Full citation: Rubenstein, Michael, Lacey Phillabaum, John Bowling, Josh Laughlin, and tkintz, eds., Earth First! Journal 19, no. 2 (21 December 1998). Digitized in cooperation with the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek. http://www.environmentandsociety.org/node/7041
Copyright: All rights reserved. The user may download, preserve and print this material only for private, research or nonprofit educational purposes. The user may not alter, transform, or build upon this material. • art trst • Yule $3.50 December-January, 1999 THE RADICAL ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNAL ELF BURNS DOWN VAIL awakened by the BY LACEY PHILLABAUM blazes around 4 a.m. During the night of October 18, One of the four, Neil cloaked in the dark of an almost new Sebso, had gone to moon, two or more people crept sleep around mid along a Colorado ridgeline, leaving night seeking warmth plastic milk jugs filled with gasoline inside a Vail restroom, as fiery calling cards at five buildings while the other three and four chairlifts. The 33,000- camped outside. Sebso square-foot, 550-seatTwo Elks Lodge says he woke from a was totaled, resulting in minimum sleepy fog, thinking damages of $12 million to Vail Asso .that somebody had ciates (VA). In addition, a 2, 500- opened the door, square-foot picnic shelter, a ski patrol looked in and left. The Colorado-based group Ancient building and one of the chair lifts When he got up to investigate, he Forest Rescue (AFR) has led that oppo were ruined, pushing the total saw nothing "and went back to bed. sition, noting that the development amount of damages much higher Next thing, I was awoken by Steve," of 2,200 acres of additional skiable than the widely-reported $12 mil who showed him the rising flames. terrain on public land is but a prelude lion and making this the single most The arson fires were set only five to VA's real plans for building luxury expensive act of environmental sabo days after a court had ruled that Vail condominiums, a new base area and tage in US history. resorts could proceed with its planned village to village gondolas on as much The only known witnesses to the Category III expansion into the Two as 3,000 additional acres. fire were four sleeping hunters, who Elk Roadless Area, despite the objec BY AGENT APPLE alerted the authorities after they were tions of local environmentalists. continued on page 26 On a Friday afternoon I was con tacted by a Biotic Baking Brigade (BBB) intelligence source known as "Deep Pastry." S/he communicated SSTORM to me that Robert Shapiro, chair man of Monsanto, would be de livering a keynote address at a conference the folloWing Tuesday. We had recently heard from Our Man in London that the Brits were planning to pie him next time he crossed the Atlantic, and naturally we couldn't let tlie Limeys upstage us in this respect (since they already BY PORI KWA MILELE have in every 'bthet'form. of anti In an unprecedented and dramatic genetic engineering activism). I had action, hundreds 'of Kenyan environ my orders: Compile a dossier on the mental activists and supporters un- target (photos, personalhabits, cu leashed what has been called a new era interests sparked linary preferences, etc. ),perform an in the peoples' struggle against a repres- the outrage and ac- extensive reconnaissance of the sive, corrupt and rapacious regime in tion. The transfers battlefield (the illustrious Fairmont defense of their country's amazing but were blatantly me- Hotel, where Clinton and his ilk threatened natural heritage. On Octo- 1- gal under Kenyan stay when they come to San Fran ber7,over500angrycitizens,organized slaw and were ac- cisco), assemble a crack pie-slinging and led by members of the Green Belt complished as a team, develop combat scenarios and await the go-ahead command. Movement (GBM), invaded an illegal ~ fund-raising mea- development in Nairobi's Karura Forest, ~ sure during the run- By Tuesday afternoon, every destroyed the site offices, construction ~ up to the recent thing was in place. I went to the equipment and materials, and eradi- presidential elec- · pre-arranged bake shop, ordered cated all the "improvements" that had bulldozers burning... "This is the power of the people." tions (in a maneu-. an apple-rhubarb crumble to go transformed a virgin indigenous hardwood forest into just ver only slightly more subtle than that employed in the and repaired to the pub. Even another upscale residential development. They were mad as previous election, when President Moi simply printed though I had been through the hell and served notice to the tune of $1 million in damage that and distributed billions of shillings in bribes, causing an routine before, I couldn't help but they weren't going to take it any more. "This is the power of economic disaster that conveniently manifested only tremble a tad when I reached the the people. They have decided, and there is no turning back. after he was re-elected). The allocatees, relatives and bottom of the patisserie and un Let every land grabber and economic saboteur. .. know that cronies of the president, in turn, sold the forest proper- covered the sealed and embossed the time for silence and inaction is over," said one activist. ties to developers, funneling their ill-gotten money back envelope which read, "Special The revelation that hundreds of acres of the Karura forest, into various ruling-party activities. Agent Apple: For Your Eyes Only." a 14,000-acre area protected since Kenya's independence, continued on page 24 had been quietly excised and allocated to shadowy private continued on page 23 EARTH FIRST! NO COMPROMISE IN THE DEFENSE OF MOTHER EARTH! POB 1415 • EUGENE, OREGON 97440 • (541) 344-8004 Fanning the FlaiDes of Resistance Earth First! " ... we can go back to the earliest recorded texts in our canon ... and assaulting the natural world. For those who care more find that those who have served power have always been rewarded about the cause than the mainstream perception of Yule with respectability ... That pattern just perpetuates through history, the movement, respectability is neither an attainable December 21, 1998 and for perfectly good reasons. If you serve power, authority and or a desirable goal. privilege, you'll end up, by and large, with respectability. And ifyou Earth First!ers aspire to become effective social critics Vol. 19, No.2 undermine them, whether it's by political analysis, moral critique or of rampant technological change, corporate domina anything else, they're not going to applaud you for it." tion, hierarchical class systems and unsustainable de The Earth First! Journal is published by an - Noam Chomsky velopment with hopes of changing the hearts and editorial staff from within the Earth First! minds of humanity. To accomplish this we must defy movement. Contents are copyrighted 1998. Precisely because it was such a sensational public denial of the a rich and powerful elite who protect their vested We are pleased to allow reprinting if credit legitimacy of authority and the privilege of power, the Vail interest in maintaining the status quo by attackingthe is given, except for those articles specifi bonfire was not a respectable thing to do, granted. But let's face integrity of our vision. Violent acts towards Mother cally copyrighted by the author. Art, pho tographs and poetry are copyrighted by the it folks, Earth First! is an ecological resistance movement that Earth and those who defend her are routinely commit individual artists and permission for use has come to engender beautiful radical and revolutionary ted by the extractive industries we oppose, condoned must be received from them. philosophies-not respectable ones. by the state and ignored by a media that labels us Earth First! Journal is a forum for the no The planned Vail expansion is just one more example of terrorists. Finding a so-called "nonviolent" way to compromise environmental movement. humans overstepping their bounds unnecessarily and at all of respond to or influence a society too far removed from Responsibility rests with the individual our peril. As big corporations like Vail Associates are allowed to the wild, too wedded to material possessions, too authors and correspondents. The contents flourish, the rich get richer, the poor poorer and enamored with technology and too do not necessarily represent the viewpoint Mother Earth suffers the most. There have always intent on profiting from exploiting of this newspaper, the Earth First! been eco-anarchists among us who truly believe movement, local Earth First! groups or the natural world to really appreciate individual Earth First!ers. that the materialist/capitalist worldview in gen our perspective is perhaps our greatest Submissions are welcomed and should eral, and the concept of the sanctity of private challenge. be typed or clearly printed. Send a SASE if property in particular, must be deconstructed in It may also be a fool's errand. The you would like them returned. If you want order to incapacitate the nature-destroying jug reality is the dominant value system in confirmation of receipt of a submission, gernaut of industrial civilization. We dedicate our culture denies the transc_endental please request it. We encourage submis our lives to fighting the power that turns people ·truth and beauty inherent in nature. sions on Macintosh disks or via e-mail. Art into "consumers," wilderness into "natural re Inflammatory actions like Vail succeed or photographs (prints are best) are desir sources" and intentionally indoctrinates the world in letting Babylon know there are front able to illustrate articles and essays. They will be returned if requested. with an ethic of exploitation. line revolutionaries willing to lead the All submissions are edited for length and After every legal (state-sanctioned) means of fight to preserve the last wild places on _clarity. If an ·article is significantly edited, trying to protect that incredible ecosystem had Earth and who laud the last wild places we will make a reasonable effort to contact been exhausted, setting fire to a playground of in the human heart. The elves have the author prior to publication. the prosperous was a brave and eco-logical last asserted that an "if you can't beat 'em, lSSN 1055-8411, Earth First! Journal, is resort (no pun intended). All such development join 'em" attitude is unacceptable. They indexed in the Alternative Press Index. The projects must be opposed as vigorously as pos are not willing to surrender, compro- Earth First! Journal is recorded on microfilm sible at this critical time in history. It is intellectually dishonest mise their ideals or water down the mandatory radical by University Microfilms, Inc. and morally unethical not to do so. critique in subservience to power. Good for them. All correspondence regarding subscrip We should not be afraid to openly applaud the elves' blatant The destruction of the private property of the upper tions, merchandise orders, donations, letters to the editor, articles, photos, demonstration of disrespect for the accouterments of the aris classes at Vail, in defense of the forest and the lynx, graphics, etc., should be directed to: tocracy. We are members of a tribe of scofflaws who want to see · should not be portrayed as an irrational, violent, Earth First! journal the natural balance between humans and the ecosystems we aggressive act. Rather, it was a rational, overtly politi POB 1415, Eugene, OR 97440 inhabit restored. Certainly an important aspect of this is engag cal and defensive act undertaken by Mother Earth's Phone: (541) 344-8004 ing in the public discourse about what our society's peculiar freedom fighters, not terrorists, in the face of over Fax: (541) 344-7688 kind of political, technological, economic adaptation may whelming odds and at great risk of personal liberty. E-mail: [email protected] mean to the future (a Ia the EF! Journal). But just as important Those courageous and idealistic enough to believe it http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/ef is actively contradicting the policies and intentionally conflict is possible to beat 'em must be encouraged to use all Business Manager: Acasia Berry ing with the interests of those political and economic forces the tools in the toolbox, especially their best judg Merchandise Goddess: Isabella Barnes promoting development (a Ia the ELF). ment, in the battle on behalf of the wild. I say carry on Subscriptions/Webpage: Jeff Hogg The Earth Liberation Front's eco-sabotage of Vail constituted elves, with love and rage! No compromise in the Editorial Staff: Michael Rubenstein, Lacey a political act of conscience perfectly in keeping with the sincere defense of Mother Earth! Phillabaum, John Bowling, Josh Laughlin, expression of the biocentric paradigm many Earth First!ers -Theresa Kintz tl
BY MICHAEL ROBINSON WOLVES Largely because Secretary of the Interior Bruce Bab bitt badly miscalculated the consequences of trying to banning reintroduction. Arizona officials said they appear reasonable to ranching extremists, five Mexi would have to study the matter and eventually can gray wolves have been shot, the one pup born in conducted a credible biological investigation. New the wild is dead and two more are missing from the Mexico nominated the White Sands Missile Range, original eleven released in a reintroduction program. which at the time was the only substantial area in the The remaining five animals have been recaptured. state without livestock but is so arid it is likely few Thus, after less than a year of ecological healing, the wolves ever lived there. sycamore-lined canyons and juniper-scented mesas of When the US Army, which manages White Sands, the Gila ecosystem have once again been rendered said it wanted no wolves, the USFWS announced the wolfless. And though the recovery program for this termination of the reintroduction program and sepa most endangered of the world's wolf subspecies will rated male and female wolves to prevent further go forward, Babbitt's rank poltroonery threatens to breeding. Only a lawsuit by Earth First! activists (oper encourage more killings. ating as the Wolf Action Group) forced the resump Unlike almost every other species in trouble, wolves tion of breeding and a commitment by the USFWS to did not become endangered primarily because of pursue reintroduction. habitat loss. Rather, a concerted government effort Despite the USFWS officials' obeisance to the on behalf of ranchers was launched in 1914 with the prerogatives of ranching, agency biologists recog explicit purpose of killing every large mammalian nized the Gila as the best habitat remaining for the carnivore in the United States. Hundreds of federal wolf. The trick was to get them in there without Humphrey first claimed the wolf was attacking, but evidence hunters set traps and distributed poisons to kill arousing the active opposition of New Mexico's proved it was standing still when shot. wolves, mountain lions, bears and coyotes. public lands ranching establishment. Welfare ranch By the early 1930s, this program had resulted in ers are responsible for the most per capita whining public lands within the recovery area, irresponsibly the extirpation of breeding populations of wolves of any demographic group in the United States, and jeopardizes the Service's ability to respond to future within the Southwest. And despite official denials in the Gila the whines routinely rise to an un events. For instance, the Service's ability to close that extinction was the intent, the US government matched squawking frenzy. The solution was to put roads and terminate grazing leases on behalf of shipped strychnine and the notorious predacide the wolves in the Blue, an area identified by the wolves may well serve as an incentive to malevolent Compound 1080 to Mexico to help wipe out wolves Arizona Department of Game and Fish as good individuals not to violate the law." south of the border. habitat, and allow them to re-colonize the adjoin But the USFWS ignored these concerns, and within Nevertheless, for decade after decade, wolves con ing habitat in the. Gila National Forest on the New a couple of months, the first wolf was shot. Richard tinued to migrate into this country, only to be shot, Mexico side of the ecosystem. Humphrey, a retired Tuscon postal worker with ties poisoned and trapped by a federal agent stationed However, neither the Blue Range nor the Gila are to the Safari Club, a big game trophy-hunting group, along the border. Even after passage of the Threat pristine. Although over a million and a half acres who was camping in the Blue Range, shot a male ened and Endangered Species Act in 1969, two within the designated recovery area are roadless, less wolf after he apparently attacked Humphrey's dog. wolves were killed in the arid grasslands north of Big than a third of the region is free from cattle. Further Advised that only defense of human life sufficed to Bend National Park, Texas, and one was poisoned in more, in designating the reintroduction program, exonerate such a killing, he changed his story and the Peloncillo Mountains, where New Mexico and the USFWS acquiesced to every single ranching in claimed the wolf was running toward his wife. A Arizona meet along the Mexican border. dustry stipulation (except for the demand that the necropsy showed the animal had been standing, The 1973 Endangered Species Act was supposed to wolf never roam in the wild). . n<;>t_running, whenthe bullet entered his chest. But put teeth into protection and recovery of imperiled The first and overarching capitulation made by the USFWS declined to prosecute_Humphrey. species, but in 197 6 just as the Mexican wolf was listed, the agency was deciding to designate the reintro Humphrey then hooked up with the Catron County ranchers reportedly paid a $500 bounty for a trapper duced wolves "experimental" and "non-essential," anti-environmental movement, serving as the key to kill a lone wolf reported in southeastern Arizona. which allows the agency to reduce protections for note speaker at the annual convention of a regional Belatedly, between 1978 and 1980, the US Fish the species. With this categorization in place, the group fighting endangered species and public lands. and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (ironically the succes USFWS limited the recovery area to the boundaries On August 7, the day before his talk celebrating the sor to the agency that supervised the extermination of the Blue Range and the Gila National Forest shooting, another wolf was shot. This time no one campaign) contracted an American trapper experi (ignoring wolf habitat on adjoining Bureau of Land claimed credit. Three more wolves have been killed enced in killing Mexican wolves to live capture Management land, for example), allowed ranchers since then, one has disappeared and may well have wolves in Mexico. He caught seven, of which four to kill wolves that kill cattle under some circum been shot, and the first wolf pup born in the wild in survived long enough to become part of a captive stances and refused to designate critical habitat the US in over SO years, its parents both killed, is breeding program intended to recover the species. where the wolves' survival would be prioritized over missing and presumed dead. Never before has an extermination policy pushed a extractive land uses. As a result of this latter provi Two additional wolves were recaptured after dis species so close to the brink of extinction and then sion, there are no road closures on behalf of the persing out of the recovery area, and another pregnant turned around. Today, despite periodic reports of wolves, no migration corridors to other potential wolf was recaptured after her mate was killed. (Her wolves surviving in Mexico, the only known Mexi habitats, nor limits on public lands grazing. pup, subsequently born into captivity, died anyway.) can·wolves are the approximately 170 in captivity. Given the truculence of the local ranching com That left only two wolves in the wild-both males. In The Blue Range of New Mexico was the site chosen munity, it was easy to predict the results. Catron late November, around the time the last murdered for reintroduction. Located in the western terminus County, New Mexico, famous for its militias and wolf was discovered, these two survivors were recap of the Gila Headwaters ecosystem complex of roadless challenges to constitutional government, offers a tured also and paired with two females intended for areas, the Blue was the locale of Aldo version of a coyote bounty: several coyotes are cap release who are now in acclimatization pens. famous "fierce green fire" wolf shooting tured, inconspicuously ear-tagged and released, and Babbitt has announced that the wolf reintroduc 1909, an incident that festered in his mE~II).'I!Jt anyone subsequently turning in one of the ear-tags is tion program will go forward and, in addition to the precipitated his great epiphany that "' awarded up to a thousand dollars, depending on the two once-free males and their intended mates, more predator extermination, the" challenge ·· ~. markings on the tag. In neighboring Grant County, wolves are due for release in spring, 1999. However, bullet," could be pursued only at the 'after flaming rhetoric from anti-environmental ac Babbitt has also suggested tax breaks for ranchers cal integrity. "I now suspect that tivists, a planned reintroduction of the endangered who support wolves-a proposed lagniappe that is lives in mortal fear of its '"""'"'"''"'A""' Gila was sabotaged this year by the dumping of bizarre given that ranchers already enjoy millions of live in mortal fear of its non"'ll'a.Itve brown trout into a stream. dollars in tax breaks and a smorgasbord of -federal end of his life. "So also ~·-~~h «'- ~'lv••-' reflect the ranching industry's ideal services and still won't abide by the law. cleans his range of wc,lv«~s itidEfs~ J;t~t;fe<:IW~e that of most people. Indeed, a League of The Southwest Center, in contrast, proposes road taking over the wolf's j "IArr'"""'" Voters survey indicated that 52 percent of closures in the Blue Range, direct releases of wolves the range. He has ''=" ~ -'- · -''<> ' of rural southwestern New Mexico support · in the Gila Wilderness, grazing restrictions and tain. Hence we reintroduction and only 34 percent oppose it. vigorous prosecution of admitted wolf killer Rich the future into ranchers dominate the region's politics. And ard Humphrey. Since the stated intent of the experi But the the ranching mindset, the Southwest Center mental non-essential designation of the wolves was Biological Diversity opposed any lessening of precisely to forestall the kind of illegal killings now legal protections for wolves, and urged the taking place, it seems obvious that the provision to close dirt roads in the reintroduction al'ea should now be reexamined. The Southwest Center's reduce grazing. In responding to the Envin;m staff has also pledged a collective $5,000 in award mental Impact Statement on reintroduction, the money for information leading to a conviction in Southwest Center wrote: "Even should you ilot the killings (bringing the total reward from public -decide to immediately close roads and reduce gtaz and private sources to $35,000). ing now, foreclosing the options to close such roads _ in the future, and to terminate grazing leases -on -continued on page 32 Page 4 Earth First! Yule 1999 u ·•,l1. .~f 1.. .i Rj{ .. .~, \ IJI..J 3 ..J raise somewhere between $2,000 and Even though many ranchers have suc BY ANDREA Lococo $2,400 to help battered women. With cessfully turned to nonlethal methods Rawlins, Wyoming, was the site of psychological studies indicating a for effectively controlling predation the seventh annual National Coyote strong correlation between violence problems in the long term, myths about Calling Contest on November 13-14. against animals and violence against the coyote persist. Despite its benign title, the contest humans, it is ironic that those who Regardless of whether some ranch involves a lot more than just calling engage in killing animals for fun and ers and sport hunters are willing to coyotes. It's a wildlife-killing contest money would attempt to avoid criti- admit that lethal coyote control does that awards monetary prizes to hunt cism of the contest by throwing little if anything to address their con ers based on the number of coyotes money at a domestic violence pro- cerns, they have no excuse for not they kill. This year, 7 4 teams, consist gram! Interestingly, Pat Way, execu- condemning the killing contest for ing of two hunters, from 17 states tive director of Carbon County COVE, mat. Wildlife killing contests not only and countries around the world paid the domestic violence program slated seriously harm the image of the com $1 SO each to enter the event in the to receive the donation, denied any munities where they occur, they also hope of winning a piece of the $14,000 knowledge.of such plans and indi- provide the public with negative im in prize money. cated she would discuss the matter pressions of hunters and livestock Contest participants dispersed with with her board of directors. ranchers as enemies of wildlife. In a four-wheelers onto both private and Such feeble and self-serving recent New York Times article about public lands, using distress calls to schemes by contest organizers to se- this year's National Coyote Calling attract coyotes and slaughter as many duce the public into tolerating what Contest, Diane Gansauer, executive as possible during the two-day event. can only be described as a commer- director ofthe Colorado Wildlife Fed While there are rules (e.g., no night cia! wildlife slaughter are transpar- eration, described the problem viv hunting, no use of live lures, no ent. Fortunately, a growing number idly when she stated, "Those contests shooting from the roadway or within of states and communities are taking give a black eye to hunting ... The a half mile of a residence, no submis steps to prohibit or severely restrict hunters need to police theirown so sion of captive-raised coyotes, etc.), wildlife killing contests. Killing any the reputation of hunting is not in the prize money creates a powerful animal for fun and prizes trivializes serious jeopardy." incentive to ignore them, and it is the death of the animal. Such forms There is simply no biological, eco virtually impossible for law enforce of recreation are no longer deemed logical or ethical justification for in ment officials to ensure that no laws acceptable in a society that increas- viting hunters to engage in the are violated. ingly understands and appreciates wholesale slaughter of wildlife in kill Last year, 242 coyotes were killed. the value of all beings and the im- ing contests. Such reckless and waste A photo in a local newspaper show portance of preserving the integrity ful abuse of wildlife should not be ing scores of their dead bodies laid of ecosystems. tolerated, and that message must be out in a hotel parking lot generated · In Wyoming, coyotes are classified as comrimnicated to state officials, espe a tremendous amount of negative predators and are consequently af- cially to Governor Jim Geringer. You publicity. This year, hunters killed forded no. protection. Regulatory au- can express your objection to wildlife 200 coyotes but were careful not to thority over coyotes falls under the killing contests in Wyoming by writ display their kills for the public or Wyoming Department of Agriculture, ing Honorable Jim Geringer, Gover the media. which essentially functions at the be- nor, State Capitol, Cheyenne, WY Not surprisingly, the organizers of hest of the livestock industry. Tradi- 82002. Also write John Baughman, this year's contest, Tracy and Allen tionally, coyotes have been perceived Director, Wyoming Game and Fish York of Utah, and organizers of other as "varmints" by the livestock industry Department, 5400 Bishop Boulevard, wildlife killing contests prefer not to throughout the West, which has un- Cheyenne, WY 82006. draw media attention to such dertaken campaigns Please send a copy of your letter to events. When unwelcome public to eradicate the newly formed Wyoming Business ity does arise, organizers attempt them by any Council, charged with economic de to justify their actions by insisting and all velopment in the state. You may want they are performing a community j means. to include a message that sanctioning service by eradicating coyotes be . ·. . . \ . . wildlife killing contests only thwarts fore they can prey on domestic .. A. • ·. ~, - ~ efforts to remake Wyoming's image as livestock and wildlife. Never · • - ~,,·\ attractive for new business. Their ad- mind that scientific research . ..\ : .,),~':'·~ - \ dress is: John Reardon, CEO, Wyo- has demonstrated that lethal 1 : l.t· . \ · ' ··'\,. ming Business Council, Barrett Build- coyote control in 'general, .·; · ~; ..-, \ ...... · :~,-~~ ing, 2301 Central Avenue, Room ·._' I\ :' and rando111. . killing con . ·)f:.,'0. !..• ~ ~i '-i~ ~ .' ..·; . 439, Cheyenne, WY 82002. tests in particular, r:nay · · · t · ' ·; • · ·- . _., For more information on actually exacerbate pre : ..;h:f'..