The decisions that human beings make which determine which species flourish and which species suffer is often a selfish decision. Choosing one form of life over another to improve the living conditions of the decided “superior” species is a major problem in our modern times. As scientists work to stop diseases which affect the human species, they study using the bodies and lives of defenseless animals. As industry supplies both economic demands made by the capitalist system and employment demands made by the poor/working class, entire ecosystems are destroyed. As long as man decides to exist on a level where his needs come before the needs of others, there will always be a need for direct action. The tactics taken by those who commit these acts need to be a part of a large campaign to awaken society to a mindset which cares for all living creatures equally, and invites an ecological society to develop.
Greed can alter a being. Getting a sweet taste of fortune, excess wealth, comfort and security may cause you to not question where this comfort comes from, or at what cost it arrives to you. All too often will this fantasy of the Western, post-industrialized, capitalist consumer culture exist without much examination of the reality, or the true cost. We are raised at an early age to see life as something which we are to “get” or “take” the most out of. The “true pleasures in life” are advertised on television, as an excuse to add just one more item on the credit card. Work hard, and you can be anything or anyone you want. This illusion is presented to all people of all classes. The fatal flaw of such a mirage is that if an entire working/lower class were to desire to move up in social status, a black hole would exist, revealing the lies behind the curtain.
Despite all the pitfalls of our current greed- and profit-saturated society, most of the population exists within, and adheres to, its doctrine. This lead to booming industries, which are constantly making a buck as the wheels of commerce turn. The result of industries' actions are less dreamy. Pollution, the destruction of species, and the removal of ecosystems all occur under the watch of a corporate-run country. The lives of animals, plants, and humans suffer as man extends his reach into the depths of America’s resources. Direct action, the tactic of a physical action to prevent, slow down, or raise awareness of an issue, is an important method used by those who feel they can no longer let the machine run the way it’s running.
When Edward Abbey wrote The Monkey Wrench Gang, a modern bible was created for eco-raiders. Abbey wrote about four strangers who come together in their growing rage towards industry and growth over land and life. The characters take drastic measures in various forms to stop man’s machine fueled advance. From burning billboards, to sabotaging bulldozers and other equipment, to destroying oil rigs, the crew work their way around the southwest in order to “save” all they can from “destruction.” Their ultimate goal lies in destroying the Glen Canyon Dam, which they feel has taken the life out of the Colorado River. This cause has continued outside of the novel, as many individuals have worked to both symbolically and physically cause the existence of the dam to end.
Three major groups are responsible for a majority of direct actions deemed illegal by the government both here and overseas. These three groups are Earth First!, the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), and the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). Although their tactics may vary, their desired outcome is similar: to stop man’s expansion and destruction of life and the land which habitats life. These groups work to raise awareness by their actions, leaving the courtroom battles for those who have faith in a slow and expensive legal system.
Earth First! is a direct action group who often refer to The Monkey Wrench Gang as the book which possesses the core of their beliefs. They are perhaps the most popular direct action group known by the public. Dave Foremen, a founder of Earth First!, named the group for the title’s simplicity and strength. All actions taken, all decisions made, must have the Earth considered first, with no compromise towards protecting the planet. Foreman is the author of Ecodefense: A Field Guide to Monkey Wrenching. His group has led thousands of actions for the protection of wildlife, forests, and the overall existence of the planet. Through often illegal yet nonviolent actions, and media covered events, EF! can bring to the public eye issues which normally may go unadressed in the mainstream press.
The style of Earth First! actions vary, from tree sits, to blockades, to logging roads, to sabotaging of equipment, and so on. The creativity exhibited grows as more and more actions occur. Tree sitting has become a very popular action for gaining exposure about a potentially decimated or removed forest. Individuals, with a support assisting team, will remain nonviolent, suspended hundreds of feet high in an old tree for months, or even years, in order to save the trees. The most famous tree sitter is Julia Butterfly Hill, who was in a tree for over two years in Humbolt County, California. In the end, Hill saved a group of Redwood trees in the area.
On the far side of this spectrum, both the Animal Liberation Front, and the Earth Liberation Front, act without hesitations about illegal violence. The front page of the web site has a powerful initial quote, "The ELF realizes the profit motive caused and reinforced by the capitalist society is destroying all life on this planet. The only way, at this point in time, to stop that continued destruction of life is to by any means necessary take the profit motive out of killing." By focusing their energies on destroying established businesses, businesses which exist in part by sacrificing either land, nature, or animal, these groups go straight to the source of what they feel are the causes for the mindset which allows such actions to be approved, or at least overlooked. The money which runs in the bloodstream of the capitalist society is thus reduced from the living body of business.
The guidelines for the the Earth Liberation Front are simple: 1) To cause as much economic damage as possible to a given entity that is profiting off the destruction of the natural environment and life for selfish greed and profit. 2) To educate the public on the atrocities committed against the environment and life. 3) To take all necessary precautions against harming life. These simple steps applied in the real world have landed the ELF on the top of “ecoterrorists” lists watched by the federal government.
One of the most well-known incidents that the ELF has taken credit for is the burning down of a ski resort in Vail, Colorado. This event did about $12-$26 million worth of damage. Their reason was the planned expansion into an area which was the last habitat for Lynx in the state. A letter sent to the media after the event occurred, ended with, “This action is just a warning. We will be back if this greedy corporation continues to trespass into wild and unroaded areas." Their web site lists actions taken from the past eight years, with amounts of financial damage done each year listed proudly.
