Posts Tagged government

Eco-Terrorism Part Three: Where Obama Stands

March 1, 2009 at 11:48 PM · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged , , , , ,

In a 2005 hearing on eco-terrorism, Senator Barack Obama stated:

“In America, we have the right to disagree over personal beliefs – whether they are religious, philosophical or moral – and to express those beliefs peaceably. We have the right to assemble and to demonstrate. But, we do not have the right to destroy others’ property and to commit acts of violence in the name of free speech.”

Obama supports our right to legally exercise free speech in the name of any cause.

“I hope we are not headed down the path of infringing on the ability of legitimate advocacy organizations to express their opinions and to raise funds in order to do so. I do not want Americans to equate groups that advocate violence with mainstream environmental organizations.”

Obama understands that not all animal rights (or environmental) activists seek to commit crimes or other disrespectful acts, and wants this fact to be recognized by legislators and law enforcers.

“So, while I appreciate the Chairman’s interest in these fringe groups, I urge the Committee to focus its attention on larger environmental threats, such as the dangerously high blood lead levels in hundreds of thousands of children. With all due respect, Mr. Chairman, I believe the Committee’s time would be better spent learning why EPA has not promulgated regulations to deal with lead paint in remodeled homes. Such an oversight hearing could have a significant impact on improving the lives of children all over the country.”

All I have to say is, way to go Barack!

And from his inaugural address:

“To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”

Once again, I’m going to have to disagree with Green is the New Red. Will pessimistically blogged that he doesn’t think Obama will confront any of these eco-terrorism issues and that those who are looking to Obama as a “savior” are overly hopeful and will be greatly disappointed. (Forgive me, I closed the page and can’t seem to re-discover this particular blog entry). I won’t say I’m worshipping the man, but I have great confidence in his power and determination to facilitate change (and to right all the wrongs that occurred during the Bush administration). Just as the magazine cover above suggests, I truly do look to Obama as “A New Hope.”

Photo courtesy of Rolling Stone.

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Eco-terrorism Part Two: Domestic Terror

March 1, 2009 at 8:38 PM · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ever since 2005, the FBI has cited eco-terrorism as the number one domestic terrorist threat. (Never mind the fact that there are probably more important and more threatening security issues for them to be worrying about.)

The FBI has gone so far as to send undercover spies to events as innocent as vegan potlucks. This scares me, because I’m not one to risk attending protests and things that might reasonably get me in trouble with the police or FBI, but a vegan potluck is something that I’m likely to attend. In fact, whenever two activists connect, the FBI has their antenna out.

In January of 2006, the 109th Congress signed the Animal Enterpreise Terrorism Act, and a couple of weeks ago, according to Green is the New Red, four California activists were convicted under it, with charges of (as quoted from GITNR):

  • Protesting outside the home of a University of California Berkeley professor. Some activists, “wearing bandanas to hide their faces, trespassed on his front yard, chanted slogans, and accused him of being a murderer because of his use of animals in research.”
  • At another protest, activists “marched, chanted, and chalked defamatory comments on the public sidewalks in front of the residences.”
  • At one protest, a group of five or six activists allegedly “attempted to forcibly enter the private home of a University of California researcher in Santa Cruz.”
  • Fliers titled “Murderers and torturers alive & well in Santa Cruz July 2008 edition” were found at a local coffee shop. They listed the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of several researchers. The fliers said “animal abusers everywhere beware we know where you live we know where you work we will never back down until you end your abuse.” The FBI says three of the defendants are tied to the “production and distribution of the fliers.”

Now, only the third charge is actually illegal, and even the “threat” in the flyers is too vague to prove anything. Now, I don’t disagree with the act in itself- the provisions seem to be reasonable, being based around things that are indeed illegal. I guess what strikes me as weird is that they felt like they had to create it at all. We already have laws in place against arson and theft. So I guess my biggest complaint about it is that it paints the picture of activists as being “bad guys” and encourages others to think the same.

What do you think?

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Eco-terrorism Part One: An Introduction to The Green Scare

March 1, 2009 at 5:45 PM · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

From Green is the New Reds Flickr

From Green is the New Red's Flickr

The Green scare is essentially the Red Scare of the new millennium, but this time, the attacks are directed towards two new groups that frequently challenge the status quo: environmentalists and animal activists. We know that some activists proceed in manners that are disrespectful such as vandalism and arson, while the majority of us simply and respectfully write letters, sign petitions, or attend peaceful protests. While we can easily make this separation, some members of society seen to be unable to make a distinction. It’s like how some perceive Islam to be all bad because the only exposure they’ve had to it is through the acts of extremists which are broadcast on the news.

The government, FBI, and special interest groups, whether or not they are able to see a difference, are trying to make us all out to be bad guys, no matter how we behave. Why is this? I suspect it’s because we challenge the status quo, and those in power only keep their level of power if the status quo is maintained. Or perhaps they’re just afraid of change.

The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) is one organization that has been working to sell this idea, by taking out advertisements like the ones featured in this post. In fact, they’ve been trying to smear activist organizations (like the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine and the Humane Society) for more than 10 years! What would drive them to do that? Well, they are a special interest group sponsored by the companies that would benefit from the smearing of these activist organizations (for instance, meat, egg, and dairy producers).

(By the way, the NYSE hostage website doesn’t exist anymore.)

Ad taken out in the New York Times in 2005

Ad taken out in the New York Times in 2005

Labels of eco-terrorism have been taken so seriously that not even beloved children’s books and movies such as Charlotte’s Web and Hoot can escape the label of “eco-terrorist.” Someone please tell me what a menagerie of cunning barn animals has to do with terrorism?

Are you teaching your children to be little eco-terrorists?

Are you teaching your children to be little eco-terrorists?

For an in-depth explanation, check out this article at Green is the New Red.

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Help make the US more animal friendly!

January 12, 2009 at 10:58 PM · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

There are only a few days left! Please head over to www.change.org to vote for these two very dear issues to get into the top ten that will be brought to President-elect Barack Obama’s attention:

Vegan options for public school lunches- needs more than 2,000 votes to get into the top 10!

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/vegan_school_lunch_options

And ending animal torture, which needs more than 4,000 votes to move up.

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/stop_the_live_skinning_of_animals_everywhere

Seriously though, marijuana is in there twice, and I’d much prefer to see and end to animal abuse and healthy food for the nation’s children before I see marijuana legalized. I’ think that these are certainly more urgent and important issues for our country at the moment.

Lastly, tell your friends! These issues need thousands of votes in the next couple of days! We CAN do it!

EDIT: I have discovered one more pertaining issue: puppy mills. Please vote here to get congress to end them and the cruelty that go with them. This needs more than 5,000 votes to get to the top, so tell your friends!

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/pass_the_puppy_uniform_protection_statute_to_help_stop_puppy_mills

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