· . . . ~·; · ·~·~: December-January 1999 Earth First! Page 5 The llakah Whale Hun- difference at all between aboriginal and commercial whaling and that any restriction on commerce is racist. For those of us that have been attending the Killing for Tradition or Profit? meetings of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) for years, that pronouncement was immediately recognizable as Japan-speak. BY BEN WHITE Documents and personal communication suggest that the direct Makah/Japa For the past two months in the misty northwest comer of Washington State, the nese connection happened like this. Originally, contact was made with a couple of Makah Nation, backed by the formidable might of the US government, has been influential Makah thro1,1gh their Japanese trading partners. The Makah were told poised to kill a California gray whale. Just offshore, a flotilla of a dozen boats from that if they could get the gray whale off the endangered species list and wrangle · Sea Shepherd, Sea Defense Alliance, Progressive Animal Welfare Society and the permission from the US government and the IWC to whale, they could sell the West Coast Anti-Whaling Society patrol the rough seas to try to run interference whales for a million bucks apiece on the Tokyo market. What the Japanese really for the whales. The situation is as fluid as the Pacific, but as the weather gets wanted, however, was not gray whale meat but a loosening of the aboriginal stormier; it appears unlikely a whale will be killed this year. In a confrontation rife subsistence whaling (ASW) loophole; Since the global moratorium on commercial with cross-currents and eddies, however, anything can happen. whaling was enacted by the IWC ten years ago, there are only two legal ways to The Makah were once the preeminent whalers of the West Coast, the whale: scientific and aboriginal subsistence whaling. I; only tribe in the country with the right to whale spelled out in their treaty. The Japanese have already stretched the scientific loophole to accommodate 0 Whaling chiefs were the most powerful members of the tribe and competed the killing and sale of over 400 minke whales yearly. They want to similarly •• in potlaches to see who could give away the most bounty. Rigorous spiritual stretch the ASW category to include their own "small-scale coastal" whalers. ,. preparation was required before going whaling: Whalers dove so deep they The Makah request was perfect for this job: They have not whaled in over 70 • bled from their ears and lungs, scraped their arms and legs with cedar years, have repeatedly claimed the right to trade in whale products and claim - boughs, abstained from sex for months, tied cadavers to their backs before no nutritional need for the whalemeat. If accepted, Makah whaling would - swimming like a whale, prayed, sweat and purified intensely. They in- overturn the historical prerequisites of the ASW category, which states that the ·-0 tended to clean their bodies and minds to the point that a whale would be whaling tradition must b~ unbroken, that there be no commercial component willing to give itself to the tribe. and that there be a demonstrable nutritional need. When the Makah and the The current hunt is a mixture of traditional and modem. For months the US delegation came out of the 1997 IWC meeting claiming they had obtained whaling team has practiced paddling the Hummingbird, a dugout cedar canoe. But a quota to kill up to four whales a year, essentially a third category of whaling in the real hunt, alongside the canoe there will be at least one motorized boat with was invented: non-nutritional cultural whaling. a whaler wielding a huge elephant gun. The gunner will fire the instant the In an odd twist, now that the Makah have arguably opened up the ASW harpooner throws the steel and wood harpoon into the back of a gray whale. category for the Japanese, it is clear that no one is going to buy the meat. Among In order to keep protesters away, the Coast Guard has declared a 1,500-foot whale-eating people gray whalemeat is considered disgusting. Last year, scien exclusion zone above, below and around the whalers, whenever they launch. tists tested the DNA of whalemeat from Tokyo and found 18 species of whales As might be suspected, certain market forces in the background are mightily and dolphins (including blue whale!) sold as minke whale but nary a shred of cheered by the prospect of native people locked in a holy war with greens. gray whale. The Makah ate primarily humpbacks, not grays. Four years ago, the Natural alliances are being fractured in favor of the concept that all wildlife and Makah snagged a gray whale in their fishing nets and distributed it to the tribe. wild places are commodities. "Sustainable use" and "free trade" are the mantras After a spell in their freezers, almost all of it wound up in the local dump. of those now wearing an aboriginal mask. Another niggling detail being overlooked is the fact that the Makah have not won A couple of years ago when the Muckleshoot tribe offered to eliminate sea permission to whale from the IWC. The Makah plan, pushed by the usually pro lions eating steelhead trout at the Ballard Locks near Seattle, I made a call to the whale US delegation, dominated the IWC meetings in both 1996 and 1997. The Native Fisheries Commission's chief scientist Terry Wright. I asked him if the firstyear, the US delegation pulled the plan when it saw it lacked the votes. The next native leaders he dealt with saw sea lions, whales and steelhead as resources or year, the debate was fierce, with many countries adamant that the Makah proposal as independent, self-aware tribes. "As resources, of course," he said. I realized at did not qualify under the guidelines of the ASW category. Whales are not allocated that moment that an odd inversion of values had occurred. Native people long by country but by whale populations. One hundred forty gray whales a year are ago gave me a context for my love of this land and her wild fami Ues. Apparently, taken by the RussianJnuits, .who feed,them-tG.foxes in Siberian fur farms. At the some native Americans now see wildlife the way my dominant culture teaches, end of the meeting, the Northern Pacific gray whale allocation was approved as stuff put here for people to use. Meanwhile, many European imports like me (primarily for the Soviet Inuits) with special language designed specifically to cleave perceive wildlife as taught by traditional elders: as teachers with their own off the Makah. The quota was given to those aborigines whose "cultural and purposes independent of serving humankind. nutritional needs have been recognized." Even though In a 1994 paper produced by the Cetacean Research Institute, Fuzoku the Makah have no recognized nutritional need, Nagasaki, a Japanese professor, urged whalers to contact aboriginal people the US delegation immediately claimed victory. around the world and encourage them to revive- their dormant whaling Recently, the IWC directorate reiterated that it traditions. Nagasaki's idea was to use the almost universal sympathy for native did not give a quota to the Makah. The US people as a cover for spreading the very unpopular practice of whaling. Native cannot give itself a quota. The hunt is tech people in the United States, the Caribbean and Canada were contacted. A new nically against international law. group called the World Council of Whalers was set up in the tribal offices of the Out of fairness, it is difficult to see how Nun-cha-nulth of Vancouver Island, cousins to the Makah. They made no the US government could have avoided secret that their start-up funding came from Japanese and Norwegian whalers. pushing for the Makah. They are bound They argue that if the "harvest" of whales is "sustainable" then there is no by the 1855 Treaty of Neah Bay to allow the Makah to whale. But they are also bound The squealing air horns by the treaty backing the International Whal Showdown in Neah Bay and loud music of singing ing Commission. The political minefield this whales blasting from Sea controversy grows from is the uniquely American BY KRIS MAENZ Shepherd's speakers drew a large muddle wherein native people are both sovereign I guess it's true, nature really does bat last. High seas crowd ofMakah to the beach. Chanting and name and not, depending on the circumstance. and cold temperatures have practically guaranteed calling, threats and mantras followed, and then It is a sad irony that the remnants of one recover that no gray whale will be slaughtered by the Makah the Sea Shepherd, a group specifically banned ing tribe nearly pushed to extinction have announced in 1998. Next year may be a different story. from the reservation, attempted a shore landing at they will kill members of another recovering tribe Early in the hunting season, daily patrols protected the invitation of Alberta Thompson, a Makah that barely escaped the same fate. If the meat is not the mighty leviathan. Most mornings Sea Defense woman who opposes the hunt. A melee ensued, needed and the purpose of the whaling is the spiri Alliance (SeDnA) activists were up before dawn, slurp leaving Sea Shepherd down one zodiac and with tual renaissance of the Makah, why is it necessary to ing down a quick breakfast and heading out to sea in four arrested crew members. It was never clear why kill the whale? Some Makah say it isn't and want to our two little boats to join other protesters. The boat the tribal police took the activists into custody, do a ceremonial, nonlethal hunt. All of the spiritual trip west down the Straight of Juan De Fuca to the but they were certainly vigorous about it, grinding preparations would be fulfilled, but when the har mighty Pacific Ocean was beautiful and oftentimes one activist's head into the ground. The crowd of poon is thrown it would mark the whale with rough, passing jagged cliffs, protruding sea stacks and Makah was crazy with the giddy joy of slaying the indelible dye instead of sinking into flesh. unfortunately massive clearcuts. In October, we would mighty Sea Shepherd. Women and girls did line. Many who have worked for both native rights and pass through a gigantic pod of hundreds of harbor dance~; men unfurled the Makah banner on the animal protection recommend this path of heart. porpoises on our way to Neah Bay, Washington. conquered zodiac; and the boys gathered on the The Makah are right in wanting to provide their Some days we would see the canoe and the motor docks to throw bottle rockets and rocks at the · children an alternative to the culture of spiritual ized chase boats that the Makah plan to use to hunt boats, breaking windows and making some seri blindness and escapism we have all been offered. But the whales. ous dents. The demonstration lasted all day end to this outsider it is difficult to see how the ceremo Most days, we just waited, bobbing in our boats ing only when the light of day finally faded. · nial killing of a gray whale will bring about a shift in watching for the hunters and the guns. Every after We stayed in the Pacific Northwest another' 30 culture. The real challenge now is to use this oppor noon we would break our vigil to cruise with all the days waiting for the weather to change. SeDnA .will tunity to bring together these two groups so that we other protest boats into the Neah Bay marina and be back next spring, when the weather clears and the can clearly put forth the concept that this land is announce our dissatisfaction with the gray whale whales are once again migrating past the shores of alive and sacred, and that her communities must be hunt. On November 1, this harmless little act of civil the Makah reservation. To get hold of us contact Sea defended from the "sustainable use" machine that disobedience turned ugly. Defense Alliance at POB 401, Williams, Oregon. threatens to eat up the world. We really have little choice. We need each other. Page 6 Earth First! Yule 1999 The Shared Roots of the Crisis environmental effects of the oil in plosion occurred on the third day of BY MONICA WILSON There are a few underlying roots that dustry or regulate the upkeep of oil the spill, suggesting that the lack of On October 17 hundreds of people have helped create the turmoil in the machinery and pipelines. Similarly, monitoring systems and the failure gathered to watch an oil pipeline ooz delta. First, the lines of African nations, the Nigeria section of Shell enjoys the to promptly close the leak and clean ing black crude across farmlands and and even of modern ethnic groups, largest profit margins of the entire the area are responsible for the death waterways, a common occurrence in were manifestations of colonial pow Royal Dutch/Shell Group. While this of hundreds. A NNPC spokesperson the Niger River Delta. Some people ers and multinational resource extrac is partially explained by the high qual- told reporters, "We are not respon- were carrying buckets of water from tion corporations during the last few the nearby river, and others were centuries. These lines were drawn and scrambling to scoop up the precious enforced by the Europeans for their resource that has brought devastation own convenience and financial ben to their land. In Nigeria, a country efit. Ethnic differences have been where extreme fuel shortages cause greatly enhanced by the divisive tac cars to wait in gas station lines for tics of nations and corporations, as days, a few containers of oil sold on well as the economic disparity between the black market can substantially the poor oil-producingregions and the supplement poverty-level incomes. opulent government and companies. This was the third day of the spill. Both the military and oil industry stra As more came, the oil spill, covering tegically split communities and tradi an area the size of a football field near tional allies by giving money, resources the town of ]esse, exploded into a and jobs to those who silence commu deadly inferno. Something, possibly a nity resistance, hence the current strife match or spark, ignited the petroleum among the Ijaws and Itsekiris. soaked surroundings and people. Over Second, the flow of oil out of the 700 people were burned alive, hun Niger Delta has made billions for oil dreds more in jured, and acres of farmland and fishing areas were destroyed. Shortly be fore the explosion, a Shell Nigeria helicopter flew over the spill site, and Shell em ity of Nigeria's sible in any way." Not only did it take ployees yelled at the gath Bonny Light crude, the NNPC and oil companies too long ered people to stop collecting the results of cutting to respond, but 44 days after the spill, oil. But Shell and the Nige corners to create a former Shell executive reported that rian government did noth enormous profits oil was still leaking at the site. Adding ing to stop the spewing mess. are illustrated in insult to injury, dictator General The explosion in the Niger Shell Nigeria's oil Abubakar threatened to prosecute the Delta is only the latest in a spill record: Al victims for sabotage, a crime made series of tragedies to strike the though Shell oper punishable by death under the infa- region. Most are caused by ates in 110 , mous late dictator, General Abacha. negligence and gross disregard countries, 40 per In this poverty stricken region, those for people and the environ cent of its oil spills robbed of profit from oil extracted ment on the part of the mul occur in Nigeria. under their feet can barely survive, tinational oil corporations, the Pipelines are laid yet those who dare try to obtain oil, Nigerian government and the above ground to even by capturing spilled crude, can largest customers of Nigeria's save expenses. In be executed. petroleum: influential, indus the early 1990s, the What the Future Holds trialized nations, including head of Shell The Nigerian military troops react the United States and the Nigeria's environ violently to resistance: Last May, two United Kingdom. mental oversight peaceful protesters on a Chevron oil Oil Flow Shutdowns companies such as Shell, Mobile, Chev team quit to protest the disparity be rig where killed by troops shooting The recent escalation of ethnic ten ron, France's Elf and Italy's Agip, and tween environmental efforts made out of a Chevron helicopter (see EF! sion between two major groups, the it is the lifeblood of the Nigerian gov by Shell in countries like the United Journal, September-October, 1998). Ijaws and the Itsekiris, exacerbates ernment. ~uthless in the fight to main Kingdom, and the minuscule efforts The current shutdowns, which are the delta crisis. Officially, the leaders tain the oil companies' high profit and cleanup operations made in Ni creating heavy losses for Nigeria and of both groups have settled the dis margins and the brutal military's in geria. The comfortable living situa its multinational oil corporations, pute. However, factions of both are come, the two together have crushed tions of oil industry employees in the are compounded by worldwide drops worried that the government and the demands for economic and environ field contrast greatly with the pov in oil prices, making the situation oil companies have had undue influ mental justice. Weapons supplies, erty of surrounding communities ripe for disaster. If the youths sus ence, perhaps through bribery. In a transportation and funds are only part which rarely have electricity, clean tain the shutdowns, history shows violent escalation of the conflict, I jaw of the industry's collusion in ongoing drinking water, and basic health and that violent action by the military youths razed the Itsekiri ancestral human rights violations throughout education systems. and oil corporations would not be home in late October, killing anum the delta. Shell's helicopter presence Mismanagement and neglect pun surprising. ber of residents. before the Jesse explosion and its trans ish not only those in the southern The legitimacy of Nigeria's transi Since early October, Ijaw youths portation of Nigerian dictator General delta region; they led to Nigeria's tion plans to democracy are funda have succeeded in shutting off up to Abubakar to the scene in the decline from the world's 33rd rich mentally tarnished by the continuing a third of Nigeria's oil flow, demand explosion's aftermath illustrate the est country to the 13th poorest. In shutoffs and the reaction after the ing economic and environmental jus close cooperation. When the Ogoni sufficient oversight by the Nigerian explosion. And a few hundred miles tice and autonomy. In the ninth week ethnic group began collectively orga National Petroleum Company away, in Nigeria's neighbors Chad of numerous drilling platform occu nizing in 1993, succeeded in kicking (NNPC) has resulted in the complete and Cameroon, a consortium of pations, oil flow station shutdowns Shell off their land and mobilized closure of three of the nation's four Exxon, Shell and Elf is planning a and production site takeovers, the 300,000 people for demonstrations, refineries. Thus the world's sixth 650-mile-long pipeline to the Atlan armed youths are now facing in _the Nigerian military protected Shell's largest producer of oil is currently in tic Ocean, possibly with substantial creased Nigerian military presence. (and its own) interests by forming a the embarrassing situation of im aid from the World Bank. With his By November 20, Nigeria had lost brutal military task force to silence porting oil to meet its own needs. tory as a guide, many predict that. approximately US$1.25 billion from opposition. A corrupt trial of nine Who Is Responsible? the devastation and economic in the protests. The companies, prima Ogoni leaders protesting Shell resulted Regardless of the direct cause of the equality in Nigeria will spread in rily Shell and Chevron, had lost mil in the execution of the activists on spill at Jesse, the incident tragically western Africa. lions more. The government and oil November 10, 1995 (see EF! Journal, highlights the economic crisis in the To get involved in the boycott Shell/ companies want to resume full op March-April, 1998). region, now drastically compounded Free Nigeria campaign, contact Essen erations, and the Washington Post re Third, environmental devastation by the government's refusal to pro tial Action at POB 19405, Washing cently reported that Nigerian troops in the Niger River Delta is among the vide economic assistance and com ton, DC, 20036; (202) 387-8030; were airlifted to the region. Were it worst in the world's oil-producing pensation for victims and their [email protected]. not for international attention, it is regions. As long as the government families. The NNPC, which operates . Monica Wilson is Boycott Shell/Free probable that the military would have continues to have money, it has no the pipeline, has refused to accept Nigeria project coordinator for Essential cracked down long ago. incentive to responsibly monitor the responsibility for the crisis. The ex- Action in Washington, DC. December-January 1999 Earth First! Page 7 IICJIIIC! Sl)iliii(C!CI! company with the nerve to pledge to one local student group protesting in headquarters. The company called for BY fLAMING ANGRY cease the sales of old-growth redwood the morning and another in the after a series of emergency meetings with As we all know too well, stories from and then admit a year later that it never noon. Some demonstrators took ad suppliers to address the issue of its the movement to protect the world's stopped and just said it would to "make vantage of Home Depot's mascot questionable supply. old-growth rainforests read a lot like the grassroots pressure stop"! How? With "Homer," who was spotted in New Protests and great local media cov the biblical tale of David and Goliath. a tenacious display of unrelenting York wielding a chainsaw. erage continued through the week Whether it's indigenous peoples and grassroots pressure, that's how. The specifics of the demonstrations end, and just when the company small communities at the point of Home Depot got a dose of just that were complicated in some locations caught its breath, the volume was destruction or bands of grassroots ac during the week of October 14, when by the fact that, in recent years, Home pumped up considerably by activists tiv,ists speaking out against the manu rainforest activists across the US and Depot and other sprawl-mall tenants from the Rainforest Action Network, facturing and retailing of wood and in two Canadian provinces converged have attempted an end run around Action Resource Center and Katuah paper products from the heart of our on local Home Depots. The week the US Constitution and our freedom Earth First! who hit the Atlanta head last remaining old-growth forests, the started with a big blow from Time. In of speech. Perhaps in anticipation of quarters with a banner hang off a struggles call for an array of strong, protests and objections to crane used to construct the latest sustained strategies and tactics to their activities, Home De expansion. Five amazing activists take down the corporate giants. pot, Wal-Mart and others held the crane from before dawn Home Depot is among the most have gone out of their way through early afternoon, captivat hefty of retail Goliaths out there. to get sidewalks, parking ing Georgia media, which hasn't seen Over $8 billion of its $24 billion lots, crosswalks and all ar too many direct actions on that scale. in sales each year come from lum eas around their stores des Home Depot's official response? Sup ber and wood product sales, and it ~ ignated private property to posedly it is addressing its wood pro has a reputation for systematically s3 restrict public. access. curement and promises to phase out seeking out and attempting to ~ Home Depot wants pro- all old-growth rainforest products by crush locally owned competition, § testers to stand in desig- the endof the year. often sprawl-mailing into commu Forest activists nity open space and destroying around the US are not vital ecosystems. holding their breath, In addition to carrying plenty of especially since Home irresponsibly harvested lumber Activist locks down to the lauan display Depot has broken products from private and public at a California Home Depot -g. promises before. In lands in the US, Home Depot is the ~ stead, groups are dig world's largest retailer selling old- a two-column piece called "Next Stop ~ ging their heels in growth wood from rainforests around Home Depot," Time outlined for con ~ deeper. With over 700 the world. Among the wide array of sumers of mainstream media the aile · locations apd count old-growth products the stores carry is gations against Home Depot and the ing, there are plenty lumber from the ancient temperate activities plannedagainstitthatweek. of opportun~ties to rainforests of British Columbia, rna- Then the demos began! From An slam the message hogany doors and paneling from the chorage to Athens, from Hollywood, ... ~ home that the chi Amazon; old-growth lauan plywood California to Hollywood, Florida, ac- . ~ zens of the· planet from Southeast Asia, and dowels and tivists from local Rainforest Action · demand a real policy, tool handles of the old-growth tropi- Groups, the American Lands Alliance, one with teeth that cal wood ramin. Student Environmental Action Coali- will. protect old As the industry leader, Home Depot tion and Free the Planet called on growth rainforests. sets the tone for the rest of the lumber Home Depot founders Arthur Blank nated free speech boxes, put up a $50 The campaign is a heartwarming dis retail mega-giants, and scandalous as and Bernard Marcus to immediately deposit and give 48-hours notice to play of what is possible when strong it is, claims to be an environmentally phase out old-growth wood products. the store manager. Armed with are student and community activists responsible company. If this Goliath Activities ranged from small scale but cent Supreme Court case in which work in coalition to take down an were to change its evil ways and actu- powerful scenes in a few locations protesters were given the right to ex industry giant. But the Goliath has ally discontinue sales of old-growth with petitions, postcards and educa- ercise th~ir free speech within shop not fallen yet. What we need is more products, the effect would ripple out tional materials to larger demonstra- ping center property limits, student of the same, plus a dose of action through the rest of the industry. tions and direct action. groups braved security and police at from the wild EF! community to fur So just how do you take on and The civil disobedience was neatly Home Depot locations, waved the . ther take them to task. It is only a conquer the largest do-it-yourself distributed across the country, with court case and held their ground. At matter of time so join in and help us home improvement chain in the activists in Northern California, Iowa some locations they were ejected off with the final heave. world, a company that is opening be- and New York locking down to dis- the property or banished to the far For more information contact tween three and eight new stores a week; plays of old-growth wood products at ends of the parking lot. Rainforest Action Network at 221 Pine a retail giant with plans to double its several locations within the store. Meanwhile there was some serious St., #500, San Francisco, CA 94104; retail size in the next two years; a Some stores even got hit twice, with scrambling going on at Home Depot (415) 398-4404; [email protected]. global ecosystem, it is increasingly vital that we foster ~ONSUMER PRODUCT DIVERSITY the diversification of the global marketplace by buy ing the widest range of consumer products possible." ._. SURPASSES B I 0 DIVERSITY "The extinction of the Borneo hooded tern was an For the first time in history, the rich array of thing we can all be happy about," Hargrove said. indirect result of the disappearance of the native consumer products available in malls and super Scientists call the current decrease in biodiversity species of sea snails upon which it fed," Grogan markets surpasses the number ofliving species popu one of the worst episodes of mass extinction in continued. "This kind of vicious cycle, once begun, lating the planet. According to an Environmental Earth's history. The rate at which species are cur~ is impossible to contain. Fortunately, though, the Protection Agency study conducted in conjunction rently vanishing approaches that of the "K-T Event" process can function the same way in reverse: The with the United Nations Task Force on Global that ended the age of dinosaurs 65 million years ago successful introduction of a new item can lead to Developmental Impact, consumer-product diver and resulted in a loss of 76 percent of the world's additional items later on. For example, the prolif sity now exceeds biodiversity. species. Read the EPA report: "The planet Earth eration of Love My Carpet-brand carpet cleaner in "Last year's introduction of Dentyne Ice stands on the brink of one of the most devastating hall closets across America would not have been Cinnamint gum, right on the heels of the extinction global extinctions in history. By the year 2040, . possible without the introduction of the affordable, of the Carolina tufted hen, put product diversity on nearly two-thirds of all current species will be ex easy-to-use Hoover 5.0 upright vacuum cleaner. top for the first time," study chair Donald Hargrove tinct. Rainforest habitats that were once lush cano And thus, the cycle of life goes on." said. "Today, the Procter & Gamble subphylum pies of life, sustaining millions of highly specialized "When a species vanishes, the world loses not only alone outnumbers insects two to one." and interdependent species of plants and animals, that species, but the wide range of highly specialized The sharp rise in consumer-product diversity, have been reduced by upwards of 95 percent in physical and biochemical functions that species with more than 200 million new purchasing op some areas." served. These ecological losses necessitate the cre tions since 1993, comes as welcome news for those "Any healthy system needs diversification in order ation of new, synthetic products capable of serving upset over the dwindling number of plant and to flourish," University of Chicago biologist]onatban the same functions," according to science writer animal species. Grogan said. "Any complex system, whether we are David Quammen. "So, for example, when we lose a "Though flora and fauna are dwindling, the spec talking about the Amazon rainforest or the Mall of strain of microbe that filters the water we drink, we trum of goods available to consumers is wider than America, needs a rich array of species/products if it is compensate by developing the amazing Brita water at any time in planetary history. And that's some to survive. That is why, in light of the crumbling filter, with its patented filtration technology. Page 8 Earth First! Yule 1999 the preservation of wildlands and wilderness values. This summer REI worked with Senator Slade Gorton to sneak an anti-wilderness rider onto a "must pass" budget bill. REI is currently brokering highly controversial compromises with the motor ized recreation community on the new Continental EI ®SEllS ITS SOUl Divide Trail. REI and the other Recreation Roundtable members regularly meet with top-level government REI is actively marketing and promoting the pro officials to develop national policies and strategies BY Scorr SILVER gram to the American public. that affect all Americans. Why is the outdoor retailing giant Recreational During one Boise, Idaho, TV station's coverage of And finally, we are hammering REI to commemo Equipment Inc. (REI) being hammered? What could the October 10 protest, the local store manager rate its receipt of Vice President AI Gore's "Golden this friend of "muscle powered recreation" possibly spoke REI's we-support-the-user-fee-concept mes Hammer for taxpayer savings and government effi- have done to cause Earth First!ers, Sierra Clubbers, sage . while ·the following sporting groups, religious leaders, typical]anes/Joes text scrolled across TV and even a retired National Park supervisor to ac screens in thousands of tively picket REI stores? Why are REI members all homes: around the West tearing up their membership cards "We are proud to say the and returning them with letters of protest? American Recreation Coa Because REI has sold out. Or more accurately, lition (ARC) and the Recre because they've bought in! Bought in to the vi ation Roundtable, a related sion that there are enormous profits to be gar group of recreation-indus nered by allowing public lands to fall prey to try CEOs, have invested industrial strength recreation. (See EF!J Mar.-Apr. heavily in staff and mem '98, Sept.