Environmental activists and conservation groups are confronting a variety of state-level attempts to criminalize dissent aimed at corporate and commercial targets. In Pennsylvania, Republican state senator Joe Scarnati has introduced SB589, which defines a new crime: “environmental harassment” or “communicating” a threat to commit or cause a violent crime dangerous to human life, property, or business practice. If passed, the bill… return to article
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Reader Comments (25)Page 1 of 1 pagesThis is no surprise as many eco-defenders have exprienced harrassmant and brutality for quite a while from “unofficial sources.”
Laws merely add to the diffuculty.
It may be time for all eco-defenders to take off for the west face of the Coast Range in Oregon (W. of Portland) and hide out while this madness plays itself out. It may take 20 years or so.RYOKAN
Posted by Ryokan on Sep 23, 2003 at 6:31 PM this is really sick…. its times like these that i remind myself that according to mayan tradition the world is supposed to end on 23 december 2012… yay all the evil people will get their commupence
Posted by lana on Sep 24, 2003 at 12:17 PM The greed mongers and their minions playing on imagined fears of their own making.Organize,resist and refuse to become part of the 4th Reich.
Posted by J.Kase on Sep 24, 2003 at 1:42 PM The greed mongers and their minions playing on imagined fears of their own making.Organize,resist and refuse to become part of the 4th Reich.
Posted by J.Kase on Sep 24, 2003 at 1:42 PM The greed mongers and their minions playing on imagined fears of their own making.Organize,resist and refuse to become part of the 4th Reich.
Posted by J.Kase on Sep 24, 2003 at 1:42 PM Wait. The Internet is next. It’s the only voice of dissent available to millions in the US and around the world.
New online call in radio show will be on their list… it’s a marvelous place to vent anger and outrage against this insane government.
Posted by Jean on Sep 24, 2003 at 4:03 PM Washington State legislators attempted to push through a law that would have criminalized (a felony) any public gathering that distracted drivers of motor vehicles back in February/March. It didn’t pass.
Posted by Just Me on Sep 24, 2003 at 11:07 PM About time. One thing to protest - another to destroy property and endanger lives.
Posted by Parks on Sep 27, 2003 at 2:43 AM PARKS from texas….....Re-read the article. We’re not talking about damaging property or endangering lives. We already have laws against these type of crimes. What we’re talking about now is making dissent itself a crime. EXAMPLE…..Nike employs laborers in Asia to make air jordans (retail$120 +) for 25 cents A DAY. You dont like that so you put a bumper sticker on your car that says something like….” DONT BUY NIKE SHOES! ” Nike doesnt like this so they claim your damaging thier business and you end up in jail AND have to pay damages to nike for lost sales due to you bumpersticker. Pretty cool huh? In affect laws like these make saying no a crime. Pretty soon that turns into supporting the wrong political party or signing a petition being a crime. Maybe all of this is cool in the republic of texas where if you cant win by playing by the rules you just change the rules but the rest of us dont like it one bit.
Posted by Shawn P Murphy on Sep 27, 2003 at 7:27 PM Well, the AssHats who are vandalizing/defacing and destroying SUV’s in the name of a cleaner environment not only are doing the environmental cause a world of hurt and giving it tons of bad publicity and press, they’re actions also seriously damaged and harmed the very environment they claim to champion.
Ferret Felchers, the lot of ‘em.
Posted by WSLer on Sep 28, 2003 at 2:59 AM Thats funny you have in the past . dont deny it shawn. there were protest in california where they block roads and threw rocks,concrete at cops. you rather kill a person just to make a sad point. That is all your protest are bout.
Posted by Military fiance on Sep 30, 2003 at 9:16 PM Ooo! Ooo! What about the Rampart cops in LA who lied and tortured and killed people for profit? Don’t deny it, Military fiance [sic?]. They’d rather kill a person just to make a sad buck. That’s what your cops are all about.
