Cherry Point Air Station in North Carolina held a terrorism training where environmentalists stormed the military base, took hostages, demanded money, and killed two Marines.
The “eco-terrorist” attack drill was used to “practice the response of emergency workers and special response teams.”
Cherry Point is considered one of the best jet bases in the world. It trains Marines and also launches strike missions headed for Afghanistan. Its runway is huge, large enough that Cherry Point is an alternate landing site for space shuttles. There’s no doubt that military units should be prepared for terrorist attacks and hostage situations.
But who to use in a drill? Hmm. There’s, I dunno, Al-Qaeda, which has attacked U.S. military and civilian targets. There’s anti-abortion extremists who have recently murdered people. Or there’s environmentalists who have never taken hostages, never harmed anyone, and primarily direct their campaigns at corporations or government agencies, not the military. Bingo!
Do you feel safer yet?
This isn’t an isolated instance: the nation’s largest homeland security training drill was a hostage scenario involving animal rights activists.
Drills like this contribute to the fear-mongering campaigns of corporations labeling activists as “terrorists.” They add to the existing climate of fear that has enabled legislation like the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, and has led to the placement of environmental activists like Daniel McGowan in secretive political prisons called Communication Management Units.
Outside the gates of the Cherry Hill base where the drill took place, there’s a sign, featured in this photo, with the words: “Pardon our noise. It’s the sound of freedom.”
Thanks to Stewart for the tip!