-Oct. '97.) ber time in helping the fed REI has joined the stampede of corporate interests eral agencies covered by the racing to stake their demonstration program "wreckreation" frontier. ect-level and na these modern day and advice . We have arranged for top ciency." As part of Gore's "Re-Inventing Govern executives from ment" program, in which federal agencies are taught companies to work with the to act like multinational corporate thugs, the Se in the design andimple attle-based Federal Outdoor Recreation Informa . we have assisted more tion Center was relocated from public facilities into Forest Service fee sites REI's store. The new information center has been efforts, enabling situated in the most inaccessible recesses of the and likely visitors second floor ensuring that anyone coming t<-' pur prior to arrival." chase a user-fee permit must first traverse the entire at REI and Disney are store. For REI, the benefits of this private/public fee program partnership are obvious. The user-fee program brings taken from a in thousands of new customers each month, cus Dan Glickman tomers who came to purchase a permit and picked up a fleece or tent along the way. As the recreation gold rush begins, companies such as REI are cutting deals with corrupt politicians and avaricious bureaucrats. Everyone in these backroom meetings understands that there are enor from Disney, Harley mous profits to be made through commercializing, Corporation, Marathon privatizing and motorizing America's public lands. industry power We are picketing REI to hurt them financially. If we Recreation Roundtable. can remove the profit motive from public land man supports the by environmentalists and agement, then we stand some small chance of pro geted for the uvJLU"'" because it is selling the tecting our public lands from the hostile takeover REI's right. the river while pursuingan agenda plans of corporate raiders and guileful carpetbaggers. user-fee issue, but W€ to facilitate maximal sales of recreation Scott Silver is executive director of Wild Wilderness. support the "concept" of and services. We have not called for a He has been fighting for undeveloped recreation since because they helped create the user-fee program, boycottof REI over the user-fee issue alone. We're 1991 and can be reached at 248 NW Wilmington Ave., helped sell it to reactionary congress people who doing so because REI is adversely meddling in a wide Bend, OR 97701; (541) 385-5261; eventually authorized the program, and because range of public land issues of critical importance to http://www.wildwildemess.org. A fist in the air, no compromise, wrench-wielding Hayduke memorial wolf to Guy Jerome Weber for driving a 30,000-pound dozer into Flathead Wolves & Poodles Reservoir, Montana. Weber stole the machine and drove it toward the city A litter of severely inbred bastard poodles in blue masquerading as pepper docks, swigging beer and throwing the cans out along the road. He proceeded spraying pit bulls to the Eureka, California, Police Department who win the to drive the machine into the water at full throttle. When a passerby stopped Milk-bonehead of the year award for its stellar performance in handling a serial and asked him why he did it, Weber responded, "Because it fit." killer who recently turned himself in. The cops chased the killer out of the station A flower power, "No Nukes" t-shirt wearing wolf to the German govern the first time he came in, barking at him to get out and not return. The erstwhile ment for putting an end to the country's nuclear power program. The new killer had to go home and fetch a woman's breast he was saving in a zip-lock bag coalition government gave the energy utilities 12 months to propose how and and bring it back before they would listen to him. when to completely shutdown 19 nuclear reactors. A spewing poodle to the city of Dallas, Oregon, for planning to use a grove A camera-toting, sunglass-wearing, tuxedo-clad Underwolf to activist of poplar trees to suck up the sewage and industrial waste it wants to spew on the videographers Tim Lewis and Undercurrents director Dylan Howitt for community. The city plans to spray the trees with wastewater from a computer recently winning respected film festival awards. Lewis' documentary, "The Last circuit board factory. It contends the trees will suck ammonia and nitrogen from Ancient Forests" and Dylan Howitt's, "The Celtic Enemy" won high awards. the ground "like 100-foot soda straws" by metabolizing the compounds in their Pleasantly surprised, Lewis, who had never before entered his work in a wood and will keep the heavy metals and salts fixed in place in the soil. festival, commented, "I never had the postage money before." A dipped in green, yuppie scum of a poodle showing its An unassisted, Houdiniesque wolf on the run to the true colors to the Nature Conservancy for planning to two monkeys still on the loose after the largest mon develop ecologically sensitive wetlands in Virginia. key jailbreak in history. Twenty-four rhesus mon The conservancy told buyers of the homes-to-be that keys broke out of a research facility at Tulane they will be able to enjoy the protected waterfront University's Primate Center completely by them and marshes "like members of a country club." selves. The center uses 4,500 monkeys to study A back-stabbing, cringingJudas of a poodle cancer, malaria, leprosy and AIDS. to the US Forest Service for selling-out to Honda, A howling, wild and free wolf to the champions which supplied the Freddies with funds and of the new Opal Creek, Oregon, Wilderness Area. equipment and then convinced Forest Service On November 9, the final papers were signed and officials to allow an annual dirt bike race on a 28,000 acres were protected, with 12,800 acres in a 204-mile course through the San Bernardino Na- Scenic Recreation Area. The ten-year battle finally ended tional Forest in California. in peace for the ancient forest. December-January 1999 Earth First! Page 9 Willamette Chip Mill Shut Down BYMEussAPFEFFERANDPEnRCHoWIA theAlleghenyNationalForestregion. First-Ever Tripod in the Allegheny The action followed closely on the In response to poor forestry prac heels of the first civil disobedience in ing and growing where they are, rather start when, one enraged truck driver tices, toxic releases, insensitivity to the region several months earlier at a than being liquidated for short-term began threateningvideographers with communities and destruction of re regional Forest Service office. This time gain," said Jake Kreilick of the Native a crowbar. gional forestry economies, Pennsyl the multinational corporate giant was Forest Network, one of the demon As morning turned into day, the log vania activists in the Allegheny Na hit by several demonstrations through strators on site. trucks were forced to turn around be tional Forest region have mobilized to out the country in the weeks preced The overriding message of the day, cause there were no signs that the fight chip mills in the Eastern US that ing and following this action, includ however, was about chip mills. There protesters planned to leave. Several continue to gobble up the already cut ing a demonstration at their head trucks dumped their loads on over forests. With the support of activ quarters in Oregon. the side of the road before leav ists from around the country, the only The activists, largely students ing. The sight of log trucks access road to the Keystone Chip Mill, from Pennsylvania but including leaving buoyed the spirit of operated by Willamette Industries, was forest activists from as far away as the protesters, but they were blockaded on October 20. Two stu Oregon and Montana, held the careful to indicate that they dents held the blockade for half a demonstration in support of the did not want to hurt or target day, while the rest of the 30 demon growing national resistance to cor the drivers of the trucks. It is strators were moved off Willamette porate monsters such as ]. Willamette they are after. property. The action coincided with Willamette. Raising a banner de s While the demonstrators Forest Products Week, declared by manding, "Willamette: Stop De ~ were forced to move to the Pennsylvania's anti-environment vouring Our Forests and Our Fu- ~ easement of the highway, the governor, Tom Ridge. ~,. two activists who were locked The demonstrators n down to the tripod stayed, as charged the property did two people who were pro before dawn, carrying viding them with direct sup a 30-foot metal tripod port. Finally, at around 11:30 that they stealthily are over 140 chip mills in a.m., after long negotiations with the erected in the darkness operation in the North authorities, the two agreed to leave before the opening of east today, with over 100 the site. They were arrested shortly the mill. Log trucks had of them built in the last thereafter and charged with criminal already begun lining up eight years. The Key trespass, failure to disperse and disor at the gate, but the ac stone chip mill produces derly conduct. tivists continued with wood chips which are The escalation of tactics in the area their plan despite dis either turned into paper highlights the growing demand for agreements with the pulp or used to make Zero Cut on public lands, as well as truck drivers. Once the particleboard or other increasing public concern over the tripod was up and the wood by-products. health of the forests. Confrontations two students had Each of Willamette's are expected to increase as Earth locked down to it. the chip mills employs only First!ers and· SEACers vowed to take demonstration com six people. Susan Curry, a further action against Willamette. menced with chants and songs. ture,'! the demonstrators showed their forest activist with the Allegheny De~ -~- The forest has had major victories One student sat in a climber's har support of local residents who have fense Project in Clarion, PA, said that is in the past few months. Due to the ness atop the tripod. Another U-locked fought the chip mill as a bad neighbor too few new jobs to trade for the public's discovery of a small population of the her neck to the front leg. The coura for two years now. forests. "Outfits like Keystone Chipping endangered Indiana bat in the area, geous activists held this position for The level of tension and antago typically have a local life span of only a logging will be at least temporarily more than six hours while state troop nism between people opposed to log few years," Curry said, "after which stopped on the entire national forest. ers, county sheriffs, log trucks and the ging in the Allegheny region and they disappear, leaving the resource base Members of the Allegheny Defense three chip mill employees lined up those in support of it is extremely in shambles and future generations with Project and-student supporters have outside. The activists refused to leave high. Many residents .perceive that out clean water, abundant wildlife or pressed this issue against the wishes despite threats from angry truck driv their economy will take a big hit quality recreation." of the Freddies SOMETHING FISHY AT and extinction," stated PEER executive director Jeff Ruch. "In this survey, federal wildlife agents are indicting the corruption of their own agency's leadership." More than 95 percent of respondents agree that expenditures and staffing THE DEPARTMENT are not sufficient to fulfill the agency's "wildlife protection mission," have Special agents within the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) report not "kept pace with the needs of wildlife protection," and are not on a par obstruction of criminal investigations by agency managers, political domi "with the growth in other USFWS programs." More than three-quarters of nation of agency decision-making and wide agreement that their agency's agents feel that the USFWS leadership does not adequately support law law enforcement program is getting weaker and doing a poor job protecting enforcement while similar numbers say that "hunting groups exercise wildlife, according to a new national survey released by Public Employees for disproportionate influence" over agency decision-making. Only fiye per Environmental Responsibility (PEER). USFWS special agents are charged cent of agents think that USFWS law enforcement is improving while nearly with enforcing the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treat Act and three-quarters think it is getting worse. As one agent in the survey wrote, all other federal laws governing hunting and interstate transportation of "Increasingly, we look the other way at violations as we realize nothing will wildlife. Of the roughly 200 agents nationwide, 61 percent responded to the be done by our supervisors." PEER survey. The survey also reflects a deep alienation between agents and agency More than half of the agents related a first-hand experience with managers leaders. More than 60 percent fear "job-related retaliation for raising con interfering "with an investigation in order to protect a prominent individual cerns" about agency problems and less than 10 percent say that morale is or powerful group." One third of agents report instances of managers having "good." "Law enforcement professionals of the US Fish and Wildlife Service "compromised ongoing investigations by contacting the target" to cut a deal are warning the agency is headed in the wrong direction, for the wrong limiting or excusing liability. More than three-quarters (81 percent) say reasons and with the wrong people in charge," added Ruch. "Field agents are agency "managers overseeing investigations often inject political consider given suspensions .from work for speaking out on the truth of the resource ations into what should be strictly law enforcement decisions." issues. This division has gone from agents who believe in protecting the "The special agents of the US Fish and Wildlife Service are the thin green resource to agents protecting themselves." line protecting wild animals, native fish and plants from illegal exploitation . -PUBLIC EMPLOYEES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY Page 10 Earth First! Yule 1999 Hofl'to Spinthe Media.. ., The EF!] proudly presents part two of Brit Georg_e ence sees as the winner. Your passion and enthusi nent as someone who has been misled and needs to Monbiot's witty and instructive piece on how to explozt asm must be tightly controlled and mustn't, repeat be told the truth. Think of your role as being to nq the media before it exploits you! mustn't, spill over into anger. If necessary, take a them right, rather than to put them down. deep breath before answering the question and be Following Up BY GEORGE MONBIOT polite but firm. . • Keep up your contacts. Write down the names How to Deal with journalists who Come • Be concise. Have a maximum of three mam and numbers of all the journalists you meet, and to Your Action lines of argument. Any more and both you and the make a brief note of what they're likE and how they audience will get lost. It's amazing how little time The whole media-exploitation process is about treat the subject. Keep the sympathetic ones in you get. Say exactly what you want to sa~ in ~s few news management. This is just as much the case formed about your campaign. Share your contact words as possible with clarity and determmat10n at once journalists get to the action as when you're lists and experiences with people in other cam the beginning of the interview. Summarise the trying to attract them. You've got to give the best paigns: It could help them a lot. issue in just one or two sentences before expanding possible account of what you're doing and provide Complaining on your theme. . the clearest possible explanation of why you're Activists are treated unfairly by the press more • Finish your point. If the interviewer tries to doing it. This means: often than any other group of people except people interrupt you before you've made an important • Make sure the right people talk to the journalists. of color, the poor and asylum seekers. The reasons point say, "Just a moment" or, "If you'd let me Different people do.different things best. Some are are not hard to divine: We challenge powerful finish." Be assertive without being rude. Turn hos brilliant at building treehouses or digging shit pits vested interests, we are prepared to break the law tile questions to good account by dealing with the but not much good at being charming to the run and, above all, we can be discussed collectively question quickly and then moving onto what you without any fear of libel, as we do not belong to ning dogs of the counter-revolution. Some people want to talk about. A good way is to agree with part will have just dropped a tab of incorporated organisations. acid or have last night's vomit So, for example, the New stuck in their hair. This won't "Make sure the right people talk to the journalists. York Times could claim that endear them to journalists who, "eco-terrorist" tree-sitters in most cases, will be having Different people do different things best. Some are booby-trapped buildings, enough trouble crossing the attacked guards with cultural divide as it is. brillinnt at building treehouses or digging shit pits but catapaults and crossbows • Be careful, but don't come and dug pitfall traps full of across as suspicious. Some of not much good at being charming to the running dogs metal stakes, safe in the them will be there to help you, knowledge that, as long as others will be there to get you. ofthe counter-revo l ution.. '' no one was named, no one Sometimes the ones out to get could sue, even though the you will pretend to be out to whole story is bullshit. But help you. The only real safeguards are to know who if it makes the same allega of the question and they all are and who they work for. Some journal tions about security guards then show that it's ists are notorious for dissing the movement. You it would get its pants sued not the whole should find out who the dodgy ones are before the off by the company. story, "Yes, of action so you'll know to be ultra-careful if they Redressing bullshit sto- course human wel turn up. Be friendly towards them, whoever they ries is difficult, time-consum are·. Bite your lip. Don't put their backs up even .. if fare is critically im- ing and often very frustrating, . pdrtant, but that you hate the bastards. . but sometimes it works so it's doesn't mean we • Be a tour guide. Take them round the s1te, show worth trying, even if it ends in should neglect ani them what you want them to see and steer them failure. If we don't try the mal welfare. At the a~ay from what you don't want them to see. Intro media will keep doing the duce them to the people who'll get on well with moment, x percent of same thing again and again. ·them, and keep them away from the people who all dairy cows die be Here are the options: fore they're six years old won't be able to restrain their contempt. • If you know a lawyer who's because of the terrible • Be ready ~ to deal with the ones who don't turn prepared to work for free and conditions they're kept up. However good your publicity, lots of journalists the case is a clearcut one, it is in." Or, alternatively, · won't be able to make it but might still be interested. worth sending a threatening let- you may deliberately They'll want to know what's happening and how ter. If it's sufficiently convincing, -misinterpret the ques things are going so there should be at least one it might prompt the paper or pro tion. "You're quite person on site with a mobile phone (whose number gram to issue an apology and settle right, there were a lot has been posted on the press release).Journalists are out of court, and a few thousand quid of undesirable elements at suckers for on-the-spot reports, so when they ring for your cause never goes amiss. Don't the protest. In fact, there's an put some excitement into your voice. try it without a lawyer; they'll just urgent need to regulate the secu~ Being Interviewed laugh it off. rity industry properly. Do yQu • Write a letter for publication. Interviews and studio discussions are a bloodsport, know that a lot of security guards and you, the interviewee, are one of the combat -~ Make sure it's short, pertinent have criminal records for violent · /f and not personally insulting. ants. People watch or listen to them in the earnest assault? It's symptomatic of the whole road-build hope that one or other of the participants will be Humour and irony are particularly useful weap ing industry: They don't care what they do or who ons. It is a very long shot but, if you've got good gored to death. Like .any other fight, you win not they do it to." Always bring your answer back through brute force but through skill. And, like any writing skills, see if you can persuade the editorial around to the point. page editor to let you write a column. other sport, there are rules you have to follow. • Leave your notes behind. If what you want to say • Practice is absolutely critical. If you haven't • If you can bear to, talk to the journalist who isn't in your head, you shouldn't be in the studio. dissect you. Be ultra-reasonable and put your case done many interviews before, get someone to pre • Project. You're not having a casual chat. Put tend to be the interviewer and give you a hard time calmly and clearly. Just occasionally, she or he will more emphasis into your voice than you'd put in a relent and write a follow-up piece, putting right a day or two before you go on. Find out which parts normal conversation. It might sound strange but if of your technique need brushing up. your side of the story. you don't, you'll sound flat and boring. TV and All campaigning is hard work, and exploiting the. • Be informed. This is the golden rule. Remem radio are all brightness and colour, and you must ber, this is an information war, and the best war media is just as hard as any other aspect. We've sound bright and colourful to make an impact. If tended to neglect it in the past and then wonder riors are the ones With the best information. Don't you can do it without making it sound frivolous or go into ·a studio unless you know your subject why no one comes to our actions. Our movement irrelevant, a bit of humour can help a lot to win your needs specialist media workers just as much as it better than the person you're up against. Make sure audience over. Gently satirising your opponent's your information is reliable and stands up to criti needs specialist tree-climbers. The more there are, position is often quite effective. the more clearly our message will come across, and cal examination. • Don't hate your opponent-perhaps the hardest • Be calm. However much the issue or your oppo the more people will be attracted to our cause. This task of all, but absolutely necessary. If you allow is how small rumblings turn into earthquakes. The nent winds you up, you mustn't let it show. Gener yourself to hate them, you'll lose your cool, lose ally the calmest person is the one whom the audi- revolution will be televised, but that doesn't mean focus and lose public sympathy. Regard your oppo- that it won't also be live. MINNEHAHA'S CAMP TWO PINES: 'TWICE AS LONG AS WACO!u PROUD SQUATTERS REPORT The movement that we have built in the Twin happy, ragged folk. We've got good food and lots of BY TUMBLEWEED Cities around this campaign is amazing. Earth space. We have built a community of resistance to Winter has arrived, and we here at the Minnehaha First!ers from the free state have spoken out at the dominant paradigm. Our camp is a blockader's Free State are digging in. As we approach our four police brutality demonstrations, Free-Muinia playground, with new and experimentallockdowns month anniversary of standing in the way of the marches, anti-war rallies and often ride in monthly devised weekly. Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), Critical Mass demonstrations that usually end at Call Governor Jesse Ventura's transition office at we have the memories of many victories to keep our our camp. We have also had spirits warm. speakers at the National Lawyers On October 27, "Sagebrush" and "Julio" rappelled Guild dinner and rallied in off the top of a ten-story parking garage in support of Yellowstone buffalo. downtown Minneapolis to unfurl a 90-foot-long In turn, activists from these banner that read: "City Council: Our Friends Are movements have come to our Dying to Stop the 55 Reroute. Hunger Strike Day aid by showing up when the 13." Even though the crazy length prevented the police attack us and by coming banner from unfurling completely, the media still to our demos. There is a huge got the message. The banner was dropped across potential in this town for a mass the street from City Hall to make sure the City movement, revolutionary in Council did too. Both climbers and two ground words and deeds, tb succeed. In the words of one local anti-war activist, "Every struggle is connected. When we come together for everyone else's campaigns, we will win." We hope that the connections we have made will be a catalyst for a larger, urban-based anti-road movement. We have not forgotten Jim Anderson performs a smudge ceremony to welcome the Spirit Riders. our roots in wilderness defense, for we believe that reclaiming our (651) 297-9500 and tell him to stop the reroute of streets and revitalizing the cities will result in highway 55. Donations can be sent to MNRAG c/o less sprawl and less suburbanization of the Big Woods Earth First! at POB 580936, Minneapolis, '! population. We are also gearing up for MN 55458. The Big Woods Earth First! hotline is ! possible campaigns in the Big Woods of (612) 362-3387. The free state phone number is ~ northern Minnesota, but that's another story. (612) 728-0595. Check out the awesome web site ~ We need your help! Please send cold documenting our four months here at: weather gear, climbing gear, "Cash and good www.freenet:msp.mn. us/stop55. We also encourage Spirit rider arrives at Camp Two Pines, Minnehaha Liberated Zone. vibes! Activists are needed here so please you to organize anti-road actions in your neck of the supporters were arrested and held for the day, but come to Minneapolis to hang out with our band of woods. Like the little bunny says "You're next!" the charges against all were eventually dropped. Soon after, the hunger-striking affinity group announced the end of their strike. During the first week of November, the free state played host to ten activists on horseback taking part in a 150-mile-long Spirit Ride that began in Birch Coulee and ended here at the four sacred trees used by the Mendota Mdewankaton for ceremonies. As they rode over the Mendota Bridge into our camp the riders brought traffic to a halt, certainly a beautiful sight for all in this anti-road campaign to behold. November also saw Reform Party candidate Jesse "The Body" Ventura elected governor of Minnesota (yes, the same man who wrestled Hulk Hogan on Sunday afternoons·is now going to grapple with the problems of running a state). His old high school is right down the street. Many in the Stop the Reroute campaign feel increased public pressure might prompt Ventura to come out against the project, and point outthe puns and street theater possibilities are endless. Qesse-don't wrestle with the truth!) Members of the community continue to support us by donating cold weather gear, wood for our squatter stoves and by raising their voices at forums, which has caused one MnDOT official to complain about having to attend meetings where "everyone hates me." Over 100 people attended the Thanksgiving feast at the free state. Unfortunately, the news isn't all good. The powers that be succeeded in taking the last tenant's house out from under her, and Carol's dream of spending her golden years in her home has been crushed by trees represent the greedmongers at MnDOT. On December 9 we We have had m(;liW' cerern( are helping her pack and move. We've heard rumors scaffolds by our re~Iatives. th(ltMnDOTwill attempt to break up our camp on repatriated in1:o 1: he~ ground December 10, our four-month anniversary. We are these sacred sites. preparing for that day by asking the community to Along with Earth First!, we help us defend the homes and the trees. Our occupation, we still stand ag:ainLst :Mr1D10T's removal from the houses would only be the first name of the sacred White step, the trees would come next. We will be there for the good and well being to stand in the way. Page 12 Earth First! Yule 1999 The ce A 'D10:D.g 'U'" s: &a;n F~a;nci.&co Peak• BY FAITH AND ROXANE The San Francisco Mountains ascend land can be withdrawn. After this, the gracefully from the redrock splendor withdrawal could be renewed. Asked of the Colorado Plateau into vanilla why the proposal is important, Faith scented, yellow-bellied ponderosa Walker, of the Offspring of Human forests of legend, from pinon-juniper Parents Recovery Group, quoted a fa woodlands through a trinity of life mous environmentalist, stating, "It's zones, all the way to alpine tundra, the peaks!" home of the endangered Senecio Angels are singing on high because franciscanus. Because of these glorious the proposal could mangle at least sky islands, the desert state of Arizona some of the plans ofTufflite, the com contains six of the world's eight major panyfrom Glendale, Arizona, that runs plant communities. The range of the White Vulcan Pumice Mine on the forests and alpine tundra provides peak's eastern slope and has been a important habitat for many species of scourge in Flagstaff since its claims plants, insects, mammals and birds, were filed in 1953. This mine is the including the endangered Mexican perfect poster child for everything spotted owl. These are the mountains wrong with the 1872 Mining Law. where C. Hart Merriam (the biologist Tufflite has 320 acres of mining claims, named after the Merriam shrew) many of which will be void if the developed his life zones theory, proposal is accepted. Ninety of these relating altitude to latitude. Almost acres are the towering pumice piles of every Native American tribe in the the White Vulcan Mine. Tufflite exca region has long held these mountains vates down 70 feet to reach pumice of sacred. And like most·places of great proper size for stone-washed jeans. beauty and ecological importance in . Tufflite's White Vulcan Mine has, the West, the San Francisco Mountains incredibly, been working without an are threatened by a variety of accepted Operating Plan (OP) for 10 development and extractive activities. years. Mining companies are required One of the most heinous of these to submit an OP to the Forest Service activities is mining. On November 4, for approval. For some reason, the in a surprising move, the US Forest Forest Service received the OP but Service published a notice of proposed did not bother to accept it, and so it withdrawal from mining on northern has allowed the company to mine Arizona's San Francisco Peaks. If ap illegally for a decade. The mine has proved, no new mining claims could be.en cited for violations of the Clean be file? on the 74,380 acres of Coconino · Water Act, is being sued by the fed eral government for its refusal to pay mize the "visual degradation" that the Forest Service for the pumice "And like most places of great beauty and affects tourism and the tribes. The that is too small to stone-wash jeans ecological importance in the West, the San Arizona Office of Histqric Places is with, it has destroyed at least six working with tribes and the Forest archaeological sites and has a hor Frandsco Mountains are threatened by a variety Service to list the San Francisco Peaks rible reclamation record. When asked in the National Historic Register as a about this company, Roxane George, of development and extractive activities." traditional cultural property. This des of the Flagstaff Activist Network, said, ignation would increase protection of "If lies, doublespeak, and evil could National Forest land that encompasses the land surface, cooperated with the the peaks and potentially throw a be bottled and washed with jeans, the peaks, and existing claims would BLM, which controls mineral rights, wrench into the expansion plans of Tufflitewear would be a favorite of be subject to a two-year review process to craft this landmark proposiil be Snowbowl, the wicked ski ·resort: Arizona's congressmen." to determine which are legitimate. cause, they say, they wish to protect Though all of this is a victory for the It's probable that the Forest Ser The Forest Service, which controls endangered flora and fauna and mini- mountains and those of us who work vice will find some ofTufflite's claims to protect them, the Forest Service legitimate and allow the company to around here is not exactly famous for expand. It can't prevent mining from its iron will and unwavering determi occurring on a legitimate claim be nation to do the right thing, so lots of cause of the mining-friendly provi "I'M A KANGAROO" public support will be essential. sions in the 1872 Mining Law. Because the Forest Service issued no Tufflite now wishes to expand its The following is from statements given will destroy Sagaponack for me, where warning of the proposed withdrawal, mining operation another 30 acres, at the Southampton Zoning Board of I have worked and lived very happily. there was no scrambling by mining· and the Forest Service will begin the Appeals on August 27 by novelist Kurt It will cut off use of the waterfront. companies to initiate activity on their Environmental Impact Statement Vonnegut and writer/director Andre Gre Such an enormous establishment does claims, and so it's likely that most of process in early 1999. Adding insult gory to protest the construction of