Slow to post next few days: Brave New Leaf

Fire_street_of_dreams Sorry about not posting for the last few days, but I've been busy burning down the environmentally-conscious "Street of Dreams" in the name of sustainability. And when we greenies hide-out from the law, we don't want a warm, cozy basement with a fridge full of food and an Xbox. We wrap ourselves in vines and steal out of the Starbucks dumpster, thus making our point about the wastefulness of mankind. So you can see why I've been busy.

Seriously, though. I threw my back out on the Leap Day, and my doctor says I need a little less computer time while I'm recovering. So posting will be a bit slow this week.

Before moving on, I do want to complain a bit about ELF (Earth Liberation Front), the group that scorched the Street of Dreams houses to the ground this weekend. Let's learn a little bit more about them. Their published guidelines for action are:

To inflict maximum economic damage on those profiting from the destruction and exploitation of the natural environment.
To reveal to, and to educate the public about the atrocities committed against the earth and all species that populate it.
To take all necessary precautions against harming any animal - human and nonhuman.

The ELF are listed as the FBI's #1 domestic terrorist threat. They've caused over 100 million dollars of damage nationwide, largely in fires. Many in California. Yeah, because we know that fires in California never get out of control and hurt people. </sarcasm>

I condemn the actions of the ELF, as should all serious environmentalists. It may indeed be a war that we're waging on wasteful environmental practices, but extremist behavior does nothing to advance the cause.

Extremism will not bring people over the hump towards changing their lifestyles. Instead, it alienates the few that may have been considering it, not wanting to affiliate themselves with what is clearly a movement full of crazy people. Nor will violent extremist behavior prevent another Street of Dreams from being built.

We need to lead with our actions, our words, and by getting involved in the system. We don't live in a nation where change is impossible without getting the attention of the government through some dramatic, violent act. We live in a nation where if we don't like what's happening, we can run for office and change it.

Shame on you ELF. Your tactics are deplorable and the green community rejects you.