"Eco-Terrorism?" WTF Is "Eco-Terrorism?"

It is "vandalism, animal releases, arsons, and attempted arsons across Oregon, Washington, California, Wyoming, and Colorado," according to the FBI release today announcing the fact that the FBI has raised the amount of the reward for the capture of four members of Animal Liberation Front (ALF)/Earth Liberation Front (ELF), who are accused of those acts, to $50k apiece.

The four--Josephine Sunshine Overaker, Joseph Mahmoud Dibee, Justin Franchi Solondz, and Rebecca Rubin--have been 'implicated' in destruction of property amounting to in the neighborhood of $50Million, "including the largest eco-related arson in history, a $26 million arson at the Vail Ski Resort in Vail, Colorado," according the FBI/ATF release announcing the reward increases. “The crimes perpetrated by ALF and ELF have proven violent and potentially deadly, as the criminals use sophisticated incendiary devices, pipe bombs, and tactics” said ATF Deputy Assistant Director William McMahon. “As these fugitives are still on the run, law enforcement must remain aggressive in our pursuit. The ATF will continue to work with the FBI to battle the twin menaces of violent crime and terrorism.” To this point, there have been no deaths or injuries attributed to ALF/ELF activists.

When I read reports such as this one, which I received in my daily e-mails today, I have to say that my sympathies are far more with the activists than with the 'authorities.' Regardez-vous:

The election is over, but the risk of corporate giveaways by an outgoing Bush Administration has never been greater.

In fact, the Bush Administration is rushing out long-term plans that would convert the ancient forests of western Oregon, with their towering trees, rushing rivers, and superb wildlife habitat, to empty clearcuts.

Under these plans, logging our public forests would dramatically increase, more than tripling the current level. More than a thousand miles of damaging logging roads would be built within the forests.

What's at stake? More than two million acres that contain some of America's few remaining ancient forests. Some 20,000 miles of rivers, where wild Pacific salmon thrive. Ancient forests that are home to huge Douglas fir, western hemlocks and western red cedar trees—some well over 400 years old. This wet, rugged environment also provides rich habitat for wildlife like elk, deer, black bear and Pacific fishers, as well as endangered species such as spotted owls and marbled murrelets.

These forests gain more importance each day as buffers against the impacts of global warming. That's just one of the many reasons why logging activities should focus on smaller trees—and always with restoration and fire protection in mind.

There are NO disincentives to corpoRat development and/or the rape and the eventual destruction of the forests, rivers and seas.

Except for activists like the "Elves."

Hence my sympathies. Buildings, vehicles, equipment: it all burns readily, which is why they have insurance.

You can send a polite letter, here.