a not belong between us and the water. the 60 claims will be denied because to injury, company owners have been 66,000-square-foot home by Ira L. And so I'll be leaving. Thank you. One they've been inactive or don't have a granted a 20-acre patent, which gives Rennert, a New York businessman. more thing. I'm not a human being. marketable mineral. During the two~ them the deed to the mined land. Rennert's home is being built in I'm a kangaroo. year withdrawal, an environmental They want to eventually patent all Sagaponack, New York, on 63 acres. It Andre Gregory: I'm a writer and a analysis will be undertaken to deter 320 acres, which would enable them will have 29 bedrooms, 39 bathrooms, a filmmaker. When I first came here mine whether or not to close all or to make much more money than 10,000-square-foot playhouse, a 6,000- many years ago, Sagaponack was a part of the area to mining for 20 years, they did mining, through such things gallon underground oil tank, a 2,500- one-family community. It was a com the maximum amount of time that as exclusive housing for the wealthy gallon propane tank anda kitchen with a munity of faqners, friends and art (the latest rage in Flagstaff), golf 1,500-gallon grease-trap. Rennert claims ists, who had in common that they courses, etc. The Forest Service is it meets zoning board regulations because truly, truly loved Sagaponack. They appealing the decision. it is a "single-family house." loved the land. Tufflite is visibly twitching and will Kurt Vonnegut: I'm a novelist. I What is happening here can never be heaving all of its ugly weight at the have lived in a house in Sagaponack for be turned back, if it happens. I beg proposal so we need you to submit 22 years. The house appears on the you, I beg you, as a fellow human comments in favor of the proposed map in 1739. I restored the house. being-I'm not a kangaroo, I'm an withdrawal by February 2, 1999 When I moved here, I had no idea how other human being-Ibegyou. Don't (Groundhog Day, appropriately). pliable the town government was. And do this. We can never go back. Shame Write Ken Jacobs, Lands and Minerals how humorless, that it would look at a is a terrible, terrible feeling. Let us Staff, Peaks Ranger District, 5075 N. plan for a dwelling this huge, just please not be ashamed that we have Highway 89, Flagstaff, Arizona 86004; visually, obviously not a one-family done this. Thank you. (520) 527-8288 fax; kjacobs/ house and call it a one-family house. It -REPRINTED FROM HARPER'S MAGAZINE. [email protected]. December-January 1999 Earth First! Page 13 Nightmarish Trade FRANKENMAI STILL LIVES Deal Must Be Stopped and force nations to treat all nations the same dead and buried. But, the six month break was more BY MICHAEL RuBENSTEIN regardless of human rights abuses, environmental of a, "Let's stop, think about strategy, and come Lurking in dark alleys, stalkingthe poor and hun destruction or labor practices. Two precedents have back with full force" break then anything else. Slick gry, contriving the murder of thousands. Did you recently been ·set for the Most Favorite Nation Willie does it again, like the Salvage Rider wasn't think I was talking about your run of the mill crank clause. Ethyl Corporation, a US-based TNC, sued bad enough. dealer? Heck no! Just when you thought it was safe to Canada for banning interprovincial transport of a The stage was set for intense negotiations to take dive back into world economic circles, there it is, nasty cancer promoting gas additive. Canada backed place on October 20. With 90 percent of the MAl text rising from the depths of hell, the Multilateral Agree down, revoked the law and paid Ethyl $12 million. agreed upon by all parties, it shouldn't have taken ment on Investment (MAl). Back from the dead? In the US, a federal judge recently declared much to finish by the new Apri11999 deadline. The Nah, just revived from the belly of the Organization Massachusetts' Burma procurement policy uncon impending doom of the MAl was upon us, but wait, for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). stitutional. The state was apparently .tampering Super France to the rescue! France may be a strange The OECD, composed of the 29 wealthiest nations in with federal jurisdiction when it stopped doing bedfellow, but after years of nuking the shit out of the the world, is back at work finalizing its plans of world business with companies invested in corrupt Burma. South Pacific, it did something right and backed out of domination. For those unfamiliar with the MAl's All this spells bad news if the MAl is adopted. the talks just before they were set to begin. No, France innards, here is a little background. This disgusting The MAl also includes a ban on "Performance didn't want to abandon the idea of corporate world display of rich get richer, poor get the shaft, interna Requirements" that force corporations to meet cer domination; it wants to move the negotiations to the tional law contains several provisions which will tain requirements when investing in a locality. Such World Trade Organization (WTO). Negotiations at the effectively globalize the investment language of North requirements have included minimal recycling pro WTO would be a little better, giving representation to American Free Trade Agreement (NAFT A) and ex grams, gender equity in hiring, use of a minimal some of the less developed countries, however, we pand the Global Agreement On Tariffs and Trade domestic content in manufacturing and so on. Basi- want the MAl to stay dead, not undergo resurrection (GATT) to include the flow of capital. If the somewhere else! MAl is put into action, it would wreak havoc So, here we are, October 20 on bioregions worldwide. came around and representa The "Investor to State Dispute Settle tives from the 29 wealthiest na ment" provision would give transnational tions on Earth gathered to sell corporations (TNCs) the power to take out to the corporate monster. nations to world trade court to challenge France was still not playing ball, national, state and local laws and possibly and the US was trying to bully collect damages. That's right folks, in the it into giving the talks another near future you may see Shell v. United shot when all hell broke loose. States, or even worse, Shell v. Nigeria. Those You guessed it, infiltrators at of you who aren't versed in free trade and the MAl negotiations. Accord macroeconomics may be wondering, what ing to an undisclosed agent, "A could they sue about? Well, here are just a journalist leapt up onto the few of the many possibilities. The "Regula tables at the conference, pro tory Takings" clause could force nations to claiming 'the MAl will destroy compensate foreign corporations for envi human rights and the environ ronmental, human rights and labor laws. ment, it must stop!' The OECD Say for instance, we pass Zero Cut and a Secretary attempted to ignore foreign-owned corporation is on our pub the disruption, while its source lic land raising hell, we would have to unfurled a banner reading, compensate it for potential losses. Ouch! 'Wherever it goes, no to the Does anyone think the threat of massive MAL' The British female 'jour corporate payoffs could stop environmen nalist' was finally dragged from tal legislation from even being introduced the room by security guards in the future? who were amused by the ac Oh, yes, kids, it gets worse. The "National tion. Meanwhile, a coalition of Treatment" and "Most Favorite Nation" pro anti-MAl groups held a rally visions prevent governments from promot outside the OECD, with daz ing local businesses over foreign investors zling spotlights directed at the building and deafening drums, to ensure that their presence would be noticed." Go team! Friends of the Earth believes four potential outcomes are pos sible. First, the MAl could be completed in the OECD and enacted worldwide (over my dead body) inciting global revo lution (I hope). This outcome is not very likely considering France's refusal to deal with the OECD. The second theory is that the MAl could be wrapped up in a hurry within the OECD with France by April1999. This cally, the MAl gives cor option would necessitate a half-assed version with porations even more vital elements of the agreement missing. It would also power than previous seriously debilitate or at least hinder complete and trade agreements, at . total corporate world domination. The third option, Mamma Earth's expense. even less likely, would be for the OECD to accept what Nicaragua has lost nearly 60 percent of its forest cover in the last 50 years. Every year, approximately Back in April, the ne they already have as a "set of nonbinding principles." 375,000 acres of forested land is destroyed by commercia/logging and the advancing agricultural frontier. gotiating nations at the Like corporate America would ever let that happen. Deforestation has contributed to the erosion ofthree-million tons oftopsoil and the drying up of200 rivers. OECD threw a curve ball. The fourth and most likely scenario is the opening of Without tree roots to hold soil in place, heavy rains on barren hillsides cause the highly unstable soil to slide, taking with it everything in its path. After missing the self-irri MAl negotiations in the WTO. When Hurricane Mitch passed through this November, deforested hillsides were the first to give. posed deadline to finish What does all this mean? What do you think it In Nicaragua, already the second-poorest country in the hemisphere, almost 3,000 people are dead, negotiations, talks broke means? It's time to step it up folks! Hit the embas 7,000 missing and over three-quarters ofa million are homeless. The extreme ecological damage has down and a six-month sies, call the tuckers, especially Madelaine Albright, yet to be measured. The situation, as pictured above, is the same in Honduras. According to former Honduran president, Rafael hiatus was agreed upon. Secretary of State, 2201 C St., NW, EB/IFD/OIA, Callejas, "Perhaps the greatest tragedy is that many of the deaths and much of the destruction was caused All of those beautiful ru Washington, DC, 20520; (202) 736-4247 and by mudslides that were the result ofuncontrolled deforestation and therefore could have been prevented." Less mors of MAl fatality sur Charlene Barshefsky, United States Trade Represen than 35 percent of the country is forested, down (rom 41 percent in 1990. Deforestation is the cause; Mitch faced immediately, in tative, 600 17th St. NW, Washington, DC, 20508; was the catalyst; devastation is the effect. Over 10,000 people are dead in Honduras and over 1.5 million, a quarter of the population, are homeless. part because the ~hngon (202) 395-6890. If they won't talk to you, go lock Action for Community and Ecology in the Rainforests ofCentra/America (ACERCA) and Witness for Peace administration spun ru yourself to their doorsteps. Raise hell, get the word are sending an environmental justice delegation to Nicaragua in February. To join this important hands-on mors to Congress and the out about this monster. In short, we are in a world investigative delegation, contact ACERCA at POB 57, Burlington, VT 05402; (802) 863-0571; fax 864- press that the MAl was of shit if this comes down so fight it, now. acerca@sover. net; Page 14 Earth First! Yule 1999 111111111 the Amazon. break the community's attempt to block denounced by the Indigenous Federa In response to the the construction crews. Three Indians tion of Bolivar State and the Perma protest, the Venezu~ were hospitalized. Since then the entire nent Council of Chiefs as "a trap to elan National Guard route of the power line has been heavily fractionalize our unity." sent more than 40 militarized by the National Guard, The communities continue to pur soldiers in riot gear which has accompanied the construc sue legal means to challenge the project and stationed a mili tion crews in order to suppress any both nationally and internationally. tary tank outside opposition. On September 4, the gov In addition to the two court cases San Francisco de ernment unilaterally broke off sched already filed, the federation recently Yuruani, a popular uled talks with indigenous leaders and filed a third lawsuit challenging the tourist' destination. construction of the power line advanc bilateral agreement on the power line Indigenous leaders ed rapidly, destroying large tracts of between the governments of Venezu say that the use of rainforest and savannas as well as a ela and Brazil and is preparing to re violence by the Na signifi~ant number of indigenous sa quest a hearing at the Inter-American tional Guard is an cred sites and subsistence farms. Commission on Human Rights. imminent threat but In an attempt to divide the indig For more information contact Ama vow to firmly hold enous communities, on October 8, zon Watch at 20110 Rockport Way, their ground. the government issued "fake" land Malibu, CA 90265; (310) 456-1340; fax ~ According to Jose use titles to five of the 34 communi 456-0388; [email protected]; http:/I ~ Luis Gonzalez, the ties affected by the project, an action www.amazonwatch.org. ~ spokesperson from ~ the Indigenous Fed ~ eration of Bolivar ~ State, "The Pemon i: communities will S: continue to peace- fully block con struction crews here indefinitely until we receive a positive response from BY ATossA SoLTANI the government of Venezuela. We are On October 12, more than 250 indig demanding that the government re enous residents of the Canaima Na sume talks over our ancestral land tional Park and surrounding areas of claims and halt the construction of southern Venezuela resumed their pro the power line through our communi test against the 450-mile power line ties until our land rights and environ being built to Brazil. The protests came mental issues have been dealt with." one month after the Venezuelan gov Indigenous protests against the power ernment unilaterally broke off talks with line began in July and culminated in a the Indian leaders. For three days, indig "historic" declaration by the Venezu enous communities partially blocked elan government stating its commit tra c along the road to Brazil, effec menttolegallyrecqgnizethe bouqdaries tively delaying construction crews from of the indigenous areas (see EF!] Sept. working on the power line. The protest Oct. 1998). Construction projects were is centered in San Francisco de Yuruani, temporarily paralyzed. However, on Au the town at the base of Mount Roraima, gust 26, the National Guard attacked thelegendaryflat-toppedmountainfea 300 members of the Mapauri village, tured in the story of "The Lost World" of using tear gas and rubber bullets to After exhausting all the legal avenues in trying to protect the Polana Biosphere Reserve, the WOLF Forest Protection Movement of Slovakia took its protest to the endangered silver spruce forests by blockading cutting. When forest workers arrived, they could not start due to the presence of 50 forest activists at the site. Some were sitting in trees, others were chained around trunks. Some blockaded an access road. Meetings between forestry officials and activists ended in stalemates. The agency expressed its intention to continue logging. The activists responded with their commitment to continue the blockade. The blockade continued for another month. -- With some help from members of the Slovak Parliament and letters from three biological experts validating WOLF's statement and objections to the clearcutting, the campaign gained ground. The agency in charge finally consented with WOLF's opinion, agreeing that the logging was in defiance of the main purpose of biosphere reserves and put off the cutting of234 acres of native forests. To assist the struggle, please refer to the article, "Help Save Them-Buy Your Own Tree!," in the July/ August issue ofthe Earth First! Journal. Thanks to all ofyou who have contributed to the project ofsaving the native Slovak forests by contributing $30 US for the symbolic purchase ofone tree. The total purchase price for our native forest reserve is USS93,000 and US$24,000 has been raised thus far. Your support is needed with further contributions. Make your checks payable to the Rainforest Information Center and mail them to the Earth Trust Foundation, 20110 Rockport Way, Malibu, CA 90265. Contact the WOLF Forest Protection Movement at: c.d. 27, 082 13 Tulcik, Slovakia; +421-91- 7789488 (phone/fax); wol{@vadium.sk. December-January 1999 .Earth First! Page 15 _ in recent years. The 1990 bombing was part of a calculated and deliberate agenda. Gypsy's death happened rather spon Justice for Gypsy taneously; the logger didn't wake up thatmorningandsay, "Hey, I'mgonna with him when he was killed, with the Earth and holding it sacred. Cor go kill me a protester." But the two BY KAREN PICKETT manslaughter. Mr. A.E. Ammons, the porations, particularly large ones in- incidents warrant comparison because Whatarethosestagesthatgriefcoun- Pacific Lumber employee that cut the volved in the extractive industries, both were promulgated by the climate selors tell you to expect when dealing tree that killed my son is not even a hot on a course to marginalize, of violence against Earth First! that has with tragedy? Shock, feelings of loss, suspect ... Apparently, the Humboldt disempower and intimidate activists, been bred and fed by Pacific Lumber, anger, adjustment. Add to those the County Sheriff's Department has an whip up sentiment against EF! and other corporations and law enforce emotions and reactions accompany- agenda to exonerate the Pacific Lum- against activists. That's what puts ac ment agencies. (That's here in Califor ing the intensely political nature of ber Company." tivists at risk, not "dangerous" protest nia. In Idaho, it's Shearer Lumber and David "Gypsy" Chain's death at the Calling the county a "company atthepointofproduction, as PL would Forest Service personnel; in Florida, it's hands of a reckless logger and it gets town," Cindy explained in her Texas have you believe. Procter and Gamble; in Maine, it's In scrambled up. The situation has been drawl that the investigator's bias was Who could conduct an investigation ternational Paper; in Nigeria, it's Shell unfolding not pursuant to those stages, unmistakable. "Throughout my whole of David Chain's death that could erect and Chevron.) though certainly shock, anger and sor- conversation with Mr. Freeman, I did ibly be called independent? While our Logging is not a safe job. Mill work is row have swept through the activist not hear one impartial statement. It fascist state Attorney General Dan not a safe job. That's why they have community here in Califor- Lungren was voted safety standards. Protesting is not nec nia, but so has a smear cam- out, his office remains essarily a safe job. That's one of the paign, more pepper spraying unfriendlytothepro- reasons we have nonviolence prepara of protesters, support from gressive movement. tions. We're defenders in a war being some unlikely sources, a re- The federal govern- waged against the Earth and the casual newal of strength and com- ment, which brings us ties can be any species. I'm not suggest munity, and a strong, abid- the Counter Intelli- ing it's inevitable, I'm contending that's ing connection with a griev- gence Program why it happened. We're at war. ingfamilyinPasadena, Texas. (COINTELPRO), cer- Let's neither make a martyr of Gypsy Within 24 hours of Gypsy's tainly can't take a fair nor a villain of Arlington Ammons. death, a vigil and blockade ~ look. The dearth of Gypsy deserves to be a hero, who died evolved at the site, holding it ~ candidates notwith- fighting for what he believed in. And sacred and keeping silentthe ~ standing, the call for while blame needs to be laid at the feet equipment to haul logs out ~ an investigation in it- of the logger, the bulk of it needs to be of the forest, including the ~ self helps keep the placed squarely on the shoulders of the tree A.E. Ammons felled on ::: HumboldtCountyin- corporation, no matter how hard it tries Gypsy. The blockade stood vestigation that much to shake it off. until the morning of Octo- more public. In addi- Direct actions continue in the red ber , when law enforce- A direct message to the US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the Headwaters' HCP tion, the civil rights 7 42 woods of Northern California. Soon, ment officers descended on the pro- was gung-ho Pacific Lumber, and I'm division of the Department of Justice Julia Butterfly will celebrate the one testers. In their zeal to clear the area, going after the Earth First!ers ... What has atleasttaken note, and the Califor year anniversary of her amazing tree sit. on that day and two days later wheri I saw... is the sheriffs are sick of Earth nia Occupational Safety and Health She's been joined in that effort by two another group blocked the road, First!ers. They're sick of dealing with Administration is looking into job site tree sitters, Roger and Nate, local resi Humboldt County's own storm troop- protesters ... There was no sympathy violations. dents who got fed up on~ day after ers once again removed the pepper for EF!ers whatsoever; no sympathy Deja vu watching half their watershed fall to PL spray canisters from their holsters, for my son's cause whatsoever." De- Working through this situation, chainsaws in the last six years. Twenty dousing one young woman three times scribing the logger, Detective Free- I've experienced profound flashbacks people were arrested iil a road action in as an example to her companions. man said, "A.E. Ammons is a reason- to 1990, when a pipe bomb (a bomb Headwaters on November 16, the last Forthreeweeksourvigilmaintained able man, much like myself." meant to kill) was planted in Judi day of the comment period on the Head four separate lockdown sites, a bipod, Cindy's pre-empting of their an- Bari's car. Isn't this what we were waters HCP. That same day a final com tripod, and a ridgetop tree-sit in an nouncement made it more difficult for fearful of when we exclaimed, "Jesus, mentwas delivered to US Fish and Wild old-growth redwood that served as a the authorities to put forth their ratio- they almost killed Judi! That shows life Service via a 40 by 40 foot banner on radio relay and look-out. Hundreds nalizations for such charges, but every they'll use lethal force." "Someone the side of the capitol building in Sacra came, did lock-down shifts,. cooked twist and turn in thiscasepointsupthe could get killed!" we said. Yeah. Now mento. There's lots more to come. meals and maintained security on the inappropriatenessofHumboldtCounty someone has. While Gypsy's death Thank you Gypsy for giving your all highway. The Gypsy Grove Free State, law enforcement as an investigating was not as overtly political as the for the forest. We're carrying on. the fifth tree-sit in Humboldt County, body. Indeed, the list of incidents that bombing of]udi Bari or the attacks on To get involved, contact Northcoast continues to grow, with room for six have gone unprosecuted and the Black Panthers, it was surrounded EF! at POB 28, Arcata, CA 95518; sitters and weeks worth of supplies. uninvestigated during the course of by, immersed in, fed by. and caused (707) 825-6598. To get updates and More importantly, it's keeping Pacific forest campaigns here is long. They've by a political battle that has been find out about other aspects of the Lumber out of Gypsy Grove until jus- brought snipers out and threatened to going on for well over a decade, peak campaign, call the Headwaters hotline tice for Gypsy and the forest left on shoot people; loggers drove a logging ing in 1988-1990, and escalating again at (510) 835-6303. that mountainside can be realized. truck into a crowd, broken an activist's The Cover Up nose, assaulted several people, hog- Pacific Lumber immediately dove for tied civil disobedients, etc. The cover following Gypsy's murder, at- Humboldt County Sheriff's Depart tempting to vilify Earth First! in the mentis one of two agencies cqrrently press and calling on EF! organizers to being sued by EF!ers pepper sprayed at discontinue "putting young people in close range in the fall of '97. harm's way." It became clear where this But Humboldt County doesn't have smear campaign was heading when, in a monopoly on civil rights viola an October 14 meeting with Cindy tions of nonviolent protesters. In Allsbrooks, Gypsy's mother, Humboldt fact, it's worth recognizing that, with County's chief investigating officer Juan the exception of the bombing of Judi Freeman said he would recommend the Bari and Darryl Cherney and the kill district attorney file manslaughter ing of Gypsy (big exceptions, charges against the eight EF! activists granted), the level of violence against who were with Gypsy on September 17. conservationists has been much Cindy Allsbrooks brought her in- worse in places other than Northern credulous outrage at that news to a California, like Idaho and Nigeria. press conference, her first statements Whiletheabsenceofchargesagainst to the media since her son was killed. the logger has elicited an angry re Calling the Headwaters area the "Deep sponse, the death of Gypsy cannot be North," she said, "Nothing prepared blamed on one individual. The prob me for the shock of learning that the lem is not that loggers have the bad Humboldt County Sheriff's Depart- seed gene or that there's a "natural" ment intends to implicate my son for animosity between loggers and his own death. I have been told... that enviros. Gypsy died because a greed they will recommend charging my driven profit motive seeks a reduction son's friends, the activists who were in the number of people defending Page 16 Earth First! Yule 1999 Workers Strike Afaxxam members decided they had some that workers have freedom of speech BY DARRYL CHERNEY thing in common with Headwaters and assembly. The United Steelworkers of America forest activists and sent a thousand One hundred and fifty members of (USW A) are striking against Maxxam letters to the US Fish and Wildlife the USW A will soon be traveling to Corporation's Kaiser Aluminum in Service demanding that Hurwitz be Humboldt County to dialogue with five plants around the country, while denied his HCP. Common ground Pacific Lumber workers and local ac Charles Hurwitz, the chairman of was found in this historical alliance tivists. This unprecedented and his Maxxam, is about to receive $500 between labor unionists and envi- toric event will allow two sets of million, tens of millions in tax breaks ronmentalists. Maxxam factory workers, one union and 8,500 acres of prime forestland Steelworkers have also' taken notice ized and one not, to meet. from the federal government in ex ofCharlesHurwitzandMaxxam'sfailed The sight of 150 steelworkers in change for a mere 7, 500 Head should the fear of God· waters forest, half of which .J,.: u;;c•~ and offer the Should Hurwitz g~t ' in its nego- would have a war c·l'i· ~· $~ ',1~Qj)4ifl~.:~JJ:l!~ stave off some of striking steel Lumber.em There is one in. A union at has to jump offer workers a his dough, nw,.,u.,, have now. With a proved Habitat (HCP). An HCP is a the Endangered HCPs allow the endangered .,u,... ._• ., holding in a small parcel ways biologically serve much of Before the theHCPendedon Pacific Lumber's License Yanked tially gone unpunished. Real changes Gr P.O. Box 7'62, San Luis, Colorado 81152 • (719) 672-3012 • [email protected] "Direct action is our way to show support and commitment to the community here," AFR Activist Melina Parrish said. Direct action protests have brought increasing attention to the struggle for San Luis. The media perks up a great deal quicker when "laws" are broken than when a culture is quietly elimi nated. Road blockades have halted logging, discouraged log gers from continuing to work on the Taylor Ranch, and gener ally lifted spirits of those who have felt alone and helpless in their struggle for justice. Fourteen displays of civil disobedience have occurred since the first march of unity in May 1996, and they have resulted in more than 60 arrests of dedicated activists from throughout the country. Less conspicuous displays of opposition that have also sprung up spontaneously throughout the community. Automobiles and farm equipment have been known to "stall" for lengthy periods of time in the paths of logging trucks. Overloaded hauling trucks speed through town night and day, destabilizing adobe homes, ruining roads and bridges, and leaving the poorest county in the state with more bills to pay. A l9cal rancher recently collected hundreds of signatures com plaining about these effects. The county commissioners responded by designating specific hauling routes and times, but they have been ignored by the logging companies. The disregard for the authority of this community only adds to the frustration and antagonism people feel her. In the summer of 1997, the Jaroso gate of Taylor Ranch was blocked and occupied by activists and farmers for 33 days. To show their support, community members, and others from as far away as Pueblo, brought food, firewood, blankets and friendly words of encouragement. The "protesters" never left Photo: Special to AFR the gate, and maintained 24-hour security. "We were reclaim- Sheriff Gallegos and Deputy Sheriff Benton drag Jeff Schwartz to jail for blockading a road. ing a small piece of the Ranch, such an occupation is unprece- dented in the state of Colorado," AFR Activist Lars A NEW KIND OF RESISTANCE ity to Taylor Ranch Headquarters to demand accountability. The Ortegren said. accountability was not forthcoming, so the actions continued. As The person locked down at the Jaroso gate had his hands n May of 1996, several members of Ancient Forest Rescue the summer unfolded, police and ranch security saw activists · secured in a tube, which was cemented deep in the earth. went to San Luis to investigate what was rumored to be one and ranchers chained to gates and trucks, risking life and limb in Protesters were also found with arms locked to the axles of log- I of the largest logging operations in Colorado history. They various ways, to show opposition to the logging of La Sierra. ging trucks, nestled inside abandoned vehicles blocking the were warily welcomed by the locals, but after a weekend during "Direct action" or civil disobedience is a way people can road, and fastened to cattle guards with U-locks. When hearts which both groups realized their common goal, a group of express a voice that has gone unheard for too long. are invested in a struggle, creativity flows freely. Chicano farmers and environmental activists marched in solidar- YEARS OF RESISTANCE were the books we didn't have," said Romero-Otero. She recalls that her grandparents' generation 38 staunchly resisted when Taylor first closed off La Sierra. Not only did residents continue their tra en Ancient Forest Rescue first became involved in this struggle in the spring of 1996, ditional use of the mountains, they cut down Taylor's fences in order to regain access. we found that most of the leading environmental groups were shying away from the During the course of their research, members of the Land Rights Council discovered that Taylor Wssue. We wondered how such an obvious case of ecological devastation and social took illegal actions when he originally removed the j>eoples rights to the land. In 1981, a class injustice could be overlooked by the rest of the environmental community. It soon became appar action lawsuit was filed against the Taylor family. ent that the apprehension could be summed up in two words: private property. " According to Glenda Maes, Community Organizer for the Land Although it seems that assailing the sanctity of absolute private property rights Rights Council, the majority of those in the community were never notified in the US is political suicide, AFR and the Culebra Coalition have not yet been All the inhabitants by Taylor that their rights to the mountain were being