Crazy Environmentalists No Friend to the Environment


Back when I worked in science at the University of Colorado, we had more than one incident with activist groups that would raid the lab to free the research animals. Of course, this meant they'd open the freezers and expose stocks of microscopic nematode worms to warmth and heat, which meant they quickly ran out of food and died of starvation. And ruining months, and sometimes years worth of research, to boot. Sometimes research that might have been useful for guiding environmental policy.

Then there are the ecoterrorists who destroy thousands of dollars of equipment to make a statement, to draw attention to their cause. And, like suicide bombers blowing themselves up in Israel, the media can only report this in a fashion that draws negative, non-supportive attention.

Recently, some reactionary group spouting concern for the environment exposed their true enmity with their cause by releasing 10,000 mink from a mink farm in Washington.

Regardless of what you think about mink farms, think first about the act just committed. 10,000 mink. Released. At once. These mink were thrust from a place where they were fed into the world where they either had to cruelly starve to death over many days, or forage for food. They chose to forage for food. If you are not acquainted with the mink, think weasel. These things can hunt. And they did. And, duh, generated negative media reports in the process.

All these destructive, unthinking, crazy acts supposedly done for a professed love and concern over the environment. As if terrorism were something that has ever even once in the history of modern civilization produced a positive outcome. Quite the reverse.

These crazies have done more harm to the environment than George Bush. Why? Because their acts, when filtered through the media, come across to the common person as violent, senseless actions. Years of this activity has come to taint the word 'environmentalism' itself. Moderates who might have voiced concern about roll-backs of air quality laws, repeals of roadless forest initiatives, and the opening of national parks and wildlife preserves to oil exploration keep silent. They don't want to be associated with crazy 'environmentalists.'

If these activists really cared about the environment, they'd put a little thought into their exploits that draw media attention. And, some do--but their non-violent protests cannot compete for media attention like unbridled destruction--so this becomes the argument for destruction. But, unlike selling a product, not all attention is good attention, ESPECIALLY if you are selling a cause. Many would rather let their passion rule their minds, and their true interests. I sometimes wonder if they care less about the environment, and more about fueling their own sense of constant outrage, as if it were a drug.


Posted: Fri - August 29, 2003 at 10:24 AM          

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