What does everyone think about ELF and other direct actions groups? Good, Bad? Yes I'd do it? Hell no you stupid jerk?...
ELF can kindly go fuck themselves. They've set the Environmental movement back at least 20 years by painting Environmentalist as a bunch of property destroying ecoterrorists who will one day kill somebody. That, and the fact that they are actually doing more to unify a lot of otherwise well intentioned people against Environmentalists because of their actions. You mention Global Warming, and a lot of people who might other wise be sympathetic to your cause, now want nothing to do with it because of the bad reputation that groups like ELF have among the mass majority of the mainstream citizens.
They talked about the destruction caused by ELF and interviewed one of their members. He was wearing a mask and didn't let them record his voice. ELF is considered the number 1 domestic terrorist group in the United States, above all the neo-nazis and whoever. They are considered that because of the amount of property damage they cause.
Most ELF members don't give a damn about the environment. For them, it's hoolagism and gives them a "legitimate" reason to blow shit up.
Does mainstream activisim work in your opinions? ... Please Note I don't really support ELF, I'm just interested how other environmentalists feel....
I don't know. Some people feel its actually doing the opposite of what its supposed to be doing. Anyway, as for blowing the shit up, yea it does just give them an excuse. Only about 40 people have been caught and prosecuted, and theres been thousands of buildings burned and whatnot. Soon or later somebodys going to get killed by them.
I saw that thing on 60 minutes. This one asshole was talking about how he supports killing people who harm animals or profit from them. First, he's a pussy, saying he won't do it but that others should; but secondly, he talks about how animals are so worthy of living, but that he's willing to kill people. Including farmers who raise animals for slaughter. These stupid fucks really piss me off. If life is sacred, it includes human life. And there's nothing evil in being a predator, it's part of nature. If people want to eat chicken, it's their right. Plants are no less alive anyways. Industrial chicken farms (for example) disgust me, but I don't see it as inherently evil to eat chickens. As far as ELF goes, part of me sympathizes but I don't like violence and don't feel it's right to trash other peoples belongings, buildings, or research either. Scientists who test on animals aren't cruel, they're doing research that could benefit many. Burning years worth of research won't bring those mice back, and actually it makes their death meaningless. I'm all for animal rights and environmentalism, but this way of going about attaining those goals is pretty fucked up. It won't achieve anything. The change has to be at the personal level. If people want SUV's, they will be built. If people buy from companies that use lots of packaging, or who cut forests down, they will continue doing those things. Change has to occur at the grassroots, bottom, consumer level. Official regulation and such has it's place too, of course, but I think the main problem is people trading their responsibilities as a consumer in favor of cheap goods and services. And destroying a lab, or an SUV dealership is like trimming a few twigs off a tree whose trunk and roots remain strong and intact. Pointless.
I do not agree with the tatics in which ELF uses, I think that the energy they spend carriying out their acts of violence could be spent in a much better way. Educating the masses by force (sabotage, arson, property damage, loss of life) will never work. Our society in a whole does not care for the enviroment and probably never will. I honestly feel that the members of ELF have heart felt good intentions, they are going about expressing those intentions in a way that is very extreme. Grassroots is definitly the way to go! Ponder this: A childs voice is louder than 200 adults in a room!
hmm grassroots probly is the way to go. people arent ready to hear they need to stop guzzlin gas with solo rides in SUVS, or ready to turn the lights off when they leave a room, or be conscious and caring... they cant make that connection and live it with confidence, not in this world weve made. not until something important is at stake, like say the economy, not the fate of the world or anything. i guess we have to focus on individuals and personal healing, and turn them onto sustainable habits, which is a hard task in and of itself ive found.