severed. Although ostracized. In order to truly understand this struggle, one must come to know shall have the right ... the residents were primarily Spanish-speaking, the few notices printed were how Ia gente de (community ot) San Luis has had its communal property rights published in English newspapers. Most of the women landowners were violated by the Taylor family for so many years. to enjoy the benefits never named in the action, nor were tho?y served notices. Also, many chil In 1844, Mexico awarded almost one million acres of the San Luis valley of the grazing lands, dren who were not landowners received notices, while their parents did not. and the Sangre de Cristo mountains to be settled as the Sangre de Cristo land Although there was a hearing held to provide an opportunity for heirs to the grant. Only three years later, the United States won the Mexican-American war water, wood, and land grant to voice their opposition to Taylor's action, the hearing was bare and asserted its ownership of the southwest. According to the Treaty of timber .... ly advertised. These hearings were held in Denver, at a great inconvenience Guadalupe de Hidalgo, which was signed at the end of the war, the United to the subsistence farmers of San Luis, who for the most part were unable States agreed to honor the property rights of all Mexican settlers in the territo " to atteJ:)d. Furthermore, there were no translators for the members of the ry. At that time, La Sierra was a commons. The original deed from 1863 makes -Beaubien document, 1864 Spanish-speaking community. this clear:" All the inhabitants shall have the right ... to enjoy the benefits of the In 1992, the Colorado Supreme Court agreed the heirs' rights had grazing lands, water, wood, and timber .... "In 1864, the first governor of the Colorado territory, · been violated, and ordered that the case be heard in Costilla County. A week long hearing was William Gilpin, bought the .unsettled portions of the land grant for $15,000, with the stipulation held in San Luis in late September 1997, and the judge ruled that the heirs were not duly notified. that he respect all claims of the Chicano settlet<>. Finally, the case was heard in San Luis in May 1998. Beginning in the early 1900's, ownership of La Sierra changed hands several times, but because At the beginning of the two week proceeding,it became obvious that things were not going the it was provided for in the property title, communal use of the mountains continued. This changed peoples' way. The Judge threw out documents vital to the plaintiff's case. The sleazy tactics of in 1960 when a North Carolina lumberman named Jack Taylor bought 77,500 acres of the moun Taylor's lawyers were consistently allowed and encouraged while the polite and justifiable objec tain tract for about $50(),000. The land was so inexpensive because of the land grant's requirement tions of the Land Rights Council's lawyers were met with fines and threats of contempt of court. to respect communal use rights. Life changed drastically for the residents of the Culebra valley After some deliberation, the judge ruled in favor of the Taylor family. Once again, the justice sys with Taylor's purchase. He erected fences to forbid local access to the mountains and hired securi tem has protected the wealthy, at the cost of the people. ty guards, who beat and tortured those who refused to stop visiting La Sierra. It is not over. An appeal is being prepared, and the dedicated team of lawyers is committed to In 1978, the people of the valley formed the Land Rights Council and began researching and continue the fight. Unfortunately, the unfettered appetite of industrial logging has destroyed much documenting their history. The community began to mobilize. Shirley Romero-Otero returned of the beloved La Sierra. If and when the people of San Luis regain the right to freely visit the home to San Luis after college and began to gather knowledge and strength from the elders in the mountain, what will be left for them? The land that has sustained seven generations of farmers is community. "They knew more about the mountain than any of the research we did. The elders . being destroyed to sustain the greed of one man. La Sierra, the mountain, the heart of the San Luis community Culebra Peak, the highest peak of La Sierra, overlooks the San Luis community. Photo: Scott Smith he spine of the Sangre de Cristo silent testimony to their sustainable land It appears that the regular fire regime, Anyone who has experienced La Sierra Mountains stretches about 300 ethic. which has been largely suppressed else~ knows the printed word cannot begin to T miles from Santa Fe, N.M., north The North Vallejos is a mosaic of where, has remained fairly consistent approximate its splendor. Such vast and to Salida, Colo. The mountains form the habitats: clear streams, wetlands, hanging here in the North Vallejos. This is evident remote country outside ofpublic hands is eastern boundary of the Rio Grande lakes, forests and grassy meadows make in the diversity of the forests. Young truly priceless. It is easy to fall in love headwaters. Above the little town of San it a haven for all kinds of wildlife. doghair stands and ancient oldgrowth with La Sierra, and that is why Chicano Luis, which is almost exactly at the mid Animals common throughout the Rockies groves lie in close proximity to one and environmental activists from around point of the Sangres, the ridge rises in are found here. The list is long: herds of another. A typical forest in the North the country have put aside differences elevation, forming several high peaks deer and elk, black bear, bobcat, moun Vallejos is a community of all sizes, and united to protect the area. Maybe that such as Purgatore, Vermejo and Miranda. tain lion, porcupine, coyote, weasel, Above them all towers Culebra peak, the grouse, turkey, eagles, other raptors southernmost fourteener in Colorado. It and all kinds of other birds. Rare is the mountains of the Culebra range and species like the Pine Marten and the verdant valleys that fall away to the Goshawk were spotted last year in the west of these peaks that the locals here Vallejos. Locals tell of trapping Lynx know as La Sierra. There are nine major years ago and sightings of Grizzlies drainage areas that tlow out of these persist to this day. The remoteness of mountains and feed the Culebra River. La Sierra, coupled with the fact it lies From the peaks to the prairies, Zachary in private hands, has resulted in a lack Taylor claims the entire Culebra water of biological surveys. One of the only shed as his private property; One hundred studies done here found that the pro twenty-one square miles to dispose of as tection of the streams of La Sierra are he pleases. the last chance to save the vanishing North Vallejos Creek is the largest of Rio Grande Cutthroat trout. The huge the several drainage areas of La Sierra expanse of wild country within La that has not yet been roaded and cut by Sierra prompted one of the nation's Taylor's logging juggernaut. The leading conservation biologist, drainage area exists today as it always Michael Soule, to declare La Sierra as has, thickly wooded and wild. The old the most vital forested mountain link road following the lower portion of the for wildlife migration between north creek is just a trail now, washed out and ern New Mexico and Colorado. grown over. At one time all of La Sierra The forests of the North Vallejos are was in the pristine state of the North vast and diverse. The lowest eleva Vallejos. So as you read this, consider the tions are sparsely vegetated with piny Photo: Brian Arnold watersheds that have been methodically on and juniper. Higher up, the canopy North Vallejos deforested in the past few years: Jaroso, becomes more dense with ponderosa pine shapes and ages. Seedlings grow among is why young Anglos and local house San Francisco, El Fragoso, Capulin, and white fir. The dry south-facing slopes the herbs and shrubs on the forest tloor. wives alike have locked themselves in Alamosito, Rito de Aban and El Valle. bear seemingly endless stands of Aspen Young saplings stretch for a place in the the middle of the road to stop the log It is important to note that some people from mid-elevations almost all the way to canopy of strong and straight mature ging. It is because of this intense connec think the North Vallejos is not pristine. tree line. The cool and moist north-facing trees. Here and there, an enormous old- ticm to the land that old ranchers, who are Local Chicano farmers from the valley slopes are covered with stands of mixed growth elder towelis above all, sprawled otherwise tough as leather, have been below have been using the resources of conifer, dominated by Douglas fir, that out wild and eccentric in its old age. seen weeping over the desecration of La Sierra for hundreds of years. The give way to Englemann spruce and their beloved La Sierra. good health of the forests and rivers are alpine fir stands. La tierra y Ia gente (the land and the people) any of the old timers of San Luis remember the Sanchez fami ly's sawmill. If someone in the area needed lumber they would M place an order with the Sanchez mill and the family loggers would then go into the forests of La Sierra and fell a tree by hand. All the limbs were then removed and the log was hauled down into the val ley by a team of horses. This operation supplied all the lumber needs of the Culebra Valley and employed the entire extended Sanchez family while only harvesting about 300 trees per year. The people of,the Culebra river villages have an understanding with La Sierra. That understanding of stewardship, and their sustainable lifestyle continue to this day. When Colorado was still part of Mexico, the ancestors of today's Culebra valley residents were coming north from Santa Fe and Taos to settle in the valley. During that time, the people of the Culebra villages were devising a living system that satisfied the needs of not only the human inhabitants, but also the wildlife of the area as well. Each family settled on long rectangular pieces of land known as vara strips. They dug acequias, traditional Spanish irrigation ditches, to carry water frorri Culebra Creek to the farm fields. This essential water flowed down from the Culebra mountains east of town. These mountains, known here as La Sierra, were designated commons land, and fulfilled all the needs of the people, which were not supplied by the family farms . Wild game, fish, building materials, firewood, medicinal plants and summer grazing for livestock are some of the fundamental resources La Sierra provided. Corpus Gallegos is owner of the oldest ranch in Colorado. His ances tor, Dario Gallegos, settled on here nearly 150 years ago. "Almost the whole community makes a living off the water from the mountain. Without it, there's no way we could exist," Corpus Gallegos said. This is because there is not enough rain to grow crops here. The essential water from the mountains, and the community that ·depends upon it, is endan gered by Taylor's logging. "I could never be here if it wasn' t for the five generations before me," Joe Gallegos said. Joe Gallegos, Corpus Gallegos' son, lives much as his forefathers did. Joe Gallegos explained that the crops grown here have always been organic and the beef is also raised without steroids and other chemicals. "We've always done it that way. We never got into the chemical scene." Someone once visited.the Gallegos farm and asked Joe if all this land was his. He said,"No,I'mjusttaking care of it." Statements like this -dis play the depth of the land ethic here, and provide a sharp contrast with Joe Gallegos and Rose Mendosa-Green braid chicos, a traditional 1-'hoto: scott Smith Taylor's concept of absolute private property rights. storing technique for corn. Taylor's industrial invasion of La Sierra achary Taylor claims he has sold every tree on Taylor Ranch so he cim afford high-priced Imagine the effects on a human community if every person over sixteen years old was taken away. lawyers to defend him in the Land Rights Council law suit. Considering he is a very When the large mature and oldgrowth elders are cut from a forest community, the remaining Zwealthy man, the truth is more likely that he foresees a potential success of the people in spindly saplings are no longer protected from the elements. There are areas on La Sierra where, gaining their rights to the mountain back. A good businessman knows to liquidate his assets before one year after being logged, over half of the remaining trees have blown down. At this rate, there he loses control of them. Whichever story is true, the fact remains that Zachary Taylor has given may be no trees standing in five years. Is there much difference between this and a clear-cut? industrial logging interests free reign in the · · forests of La Sierra. One excuse s foresters give for the necessity of the logging is that the threat of wildfires Taylor insists the logging operations under need to be reduced. Any tree large enough to survive a fire is cut for timber, way on his property are sustainable. leaving behind only small trees whose bark is not yet thick enough to protect Although he has released very little informa them. Secondly, huge piles of dead tree limbs and woody debris are scattered tion about his forest "management," the few throughout the deforested areas of the mountain. There are slash piles left in figures that have become public bring his the wake of the logging operations. Not only do these slash piles provide huge assertions into question. At 210 mmbf (a.k.a. amounts of tinder which encourage catastrophic fires, but they also furnish board feet), this is quite possibly the largest prime breeding habitat for tree infesting insects. timber sale in the country. To put this in per One of the nation's foremost hydrology experts, Robert Curry of UC spective, consider the nearby Rio Grande · Berkeley, has been studying the health of La Sierra's watershed. His original National Forest. The Rio Grande National reports. compiled before the logging commenced, found the creeks were in Forest and Taylor Ranch share virtually iden good condition. Since the timbering operations began, however, there has been tical ecosystems. While the Rio Grande is "significant damage to the watershed." Curry also said,"there is massive ero 225 times the size of the Taylor Ranch, it sion on the Taylor Ranch, typical of the forest road networks associated with allows the removal of less than one tenth logging operations." In order to access the remote forests of La Sierra, hun the amount of timber each year, and the dreds of miles of poorly built roads have been hastily constructed. During a Forest Service is often criticized for Photo: Brian Arnold · logging operation, tank-like machines called skidders pull felled trees down being unsustainable. Slash piles in Capulin area of La Sierra. the mountainside. This process rips open the earth and results in deeply To support claims of responsible logging, gouged gullies in the forest tloor. These roads and skid trails are exposing vul Taylor and his minion refer to mildly favorable testimonials of a handful of people he has allowed nerable subsoil. They are also serving as channels for sediment to wash into La Sierra's creeks. to "survey" the operations. One problem with these accounts is that none of the observers were The huge increase in sedimentation is bad news for life in the creeks of La Sierra. Most trout allowed free movement. Each person was chaperoned by Taylor's paid foresters to pre-selected and other tish rely on clean, clear water to breath and breed. The fouling of the creeks and endan ''showcase" cuts. Even if they had been allowed to go where they chose, it would not have mat gering the survival of wildlife is also creating a serious predicament for the farmers and ranchers tered. All of the observers were outsiders without relevant expertise, and none of them were famil of the valley below. The water essential for nouri.shing crops is now sulli~d .and dirtY: Furthermore, iar with the landscape of La Sierra. In short, they were duped. If they had only taken the time to the heavy debris is clogging stream channels and blocking irrigation ditches. Most of the landown consult the locals or Ancient Forest Rescue before their tour, this could have been avoided. AFR ers here are just scraping by as it is, and the added expense of cleaning out the acequias several has collected countless photos, videos and personal testimonials that tell the real story of logging times each year adds more burden. · on 'the Taylor Ranch. Aerial flyovers and ground-level reconnaissance by locals and others haye There is another, perhaps more serious threat to the streams that the agriculturists depend on. uncovered rampant devastation. When the forest canopy is removed, so too is the shade, and the sun's heat melts the snowpack Taylor's payroll foresters would have us believe that the "progressive" forestry technique of much more rapidly. This creates a rush of runoff in the early spring, and in the heat of the summer, selective thinning is being employed on the Ranch, while there are rumors of clear-cutting in envi the water becomes scarce when crops need it most. ronmental circles. Both claims are inaccurate. The timber harvest technique most used here is best There can be little wonder why so many people are speaking out against this environmental described as overst'ory removal. Overstory removal is selective by choosing only trees that are tragedy. Taylor 's logging is destroying an irreplaceable ecosystem and driving one more nail into more than a foot in diameter, which in many cases is almost the entire forest. The resulting eco the coffin of this community. logical devastation of overstory removal is virtually indistinguishable from that of clear-cutting. Fight against Taylor gets personal in N.C. r too long, Zachary Taylor has hidden from ongoing irect action in Colorado from the effects of his greed and Fgenocidal behavior by seeking shelter in his North Carolina mansion. Taylor could hide no longer, however, when outspoken activists in his community banded together with radi cal social and environmental activists, from both the East and West coasts, in his home town of New Bern, N.C. Taylor felt the heat from nearly 40 activists who sat on his lawn, chanted and shared information with his neighbors about the evil way in which he makes his millions. Beginning on May 15, activists from Ancient Forest Rescue and the Culebra Coalition hit the road in a VW van overloaded with people and gear, with an eighth of the original budget, and bound with one mission .. . education. Armed with the newly released documentary "Sin Agua No Hay Vida," prepared speeches and the music of folk musician Danny Dolinger, the motley crew was ready to spread the word. The story of La Sierra reached four states, 13 venues and the eyes, ears and hearts of nearly 300 people. The crowds were very receptive to the issue. Generous hosts gave us roofs to sleep under, food to eat and even helped us find free food for the road. And, about 25 people, who had seen our roadshow, joined us in New Bern to protest Taylor. Once in New Bern, activists quickly mobilized to build coali tions within Taylor's community. After giving a copy if the video to a local environmental organization, we started receiving phone calls from some of New Bern's most prominent activists, Paper mache puppet of Zachary Taylor used in protests, New Bern, N.C. Photo: Patricia Coleman asking how they could help. By the end of the day, we had a base camp set up with regional TV press making us its number one story for the evening utes; and after being hassled and threatened with arrest, the activists headed home. news. Taylor's own community does not think fondly of him, and thus alliances with locals On June 15, the fourth day, "Judge" Perricone, in Colorado, announced a ruling against were easily built. Taylor's family has a history of crimes ranging from stealing land to the plaintiffs in the Land Rights Council of San Luis. The ruling denied the plaintiffs' tradi treating his employees poorly, so no one had a hard time believing their neighbor could do tional-use rights to the mountain. When the group in New Bern heard the news, there were such terrible things in Colorado. By the next morning a new message, on a billboard some emotional moments, and then the group decided to pay another visit to Taylor. With owned by local activist and firebrand Bill Harper, found its way to the side of Highway 70. nothing left to say to the man who has hurt so many innocent people, activists stood silent It read: "Zachary Taylor destroys communities from Colorado to New Bern, NC." The ly, holding candles and letting Taylor wonder what was going to happen. Candles burned response from authorities was quick and fierce. Bill was threatened with a lawsuit, and was all night as the protesters maintained a constant vigil in front of Taylor's home. The morn forced to change the sign to something less slanderous. Later that day, "Zach, Give the ing sun rise found the protesters still on Taylor's lawn, and a new addition on a 25 by 12 Mountain Back" replaced the original message. foot billboard outside the town limits. A banner was hung over the billboard's frame that The third day gave way to plans of a parade. Although permits had been applied for and said: "ZACH TAYLOR'S GREED DESTROYS FAMILIES, FARMS, AND received, a telephone call from the police chief, the eve before the parade, announced that FORESTS ....call him 919-638-2330." Taylor's security and police spent the morning pon the permit had been revoked. Standing behind their First Amendment rights,4,000 petition · dering how anyone could have gotten up there, and how the police would get the banner signatures and over 100 letters, the activists hit the streets nonetheless. With a street puppet down, Nearly 7,000 commuters saw the message before it was cut down. With the success of Taylor, as well as signs and pamphlets, they spread out through New Bern from end to of the night's events, the group began the long drive home. end only to be met at Taylor's house by the entire regional police force. Not surprisingly, In January and February of 1999, AFR along with locals and other members of the Taylor was nowhere to be seen. Culebra coalition plans to make a return visit to Taylor's home town. Currently we are Another attempt to confront Taylor was made later that same evening with the letters and busy writing grants and working with student groups throughout the Southeast to have a petitions asking him to do the right thing. A small group of people lit 178 candles (one for more encompassing, better funded roadshow and gathering. We are returning in the early each family that is dependent on the water of La Sierra) and placed them on his lawn. The winter off-season with hopes of more local participation. Plans are to transport, house, and group knocked on the door and waited for an answer, but the only acknowledgment they feed everyone with the funds raised. We learned a lot of lessons on the last trip and plan to received was the sound of a dead bolt clicking into place. Police were on scene within min- put all our new knowledge into action in order to make the upcoming trip more effective. ODE TO TilE CULEBRA et involved! . by Ernan Martinez Culebra, born of the blood of Christ, the Sangre de Cristo o the question may be asked: what hope is there for La Sierra and the North Vallejos? The San Luis continues to What a beautiful life you live, touching everyone who knows Swork on a diverse spectrum of angles. From direct action you. to litigation, fundraising to roadshows, there is a piece for every You will always be a source of beauty, strength, and abundance one. In conjunction with education and direct action, AFR San for the pe~ple of this ~alley. And for this we owe you so much. Luis has also been actively pursuing ways to stop the destruction of La Sierra through legal action. We are involving law firms, We've already cheered for the spring thaw, you've begun your sustainable forestry specialists and others to attack this issue from several vantage points. AFR's coordination with the journey of renewal. You give us all of yourself, as you make Culebra Coalition and the community of San Luis seems to be your way down through the mountain, coloring the land as galvanizing unity to protect the community's way of life. would an artist. Recently, overwhelming state opposition succeeded in prevent ing an industrial hog facility from being located in the county. You have given us water and food and everlasting beauty. In San Luis the 150-year struggle continues, and hope All this, asking only that we guard your watershed and keep springs eternal. Ancient Forest Rescue is a statewide grassroots collective you pure. pledged to preserving the state's last wild places and sustainable We ~all you Culebra, but I believe I know who you really are, human cultures. We govern ourselves by consensus and adhere or at least the spirit that lives within you. One who gives so to a strict code of non-violence. The handful of full-time volun much to so many, yes, I do believe I know your true identity. teers at AFR San Luis are supported by donations from con cerned individuals like you. If you want more information, I thank god for you Culebra. I feel very lucky and special for would like to help, or want a copy of the video documentary "Sin Agua No Hay Vida," or just want to visit, please contact having lived near you. Thank you for the joy that you have AFR at: brought to me and the memories I shall forever carry in my P.O. Box 762, San Luis, CO 81152 ~eart. I must go now, but I shall return in the spring, as will (719) 672-3012 you, like a faithful lover whose strength is renewed after a long [email protected] 'fest, giving to the earth and her people as only La Culebra can. This AFRIEF! blank wall insert was edited and designed by Katrina A. Yeager. Contributing editors:.Brian Arnold, L December-January .1999 Earth First! Page 23 IT IS AGO ••• continued (rom front page Iogue ensuedimd :t:tii~p, from Shapiro's policies which have brought the world I had the green light; the plan was a go. three o' Clock angle; t\V() pi!ils originat poverty, misery, starvation and eco We were to commence" Operation Safe ing from su.iteg t~ ······ ·· ·.·. ·· ·· airborne; logical devastation. As a young Ameri Harvest" at 18:00 hours and carry out The first maqe· "refuses" the San Francisco they will be in govern life" infractions! nonprofit sector ac The three pie-slingers were imme Our track record shows that diately tackled by security and po unlike them, we don't just promise lice, and one BBB agent suffered a pie in the sky, we deliver," concluded Berkeley, CA, Nov. 23-The BBB Agent Apple. broken c~avicle. The BBB will press teamed up with the anti-genetic engi- December-January 1999 Earth First! Page 25 ronmentalism once and for all." In ser vice of thatagenda, Clausen and Arnold portray all frontline activists as violent ELF BuRNS RESORT terrorists, besmirching the good names continued from front page Service vehicles and spiking trees in (what the heck, EF!, ALF, ELF, the names of thousands of activists across the coun The new ski area alone, without the Oregon's Willamette National Forest, are so similar!). Thestoryquicklyturned try who put their own lives on the line condos, would include four new chair monkeywrenching bulldozers in Cali- from arson and its motives, to "eco- as Earth First! lifts, 12 miles of road and ski ways and fornia, and burning a horse slaughter- terrorism" and its perpetrators. Much The Rocky Mountain News ran with the a 350-seat restaurant spanning Two Elk house in central Oregon. like when Theodore Kaczynski was ar- story, quoting Clausen saying, "The Creek, among other things. Ben Doon Much of the information about the rested and the media tried to portray Earth First! Journal puts out the call for of AFR noted in the May-June issue of ELF available in the US has come from him as an Earth First!er, the spark of action. They read the literature and the Earth First! Journal that, "Twelve the EF!f. In the September-October interest was whipped into a full-blown then they go out and commit acts of hundred logging trucks would be needed 1993 issue, an anonymous article an- conflagration by long-time anti-envi- sabotage."Toprovehiscredibilityasan to haul away six million board feet of nounced the creation of the ELF in ronmentalists, Ron Arnold and Barry eco-terrorist researcher, Clausen con- virgin spruce and fir. In return for the England. It said the ELF "is a trivesanalysislike, "Thelan- destruction of this pristine roadless area, movementofindependently guage in the Internet the public would get back a pitiful 1.5 operating eco-saboteurs" communique claiming re- cents on every dollar made by Vail Inc. that split from the "British sponsibility 'sounded ex- on this expansion, or less than $1 for EF! movement, which has fo- actly like' other messages every $5 6lift ticket." Vail's net revenues cused largely on public di- the Earth liberation Front last year were $291 million, garnered rect actions." The author has sent," specifically be- from Vail Mountain and its five other noted that, unlike the ALF . causethecommuniqueuses ski resorts, which already include six which seeks publicity, "ELF the word "tolerated" (that hotels, 72 restaurants, 40 retail and rental cells, for security reasons, most terrorist of words!). outlets and over 1,300 condominiums. work without informing the Clausen continues, "The Altogether, Vail Resorts, theparentcom press and do not claim re- ecoterrorismmovementhas pany of Vail Associates, controls almost sponsibility for actions ... The spawned 'serial arsonists, no half of the Colorado ski market. surest way to be done for telling how many, who are The focus of the environmental op conspiracy or to attract sur- going around the West."' position, however, was not the unwieldy veillance or infiltrators is to RonAmoldevensaidinUSA size of the corporation but the uncon seek attention." Instead, the Today that "the fires have scionable destruction of the last of the ELF publicizes pre-an- 'upped the ante' to the tac- potential lynx habitat in Colorado. Since nounced, internationally co- tics used by terrorists in Eu- 1935, only four lynx sightings have ordinated "Earth Nights." rope and the Middle East." been documented in Colorado, and These announcements al- While Clausen and three of those sightings were in the ways call for harm to prop- ~Arnold spewing bull-pucky immediate vicinity of the proposed ex erty only, never life. ""isnonewthing, the media's pansion. White River National Forest A second article in the Sep- alarming perpetuation ofli- Supervisor Martha Ketelle had agreed in tember-October 1996EF!Jby belous and inaccurate in- writingnottoallowworkon the expan Tara the Sea ELF specified ~formation was truly sion until a voluntary consultation with that the "ELF solidified in ~ surprising. Perhaps no ar- the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 1992 at the first UK Earth ~ tide was further from the on the risk to the lynx had been con First! gathering in Brighton, ! truth than one in the Ion- cluded. But both Vail Resorts and the England." It also reiterated ~don Observer, whichclaimed, Forest Service threw the pretense of that the "ELF has no com- ~"Last month's issue of Uve concern about the lynx to the wind mand structure or solid.net- Wild or Die delivered an eco- when logging equipment was brought work, each group is terrorist manifesto that has in on October 16. independent. There is no The last lynx habitat in Colorado will be destroyed by the Vail expansion. come to a smoking eli- Why the rush? Because hearings are press office or office, so the authorities Clausen. They put themselves forward max in the ski town of Vail, now being conducted on listing the have nowhere to trace or focus their as experts on "eco-terrorism," and con- Colorado." The ELF "is lead lynx as endangered. If the lynx is so eyes and ears." tacted major media outlets to spin the by a man in his early thir- listed, USFWS consultation would be The ELF also lacks a phone number, story. Lazy reporters failed to disclose ties. who calls himself ~ . ,, ~:· required, and, as the Colorado Division contact person or e-mail address. For both Arnold and Clausen's ties to the 'V01ce from the . ~ of Wildlife has stated, "If there is any information, the journalists covering timber industry. In the past, Arnold has Siskiyous' .. . In 1988 l)\\i··.