Although certain individuals may be radically committed to preserving and conserving nature at all costs and sometimes commit questionable or even illegal acts; their actions do not justify the dismissal of all responsible foresighted people as 'kooks'. Not only is the term Ecoterrorist an unjustified label and an insult to outdoorsmen and others who hope to preserve and conserve nature and the environment; as far as I'm concerned the label is totally misapplied.
As a matter of fact, as far as I'm concerned, those people in government(s), industry and corporations who dismiss and categorize all of those 'kooks' in environmental or nature-concerned groups as say 'Ecoterrorists', or as detrimental to the American way of life are the real Ecoterrorists. This is true whether they be greedy real estate developers bringing us urban or suburban sprawl; corporations which flout environmental regulations with virtual impunity; or government officials who continue to advocate the exploration and use of oil, coal and other fossil fuels in spite of the negative effects on the environment, plus contributing to otherwise unnecessary wars and the funding of terrorists overseas from petroleum coffers. For example, the timber industry wantonly destroys rain forests, out National Forests, and the rich bounty of flora and fauna which exist(s) there; not to mention causing pollution and climate change here and around the world. (to be cont'd)
[The original version of this essay first appeared in my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays and more recently appeared in my political blog "Rage Against the [Bush] Regime".]
No comments:
Post a Comment