The Philosophy of the Earth Friendly Movement - Essay Example

The increase in environmental awareness with a focus on the ethical treatment of animals has grown to the level of normalcy within Western cultures. Few grocery stores or one-stop shopping marts are without an alternative eco-friendly brand for virtually everything from dog food to dish soap. More and more, the altruism of eco-friendly behavior is turning to a more necessary discipline that no longer seeks to prevent overconsumption of the earth but rather to save the earth from damage done. The purpose of this discussion is to breach the area where human responsibility and eco-friendly awareness turn into eco-terrorism.
The term terrorism has been dusted off from the archive of rarely used, fantastical terms, only to become a household word universally relevant to the attacks which occurred on September 11, 2000. We know that terrorism is often a tool employed by certain religious fundamentalists and political extremists, but there is new and dually bizarre terrorism which we refer to as eco-terrorism. By definition, eco-terrorism is an act that is done for the sake of environmentalism and/or animal rights. These acts often include but are not limited to setting fires, destroying property, vandalizing or issuing death threats to groups or people who are thought to be acting cruelly towards animals or irresponsibly towards the earth and its resources, “Eco-terrorism or eco-sabotage is any crime committed in the name of saving nature. Eco-terrorists commit arson and burglary, trespass, issue death threats, and engage in malicious destruction of property and vandalism-usually against farmers, ranchers, miners, loggers, researchers, manufacturers, or home builders. Targets include animal research labs, logging camps, mills, power generation, and distribution facilities, and forestry buildings. The criminal acts are intended to change the behavior of individuals and institutions or to alter public policies”(Runyan, 2008). An example of this would be the infamous red spray paint aimed at those wearing fur coats.
The new developments in terrorist activities differ greatly from the peaceful movement erected by the “flower children” of the ’60s and ’70s. Certainly, just as political and religious agendas have evolved to contain a fringe population of extremists, so has the eco-friendly movement. These issues and topics differ in their goals and focal points, but the passionate and proactive behavior engaged in by those who wish to enforce their opinion and beliefs on others are very much the same. Terrorism is ultimately varying acts of force meant to “terrorize” others causing with the intent of forcing them to conform to a set of criteria due to fear. This tactic is not new to humankind as it has been used for millennia by tyrants and extremists alike. The intended end result is always to enforce one’s belief system on others. This is a means of control through the spreading of fear and pandemonium. Read More