·. ·. ':.· 0 critical lynx habitat in the state, this is the Vail arson turned to the next best gone as far as to say, "We are out to kill Earth First! fell apart. 'Ji .. . · it!" Indeed, the listing of the lynx would things, Earth First! and the Animal Lib- thefuckers. We'resimplytryingtoelimi- Foreman, concerned at · ~ necessitate the largest endangered spe eration Front press office in Minnesota nate them. Our goal is to destroy envi- the growing violence, cies recovery effort ever, encompassing 53 national forests and 24 Bureau of nizer of the Wise Use movement, an Land Management districts. anti-environmental movement backed And so, as soon as the lOth Circuit SAbOTAGE By ANy OTitER NAME by corporate and right-wing dollars. Court of Appeals decided on October Arnold has also been a spokesperson 14 not to impose an injunction on the Two stories received substantial theless, the Vail fires were labeled by for Dow and Union Carbide and wrote expansion until the appeal is heard, (and substantially different) media journalists as a "terrorist" act nearly a biography of Ronald Reagan's former Vail began clearcutting and attention over the past two weeks: ten times as often as the murder of Secretary of the Interior, James Watt. roadbuilding. AFR intended to protest the murder of abortion provider Dr. Slepian. (Watt was fond of dividing US citizens in earnest. But while AFR bided its Dr. Barnett A. Slepian in Buffalo, The overwhelming bias in labeling into two categories: "liberals" and time, the ELF acted. New York, and the arson attack on was accompanied by "Americans.") The widely held suspicion that the a Vail, Colorado, ski resort. While () other, more straight- Since the Vail arson, Arnold has fires were set to protest the Vail expan both acts were politically moti- ,. ·· €!) forward forms of bias. been used as an expert on "eco-terror sion was confirmed two days after the vated, there is at least one glar- ~~ VJ . ~ Consider the follow- ism" by dozens of media outlets, in fire when the ELF issued a communique ing difference in media ~:- V ing explanation of the cluding ABC News, theNewYorkTimes, claiming responsibility (see box oppo coverage: the frequency of • ~ ~ Vail fires, provided by Associated Press and USA Today. site page). terms like "terrorism" or ~ t!) ·· ~=· Time's John Cloud: In commenting to an industry group Suddenly, the ELF was center stage in "terrorist." vq '· . "More broadly, the fires in 1981, Arnold said, "Antichemical the theater of national media. But the According to an Oc- ·,r · ·: 0 may signal a last wheeze ofradical- activists are the world's number one star of the show is camera shy. The ELF tober 28 search of pa- r" ~ ism within environmentalism. When crop pest. Once you recognize that, is an underground group with no pers and broadcast radicals lose arguments, they burn you must treat them like a noxious spokespeople or office. In the past two transcripts on the Nexis news da- things, thereby rendering themselves weed or a pernicious disease that at years, its actions have included burning tabase, reporters referred to Dr. unable to affect real change." tacks public opinion and public policy. two Forest Service wildlife research fa- Slepian's murder as "terrorist" or Media outlets also relied heavily They are just another hostile organ cilitiesin Washing "terrorism" six times (not count- on self-styled experts on "eco-terror ism that must be controlled." ton, burning ing quotations from sources). Re- ism" with very little discussion of In an interview with author David Forest Helvarg, Arnold speculated on the pos ...4" porters themselves called the arson their backgrounds. attack on the Vail ski resort "ter- Consider Ron Arnold', the executive sibility of Wise Use activists resorting rorist" or "terrorism" 55 times. director of the Center for the Defense to violence:" Ask the FBI. They're con The destruction in Vail was an of Free Enterprise. Arnold was named cerned, and they should be. There's a attack on private property, while to the Top 10 "enemies of the Earth" war brewing here." Slepian's murder was an act of vio- list in a poll of environmental groups. -FAIRNESS AND AcCURACY IN REPORTING, lence against a human being. None- He considers himself the chief orga- OCTOBER 1998 Page 26 Earth First! Yule 1999 pull this community together." The fires also prevented AFR from MEdiA FiEld DAy FoUows continuing their protest of the expan sion. Many people have surmised that ceded the leadership to Darryl Cherney to lull the skiing public into believing AFR had "failed" to stop the expansion and Judy Bari ... The group is now part of that "the premiere guest experience and that sabotage was the next logical the Direct Action Movement, based in for which Vail has always been known step. In truth, AFR had already estab Eugene, Oregon, and publishes a Direct will not be compromised." Its list of lished satellite camps in the roadless Action Manual... The ELF is now part of "frequently asked questions" provides area in order to protest and monitor a network loosely fronted by an alliance reassurances about every last detail: the expansion. Their plan to begin called the Liberation Collective, based "Will the dining experience on Vail direct action when Vail attempted to in Portland, Oregon." That one article · Mountain be negatively impacted by bring in a bridge to cross Eagle Creek, as contains so many inaccuracies it takes the fires?" Don't worry, "Vail Moun- well as monitoring to watch for con- the whole idea of slovenly journalism to a new level. For the record, Live Wild or Die did not print an "eco-terrorist manifesto," it doesn't publish monthly, there is no ELF leader, EF! didn't fall five buildings and four ski lifts at Vail were reduced to ashes on the night apart, there is no EF! leader, Judy is of Sunday, October 18. Vail, Inc. is already the largest ski operation in spelled Judi, there is no such thing.as North America and now wants to expand even further. The 12 miles of the Direct Action Movement, and the roads and 885 acres of clearcuts will ruin the last, best lynx habitat in the · Liberation Collective is not an ELF front. state. Putting profits ahead of Colorado's wildlife will not be tolerated. Despitethemedia'sseemingcertainty This action is just a warning. We will be back if this greedy corporation about the identity of arsonists, some continues to trespass i:nto wild and unroaded areas. For your safety and have questioned the authenticity of convenience, we strongly advice skiers to choose other destinations until the ELF communique. They point out Vail cancels its inexcusable plans for expansion. that the communique wasn't sent out -EARTH LIBERATION FRONT until two days after the arson, that the ELF has said previously it wouldn't claim responsibility for actions and tain has 17 other restaurants." tract violations, was suspended due to that the communique seems to con Certainly, from a public relations the extreme law enforcement presence tain a veiled threat of physical violence standpoint, it's prudent for VA to un immediately following the fires. (There ("Foryour safety ... "). Likewise, oneAFR derplay the loss, but most of the evi were five National Guard helicop- activist pointed out that a more effec dence corroborates the claim that the /") ters scouring the region.) tive act of sabotage would have been direct economic damage was v ,_. In the aftermath of the ar- aimed at the machinery working on minimal. The cost of the ~ - so~, an intense police investi- the expansion, not the existing resort. torched buildings will be ~.: ~ .. December-January 1999 Earth First! Page 27 You MAY BE HEADED UP SHIT CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE can be brought against you that scale up your is the maximum for the charge, but now you will get BY DELYLA WILSON sentence in a bewildering manner. Say you were in at least four and a half months in a federalprison. The latest oppressive weapon used against activists a tree sit and now face up to a year, but a level eight Three more points would have moved you into is the federal sentencing statute. In communities all shows zero to six months and is in zone A. This category 13, zone D, and you would be doing the full across the nation a federal program called "Weed and means the judge can sentence you up to six months . year. This is very im portantfor those activists that are Seed" is being enacted by the government. The but has the option of probation. But wait, somebody's getting strings of small misdemeanors because the program's agenda is to form coalitions between local, kid brought you food so you used a .child in the feds can get you for a relatively small crime and jail state and federal law enforcement agencies so that commission of a crime. Offense level up two, and now you for extended periods. "undesirables" in the community can be nailed with you're at a ten. This puts you in zone B, and now you're Finally, to bring it all together I am going to use an federal charges. These stiffer sentences have many facing six to 12 months of jail time, but the judge still example of a more serious offense, shall we say, arson advantages to the government and corporations has the option of house arrest (which you must pay (damn shame those mills burnt down!). You were extracting labor from the prison industry. for) . If you manage to get into the small zone C, then busted by the FBI, which got involved because of the To help with the "criminal" element in the forest, you only have to do a minimum of half your time in perceived political nature of the arson. When you Forest Service law enforcement officers (LEOs) are custody. But you had a knife, a dangerous weapon, so were indicted by the grand jury they handed down a no longer under the jurisdiction of the local Forest add nine points, and don't forget the other nine for charge that had a maximum penalty of 10 years and Service district but under the Department of Justice. conspiring with your support crew. Well, this puts you was a level20 offense. So you start by facing 33 to 41 This means LEOs are basically FBI agents in green, at 28, which is 78-97 months. They can only give you months. Because there were multiple offenses, we and Joe activist is suddenly facing federal charges the maximum for your crime so you won't do more can add on two levels for each charge. Let's say you for that road blockade, tree sit or closure violation. than a year, but once you hit level13, you had a year only burned two mills total. This brings you up to Though this is a recent development there is a long minimum and you are now in zone D, which means level22. Next they decide you put someone at risk of sordid history behind federal sentencing. you must serve the minimum amount shown or the death (yeah, no one was there but someone could During the Reagan administration there was a maximum amount for the charge. See ya in a year. have been), add nine. This brings you up to 31. If they great outcry about racism in federal courts as well as The same scenario again: high misdemeanor, fac wanted to, they could add points for damage amounts, large discrepancies in sentencing for similar crimes ing up to a year with a level eight. We'll take a look relevant conduct and/or many other "offense en from one region of the country to another. To at how the criminal history category plays. This hancements." There are a few things that can reduce correct this and make federal sentencing tougher, a your offense level, but they're set of guidelines was developed. These guidelines limited to pleading guilty and a removed a federal judge's ability to look at a part1cu bad childhood. So without the SENTENCING TABLE . \""i'l lar case and decide that leniency was appropriate (in months of imprisonment) eft c) ~ / "' super-extras at level31, zoneD, but left intact a judge's ability to sentence heavily. you are facing a minim urn 108 Several federal judges actually left the bench be Criminal History Category (Criminal History Pointsn months or nine years in federal Offense \ I II Ill IV V • (VI/ cause they felt they no longer could be fair and Level (0 or 1) . (2 or 3) (4 ~ 5, 6) (7, 8, 9) (10,11,12) (13 Orrnore) prison of which you must serve reasonable with the guidelines in place. 1 0-6 0-6 0-6 . 0-6 0-6 at least 80 percent orseven years Recently a federal judge in Montana sentenced an 2 0 - 6 0 - 6 0-6 0 - 6 1. 7 and three months. To make 3 0-6 0-6 0 - 6 3-9 undocumented Mexican worker to 57 months for matters worse, before you went Zone A 0 - 6 illegally attempting to cross over the Canadian bordeL 1 - underground you got popped He had been arrested previously for the same "crime" at a road blockade a couple of and also charged with possession ofa small amount of times and received probation. marijuana. This so drastically affected where he stood One of these times you were Zone 8 · 21 - 27 on the guideline charts that he ended up being sen 24-30 sentenced to six months in jail tenced to almost five years. Wait, you say, that's ZoneC 27-33 with all but 30 days suspended. absurd! Bad news, the feds are doing it more and more. 13 12-18 15-21 18-24 24-30 30-37 33 - 41 That means you· move into 14 15-21 18 - 24 21 -27 27-33 33-41 37 - 46 Many activists I have spoken with seem to think 15. 18-24 21 - 27 24 -,30 30 - 37 37-46 41-51 criminal history category two. that federal charges aren't much different than state 16 21-27 24-30 27 - 33 33-41 41-51 46 - 57 Yourminimumsentenceisnow 17 24 - 30 27 - 33 30-37 37-46 46 - 57 51 - 63 charges. Having faced federal charges, I decided to 18 27-33 30-37 33 - 41 41 - 51 51 - 63 57-71 10 years of which you must take the time to learn as much about the federal 19 30-37 33 - 41 37-46 46 - 57 57 - 71 63-78 serve at least eight. If you plea, 20 33-41 37-46 41-51 51-63 63-78 70-87 system as I could. What I learned should be a 21 37-46 41-51 46-57 57-71 70-87 77-96 you can drop two levels and warning to Earth First!ers and all activists. .--·, only face 97 months (which is 22 41-51 46-57 ,~ , 63 : 78 77-96 84-105 First of all, activists need to understand that all 23 ,,> 46-57 51-63 -·71 70 - 87 84 - 105 92-115 why many folks plea). 24 51 - 63 57 - 71 63- '78 77 - 96 92 - 115 100-125 federal indictments are handed down by grand There is also a career criminal ZoneD 25 ..... 57 - 71 63-78 70-87 84-105 100-125 110 - 137 juries. In the past few years we've seen grand jury 26 63-78 70-87 78-97 92 - 115 110-137 120-150 ~ law that can be applied to repeat 27 70 - 87 78-97 87-108 100-125 120-150 130-162 probes into a variety of our campaigns and people. ~ offenders who are busted with a 28 78-97 8.7 - 108 97-121 110-137 130-162 140-175 What we may have missed is that every business day 29 87-108 . 97-121 108-135 121 - 151 140 - 175 151 - 188 ;; controlled substance or for vio 168 - 210 a grand jury meets to indict people for everything 30 97 - 121 108-135 121-151 135-168 151-188 g_ lent offenses. For example, you 31 108-135 121-151 135 - 168 151-188 168 - 210 188.235 Q from assassination to illegally shooting fireworks. .32 121-151. 135-168 151-188 168 - 210 188-235 210. 2'32 § got busted at the scene and you 235-293 The feds can bring your case before a grand jury and 33 ,.~t35 -168 151 - 188 168 - 210 188.235 210 . 262 ~ happen to have controlled sub- indict you without you knowing anything about it. 34 168 - 210 188-235 210-262 235 - 293 26~ - 327 stances on you. For the con 35 ~- 188-235 210-262 235 - 293 262.327 292-365 A special grand jury does not need to be convened; 36 188-235 210-262 235.293 262.327 292-365 324-405 trolled substances bit, you only your charges can be brought before a grand jury have to have two previous ar already in session. rests and a pot bust (so watch Unlike the state, whose only investment into your time you decide to plea out, they didn't see the kid, out if you've got a record and some herb). The way charges is a: prosecutor filing paper, the feds are not you ate with nothing but a spoon and chewed apart things are going we never know when the feds will likely to drop charges if they have taken the. time to any rope you needed cut. Because you plead and start pulling this out of the hat. indict you via a grand jury. The point is to get you accept responsibility for your crime, they drop the It is time to wake up to the reality of the federal into the system and sentenced on a federal level. offensive level by two so now you're at a six. Cool system. Yes, some activists are choosing.to plea out This is a much more effective method of curbing zero to six months probation here we come. But at the federal level because, particularly for ELF and and breaking activists. wait, you've had six prior arrests. You received ALF activists and monkey-wrenchers, pleading can To understand how this works take a look at the probation two times on minor trespass charges and save them a year or more in prison. The feds don't sentencing table. On the left is offense level, which 30 days another time so that moves you to category kick people out because of over crowding in the is broken into zones. Across the top is criminal three with four points. Then you got that judge who prisons. You must do at least 80 percent of your history points. In federal cases, a judge must follow gave you 90 days the first time you saw him (add two sentence, and it is to their advantage to have you this chart. This means that even if the judge is points). Because he was sick of seeing your face, he in prison if you are able-bodied. Prisons are now sympathetic with you s/he must sentence you within gave you six months the next time. You never served the number one growth industry in the United the range shown by the chart. more than 30 days in a stretch, but what you served States and a great source of free labor for multina Each "crime" has an offense level. A nonviolent is immaterial because what you were sentenced to is tional corporations. It is past time to set up an activist participating in civil disobedience might be what counts, so let's add four more points. This underground to get our people safe if they choose charged with, say, a level eight. Now that crime is a brings you into category five with ten points. Instead to run. The days of 30-day jail sentences are over high misdemeanor which carries a one-year maxi of facing zero to six and probation, you're facing nine and some of us that end up facing real time may mum jail sentence. This means no matter where you to 15 months of which at least half must be spent in choose to go underground, where we can still be end up in the chart they can't give you more than custody because you've moved into zone C. Again useful and not work for the puppet prisons of the one year for this crime. However, additional charges they cannot sentence you for more than a year if that evil multinationals destroying our world. Page 28 Earth First! Yule 1999 "Fire has often been compared to a living creature: it eats, it breathes oxygen, it reproduces itself, behaves in ways accord ing to certain rules that could be considered a thought process, Dear Ned Ludd it fights for life, m'ld if deprived of its essential needs, it dies~ . DEAR NED LUDD is an irregular feature in the Earth First! Journal for Living or not, it is a ferocious beast of tremendous power." discussion of creative means of effective defense against the forces of industrial -Lyle Whitney's new book, "The Black Book of Arson." totalitarianism. Neither the Earth First! movement nor the Earth First! Journal necessarily encourage anyone to do any of the things discussed in DEAR NED ignite. If you need to, the candle igniters can be skipped and the sponges can be lit directly from a safe distance. LUDD. Send us your submissions. Gelled Flame Fuels Dear Ned, Earth is being burned. Let this informa Liquid gasoline fuels are greatly enhanced by mixing various susbstances I have some burning desires I simply tion fan the flames of your resistance. into them. Adding lye, soap, latex or wax to gasoline will create "gelled" or can't put out of my mind and, even We've gotta fight fire with fire. "paste" type fuels which are more viscous than liquid fuels. These will "stick" though they may not traditionally fall Safety Precautions to the target and produce a higher concentra- tion of within the realin of Earth First tactics, . When mixing fuels, make sure there heat. Gel can also be injected into the walls of I must bring them to light. After all, it are no open flames in the area. Never buildings to achieve intense structure fires has been five and a half years since smoke around fuels or devices! When that are difficult to extinguish. spicy reports from the Radical Vegan possible, use kerosene as a substitute The following is a recipe which uses Barbeque blazed across the pages of for gasoline. It is less volatile. Be aware common household soap and alcohol to the Earth First! Journal. of your position when igniting incen gel gasoline. First off, lest I ignite a heated debate diaries so you don't get burned. Keep Materials Required: of violence versus nonviolence, I must your hair back, and wear close-fitting • One gallon gasoline say: Torching the buildings and equip clothing. Be careful not to get trapped • One quart ethyl alcohol ment of the corporate bastards who are inside a building or in an area that you • One box laundry soap (powdered or flaked) raping the Earth and exploiting ani cannot get out of. Above all-practice, • One gallon container with tight fitting lid mals should always be done with a practice, practice. • Stirring stick supreme reverence for all living beings! Security Measures Procedure: Arson is a highly sophisticated and 1. If using bar soap, carve it into flakes using a knife. Tell no one. Be acutely aware of leav~ extremely dangerous act that I don't ing fingerprints, hair and fibers or any 2. Pour alcohol and gasoline into container and mix take lightly. Rash actions serve no good other traces behind. Mask your materi thoroughly 36 parts gasoline to one part ethyl alcohol. and will burn you and others. Think als acquisition trail. Some stores have 3. Add 20 parts powdered soap or 28 parts flaked soap to gasoline-alcohol mix. before you strike that match, hothead; video cameras so get materials well in Stir occasionally until thickened (about 15 minutes). if you or anyone else is blown away not advance and from different and far NOTE: Detergents cannot be used! Unless the word "soap" actually appears only will that loss be suffered, but the away stores. Be a clean freak! Dispose of somewhere on the container or wrapper, a washing compound is probably a detergent. integrity of the rest of the movement all tools and materials used to manu Molotov Cocktail will go up in smoke. facture the devices. Wear gloves, old A Molotov cocktail is an incendiary projectile that bursts into flames when Stoke your flames on the moral high clothes and shoes that you can throw it hits the target. Acquire a quart-size glass bottle ground, take heed and don't get caught! away during the entire process. with a cork. Your standard bottle of wine, albeit The state would take great pleasure in The following information intro large, will work just fine. Beer bottles will also work raking you over your own coals, slowly duces several incendiary devices, the but are considered small ammo. Wide-mouth, 16- roasting you in prison because there is materials required to make them, where ounce bottles are great. Fill it two-thirds full with no statute of limitations for arson. But to acquirethe materials and the proce gasoline and one-third full with motor oil. Add dpn't let that dampen your desire. The dure for building the devices . . styrofoam peanuts or soap flak~s- Now,-shake it Kerosene Fire Jug baby! Fashion a fuse from a gasoline-soaked rag Plastic water or milk jugs filled with kerosene make simpie, effective incen and stuff it in the mouth of the bottle. Push the cork in to hold the rag fuse. (Tampons soaked in diaries for burning buildings or cars. Inextinguishable birthday "joke candles" 2/3 Gas have been substituted for incense sticks in this recipe for their greater success gas make fine fuses screwed into a hole through rate in the field. the twist-cap on the 16-ounce bottles). That's it!. Materials Required: Light the fuse and throw it, sidearm, at your • One one-gallon plastic water/milk jug with screw on lid target. Do not throw it overhand! You don't 1/30il • One and one-quarter gallons of kerosene want Molotov juice all over your head! • One quart-sized container with a screw-on lid Placement of Incendiaries • One thick,·rectangular household sponge For maximum combustion, place incendiaries strategically. It is important to • One pencil know the strength of your incendiary and the structural weakness of the target. • Two to four inextinguishable candles (birthday Find the most vulnerable, flammable, fuel-loaded area to hit, such as electrical "joke candles") wiring boxes, wood piles and paper/document storage a.reas. After all, you want • Two cigarette lighters to reduce to ashes what is built to withstand earthquakes, storms and yes, even Procedure: fire itself. 1. Thoroughly clean the jug and the lid and remove all Locate and assess the fire-sprinkler and security systems. Consider prevalent fingerprints! wind direction for outdoor operations and the proximity of things you don't 2. Fill the jug almost to the top with kerosene, want burned, like a forest. Place incendiaries where fire will quickly spread to leaving approximately an inch of space for fumes to the rest of the structure. Analyze the building type and its structural materials. collect so the jugs won't leak. Pour the remaining If it is made of wood, you maybe able to simply burn it from the outside. If quart of kerosene into another container with a screw it is made of concrete, you may need to get inside. Get the blue prints/floor on lid. plans if possible. Ask yourself if the whole thing will go up with just a carefully 3. Set the sponge on its side and use the pencil to punch lobbed Molotov cocktail or will you need to ignite four kerosene jugs on the two deep holes in each side of it to fit the inextinguishable roof. Maybe you'll need to pump the walls full of gelled fuel? candles, which will act as ignition delays. Whatever the situation calls for; ta~e every precaution to ensure no life is 4. Transport separately the jug, the quart of kerosene, the sponge and the harmed in the process. Fully scout the target months in advance of your action: candle igniters. Place the incendiary jug in the location you want it to burn and Make sure y()u know when and where any people or other animals typically are stuff the sponge through the handle of the plastic jug. Douse the surrounding so as not to endanger them. Then, develop a plan for total incineration. area with the quart of kerosene, making sure to saturate the sponge. Light two Light reading for those with heated passions: · to four inextinguishable candle igniters a safe distance from any fuel sources. The Black Book ofArson, Lyle Whitney. Available from Loom panics Unlimited, Carefully insert the igniters into the holes in the sponge, one on either side of POB 1197, Port Townsend, WA 98368. the jug handle. The Final Nail, Destroying the Fur Industry #2,. Found on ALF web site: When the candles burn down they ignite the sponge, which will in turn melt www.animal-liberation.net. the jug, which will finally ignite the kerosene. Black Book of Improvised Munitions, Vol. 2. Also available from Loompanics. NOTE: The inextinguishable candle igniters act as time delays on the ignition ofthe Incendiarily yours, kerosene jug. They may bum anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, depending on the Sparky circumstances. Take into consideration the atmospheric temperature, humidity, wind Inspired by the courageous resistance of Animal Liberation Front warrior velocity and the length of the candles. Test the candle igniters under conditions that Barry Horne. May his memory and his defiant death lend others the strength approximate the real thing so you can anticipate how long it will take before the jugs to act. "Extretnism in the defense ofliberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit ofjustice is no virtue." -MALCOLM X December-January 1999 . Earth First! Page 29 Now, what would you "1/o. Ho. Hoi MERRY ANARcHISTMAS!'" who was directly involved. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, -THE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS CLASS AT BURKE MoUNTAIN AcADEMY, POB 78, E. BURKE, VT 05832. Dear Shit for Brains, ldon'tknowiftheclaim of responsibility for the Vail fires by the Earth Lib eration Front is true, but re ~ ·gardless of who actually lit CAJL SANTA CLAUSEN AT (JOJ} 268-1354 AND WISH HIM A MERRY ANARcHISIMASf the match, I'm pissed at the ELF who wrote this: Dear SFB/Letters to the EF! Journal Ammons are sitting safely, while monkeywrenchers should keep That's smart. Hope none of you "This action is just a warning. The EF! Journal's Samhain issue activists are being pepper sprayed their mouths shut, lest they ruin have children. I can only hope We will be back if this greedy front page featured the alarming for protecting what Gypsy stood it for those actually involved in that my three boys grow up to be corporation continues to tres news, "Headwaters Activist for, it's only fair that the rest of · the full spectrum of actions. more productive problem solvers pass into wild and unroaded ar Killed." Evidently a giant redwood the world know the home address -DARRYL CHERNEY than your organization and its eas. For your safety and conve tree was intentionally felled by an of Charles Hurwitz, Pacific Lum members. nience, we strongly advise skiers enraged MAXXAM/Pacific Lum ber and A. E. Ammons. Please print Ed. Response: For the record, the -MICHELE M. NICHOLS; to choose other destinations ber logger and aimed at protest it here so that we may have the NY Times quote read "Personally, I [email protected]. until Vail cancels its inexcus ers, fracturing David "Gypsy" opportunity to write to Charles at don't have a problem with hitting able plans for expansion." Chain's head. Karen Pickett's ar his home, as Gypsy was killed in people like Vail Inc. in their pock Dear Earth First!, I believe that the real eco-ter ticle suggested contacting vari his home in the forest. ets ... I don't have a problem with We are writing because we are rorists are the ones destroying ous government officials, but -DR. DICTIONARY seeing their facilities bum down. It's an Environmental Awareness class the earth and terrorizing her chil many of them are likely to be in a war. Monkeywrenching and at Burke Mountain Academy in dren. But the above quote im cahoots with the perpetrators of Ed. Response: Contact MAXXAM ecosabotage are strategies that some East Burke, Vermont. We are con plies a threat of violence to other this crime. If you really want to do at 5847 San Felipe, #2600, Hous people feel are justified in some cir cerned about the recent fires at human beings. And it begins to something, as I have, send a check ton, TX 77257; (713) 267-3722. cumstances." Vail, Colorado. We understand justify giving the FBI power to to Trees Foundation, POB 2202, Please forward all home addresses to I wasn't being flippant, I was be that they were set by the Earth investigate radical environmen Redway, CA, 95560 or Northcoast Live Wild or Die at POB 481, Tuc ing honest. Liberation Front, who are associ talists as a "terrorist threat" be Earth First!, POB 28, Arcata, CA son, AZ 85702. -TK, WANNABE MONKEYWRENCFfER, ated with your organization. cause the above text is, essen 95518 and designate it "For David -JB BUT NOW AN EF! ] EDITOR. Please forward this letter to them. tially, a terrorist threat. Chain Legal .Fund." Dear $FB, Although we are concerned -0IKOS -J WASN'T THERE BUT J CARE The recent action at Vail, Co. Hello there from Vail. You about environmental issues, we fits our universal premise of "No should tell your friends at the ~are also a ski Dear journalistas: Charles HurWitz, MAXXAM and Compromise in defense of Earth Liberation Front that fires ~ The "promise" ofcivildisobedi- A.E. Ammons fit the definition of Momma Earth." All administra and terrorism will not be toler- f\ I ence (CD) is ahistoricalfalsehood. maximum shits, as described in tive remedy had been exhausted. ated here in the Vail Valley. So, ~ . .a.JI\ ~ Firstofall,anymovementstr.iv- the Webster's Dictionary: maxi The action was nonviolent. While with\)ut anything "intelligent" ~ (lPP6 ,.. 