The danger of all this “terrorism” rhetoric is how politically malleable it is: industry groups can mold it into “eco-terrorism,” KFC can hammer it into “corporate terrorism” to smear Peta, and on and on and on. The word can be melted and reformed into a weapon against the latest enemy of the hour.
The flipside of that is that people in power can choose to NOT use the word, choose to not smear someone as a terrorist. And, unfortunately, it’s not too surprising what type of activity isn’t labeled “terrorism.”
So when someone spraypainted racist graffiti on Peta’s office, it wasn’t “terrorism,” it was “vandalism.”
“We have 11 different victims, vandalisms occurred sometime between 11:30 p.m. Monday and 6:00 a.m. today,” said Norfolk Police spokesman Chris Amos…
Amos says investigators don’t believe the vandalism is work of “gangs.”
[Don’t you love how “gangs” is in quotation marks? Curious how “eco-terrorism” rarely appears that way.]
So let’s get this all straight. Groups like Center for Consumer Freedom, which protested a book signing by Peta’s Ingrid Newkirk with black masks, religiously call vandalism “terrorism.” Yet when racists vandalize CCF’s political opponents, the group distributes emails poking fun at it: “Irony: Vandal tags PETA headquarters with spray-paint graffiti.”
Clearly, they have their priorities straight.
Meanwhile:
- In Austin, a prominent activist who had been repeatedly harassed by the FBI is found dead, and mainstream media hasn’t had much to say.
- In Idaho, fire gutted an unoccupied home. Whaddayouknow, much like the Seattle arson:
The 3,000-square-foot home was going to be entered in the North Idaho Building Contractors Association Parade of Homes in August, said Todd Stam, the owner of Aspen Homes. Stam said he thought the blaze might be an act of ecoterrorism.
Buried in the article was the fact that the $720,000 home was unsold. And insured.
- In Kansas, police say a “vandal” used a propane torch to cut through power poles and police consider “eco-terrorism.”
- A “suspicious device” was found outside a research lab in Nevada, and immediately animal rights activists are suspected.
In contrast, when a man sent 17 letters to lawmaker, activists, and journalists, with threatening statements and a substance intended to look like anthrax, he was a “hoaxer,” not a terrorist. (A hoaxer inspired by right-wingers like Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin).
When the SHAC 7 post personal information about animal researchers, it’s “animal enterprise terrorism.” But when Michelle Malkin posts the names and addresses of students who protest military recruitment, it’s all in good fun.
The message we’ve seen, time and again: it’s not “terrorism” if right-wingers do it.
[Don’t you love how “gangs” is in parentheses? Curious how “eco-terrorism” rarely appears that way.]
The word “gangs” was in quotation marks, not parenthesis genius.
R. DeMarco:
I changed it. No need to be rude. Will
If we’re going to be obnoxiously pedantic about things, I’d like to point out that the scholar who wrote comment #1 forgot a crucial comma.
“Genius” indeed.
Nice blog post, Will.
huh? That’s not our building. Sorry, I’m really confused…I just walked outside and didn’t see any paint.
Hey Davey: The local news article said it was the legal office, not the main building, and a Peta spokesperson said it has already been covered.
oh ok! Yea I’m at the main building across town so news travels slowly I guess. How disgusting. The money we’ll have to use to paint over that is important funds being taken away from the animals.
jerks.
=/
This was just a case of vandalism, there are no threatening slogans shown in the photo. Below is a short list of threats painted at various places by animal rights terrorist. I found these on Bite Back website ( a terrorist website).
You never see us, and you can’t stop us.
Animal Liberation Front”
‘Animal Abuser at No. 7′ was painted on a row of garages
‘100% CRUELTY’. We’ll come back soon!”
We painted ‘MEAT = MURDER’
anglers are murderers
we know where to find you
“‘Cardiff uni kills animals’
Sprayed on university campus fencing
“Murder” and other slogans were left behind in red paint.
‘First warning. Murderers
MURDERERS!, MEAT IS MURDER!,
PETA’s HQ was the victim of vandalism! The photo shows no threatened slogans or messages. If you want to see terrorist messages painted on homes of terror victims, then check out the list of terrorist activities on Bite back website….here are a few below.
‘FUR = MURDER’ and ‘Animal Liberation Front’ were some of the slogans painted on the building.
This was only a calling card. STOP SELLING FUR!
“Meat is Murder,” “Mess with Animals get Served” and “ALF”— were painted on a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant
‘NO BLOODSPORTS’ and ‘ALF’.
“YOU’VE BEEN WARNED,” “NYSE: PUPPY KILLERS” and “DROP HLS.”
“The phrase ‘Drop SSK’ were painted on his garage door and the letters ALF were scrawled across the side of his car in black spray paint. ”
“We also covered his house in paint including the words “CAT KILLER”
“slashed all the tires and left our calling card in our own paint. You never see us, and you can’t stop us.”
This is so ridiculous. I can’t stand it when people with influence stigmatize anything that threatens their hold on power.
Media groups need to stop trying to maximize their bottom line, and drop labels, and sensational journalism practices.
I cant understand why someone who purports to be ”green” can possibly defend such an unethical organisation as PETA, particularly on such spurious grounds as what appears to be standard graffiti. Perhaps a bit of research into PETA’s practices would be advisable?
Erin:
You might want to read the post again. I never claim to be “green,” nor do I say anything at all about Peta.
I think most reasonable people would disagree that spraypainting racist messages is “standard graffiti.” Are you saying that people shouldn’t be concerned about this, because the building vandalized belongs to a group you disagree with?
Will,
Maybe I haven’t seen all of the graffiti painted on PETA’s wall, what was the racist message?
Joe:
I haven’t seen all of it either: I’m dependent on the local news reports on this one, and I linked to one of the stories in the blog post. Will
I’m not sure what the name of this website supposed to accomplish? The most likely consequence of associating “green” (environmentalism) with “red” (Marxism) would seem to be hurting the image of environmentalism by tying it to an ideology responsible for millions of deaths and untold human suffering. (see e.g. http://www.polishlibrary.org/review/black_book_of_communism.htm ).
Starchild:
The name of this website is a metaphor, comparing the Red Scare, which recklessly labeled people as “communists” in order to push a political agenda and silence dissent, with the “Green Scare,” which is recklessly labeling people as “eco-terrorists” in order to push a political agenda and silence dissent.
Will