With millions of dollars worth of damage caused, it is no wonder why this organization is pursued by a government which firmly stands by industry, growth, and capital. The ELF’s militant stance keep their actions from being warmly accepted by the public. For example, local Portland restaurant owner, and former ELF/ALF member, Craig Rosebraugh, was questioned by a House Subcommittee on ecoterrorism in which he was asked, “Are you personally concerned that one day an ELF or ALF perpetrated attack will wind up killing or wounding someone?” His response - “No, I am more concerned with massive numbers of people dying at the hands of greedy capitalists if such actions are not taken.” Statements like this may seem either passionate and strong to those on one side of the argument, or dangerous and deadly to those on the other side.
Responses to direct action in the mainstream public can be difficult for those looking to raise public awareness. In our post 9/11 world, the word “terrorist” can do much more damage than good. By labeling these acts, and the passionate activists as “terror related”, the discussion of whether these corporations and their procedures are good or bad, never reaches the public discussion. Media coverage will often breeze past the reasons behind these actions and instead focus of those affected, using the footage of destruction as their bait to attract viewers. If it is a tree sit being covered, where there is no image of destruction, the story may end up in the “offbeat” section, alongside a water-skiing squirrel and hot dog eating contest. This process, in which the corporate run media are negligent in their reporting the whole story, leaves it up to the independent press to cover these events.
The other side of the argument is one that is difficult to deny, on the surface: jobs are needed, and workers need these jobs to keep their families secure. When a logging company is stopped, money is lost, from the top to the bottom, meaning even the lower-class logger will experience hardship (especially the lower class). When a job site is sabotaged and the company loses millions of dollars worth of equipment, worked are laid off, the company suffers, and the “progress of industry” grinds to a halt.
These perspectives are understandable. They come from a world where capitalism is king, and the sacrifices made for the almighty dollar are obvious. If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to sell it, does it matter? No, not to the timber industry. The people in the fur industry, which thrives on the skinning of innocent creatures to serve the vanity of the wealthy (more than the poor in the cold), do not regard themselves as evil. They see themselves as humane businesspeople, filling a need for their customers. The capital motto rings true in all businesses: “as long as there is a demand for it, there will be a supply for it."
The actions and justifications arise on both sides of the relationship. As long as the customer believes it is okay to buy these products, or rather, never question the effects of purchasing certain products, the company will supply them, and vice versa. As long as industries see customers “voting with their dollars,” they will continue with production. So where can this be stopped? Direct action works as one tactic to immediately stop industries, hoping to raise awareness along the way. By exposing the effects of consuming certain products, and in such quantity, we have a hope of changing the public mind.
I contacted the always wise and nonstop thinking machine that is Noam Chomsky, asking what he thought of direct action as a means to create change. He replied that it was difficult to say, as it depended on the specific action. He also said the end product, to be effective, had to deal with public opinion and the policy makers. This point is true as far as the need to awaken a “green mind” within the population, a mindset which will not allow destruction of life and land to occur for the better living of the Western man’s post-industrialized world.
Convincing people that the "freedom" to have whatever you want (as advertised on the glow-box), is a dangerous lie told by big business, seems like a difficult task. I believe that the methods lie in the details of information, as suggested by Marti Kheel. Exposing the public, through various ways, to the atrocities which are caused by our constant consumption will eventually cause the reconsideration of such actions. Ecological security for all beings within the global ecosystem must not be recklessly altered or destroyed in order to keep profit margins high.
Direct action is just one of the many fronts on which we need to attack our current system. Society will eventually be forced to rethink their methods of living if these attacks occur. Over time, as the public learns what a money-fueled-government really looks like, it will become completely unacceptable. A revolution will occur. It may not be a bloody one, taking place on the streets, but it will be one with equal or even greater force. One which will dry out the feed lots for greedy capitalists and their deadly ways. One which will end corporate rule and environmental destruction by man’s thirst for wealth.
By allowing the process to slowly work through “dollar votes,” you still ignore the roots of the problem. The ecological society which is desperately needed must incorporate new ideas of what “progress” means, outside of economic values. We must not look to our bank accounts to see if we are successful individuals. We must create communities on smaller scales, reducing the need for foreign goods and dangerous synthetics. We must question what is really needed in order to live fully. We must reduce our own footprints in the Earth just as we reduced (if not removed) the footprints of industry. At the same time, we must encourage a loving relation with the planet, and all of its inhabitants. We must not look towards the destruction of others to advance ourselves; this will no longer be an option. When we lead by example, and our methods make it painfully obvious that life is better, we will begin the process of change.
Sources
Abbey, Edward. The Monkey Wrench Gang. Perennial Classics, New York, NY 1975
http://www.animalliberation.net/
Chomsky, Noam. Professor of Linguistics MIT. Interviewed by author via e-mail, 7/28/04
http://www.earthfirst.org/
http://www.earthliberationfront.com/
Scarce, Rik. Eco-Warriors. The Noble Press, Chicago, IL 1990.
Sterba, James. Earth Ethics. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ 1995.
Stop Huntington Animal Cruelty