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Radical Environmentalism & Eco-Terrorism: Direct Action

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Radical Environmentalism & Eco-Terrorism: Direct Action Radical Environmentalism & Eco-Terrorism Direct Action, Backlash, and Change Colin Kroll Thesis Advisors: Dr. Joseph Storlien & Dr. Corrie Gross Abstract Results Analysis Radical environmentalism, or eco-terrorism, is a movement often Below are examples of the rhetoric utilized by these organizations This analysis found an innate bias ingrained into the rhetoric, regarded with a sense of fear, yet is historically known to inspire while portraying themselves, versus the rhetoric seen within the media personal accounts, and journals of Greenpeace, Earth First!, and positive environmental change. Through direct action such as and government when discussing these organizations and their actions. the Earth Liberation Front. These organizations are aware their monkeywrenching, tree-sitting, protesting, and more, radical actions are aggressive and potentially harmful to organizations such as Greenpeace, Earth First!, and Animal businesses and individual goods, yet these actions are often Liberation Front strive to counter environmental threats and utilized for the “greater good.” This conflicts with the bias environmentally damaging conflicts. However, although these Organization Media & Government against these organizations found within news articles, court actions often offer answers unattainable through traditional “Bear Witness” “Activists arrested after hanging cases, and government publications. The media and government means, they have also landed these groups on the FBI’s domestic “Expose Threats” ‘Resist’ banner” view these organizations as radicals who are fighting for what terrorism list. Through case studies comparing member they believe in, but are doing it in a negative way. “Find Solutions” “Taking a stand” interviews and the rhetoric utilized by these organizations against Copyright: Steve Morgan. “Greenpeace has indeed “Risking not only their own court cases and the rhetoric used within news and government Greenpeace Arctic Oil Protests changed the world” safety, but also the safety of publications, this study strives to understand how radical [others]” “Challenges the systems of environmentalism has influenced the current environmental power and privilege” “Dodge government oversite” movement today. Introduction The radical environmental movement is one rooted in disdain of slow reform and disenchantment with the systems of government Conclusion Organization Media & Government currently in control. Through bringing the public’s awareness to Often presented by the news and government as figures who issues, groups such as Greenpeace, Earth First!, and the Earth “Wilderness has a right to exist “Truth is still elusive” create damage and fear in order to inspire an environmentally Liberation Front have forced positive changes. Yet, although for its own sake” “Large shadow of controversy beneficial shift, Greenpeace, Earth First!, and the Earth there are positive benefits, the actions of these groups have also “All human decisions should over… environmentalists in Liberation Front give the environmental movement a negative had a negative effect on environmentalists today. Positively, they consider Earth First, humans general” perspective in the eye of the general public. As many people are have allowed for a community to form around environmentally second” “Group of protestors had uneducated of the reasoning, influences, and motives behind the minded people, and are a structure for individuals to align with. “Not afraid to say what needs to chained themselves together” actions of these groups, they often perceive them as radicals who Yet, the actions of these groups, which have lead to the term be said” “Extreme Treehuggers” do not understand how the world works. Yet, this is inherently eco-terrorism within the United States, poses several negative untrue. As this bias has spread to the environmental movement as influences such as a polarization of the environmental movement, a whole, it negatively impacts how future environmental progress an opposition to environmental organizations, adverse views of is obtained, and plays a role in hindering environmental growth. I members within these groups, and a wary disdain for argue for a more accurate portrayal of these groups by the media environmentalists overall. and news, and for a less violent, yet still radical, shift within ELF member gesturing towards BP sign Earth First!er hanging sign to protest logging Organization Media & Government these organizations to decrease fear and disdain, yet continually acquire awareness and change. “Defend and protect the Earth “From tree-hugger to terrorist” for future generations by means “Serious terrorist threat” Resources of direct action” “Same threat category as archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/testimony/the-threat-of-eco-terrorism “Primum non nocere… ‘first do assassins, airline hijackers, and Devall, Bill. 1991. "Deep Ecology and Radical Environmentalism." Society and Natural Resources 4 no harm’” international; mass murderers” (3): 247-258. www.earth-liberation-front.com “Total disregard and impunity to “Threatened lives & caused www.earthfirst.org/about.htm humans and the environment” over $100 million in damages” www.greenpeace.org/usa/about .
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