ELF Said to Be Responsible for Firebombing "Green" Mansions

For "members" of the Earth Liberation Front, the crisis of human development and exploitation of natural resources warrants extreme responses, even to the point of threatening their fellow humans. Past exploits have included the infamous "spiking" of trees to endanger those who were cutting them down with chainsaws.

In Woodinsville, Washington today, according to the Associated Press, the ELF was said to be responsible for the fire-bombing of several 4,000-plus square foot luxury home showcases on the "Street of Dreams," also said to be in an area encroaching on the habitat of endangered species. A sign and painted statements suggested the group's involvement in the arson attack on houses which the builders were showing with the latest in "green" building techniques, but were also two to four times the size of most houses, with three and four car garages and other "excesses."

In Colorado, the struggle between the right to use personal property as one sees fit and the responsibility to consider the environment when building living and working spaces and living one's life has been increasing. For the most part the efforts have been political, and voters and activists have worked hard to discuss the issues at hand and propose resolutions. Boulder County is said to be restricting the size of homes developed in rural areas where the direct effect on others would seem to be minimal, and in Aspen, taxes on resource consumption have not eliminated the need to keep huge vacation homes heated during the majority of the time when they are unoccupied.

The ELF, an anarchic affiliation of cells rather than a lobbying, centralized organization, takes a similar approach to other terrorist groups identified by the United States government, in which the extremity of their actions gives the illusion that they are larger, more organized, and more widely supported than they are. Trademark "ecoterrorism" of ELF has become their signature so much that, in a reader comment to the AP article published on the Denver Post's website, it was clear that signs were no longer necessary at the site of their actions - people know who does those kinds of things. People also seem to find the actions reprehensible, but there are many who would not condone those actions but find environmentally destructive actions equally reprehensible.

If lobbying, grassroots organizing, and political action are not sufficient for those who might become ELF members, traditional nonviolent protests might return to vogue, including blocking construction, embarrassing corporations by airing their dirty laundry, and putting their bodies where their mouths are, such as laying in front of bulldozers. These aren't suggestions, but rather examples of how the urge to radical action doesn't have to be violent and destructive. ELF members in their zeal may not be aware of the counterproductive nature of their actions. Society has changed over time, and they are not seen as much as dangerous but well-meaning radicals, but part of a segment of society which wishes to change governments from outside by harming others. The response of governments and individuals to situations such as global warming show that change is possible without such acts, and so any remaining tolerance for their destruction will further wane.

One additional suggestion for ELF might come from the artist Christo, whose beautiful creations on a grand scale make breathtaking impressions. Rather than arson and mayhem, ELF and others could put their creativity to work to persuade by reminding us of beauty, rather than by fear. The lexicons of advertising and art have so many unused tools which they could use to share their passion for the Earth, and their penchant for dramatic acts could lead them to bold new positive gestures.

"Ecoterror link eyed in luxury home fires", Elizabeth M. Gillespie (AP), http://www.denverpost.com/ci_8437600