6:\ ing for 'social change has mum\'\ adj 1: greatest in quan some disagree with the tactic of (as I'm sure u would put it) td say, ~ ; · · ~~ Jl had a: radical fringe :that tity or highest in degree attain financial ecotage, lets not fail the I will simply say to you-Stay the "l~ used means that in- able or attained; shit\'\ n 4: slang: ELF's warriors and distance our tuck away from our ski moun- ~ volved damage of a contemptible person. movement from these brave de Charles Hurwitz is to the high fenders in the night. The elves' est degree a contemptible person rallying call has not completely for directing his MAXXAM-Pacific fallen on deaf ears. The power of geti~:~~ro~~:~1:~£~~ a ski shoved right ~_.Sj~~~ """~''!- Y .. ~~ I, Ftk&~, !' 'f;f ps~::7~:~~s~ii~~tin have been with- Lumber to pay its loggers, such as truth is final. up your terrorist ass. out Malcolm? the out of control A.E. Ammons, -SNAGGLE TOOTH &ANNIE That hurts... Where would to cut down Earth's natural heri [email protected]. ~ ~ Gandhi have been tage of awesome, 1,000-year-old Dear SFB, · . \ . · without .. the thousands trees and in the process kill Gypsy The Journal has not done well If those responsible who took up arms against who was a compassionate person supporting the action of the fortheVaildestruction the British? Where would for standing by the redwoods. alledged ELF's arson of the Vail would realize the damage done republican Spain have MAXXAM is to the highest degree Resort on behalf of all of us in the to the environmental commu- JflJ been without Durruti? a contemptible group of persons, New York Times. Here's why: nity. Trees will probably be cut to . , . Second of all, CD as a as seen in their connivance to 1) The FBI has used this once replace what was burned, and .__~ strategy does not threaten furtively sell away our ancient again to round up nonviolent pro more C02 was released into the · the power structure and will forests. A.E. Ammons is to the testers. Can we even be sure that atmosphere because of ones im academy and we are a bit con only result in minor reforms. The highest degree the most con this was done by people protect patience. Certainly I, and the rest fused about your decisions. We civil rights movement resulted in temptible person for brutally kill ing the environment? of the environmental infrastruc have read a newspaper article the appearance of a just and equal ing a tree so as to kill Gypsy, who 2) The communique asks skiers ture, would have responded im about the incident at Vail, and we society, but there are now more was compassionately guarding the to use a different resort. Ahem. mediate! y to the greedy individu would like to ask a few questions. people of color in prison than forest. They are maxxam shits, and No self-respecting biocentrist als at Vail regarding their pro What were you ·trying to ac ever before. And Gandhi's India is saying so cannot possibly be con would ask anyone to ski at any posed expansion, and the preser complish by burning the Two Elk now just another world super strued as slander, as their actions resort. A clear indiCation of a non vation of the lynx. Here in the restaurant? We feel that it may power with millions in poverty and the dictionary confirm that wilderness oriented ideology on White MT's of New Hampshire, have been hypocritical of you to and rampant ethnic violence. they are maximum shits. Given behalf of the "ELF" writer. we have had many achievements defend the environment by set Third, some people have never that Charles Hurwitz, 3) We really have little informa regarding the halting of ski-MT ting a match to it. This, however kept their end of the "promise:" MAXXAM-Pacific tion on this event and for the expansion through nonviolent is because we do not fully under they are the upstanding citizens Lumber and A.E. . Joumalstafftocommentflippantly means. Please contact me for stand the situation and would · who killed Chaney, Goodman and !· / on a major news story designed to ideas regarding strategy that appreciate some insight from you. Schwerner in Mississippi, the Ni \ · ~~J discredit our campaigns shows a works through non-destructive Furthermore, we are wondering if gerian generals who hung Ken \ J~ severe lack of experience and means in the hopes that the en you have accomplished that Saro-Wiwa, the Chevron thugs ( \ critical thinking. vironmental community can which you set out to do. Have you who gunned down student pro ~f!~ I , /.t My personal response to rally together and not be under made any progress? testers and the guardsmen who , l_ @,\l~N1 ~ CNNwasthatwedon'thave mined by a few apples that have Why did your organization ad opened fire at Kent State. '"\ 'P-.e, 'I enough information to maybe gone astray. mitguiltsofreely?Wearewonder Fourth, CD is not only unnatu I) 9 comment. The fact is that -PAUL KNIGHT, ENVIRONMENTAL ing about the legal ramifications ral, but anti-natural. Name an B~ ~ tJ \ 1 arsons can kill and Earth First! BIOLOGIST; PAUL.KNIGHT3@GTE,NET. following your actions, did any other animal species that sits pas ~~ /.'/ · has a 18-year track record of one get arrested, do you have to sively by while being attacked; it 14 ~ never harming another human This email is from a resident of pay !Dad fines? Will you be sued? either fights, flees or goes extinct. +4n~ being, regardless of whether Vail, Colorado. Environmental If you do have fines, how will you The same goes for almost any ~~~~ · · the individual groups have a ists you call yourselves? What kind raise the money to pay them? person resisting attack on the ~~~~~~~,~~~ nonviolence code they ad- of example do you think you just We would appreciate a re street or in the home. But CD ... here to. Our set for the children of Eagle sponse, as we are genuinely in says, when resistance is really · ...... - ~-:~·::::::::::~...... actions de- County and therestofthe World. ter.ested in your reasoning . needed, in situations of social sig .~ .. , -~- .,; ,~::::::,:;__...__.._ -...::::..~;.:::-: ,_ ,, . .. fine our phi- "Save the lynx-screw up the chil Please get back to us as soon as nificance, deny these instincts. ~~ .. --~~·-) .:...... ;; .....- losophies. dren" should be your motto. Ar possible, we are looking forward Fifth, if you have grown up ·--.c..'\_,, ...... -... .- ·-·-.. --· · Wannabe son as a way to solve a problem? to hearing the facts from a party being harassed by the law and Page 30 Earth First! Yule 1999 like for X-mas? Just tell Santarchist in 300 words or less kids. He and his trusty elves get the goods. 'What's more, they deliver! seeing your friends and family go a result of our activities." · ern Continental Divide Ecosys You can sit there and smile into through the same, then why are Joe Fournier: "Anyone who has tem. This area is the last strong the TV-as you roast and the you going to allow it to be done to children is just as guilty as Exxon hold of the Grizzly Bear in the walls fall down on your lazy-ass, yourself? So your cause will ap for spilling oil in Alaska and caus lower 48 and the last place left bone-headed excuse for exist peal to a bunch of white liberals ing environmental destruction." outside the Arctic where it's pos . ence-or? do something rad. who never gave a shit when you Thanks for setting the record sible to find virtually all the wild Think for a change or better yet were being arrested and beaten straight. critters that were here prior to just listen to your instructions: just for walking down the street? -JOANNE COCKERILL European conquest. Pack up, head out North by If used like an ideology, CD is Wonderful. But here's the real North West, fuck up everything blown full of holes. If used as a Dear SFB, ity. Ahugetimbercompanycalled expensive or modern or shiny or tactic with regard to context, I have an idea for the "Stop Plum Creek is hauling away the techno that you can get away CD may still be salvageable. But the Re-Route" campaign in homes of our wild and free neigh with fucking up, do It now, do it like David Chain's sad story il Minnehaha. It's a long shot, but bors. Every morning at about 4 often, keep doing it until you run · lustrates, activists cannot always it will work. First off, I'd like to a.m. we hear the machine start out of shit to destroy, get control that context. applaud Patchouli's "Minnehaha up. They spend the-next 16 caught or get to the ocean. jViva la Lucha! Under Siege" article. The re-route hours or so grinding up Then do it some more or -ELSUBWAY threatens to destroy the last fresh what's left of what makes look for sbme cool friends water spring in Minneapolis. It this valley special. We live a to grow food with. WE Your attention please, violates the 1865 treaty of the mile off the highway, so we ~~ Just the past few years, major Dear He/She/It with shit 4 brains, Dakota nation. And, it prom are aware of the hundreds of threats and damage to our ecosys What's with the ads for washing ises to bulldoze through sacred logging trucks that go roaring tem, our (only) life support sys machines in EF! Journal? As for us, burial grounds. by on their way to a mill tem have been occurring. As you we hand wash our duds in the Not mentioned in Patchouli's that is 200 miles read this letter of urgency, disas communal bathtub when not in article is that over 8,000 people from the trees. ters are now happening, and more the wild. I imagine that this adver have signed a petition against the We feel pretty are on the way. Disasters are com tiser means well, but I believe that re-route. Even for a city of Minne much alone out ing down big time! Mother Nature is a better provider apolis' size, the "Stop the Re here in our op People are being wounded and than Niagara Mohawk, GE, Con Route" campaign suggests a level position to the rape of murdered by abusive technology. Edison, et al. Maybe this advertiser of community support that Min our common Mother. Corporations and govt's still con should start supplying his con nesota Department of Transpor That is why we are writing tinue to allow these detrimental traptions with solar panels that tation (MNDOT) cannot ignore. this letter. Our tears drop technologies to exist. We are pay double as a dryer?!? My plan of action: A direct as to the Earth, our prayers ing a horrendous price, and our -LOVE CANAL EF! sault on the re-route through the rise up with the Eagles to children are suffering the conse appropriation of Princess Di's wed carry this message to any quences. Do we care about this? Ed. Response: Has all the dioxin ding dress!!! While many of us one who has ears to bear -·· Over $40 billion in-damage so affected your eyes? Ifyou looked past may qppose cooperating .. with this plea: "Come. to tbe far (who is paying for all this?) the picture you would have noticed it Prince William for access to the Swan and help us defend caused by changing weather pat.:. was an ad for washing machine dress, this is a cause he may sup what is left of the Wild Northern are gathering where we are, we are -terns, droughts, fires, disease, detergent substitute balls ~ They keep port. We bury the dress in the line Rockies!" We speak on behalf of praying, and we are expecting to insect infestation and the list phosphate/petroleum based deter of the re-route and thus stop the Moose, Bear, Eagle, Mountain get our asses walloped if enough g1ows longer. gents out ofour watershed! Thanks, project in its tracks! This is an Lion, Beaver, Muskrat, Marmot, of you don't hurry up and do your Many people sit apathetically -FR obstacle which no one, not even Linx, Grey Wolf, Flying Squirrel, share for America, for Apple pies while the carnage continues, and MNDOT, will threaten. America Boreal Owl, Elk, Snowshoe Hare, you will never eat, for Ganja as well, many environmentalists SFB, and Europe will together rise Pileated Woodpecker, Vole, heaven or who cares why. Do it. sit behind their desks while na The forests have lost an . up against the state of Minne Mink, Deer, Skunk, Fox, Otter, Do it good. God is a short cut to/ ture continues to be ravage. Letter · other defender here in Wis sota if they so much as Wolverine, Coyote, Porcupine, of good. Please remember to wash writing campaigns, petitions, re consin. He worked on an en threaten the dress! While the Grouse, Bobcat, Bull Trout, Frogs, your hands ... thenk you. search (how much research does tirely different front but his governor of Minnesota Toads, Salamanders, Turtles and -ANN ONYMOUS it take anyway?), writing articles, commitment was equally might not respect the sa- many, many others! etc., are good up to a point, and as strong. Walther Kuhlmann credness of our land, Please come to the Swan if you Dear SFB, an environmentalist, you prob~ generously contributed his the sacredness of na aren't already defending another Regarding putting sand in the ably know that these take a long legal expertise to the forest tive burial grounds, part of Mother Earth. We have fuel tanks of those yellow earth time. Most bought-off govt's ig• plan revision process and the sacredness of an nothing organized yet, but we destroyer/rapists, it is a total waste nore or do little to make serious led an unsuccessful effort objet de Princess Di welcome your presence and in of time. White sugar is far more change. If your house was on fire to have the courts over permeates the heart put. But know beforehand what destructive and harder to detect and your loved ones were threat turn the previous plans of nearly everyone! we are up against: A huge timber until it is too late. It dissolves in ened, what would you do? Write for the Nicolet and Together, the re-route beast that holds title to nearly the fuel and turns into rock hard a letter? Do more research? Chenquamegon Na can end! every other square mile of land carbon in the combustion cham Nature is being slaughtered, and tional.Forests here ~- • ... -BLAKE STONE-BANKS, up here, and they plan to clearcut ber when it is burned with the the time is ripe for serious action! in Wisconsin. ST. PAUL, MN it all: sub-alpine forests that fuel. Sand is easily filtered out by It's now time for the people who His dedication don't grow back! Also, it gets the fuel filters, whereas dissolved care for the Earth, I'm sure you do and integrity Dear Sisters, Friends really fuckin' cold here in the sugar passes through. This results or you wouldn't be where you are were an inspira- and Brothers! winter. But cold and darkness in severe damage to the engine, today, to start to put the wrench into tion to us all. I have been silent does nothing to stop these boys requiring major overhaul and re the gears that are grinding up our He took his own life about the Swan long from raping this forest. We sure placement of pistons, rods, valves, lifesupportsystem into a pulp. It is the night of September enough! The Swan could use some help defending head and sometimes crankshaft. time for serious direct action!!!! It is 27. The bastards had bro Valley in western what is left of this magnificent -DREW time to get out from behind your ken his heart. Montana that is. place. If you have any input or computers and get your hands -HANK My life-partner interest, please write. dirty. This is .war and nature needs and I live in a -TREEFROG AND LnTLEBIRD, allies. If you really care, then your I realize you said you tipi here by the MONTA NA HIGHWAY 83, SWAN actions will speak louder. We can wouldn't print anymore river and are LAKE, MT 59911. not wait any longer. Time is run letters about Birth First!, but you caretakers of a magnificent old ning short. Stop wasting precious can understand why I am a weensy growth forest. Excuse(- use) MMMMMEEE, time, stop the excuses and start to bit upset about the two quotes Nature's harmony seems to still I'm SSSSSorry (& so right) to in become a true ally for the Earth. included in my letter which got be in balance here. Even our small convenience you, but we're just I must remain anonymous. As truncated and run together so as organic garden is the happy home trying to save the PLANET ... THE you may know the corrupt corpo to make no sense at all. The correct of myriads of birds and insects. ppPLANET rate gov't we have running (ruin quotes are as follows: What is unsettling to us though is TREE SITTER, HANGING OFF ing) us would have me arrested as Les U. Knight: "The intentional the war against Nature all around A building in San Francisco, Feb., a subversive. I live in a part of creation of one more of us by any us. The Swan Valley, for those 1998. WAAAAAAKE UP!!! We are Alberta where the biggest envi couple anywhere can't be justified who have never heard of it, is calling a planetary wide "RED ronmental abomination in North in light of the tens of thousands of nestled between the Mission Alert!!" RED ALERT: not commu America is raping the North. The children who die from malnutri Mountains Wilderness to the west, nists, not "red" -neck militia, red Tar Sands, Alberta, Canada. tion each day and considering the and Bob Marshall Wilderness to like in "on Fire" red hot, too -ANONYMOUS millions of species going extinct as the east, whichispartoftheNorth- damn late to do much about, red. December-January 1999 Earth First! Page 31 land and the air, there BY RICHARD BOREN is no border. I'll never forget October 22, 1998 when the people Over a year ago more triumphed over the powerful interests that had in than 3,000 Mexican stu vaded our community. After listening to the unbeliev dents and US supporters able news that the Sierra Blanca nuclear waste dump blocked five interna had been defeated, we walked outside the fateful tional bridges in Juarez hearing to find the sun shining after five days of rain. and the Juarez Valley to In the parking lot the young matachines dancers from protest the dump. Itwas the Mexican community of Guadelupe were engaged like an earthquake felt in a victory dance. It was great to be alive. all the way to Austin. In Since the matachines, who draw upon a mixture of August, over 500 Mexi indigenous and Catholic traditions to preserve in can and US citizens digenous heritage, arrived in Austin, they had been marched the 76 miles dancing. They danced in front of the state Capitol, from Sierra Blanca to El at the governor's mansion and in a vigil at the Texas Paso. Dozens of other Natural Resources Conservation Commission protests, hunger strikes Matachines dancers' celebratory march in Austin, Texas, October '98 (TNRCC) complex. and events, almost always involving both nationali nities. Peaceful, nonviolent struggle is a powerful Texas officials and police were confused by the ties, were held. Never before has such unity been weapon. At Sierra Blanca, we became even stronger by presence of the matachines. They had prepared to seen on this part of the border. The bond of friend joining hands with our Mexican neighbors. It has deal with environmental activists by cordoning off ship across borders that has come from this experi been one of the most enriching experiences of my life. the entire TNRCC complex and putting up barri ence has been the best part of all. cades. But nothing in their training prepared them Although we have won this battle, the war continues. for 12-year-olds dressed in brightly colored costumes Sierra Blanca is still home to the largest sludge dump on WAGONS Hoi BIONEERS performing dances with gourd shakers and drums. Earth. Andrews, another West Texas community that The rest of us, however, knew what the matachines' already has a toxic waste dump, is now being targeted BY FIELD AGENT CR presence meant. They symbolize how we overcame as the replacement nuclear dump site. Mexican bor The deep ecology literati recently circled their the forces of death, representing spirituality, unity, der communities are being affected by toxic waste wagons at Fort Mason in San Francisco for the oddly courage and a great love for Mother Earth. Not even illegally dumped by US-owned maquiladora indus named Bioneers Conference, an annual event that the $50 million spent to promote the dump could tries. TheWaste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New plays host to some of the most prolific and influen, stop us. We had practically no money, but we had Mexico is trying to become the dumping ground for tial intellectuals in the environmental movement. justice on our side. nuclear waste from nuclear weapons production. We Organizers Nina Simon and Kenny Ausubal say the One might ask why the matachines from Mexico have an obligation to help any community in any mission of the Bioneers gathering is to provide "in were fighting a nuclear waste dump in Texas. The country that is facing the toxic curse. spiration and illumination" so this year they invited answer: When it comes to saving the water, the Our victory is a beacon of hope for many commu- such luminaries as Fritjof Capra, Jerry Mander, David Orr, Star hawk, Peter Warshall and John Mohawk to tered threads of Southwestern wildlands together present updates on their latest endeavors. WOLVES continued from page 4 again. But that won't happen without a reversal of jerry Mander, author of my favorite treatise, "In Beyond bringing the culprits in these killings to the political dynamics that first brought the species the Absence of the Sacred," addressed issues raised justice, the Southwest Center believes that recover so perilously close to extinction. in his latest book, "The Case Against the Global ing wolves cannot be a numbers game won by You can help by writing or calling Secretary Babbitt Economy," a spectacular compilation co-edited dropping wolves on the ground faster than they are and urging him to close grazing allotments and roads v :w,i~h EdW;~~P-:,Cold~mHh, founder of the ·leading killed. The current recovery plan calls for de-listing within the Mexican wolf's range, to prosecute Richard European environmental journa1, The Ecologist. when only 100 wolves survive in the wild. Instead, Humphry for the first wolf shooting, advocate with Mander is a powerfuJ and persuasive speaker and we must start responding to the landscape's own Congress for the Blue Range's designation as protected writer, and the audience sat in rapt attention as he needs and learning from the historical accounts of wilderness and plac-e additional wolves directly into eloquently indicted the very concept of the corpo Southwestern wolves' original travels. the Gila Wilderness. Bruce Babbitt, Interior Secretary, ration. His critique is radical, profound and un Real recovery would entail restoring wolf corri Room 6156, 1849 C St., Washington, DC 20240. (202) . compromising. But when asked, Mander said he dors extending from the Gila and Blue Range west 208-7351. Contact the Southwest Center at POB 710, would stop short of advocating illegal activity and southwest into the Sky Islands (such as the Tucson, AZ 85702-0710; (520) 623-5252. against corporate tyranny, adding with a wink, Peloncillos, Chiricauhauas and Mount Graham) Michael Robinson is communications director at the "especially in an interview situation." While and south into Mexico. Through its tireless peregri SouthwestCenterforBiologica/Diversity.Heiscompleting Mander was certainly preaching to the choir, his nations, the Mexican wolf can help reknit the tat- a book on the history ofthe wolfextermination campaign. . clear-thinking rhetoric helps build the metaphysi cal foundation for deep ecology activism. Seneca community leader and former editor of Akwesasne Notes, john Mohawk, gave an inspiring speech about virtue, the merits of the dialectical philosophy of Socrates and the social organization of the Iroquois, and lamented a civilization fueled by greed. Starhawk, the most famous ecofeminist witch in North America, spoke passionately about the West's long history of persecuting nature lovers. At the end of her presentation, she led the audience in a moment of silence for fallen Earth First! forest defender David Chain. There were three days of well-attended lectures, workshops, book signings, music and networking designed to appeal to a highbrow coterie of wealthy liberals who share an obviously sincere spiritual concern for Mother Earth. Portions of the confer ence had a decidedly radical bent, at least in terms of theory, however the "Youth Action" workshop struck me as promoting anything but. The gist of the obviously privileged youth's "activity," they proudly proclaimed, consisted of holding a series of meetings to discuss the looming environmental crisis, facilitated by the generous contribution of $10,000 from a group of Buddhist monks associated with the Dalai Lama-huh!?! I did learn that all the Bioneers love Julia Butter fly. The youth activists who interviewed her by cell phone applauded her commitment and remarked on how sweet she is. Even though I'm pretty sure none of them will end up in a tree very soon, they'll probably get their parents to send her money and, well, I guess that's cool too. Page 32 Earth First! Yule 1999 ception, he asserts we .can do this without renounc ing rationality and intellectual analysis. Abram leaves us with a reminder that we must cultivate a fresh and responsible awareness of our tentative place in the universe, that we must embark on the project of re grounding humanity in nature. The first three pages are filled with acclaim from Bill McKibben, Thomas Berry, Joanna Macy, Max just when you come up for breath thinking, "Wow, Oelschlager, Gary Snyder, Theodore Roszak and where could he go from here," Abram proceeds to Lynn Margulis among others. Although the editors REVIEWED BY jEFF HOGG deconstruct the Western concepts of time and space, of "Philosophy and Religion" wrote, "shaky on the So ypu think you've read enough ecological phi again contrasting them with oral, indigenous cul grounds of the arguments given, Abram's work is losophy? You've flipped through the tomes ofNaess, tures. To finish, Abram lightens up, discussing the otherwise both moving and convincing," I'd say Sessions, Bookchin, Beale, etc., and you get the forgotten sacredness of the air and how it is really the this is a keeper folks. This is one for your lifetime point, it's time for some action. Well, you might medium of our "mOFe-than-human" collective con bookshelf (or backpack) to be reread and pondered. want to read "The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception sciousness, the essence of Gaia, After reawakening "The Spell of the Sensuous" is printed by Vintage and Language in the More-Than-Human World" our sensuousness, our animistic dimension of per- Books and is available at university bookstores for $14. and then take that month-long backwoods venture you've been planning. For, as Bill McKibben wrote, "This is a landmark book. Scholars will doubtless AwAKENING: THE UPSIDE oF Y2K recognize its brilliance, but they may overlook the most important part of Dave Abram's achievement: functions would be the worst case, apocalyptic situ He has written the best instruction manual yet for REVIEWED BY MARK RaBINOWITZ ation, full of widespread famine and techno-fascism. becoming fully human. I walked outside when I was Imagine a decade from now looking back at the end A more hopeful scenario would be interconnected done and the world was a different place." of the 20th century-the most destructive to hu- technological failures with community responses Unique among the arguments made in popular mans and all other species in our history. Think that enable people to survive and even thrive. works of ecological philosophy (at least in my pathetic about ways that the year 2000 (Y2K) global computer "A Big Grocer's Y2K Nightmare" describes the repertoire), the thesis of David Abram's provocative crash prompted transformations in industrial society looming disaster for a large grocery store chain. first book is that the alphabet is one of the biggest toward local self-reliance by using more sustainable Even with its backup generator, the chain would be factors responsible for humanity's sensorial disasso- technologies. How was Y2K the impetus to create out of business without electric power or telecom ciation from nature. He illustrates the influence of new ways of living closer to the natural world? munications. If Y2K is more than a day-long blip, spoken and written language and rational thinking on The recent book "Awakening: The Upside of Y2K" is providing basic foodstuffs to large populations could humankind's perception TH E . the single best resource that answers this question. get extremely difficult. Community gardens, Food of the natural world and S p f LL Q The book is a compilation of essays, including Not Bombs soup kitchens, municipal food storage physical interaction F r Lt some by leading visionaries of the Y2K . warehouses and diverting grains from animal agri with nature. Abram · 1 7 f S 1:' communityorganizingmovement culture to feeding people will all be needed. writes beautifully and c.