From: "The Baptist Death Ray" <bdr-AT-baptistdeathray.com>
Subject: Re: [anarchism] Tree Spiking
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 15:27:08 -0400


----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Lewis" <mlewis-AT-unm.edu>
To: "HaydukeLives" <HaydukeLives-AT-egroups.com>; "Anarchy List"
<anarchy-list-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>; <EarthFirst-AT-yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2001 2:14 PM
Subject: Re: [anarchism] Tree Spiking


>     This on-going debate on the effectiveness and/or ethics of
tree-spiking
> calls to question the whole concept of monkeywrenching.

The hell it does! What it calls into question is whether or not you're
actually striking back at the right target.

>     If tree-spiking is viewed by some as ineffective and
counterproductive,
> is monkeywrenching in general so perceived? Are we kidding ourselves that
> monkeywrenching has any effect in opposing the status quo economic and
> political system? Is it even counterproductive in that it mobilizes the
> constabulary against us and provides further justification for
> militarization of the police?
>
>     I think not.

The argument if y is a part of x, therefore if y is bad then x is also bad
is a fallacy. There are certainly effective and ineffective forms every kind
of protest. That doesn't invalidate the protest itself, just the specific
type.

>     Monkeywrenching is a political act as well as a physical act of
> opposition and self-defense. Ed Abbey explained it well in his
introduction
> to "Ecodefense." When we engage in acts of opposition against the ruling
> elite and their economic and political thugs, we stand as defenders of the
> wild and our human place in the wild. Our acts serve notice that we will
not
> sit back and accept this attack on all that is true and good. We act as
the
> immune system of the wild, innoculating trees against logging, destroying
> invasive bulldozers, burning out cancerous urban sprawl.

Meanwhile, fuck the poor bastard who gets in your way, for whatever reason.

>     At the same time, we bring to the surface that itch that lives within
> all of us, that recognition of our true home in the wild, the pang of
guilt
> and inner pain when we see the wild despoiled and laid waste for inhuman
> profit. We thrust these images to the fore with each bulldozer burned,
each
> timber sale spiked and publicized, each forest road blocked and locked
down.
> Once aware, even the most hard-hearted industrialist cannot remove the
image
> of the rape of the wild, images that will remain with him or her,
constantly
> festering, always present when news of more monkeywrenching fills the
> tabloid press. Eventually they will do their work, as age turns greed to
> understanding and inescapable mortality puts all in perspective.

You obviously lack a true appreciation for exactly how hard-hearted some
industrialists can be. Tree spiking has turned into a good photo opportunity
for a lot of them... some probably want the tree spikings to CONTINUE.

>     We dare not voluntarily remove any effective tool from our kit. Those
> who seek to pave the world and make all things and all people products for
> corporate profit will never hesitate to make use of any means to gain
their
> greedy ends. We must be as creative and diverse as the Nature we seek to
> protect and bend every tool at our disposal against the growth maniacs who
> now rule the world.

Certainly, there are some things you won't do, yes?

>     It's up to you.

It's up to everyone to realize that numbers are far too small to change
anything by force, and if you take acts that alientate people you ultimately
want on your side, you're going to win the battle and lose the war.

Christopher B. Wright (the Baptist Death Ray) (bdr-AT-baptistdeathray.com)