Eco-terroristsm: The Earth Liberation Front - Essay Example

Eco-terrorists If one was to label the people who set fire to the SUVs in Southern California, it would be eco-terrorists. These are groups of people who have a strong belief that everything should be done to destroy anything that harms the environment. The Earth Liberation Front (ELF) claimed responsibility for the burning of SUVs in the guise that they are protecting the environment from vehicles that emit harmful pollutants because of their poor fuel efficiency. The ELF is “an extremist environmental movement active in the United States during the past 20 years” (Federal Bureau of Investigation 3).

These groups of people should be labeled as eco-terrorists because their strategy is to protect the environment by destroying property. They are just like the other terrorists whose operations are implemented through a “loose network of individual cells” (TargetOfOpportunity.com, par 2). As per the definition of the FBI, “a terrorist incident is a violent act or an act dangerous to human life, in violation of the criminal laws of the United States, or of any state, to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” (Federal Bureau of Investigation 1).

Those who burned the SUVs committed an act that is dangerous to human life. Although they did not kill anybody, they are threatening human lives. People fear them because of their violent activities. One is of the firm belief that this group of people cannot just be considered social or political activists because their manner of promoting their beliefs is very radical. If they were not terrorists, then they would not resort to arson or other violent acts. On the contrary, this group has little or no respect for the law.

They do not conduct peaceful rallies or protests. Another reason why the people who burned the SUVs should be considered as eco-terrorists is that they cause property damages that amount to millions of dollars. They violate the rights of other citizens who choose to use SUVs instead of other car models. They violate the rights of automobile dealers who have every right to sell any type of car they wish to sell. Lastly, these people in their belief that they are fighting for their ideology, sow terror in society.

Everyone is concerned about the environment. But one need not resort to creating anarchy in society. They may not have killed a lot of people but they use scare tactics. They endanger the lives of people and property and that is more than enough proof to call them TERRORISTS!