Since the very, very enthusiastic environmental activists at the Earth Liberation Front decided to torch a street of million-dollar homes in Seattle yes

Since the very, very enthusiastic environmental activists at the Earth Liberation Front decided to torch a street of million-dollar homes in Seattle yesterday, it made me wonder just how long they’ve been in business.

elf This is the logo of Environmental Life Force, not the Earth Liberation Front apparently. Our bad

As it turns out, long enough, and successfully enough, that they’re the longest-operating, most successful paramilitary organization to operate inside of U.S. borders since the inception of the Union.

The ELF, and their sister organization ALF (Animal Liberation Front) have been active since at least 1984, when they entered the public consciousness by trashing the head injury lab at Penn. Way to stir up public support, guys…

As if that weren’t enough, they’ve been horribly active since– with over 170 reported incidents in 2001 alone– and this Southern Poverty Law Center bulletin tells the sad tale: firebombing the circus, attacking the University of Washington, burning a McDonald’s’ to the ground, and of course taking out the local Republican party headquarters in Bloomington, Indiana. They also spike trees– about which you will find nary a happy lumberjack as they correctly believe this practice endangers their limbs– and have a flair for burning things that they find obtrusive, as happened in Seattle.

Needless to say, I love the environment. But actions like this cause me to consider Newton’s Third Law, and how much harder the job of the rest of us will be when extremists are running wild.

By new Environmental Graffiti contributor Ben Ray. Ben is a freelance writer, check him out at What’s Required

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