After all, that seems to be your logic regarding this protest you mention in California. I’m not sure how Shawn, who claims to hail from Ohio, is supposed to be involved, though. Oh wait, it’s like the coloreds, right? They all know each other….
Dumbass.
Posted by Aaron on Oct 1, 2003 at 8:13 PM Here in Sacramento, they enacted similar laws right before the Agricultural Ministerial conference. Among other things, this statute made it a crime to protest while wearing a bandanna or carrying anything in one’s hand that could be considered a projectile [including water bottles].
Our right to dissent is obviously getting crushed, but many real patriots are pushing back. . .
I believe the British used similar language about the Boston Tea Party. Does that mean these ALEC fools believe Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and John Adams were all terrorists? If that is so - and if the British had succeeded - there would be no United States of America. Carried to a logical extention, these people are not real American patriots but are closer to a bunch of British Cornwallises. Our constitution clearly states that the the right of the government flows from the consent of the governed.
Since a great many people think it’s wrong to sterilize whole segments of our food supply [then release these organisms into the general environment] our government ought to listen. . . Wanton destruction of property [and possibly life] is not the answer, but neither is converting our beautiful democracy into the fourth Reich.
The right to protest is a bedrock of our great nation. It’s too bad people would rather make a dime than insure a viable future for their children.
Posted by Ed Mellon on Oct 2, 2003 at 11:55 PM ELF and their kind should be labeled a terrorist group.
Setting fire to buildings in Vail put lives at risk. Firefighters have kids and wives.
What a bunch of babies anyway. Won’t even come out into the open.
Posted by Koppy on Oct 3, 2003 at 9:06 PM We already have laws that prevent activists from blocking doors and otherwise interfering with business. As American citizens, we have the right to protest and business on public property. We don’t have the right to enter into public property or deliberately restrain businesses from conducting business (we would object strenuously if others restrained us from conducting business. The law already prevents us from Eco-harassment or any form of harassment. We cannot conduct ourselves unlawfully and expect business or behave lawfully. We cannot restrict business and yet demand our right to protest. What we must do is legally and lawfully find better ways of stopping business from violating our rights. How about an article on the fact that businesses are multi-national corporations. How can blocking the doors of a store affect a multi-national corporation?
Posted by Linda on Oct 4, 2003 at 11:07 AM Aaron dont ooo ooo me son. Cops dont go out there to make a buck. They are there to serve and to protect. ok there are some bad cops but you protest out there cause ppl to die left in right just cuz they are agaisnt your actions. I think its bout time to see you activist get what you deserve. The ones in San Fransico should have gone to jail . Committin a crime you pay the time. I hope this crime bill passes in all states. It would be a better place to live in.
Another thing for the ppl that burn humvees and SUV you are poluting the air every time you set fire to. including home. where the wood have chemicals. good going ppl just kill the air we breath
Posted by Military fiance on Oct 4, 2003 at 11:06 PM this is amazing, simply astounding. the fact that anyone could even think that this bill would be a good think is simply unbelievable. is it not our right to prtotest what we want in this nation, no justice no peace? this nation was founded on protestors, and here they are taking away our right of protest, this is amazing. im sure that our “president” would love this, anpother way to benefit his friends in the lumber trade? this is just astounding. there is more to this…..
Posted by ted twinting on Oct 5, 2003 at 9:39 PM m fiance I have read other things you have posted here and you sound like a radical. U are against everything good and decent and all for money and power.
shame on you. U have no social conscience and all you do is whine. Y don’t u grow up.
Posted by stan on Oct 6, 2003 at 12:03 AM Apparently, Military fiance, youíre unable to grasp abstract thought, so Iíll attempt to spell this out in words small enough for you to understand. Not all ecological activists advocate (that means support) violence, any more than all cops are corrupt (that means evil). To assume (that means to decide something without evidence) such is to use the same ělogicî (these quotations mean sarcasm, which means that Iím actually saying that this is not logic) that racists use when painting broad swathes of humanity with a single brush (this is an analogy, which means that it is a symbolic link between one situation, in this case your ěconclusionî (remember what those quotation marks mean?) that all ecological activists go around throwing rocks at cops and burning SUVs, and another, in this case my sarcastic (remember what that word means?) claim that all cops are corrupt because of the corruption of a few officers in LA).
