactic"

Yep, that's the way to win people to your side. Terrorism. It works so well the world over.