The Department of Homeland Security distributed a bulletin on Thursday to help corporations fight “eco-terrorism” like “flyer distribution,” “graffiti,” and “tying up company phone lines.”
Go ahead and laugh, but it gets worse. There are two things in this bulletin that are dead serious:
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1. DHS admits it has “no specific, credible information at this time suggesting animal rights extremists and eco-terrorists are planning to target known corporations.”
2. In addition to “organizing protests” and “inundating computers with e-mails,” DHS later notes other tactics like verbal harassment and vandalism. But NOWHERE in the bulletin is the word “violence” used.
So why waste taxpayer money, and valuable homeland security resources, preparing and distributing this bulletin when there is no “credible information,” and no fear of violence? Money.
Animal rights activists and environmentalists are succeeding where so many consumer boycotts, petitions and other status quo acts of protest have miserably failed: they’re hurting corporate profits.
Corporations are scared, and they’re pressuring the administration and law enforcement to step in. This bulletin is one part of the government’s corporate aid.
DHS admits as much. The very first line of the bulletin reads:
“Attacks against corporations by animal rights extremists and eco-terrorists are costly to the targeted company and, over time, can undermine confidence in the economy.”
That’s what all this “eco-terrorism” rhetoric is about — using fears of terrorism to justify cracking down on pesky activists that hurt corporate profits. It’s time we call a spade a spade, and force lawmakers to stop wasting money fighting “flyer distribution.”
P.S. Congrats to Justin Rood for getting his hands on this bulletin first.