- IVS(J who argue that surviving · Several articles address the unique psychological simply, avoiding the O(j Y2Kwillrequiremuch stresses of Y2K. Even for environmentalists used to dry, academic flavor as S more than individual contemplating mass extinction, thinking about much as possible with efforts, including the worst case possibilities of Y2K is truly sober engaging stories and il- community-based, ing-especially because the deadline is immediate lustrations. The book is collective responses and immovable. "laudable for its bravura to build resilience · To date, most discussion of the crisis has focused on and opulent coloring of and reduce depen- the technical aspects or how bad Y2K failures will be. the, ,s.ensorial c,anvass dence on distant au- But little attention has been paid to the nascent surrounding us," com- tomated systems. efforts by communities to prepare and use Y2K as the menttheeditorsof"Phi- · An introductory catalyst for a new society. A profile of Y2K's environ losophy and Religion." essay notes: mental impacts in the fall 1998 Earth Island Journal Abram contends the "The new millen- notes that, "We've built a society that is so vulnerable individualinalphabetic, nium heralds the . to glitches that two digits can bring it down." industrialized civiliza greatest change to Now, like no other moment in human history, the tion looks out at a purely modern society we future of our species probably depends upon how "exterior" nature from a have yet to face as a well we can use our intellect and cooperative abili purely "interior" zone, a planetary commu ties to mitigate the damage caused by the 20th consciousness unrelated nity. Whether we century's insanities. We probably won't get another to other human or non experience this as chance if we screw up next year. human minds around it chaos or social Copies of "Awakening-The Upside of Y2K" are or to the environing transformation will available on line at www.cointelligence.org. Printed Earth. Abram challenges be influenced by copies are available for $10 plus $2 postage from The the psychological baggage left to us from the likes of what we do immediately." Printed Word, 4327 S. Perry, Spokane, WA 99203; Socrates and Plato. Using the philosophy of phe In "Who Will Do What and When Will They Do ( 509) 624-3177. Call for bulk pricing. nomenology, his research on oral tradition in indig It?" psychologist Douglass Carmichael constructs a For more information look at www.tmn.com/y2k; enous cultures and his experience as a sleight-of-hand series of potential Y2K scenarios based on the extent www. y2ktimebomb.com/Tip/Lord/lord 9836.htm; magician, he explores the psychology of perception of technical and social breakdowns. Extreme mal- www.earthisland.org;www.igc.org/icc370/y2k.htm. and the de-sacrilization of the sensuous "life-world." The evils wrought by literacy have been discussed before, but Abram takes it to a new level, subverting the dichotomies of culture and nature, body and mind, convincing the reader with his well-researched arguments and illustrations of the existence of a visceral world stolen by the Greek scribes and the subsequent evolution of Western culture. In the first chapter, "The Ecology of Magic," he draws the reader in with captivating personal ac counts of his perceptual transformation while living amongst indigenous people. He asserts that, contrary to many anthropologists' interpretations, the sha mans in these cultures function as intermediaries between people and the "larger, more-than-human field." Then he shatters your mystical dreaminess in chapter two with an introductory synopsis of the philosophy of phenomenology, leaving less schol arly readers such as myself, fascinated and eager to read the work of French philosopher Merleau-Ponty (maybe at the next blockade). "The Spell of the Sensuous" dives deep into linguistics, animism, the history of written language, and the connection between landscape and language, and is chock full of interesting accounts of oral, indigenous cultures from North America, Australia and beyond. December-January 1999 Earth First! Page 33 NaHonal Conference READY TO GET INVOLVED? on Civll Disobedience, END PRIMATE shows the increasing violence and January 23 - 24 FIRE IN TI-lli EYES police-state mentality of govern EXPERIMENTATION The second annual National Con ment and big business. Though ference on Civil Disobedience will be Headwaters Action Video Collec disturbing in subject matter, this The Coalition to End Primate Ex held at American University in Wash tive (HA VC) announces a new, pow movie needs to be seen. Includes perimentation (CEPE) is organizing ington, DC. erful, unnerving video looking at thestoryofDavid "Gypsy" Chain's 1999 Primate Freedom Tour for the Civil disobedience is an old and ef Humboldt County's new policy of tragic death and the police re summer of 1999. We will caravan to fective technique of resistance and using pepper spray on nonviolent sponse to a three week road block 21 different primate research facilities protest which has helped lead many protesters. With the primordial red ade that followed. To order con and hold teach-ins, protests, vigils and oppressed groups to lasting freedom. wood rainforest as its backdrop and tact HAVC, POB 2198, Redway, CA more. The goal is to spark a national Today, forms of civil disobedience are in-your-face direct actions by Earth 95560, (707) 459-5490 ex. 582; $20 debate on the moral, scientific, ethical being used by many different groups First! as the catalyst, this video suggested donation. and medical implications of the con for a variety of liberation struggles tinued use of nonhuman primates in around the world. It has become medical and scientific research. timely, important and necessary to AMERICAN We are looking for volunteers who learn from each other's struggles while Will a Peltier want to either join the caravan, help keeping in mind the lessons of those ACTION UPDATE promote the tour, organize events in who have fought before us. This is a call for submissions for the the areas we will be stopping at, or The National Conference on Civil first issue of the North American edi Painting help out with camping gear, food, Disobedience is geared towards the ac vehicles, places to crash, fundraising, tion of the Earth First! Action Update. The Leonard Peltier Charitable tivist. It is run by activists who adhere to etc. Contact CEPE, POB 34293, Wash The Action Update has been around Foundation (LPCF) is raffling an origi a strict nonprofit, noncorporate ethic. ington, DC 20043; (888) 391-8948; for years serving the Earth First! move nal Leonard Peltier oil painting. Ob The cost is the lowest possible rate, [email protected]; ment in Europe. Their Action Update serve this gorgeous painting at http:/ $10 prepaid, $15 at the door. Each www.envirolink.org/orgs/cepe. covers all the activities of Earth First! /members . aol.com/lpcfound/ h.inchwill be $5,$7 at the door. Hous and other radical environmental groups homepage.html (then click on LPCF ing is only available by preregistra all over Europe. The actions are sum raffle). The LPCF is providing an ex TIME 4 ZERO CuT! tion. If your group requests a table, the marized in short paragraphs with a citing opportunity for Peltier support Order free copies of the new Zero Cut cost is $20 total for both days. Spaces couple of "feature" action articles. There ers to own this extraordinary work. Times! Send your name, address and are limited for tables so we suggest is a "news in brief" section and up The painting comes with a certificate the desired quantity to jeanette Russell, submitting your request early. coming actions diary. It also contains of authenticity and a depiction by Native Forest Network, POB 8251, To find out more, e-mail Nisha a directory of EF! contacts, a list of Leonard Peltier that can be mounted Missoula, MT 59807; (406) 542-7343, Anand, Conference Coordinator, at supportive groups and calendar of [email protected]. with the painting. fax 542-7~47 ; [email protected]. events in Europe and internationally. You may purchase as many raffle Australia has also published their own tickets as you like at $1 ticket. When we Action Update. have $1,000 (therearelotsleft), Leonard Tree Flesh • Tree Flesh • Tree Flesh Earth First! in this country/conti will choose a ticket and the winner will Tree Flesh is a journal of revolutionary environmentalism and anti nent has needed a newsletter literally be notified by mail and/or telephone. since the movement began. The EF! authoritarian action and thought, intended to provide a forum between Please sign and save your raffle ticket communities engaged in "No Compromise" struggles. Tree Flesh is put Journal comes out every six and a half upon receipt. After personal verifica weeks and nowadays is a professional together and sent out from Searsport,. Main.~, <;_overing news primarily of tion, a release form must be signed by eastern North America but also including worldwide coverage of radical paper with a big budget (relatively the winner. Your beautiful painting actions. While this zine is a humble attempt to convey information and speaking) and international reader- will then be shipped to you UPS at the thought, more contributions can only further this discussion and report ship. The North American Action Up expense of the foundation. ing. TF is calling for action updates, Earth night news, detailed industrial date would come out every moon at Send $1 per ticket (check or money destruction work, articles, poetry, rants, photos, art, service/goods of first, with the goal of eventually pub order) to LPCF c/o Shannon Collins, fered for free or trade, DIY info, etc. Tree Flesh #1,#2, and #3 came out this lishing twice a moon. The target audi POB681 Rimrock,AZ86335; (520) 567- summer and fall; #4 should be out the beginning of 1999. This 40-page ence would be EF!ers on this conti 6523. Good luck! zine is an ambitious attempt to give voice to the "real" rebellion. Send nent, and the format would be a low them a buck or a dollars worth of stamps (more if you can) to cover budget, copyright-free, four- or eight postage for each issue, and help stoke the flames of our resistance. page newsletter. f anta~tic Contact Tree Flesh at POB 869, Searsport, ME 04974 Additionally, our Action Update can accommodate inserts from local groups Phone ~aving~l in the form of flyers or handbills, a from rowdy letters section, and other inter nal movement discussion and debate. Who Says You Can't Send written submissions, graphics, photos and suggestions to the Earth First! Action Update, POB 1415, Eu Long Distance Change the World? gene, OR 97 440; [email protected] (put Affinity Long Distance Check out £/The Environmental Magazine and learn "Action Update" in the subject). guarantees a rate reduction how you can make a difference in your world! on your phone bill. Plus, · you want to simply "green up" your own personal life Affinity will give 5% of your style- or join in efforts to clean up oceans, save wildlife, or BUFFALO NATIONS bill to the EF! Journal; eliminate pesticides from our food- E will inform and inspire you 6 times per year! Snow is flying, and the Yellowstone a gift that keeps on giving. r.: covers the "big" issues. like global warming, the state of our oceans, and the buffalo need your help! Come join us To sign up, contact Steve at at Buffalo Nations-we're the only impacts of growing population- all with contact information so you can plug into Affinity, 2631 Regent St., efforts to tum the tide. PLUS, E's "Green Living" departments will provide you group working on the ground every with loads of information and ideas for living more in harmony with the Earth. day to make sure that not one more Berkeley, CA 94704-3314 buffalo is killed. (510) 644-2778 "Where have .1 been to miss such an outStanding publication?" With the construction of a new cap ORG# 6710500-000 • REP# 141-0142-85 - Dean Whitehead, West Hollywood, CA ture facility coming up any day, we need people NOW! We welcome any one who wants to spend their days EARTH SENSITIVE watching buffalo, cooking meals, split ' Send me my FREE ting wood and doing the many activi PR.onuCTs I YES• trial issue of Effhe ties that make Buffalo Nations a reality. Environmental Magazine. If I like it. I can · NAME BE INDEPENDENT. WORK FOR YOURSELF. Even if you can't come out, we have a I subscribe for one yem (6 issues) for only RATED#1 HOME-BASED BUSINESS. $19.95. If not. 1"11 just return the subscription ""'Ao""o""Re=::s"'"s ------~---- new video documentary "Buffalo Bull" invoice marked ··cancel"' and return it to you. fOCUS ON HEALTH AND ENVIRON 1 and other materials that can be used for The FREE issue is min:e to keep with no cost outreach. We are also grateful for dona MENT. No INVENTORY, NO DELIVERIES. I or obligation to me. ; CITY. STATE. ZIP AS9830 tions. Contact us at POB 957, West UNUMmD INCOM~ POTENTlAI.. 1- J 1:<: Magazine, P.O. Box 2047, Marion, OH 43305 I Yellowstone, Mf 597 58; (406) 646-0070; 8(X)-2 9 3-2 7 41, EXT. 8202. [email protected]. L _. _F:JI f_a!e':.}~!;,e,St;!f !;SJ.0,;!6_!.-~".!/_ _ ..J Page 34 Earth First! Yule 1999 lnlcrnalional Aclion Againsl Global Economy The 1999 EF! Organizers Conference9 .... Wherever there is oppression there is resistance ..... A proposal has been made by activists from diverse UK groups including Winter Fiesta and 20th Anniversary Hike Reclaim the Streets, London Green peace, EarthFirst!, Green Student Network and The EF! Baja beach party you've always been waiting for is just around the corner. Partizans to hold an international day of action aimed at the heart of the global The only thing is that it's not going to be in Baja; it'll be on a beach in Mexico across economy: the financial and banking institutions and districts. The suggested date the Gulf of California, five hours south of Tucson, Also, it won't be just a party, it is June 18, 1999. This proposal is made in the spirit of strengthening our will be the 1999 Earth First! Organizers Conference and Winter Fiesta. In addition, international networks and follows from the success of coordinated global action there will be a hike to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Earth First! during May 16-20, 1998, when demonstrations, actions and protests took place The whole show starts on February 9-11 with a hike to El Pinacate. Dave, Mike, (including over 30 street parties in more than 20 differentcountries). Howie and the boys climbed the beautiful, volcanic Pinacates in 1979. That trip Next year between June 18-20, the eight most industrialized nations Will be was part of the inspiration for a new, no-compromise environmental group meeting in Koln, Germany. June 18 protests should occur in the major Earth First!. (El Pinacate is now a biosphere reserve, with camping restrictions. financial/business/banking districts or at relevant sites, e.g. at transnational Space is limited for this event.) companies offices, local banks, etc. Events would be autonomously organized On Thursday, February 11, we'll drive just south of Puerto Penasco, the site of and networked by a diversity of local groups. It is hoped that a whole range of this year's conference. The conference will begin that night, with a greeting different movements will take part. meeting and a finalization of the agenda. The conference continues Friday and Already there have been discussions with activists from around the world; Saturday (February 12-13), with a huge fiesta Saturday night lasting until sunrise we'd like very much to hear what you think. Please reply to: on Sunday. Sunday night and Monday (February 15, President's Day in the US) j [email protected] Your replies will automatically go out to other inter have been left open for snorkeling, siestas and/or traveling back to the states. ested groups around the world, in order to facilitate broader discussion about The upper Gulf of California is known for its phenomenal tidal changes. We this proposal. Or write to June 18, POB 9656, London, N4 4JY, UK. have arranged for trips to tidal pools, a local women's oyster cooperative and birding locations on Sunday and Monday mornings. Trips are limited in space, require reservations and will require a small donation. Western Forest Conference Feb 4-7 With the killing of David Chain and the media circus surrounding the Vail You all are hereby invited to the 8th annual Western Forest Activists arson, we have a lot to talk about this year. The proposed agenda is listed Conference from February 4-7, 1999 at the Sou them Oregon University cam pus below. In an effort to jumpstart deeper discussion on controversial topics, in Ashland, Oregon-sponsored by the Headwaters Environmental Center. conference participants are encouraged to submit brief discussion papers. Over 400 forest activists will come together as a learning community to attend Send 'em to the Journal, and we'll make copies for the conference. If you have a series of workshops, plenary and breakout sessions, field trips and wilderness any comments or suggestions for the agenda, also send them to the Journal, hikes, networking caucuses, keynote addresses and inspiring entertainment. POB 1415, Eugene, OR 97440, (541) 344-8004; [email protected] (put "con The theme of this conference is "Towards Regional Awareness: Restoration, ference" in the subject line). Politics, Wilderness and Culture." There will be a special focus on the Klamath Proposed agenda items include: etiquette in Mexico; David Chain; Vail/ Siskiyous and other places where a sense of the region is being used to make sabotage; media; long-term, movement-wide strategy; Organizers Conference people more aware of conservation opportunities. structure; 1999 RRR in the Gila Mountains of New Mexico, June 21-28; EF! A special gathering of Youth Activists will kickoff the event Feb. 4th at worldwide; EF! Journal; Direct Action Fund; and Fund for Wild Nature. Suggested Southern Oregon University in scenic Ashland (where the Siskiyou Mo1.1ntains workshops include Wise Use; law enforcement infiltration; manufacturing Y2K; and the Cascade Range collide). pepper spray counter strategies; urban activism; industrial recreation; end corpo Conference fee is $75-$100 ($60 until Jan. 1) including three breakfasts and rate dominance; zero cut/exploitation; and genetics. two lunches. Dakubetede Environmental Education Programs is offering un Here are a few travel trips: Learn Spanish. Bring a birth certificate and a voter dergraduate and graduate level academic credit for the conference through registration card, state identification card or passport to make border crossings Antioch University. and policia encounters smoother. Crossing into Mexico is usually not a For more information or to make suggestions, contact Chant Thomas at problem, but coming back into the states can be a shakedown. Don't transport Headwaters, POB 729, Ashland, OR 97520; (541) 899-1712, 482-4459; anything they might be looking for. Clean out your car. Any camo, khaki or [email protected]; www.headwaters;org. · militaristic gear will be suspect. Do not carry or attempt to buy drugs in-Mexico. Check the current monetary exchange beforeyou leave, but if-shoufd be about agil press·agil press·agil press ToTAL LIB. CoNFERENCE 10 pesos to the dollar. The best exchange rate will be found in Mexican banks. It Agit Press, an all volunteer pub is cheaper to buy your gasoline, oil, auto parts, batteries and film in the US. If February 12-15, Boca Raton, Florida lishing collective, has two EZLN you plan to drive, it is highly advised to buy Mexican auto insurance at the US To make change, we must band to communiques, and pamphlets on border towns or from AAA. Insurance is less than $10 a day. gether. Join MOVE, the Anarchist Black the prison industrial complex and The ever depressed Mexican economy will provide us numerous opportuni Cross Federation, American Indian women political prisoners avail ties to infuse it with some good ol' American dinero. We are suggesting that all Movement, Animal Liberation Front able. $1-3 each. Profits will go to Supporters, Food Not Bombs and oth of us fend for ourselves in the local cantinas, taquerias and mercados. The best the causes. defense against Montezuma's revenge is to bring all your water and to cook your ers at this important conference. Con To order contact AK Press, POB own food. When eating out, avoid leafy greens or vegetables which might have tact Animal Defense League, POB 40682, San Francisco, CA 94140; been washed in water. Ask if the water you are being served is "agua puerificada" 812462, Boca Raton, FL 33481-2462; (415) 864-0892, fax 864-0893; (bottled or filtered water). (561) 988-1323; [email protected]. [email protected]. About the February 9-11 Pinacate hike: There is very limited camping space and even less parking space. Carpooling is necessary. Dogs, alcohol and campfires (among other things) are prohibited, and this is strictly enforced. Expect dry, rugged, volcanic terrain, magnificent winter conditions and scen ery! If you plan on attending, contact one of the carpool numbers below. About the February 11-15 conference/fiesta: We will camp and meet on an estuary beachfront, southeast of Puerto Penasco, on La Pinta Ejido. Come prepared to camp; bring all food and water. Dogs are not permitted at the conference. Minimal bathroom facilities available. Cold, cloudy and/or windy weather is RESJ.)TANCE, SABOTAGE AND MUSIC, a rwo hour vidcx1 documenrary If (NTSC) abour the history of resistance w industrial capimlism, f(,cusing possible. There will be a $5 per vehicle per night charge, so carpool! you need a on Earth r:irsr. the IWW (wobblics), and the Luddite.~. Feature.~ interviews ride from Tucson, please contact one of the numbers below ASAP. Directions from with judi Bari. Howard Zinn,loggers, wobblic.~, and many more. Compan~ Lukeville on the Arizona/Mexico border: Go South on Mexico Route 8 to Puerto culmres of rcsiMancc, their arrs and music, and their tactics. Includes quttc a bit of vi mage ti>Otagc, as well as currcnc action f(lOtage trom demonstrations. Penasco for 63 miles, then East on Route $15.00 37 towards Caborca for 21 miles. Turn right at the sign for La Pinta Ejido. Stop iTCHKUNG! vs. THE STATE, a one hour video documemary (NTSC), for the guard dogs, say hello to our hosts, ir follows the heartwarming relationship between an anarchist performance collective and their local police and tire d_cprs. Exploding ~umptcrs, parade.~. and get waved on straight ahead to our riot cops. clowns, call tales, and a lot of good show performance l·oocagc. informaUon about beach and campsite! $15.00 & support for So, come and join us on la playa! If imprisoned you want to hike with us, plan on jTCHKUNG! "POST W01U.D HANDBOOK", a compact disk recording wirh propaganda booklet, it is liilllcngrh and feature-s such tracks "Clc-drcur anti-nuclear & arriving in Tucson on February 8 or 9. Spike" 'Tcral" "Truckswp", and more. Family Fun! anti-war activists If you can just come to the conference, $13.00 arrive in Tucson by February 10 or 11. • Action reports & future actions • For carpooling from Tucson, call Prisoner support info • International Dwight at (520) 740-0810 or Turtle at All prices in United Stares Imperial Dollars ~._\"'tHp'-o~- •· resistance news • Writings from jail • Pkase send check or money order ~r. ...v ... (520) 623-5252 x303. Plus $2.00 shippng to A network for nonviolent direct action (fCHKUNG! Media Produce The conference is open to any EF!er I 122 E. Pike, Suire ')4') $15/year interested in helping to steer the Scatdc. WA. 9HI22 USA (US$20 Canada, US$25 overseas) ASK FOR A FREE SAMPLE ISSUE movement. The cost is $20 (plus camp ing fees). For more information or to POB 43383, Tucson, AZ 85733 USA apply for travel $$, call Jim at (541) [email protected] 714-9193. December-January 1999 Earth First! Page 35 g'~ ~~ ~. fu'uld-#exed HUI4de4.. iHtett alia: 'U'ett-tueted ~ ~· ~ ~ a4 aH ~· ~teat-kwzed. ~-~. ~ ~! ";??.u ~ made ~ 4/!re44ed? Voe4 ~ ~ ~ ftM44d? Au ~ ~ 'f4«'l- ~ 40 ~ 't~e ~ ( ?ak~! we 'tt ktp 9We ~ a. HU.tt .ttMt! A6fetz. a.tt. tk4 u tie ~ o5 ~ ~ . ~ 44«/14. HWtrde 'f«a. o5 ((M 'U'e kwe te«. HWutte. ~ 9eM t So i1e tk4 ~ o5 ~· «Jitk (UIIf. ~ o5 ~ . tk'Ze'.t lt6 ~ 'f4«'l- f4e ~ k ~ d«t ~ .. '71 ~ aHd 'f4«'l- ~ Heed a. f4e (e44 ~. '71 ~ «Ja.«t ~ o5 ~ 6 7~ tie ~ «WtU v«d o5 ~? ~041 6a.id be Hat«Md ~? Voe4 ~ ~ ~ aHdd ~ eu«~. ~? 7ak~. /M we 't~e ~ et44t ~ Heed: 7h4 U a. tad. ~ we 'u ~ tie Hat«Md «WZU'.t ~tie ddk4te ~ ~ ~ ~ a4 ~· ~ (UIIf. ~ ~ o5 ~-~ f4e. aHd (UIIf. ~ fuwbt9 ~ tie~.. 'if)~ we't~e k!.fted ~ ~ t 40 tie ~ '.t ~ «Jitk UIL,L/CUI:au;<, ~et 'l'Wt ~~ ~ 9We~~~~ -Sed~ E ARTH FIRST! SHOPPING Visualize BOOKS .-T·SHIRTS Direct Action Concrete: Think Like a Mountain (All t-shirts are 100% cotton and available in medium, large and extra Black and White on Unbleached By Paul Chadwick. A full-color illustrated novel large. For XXL add an additional $3.) (not pictured)-$12 about a group of EF!ers who contact Concrete (a mountaineer/writer trapped in a concrete body) to help with an old-growth campaign. A 6-issue comic book Eagle Stop Public Lands series compiled into a book about EF! history and Black on Unbleached-$12 philosophy. 160 pages-$17 Ranching Road Raging: Top Tips for "The Cow that Ate the West" Wrecking Roadbuilding Arm & Wrench Black on Cream (not pictured) large-only $10! By Road Alert! Campaign organizing field manual Multi-co/or on Yellow (not pictured)-$15 with stories from British anti-roads campaigns. Dia grams, sample flyers and forms, contacts, resources, SEND FOR A FREE COPY OF OUR MERCHANDISE appendicies. 220 pages-$12 No Fucking Compromise CATALOG COMPLETE WITH EF! MUSIC ' ,, Anarchist Farm White ·on Black (not pictured)-$12 "i' (_.-. "? By Jane Doe. Fiction. 192 pages-$10 The Big Outside A Descriptive Inventory of the Big Wilderness Areas of the United States By Dave Foreman & Howie Wolke. Maps, list of areas by size and state. 490 pages-$:17 Desert Solitaire A Season in the Wilderness By Edward Abbey. Nonfiction. 295 pages-$6 Earth First! Campfire Poems Edited by Dennis Fritzinger, Karen Coulter, Dwight Metzger. 200+ pages of historical poems-$:12 Earth First! Songbook 77 songsj33 artistsjguitar chordsjinfo-$:10 ECODEFENSE: Green Fist on Unbleached-$12 Earth First! Tools A Field Guide to Monkeywrenching Black Fist on Willow Green or Kelly (only xxl)-$12 Black Tools on Unbleached-$12 By Dave Foreman and Bill Haywood. Extensively Multi-color on Black or Forest Green-$15 Black Tools on Blue or Tan revised, expanded third edition. 350 pages-$18 Green Fistwj White lettering on B/ack-$12 small-only $6! Ecological Resistance Movements: The Global Emergence of Radical and Popular Environmentalism Edited by Bran Taylor. 422 pages-$20 The End of Nature ~ • 100% Hemp Wallets • 0 By Bill McKibben. 226 pages-$12 Green Rage ~ Tan wjBiack and Green Fist and Black Lettering ~~ Radical Environmentalism and the specify wording "Greed Kills" or "Earth First! "-only $10! Unmaking of Civilization By Christopher Manes. 291 pages-$:15 Fist Patch NEW • NEW • NEW Silent Agitators Grizzly Years Quality 3-inch patches for 100% Hemp Cap Little 1.5-inch stickers good In Search of the American Wilderness your daypack, jacket or butt for your bike or bulldozer Earth First! Fist-$3 Tan wjB/ack and Green Earth First! Fist-30/$2 By Doug Peacock. Photos. 375 pages-$:13 embroidered fist-$:1.4 The Monkeywrench Gang Earth First! Too/s-30/$2 Rubber Stamps No Deal, Assho/es-30/$2 By Edward Abbey. Fiction. 387 pages~$7 Sturdy wood-block stamps Fist Caps Refuge made from unfinished scrap (100% cotton, adjustable) Window Stickers An Unnatural History of Family and Place Earth First! Fist-$5 Desert Camo-$:1.2 3-inch stickers for high visability By Terry Tempest Williams. 304 pages-$12 Earth First! Tools-$5 Brown Forest Camo-$:1.2 ER Rst-4/$1 • Anti-Grazing-Bj$1 A Sand County Almanac with Essays on Conservation from Round River r------,Earth First:! Merchandise Order ForiD 1 By A/do Leopold. Special edition. 295 pages-$:10 Send to: EF! Merchandise, POB 1415, Eugene, OR 97440 USA I Think Like a Mountain I Make checks payable to the Earth First! Journal. Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. Call (541) 344-8004 for more info. 1 Towards a Council of All Beings By John Seed, Joanna Macy, Pat Fleming, Arne # description color size price I Naess. Illustrated by Dailan Pugh. 128 pages-$:10 ----~------~~ I Waste of the West I Public Lands Ranching I By Lynn Jacobs. Encyclopedic overview of grazing. I Contact list, statistics, over 1,000 photos, car I toons, graphics, charts, maps. 602 pages-$28 I I I I I Name Date TOTAL $ 1 ~ ~ . . foreign orders ~ C1ty State/Country Z1p add lS% :&1 L------~------~December-January 1999 Earth First! Page 37 • AC Electricity From A Battery • VVe Provide 120/240 Volt Electricity Any In defiance of expectations, L WOD #8 will focus on tbe where in the World sleep, and sanity, Live Wild Or Y2K or Millenium, computer • 600 to 8,000 VVatts of Continuous AC Output Die #7 went to press and has bug, and related issues. We Power hit tbe street. 40 newspaper want to bear from you on bow • Available In Five In size pages full of anarchy, to take advantage of this his put Battery Voltages: sabotage, direct action rnili toric opportunity. Send zine 12, 24, 32, 36, & 48 • Power To Run Com tant labor, ecol and t-shirt orders, puters, TV, VCR, Micro animal liberation as well as corre wave, Tools, Lights and uncompromising spondence and Most Appliances critique, primitiv submissions for #8, • Certified by E.T.L. to U.L.Specifications, U.L. ism/anti-tech class JUST DO IT • to our new address: 1778 and 1741 war, antifa, reports LWOD, FOB 481, •Prime Power ofglobal resistance and an· Tucson AZ 85702, Ameri.ka. • Backup Power anti-patriarchy section. Wildly yours, L WOD #7 QU•IIty Pow•r Wllhout Comp~~~~t --. We are asking for at least pg L WOD bas been on a Available from: Solar Energy Solutions, Andrew Koyaanisqatsi, $3 postage paid per copy, but desperately needed break for 3730 SE Lafayette Ct., Portland, OR 97202; (503) 238-4502 more $ would be great; t-shirts the last two months. .Orders are still $13: for bulk orders or will be tilled shortly. Sorry for trades, write to us. the delay, Agaimd Civilization From Hesiod on through to the "primitiv ltc.-.lldlng,. amllt~ftt)~tiunli ists" of today, by way of Rousseau, William Morris, and Fourier, among others-51 selec tions in all. Here is a reader that throws light on the inner logic of civilization and its devouring course. In these times of desolation 'for individual, society, and biosphere alike, such a collection is urgently needed. Why does every culture have its longing for a lost Golden Age? How have history and Progress brought us such vast separation and emptiness, such a sense of no future? Is it civilization itself that has brought us here? Schiller, Paul Shepard, Kirkpatrick Side, Fou rier, Perlman, Sahlins, Bahro, Zerzan, the Unibomber, etc, etc.-visionaries and theorists exposing the foundations of today's crisis and helping us see the possibility of a qualitatively different existence. To order, send check/money order for $11.50 (includes postage) to Uncivilized Books, POB Jolm 1'.erzan, Editor 11331, Eugene, OR 97440. ACTIVISTS WITH A1U'ICZ.Ir$ 21~222.... 111 A~TICIII ALnl'$ -.aAL 2l&-222""2$Ci6 ( ..AX) lln!AT'e$. eCMrA~Ts. SEACt!SEAC:.Cin CALnPARS CP IWIITS. POBaK3Rect AliP Ml:lftl PKnAWLP'IfL\. PA JCIJO. clip and send to Earth First! Journal, Subscriptions. POB 1415. Eugene. OR 97440 USA 0 $500 LIFETIME SUBSCRIPTION 0 $25 Regular Rate 0 $35. First Class Mail: US, Canada or Mexico I I 0 $20 Low Income/Non-Pr6.fit!Library 0 $35 Brown Bag (First Class in a plain wrapper) . I 0 $35 (US) Surface Mail, International 0 .$45 (US$) Air Mail, International (no foreign checks, please) I 0$ DONATION 0 $45 Corporate or Law Enforcement Rate Subscriber Name~------~------Ad~ess ______~--~~------~~--- City ____;,______State ....,..._..,.__,___ __ ZiP---...,---'- Country----- The Earth First!'Journal subscription list is confidential and never traded. If you use analias, make sure that the . ' post office knows that you; or someone, is;getting mail a(youraddress under that name ot'it may not be delivered. . . ·. .. L ..... ___ ._ __ llllllillll_:_ .....;. - - -~~ - , ~ · ~.::.:.:_ __~- ~~ - ~- ~------~--~---- : ----~------~---~ Page is Earth First! Yul; 1999 US Earth First! Directory :~2.!;:cTso ~~~~~ ~~~S~~ L . Cove/Mallard Coalition NEW YORK Cold Rivers Video Project POB 4101, Portsmouth, NH 03802 1c ae . ewiS POB 8968, Moscow, 1D 83483 Wetlands Preserve, c/o NYC EF! POB 7941, Missoula, MT 59807 [email protected] POB 80073, Fairbanks, AK 99708 (208) 882-9755; fax 883-0727 161 Hudson St, NY, NY 10013 Mike or Billie [email protected] · · (212) 386_3600; fax 966_9821 (406) 728-0867; cmcr@wildroc\ Innards ELF Strikes at Vail...... l The Pies Fly: A BBB Report...... l Kenyan Insurrection...... l Ancient Forest Rescue on V ail...... 3 Wolf Exterminators on the Hunt...... 4 Coyote Carnage...... 5 Opinion: The Makah Whale Hunt...... 6 Green Nigerians on the Frontlines...... 7 Activists Target Home Depot...... S H=~·q Cttrl, lh.is fs F@r Pennsylvania Chip Mill Protest...... lO Exploit the Media: Part 11 ...... 11 Mining San Francisco Peaks...... 12 · Ht.~dw&tns·t Minnehaha Spirit Riders ...... 13 12 FrankenMAI...... 15 Ko ... yoo don't undmtmd In the Aftermath: Gypsy's Death...... 16 The HCP is GOOD~! The Ectopia News ...... 17 Report: British Earth First! Gathering...... 18 Federal Sentencing Guidelines ...... 28 0 74470 83085 6 Dear Ned Ludd Returns ...... 29 A red check mark means Spell of the Sensuous Review ...... 33 your subscription has Activist Conference Announcement...... 34 expired. Time to renew.