To carry this sarcasm a little bit further Military fiance (by the way, itís spelled ěfiancČeî (these quotation marks donít indicate sarcasm, they simply highlight the correct spelling of a word. Do you understand?)), using your ělogicî (back to sarcasm, here…I know itís really confusing, but bear with me) you should rethink your choice of spouse, because after all, there were a couple of military guys who killed their wives a few years ago. So unless you have a death wish, get out of the engagement while youíre still breathing. Either that, or recognize the fact that not all military folks kill their spouses, just as not all ecological activists burn SUVs.
For the record, Iím not an ecological activist. I just hate dumb people. If you want to be stupid, please do it somewhere else.
Dumbass.
Posted by Aaron on Oct 6, 2003 at 3:39 PM Aaron-
This is not a chat room. You’re an idiot and you’re ruining these comment pages. We’re trying to go into ideas here. You need to actually get laid and calm down.
Posted by Jordan on Oct 9, 2003 at 7:58 PM easy Jordan, the guy is defending himself. Nothing wrong with him responding to other comments.
yeah he may have said dumbass but so ? he’s right in one case.
wally, beaver, stop fighting.
Posted by stan on Oct 10, 2003 at 12:46 AM If we are to begin banning any “two or more people” from gathering in protest or support of political policy or any other cause, then I would like to see an end put to the public display of white supremist groups.
If animal rights or environmental groups expressing their opinions are to be classified terrorists, then we have begun “trespassing” on the right of free speech. You will set a precident, and I will be one of the first people on the bandwagon to begin “suppressing the rights” of other groups, particularly those who preach hate.
Posted by Beth Mueller on Oct 18, 2003 at 3:10 PM OK maybe these new laws arent so bad after all.
A few sloagans / bumperstickers I’d like to see labeled as TERRORIST ACTIVITY…....
“I’m the NRA and I vote”
“Support our troops”
“Bush / Cheny 2004”
“I’m pro life and I vote”
Calvin piss on chevy / piss on ford
“semper fi do or die”
The confederate flag
” G.L.Y. God loves you”
That stupid fish thing
#3, #8, #24, or any nascar bullshit
” redkneck on board “
“dont blame me, I didnt vote for….”
“my boss is a jewish carpenter”
“abortion kills children”
“christ saves”
“god bless amerikkka”
“USMC”
“united as one”
“Let freedom wave”
“support our president and our troops”
the masonic crest thingys
“USAF”
“army of one”
Etc., etc.OK how about groups…...
If operation rescue harrass my girlfriend while going to planned parenthood for a check-up are they terrorists??
If the NRA holds a rally in littleton colorado a few days after columbine high school is shot up is Charleton Heston a terrorist?? Oh and dont forget all those 10 dollar, life time NRA members, Are they aiding and abetting??
If the Bush administration lies its ass off to get us into a war are they commiting activities “with an intent to influence a government agency or the public to take a specific political action”? In texas that would be a crime and they’d get their names on the list.
I’m sure the sarcasm could flow forever. I just wanted to point out how silly these new laws would be. Its just bullshit intended to scare us and shut us up. How full would the jails be if any number of these laws were passed? How would the courts operate if every eco, animal, peace activist applied these laws to the powers that be??
I say ( jokingly) go ahead and pass these laws. I’ve got nothing better to do than take the USA and the BUSH gang to court cause they dont like my greenpeace sticker.
Posted by Shawn P. Murphy on Oct 21, 2003 at 11:27 PM P.S.
If you’ve read the article above or any of the posts that go alaong with it and you have an opinion about it,
you may be aiding and abetting,
your may be knowingly providing support and
You may be a TERRORIST.
Posted by Shawn P. Murphy on Oct 21, 2003 at 11:34 PM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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