This newsletter might be illegal
Police and politicians want to treat activists and protesters as terrorists
I’m pretty sure I’m still on the right side of the law and won’t be hauled into my local police precinct for making another post to this Substack publication. I’m a peaceable person, not prone to violent outbursts or generally disturbing the peace. But what I’m doing right now, writing an environmental newsletter, could be threatened, because there are some concerning developments when it comes to the intersection of the environment, law enforcement, and rhetoric.
A little over a week ago, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a report saying that events planned by Erin Brockovich in the town of East Palestine, Ohio could prompt a terrorist threat from violent extremists.
Yes, that’s right. The woman who inspired the Erin Brockovich film and one of Julia Roberts’ best roles was associated with terrorists by the Department of Homeland Security. Brockovich was in East Palestine to speak out about the February train derailment and the subsequent controlled release and burn of toxic materials involved in the crash. Residents have been concerned about their headaches, coughs, general fatigue, and burning skin. Brockovich was in town to help those affected by the disaster.
Throughout her career of environmental and community activism, Brockovich has never been known to be violent, promote violence, or associate with terrorists. Also named in the DHS report is the nonprofit environmental organization Earthjustice. This organization is praised for its work and has never been associated with terrorism or violence. Moreover, there has been no violence associated with the derailment. There was one peaceful protest rally in Fremont, Ohio, 150 miles away from the accident.
Authors of the report, titled the “Ohio Statewide Terrorism Analysis & Crime Center Terrorism Analysis Unit Situational Awareness,” claimed “that special interest extremist groups will continue to call for changes in governmental policy, which may lead to protests in/around East Palestine and/or at the Statehouse in Columbus.”
The DHS posted the report on an online intelligence-sharing platform on February 28. The platform is shared by more than 150,000 state and local police, as well as federal law enforcement agencies and other organizations associated with law enforcement.
This report could simply be sloppy and stupid work on the part of the DHS, or it could be a veiled effort to criminalize Brockovich and her work. In a way, the report seems to criminalize the victims of the derailment. While the DHS associated Brockovich with terrorists, there is nothing in the report that hints of criminality or malfeasance on the part of Norfolk Southern, which operates the rail.
Meanwhile, close to two dozen individuals have been charged with domestic terrorism for their participation in violent clashes with police in Atlanta, Georgia, over the construction of a police and fire training facility. The facility would pave over more than 1,000 acres of the South River Forest, one of the largest urban forests in the U.S. The facility would be sizable, including enough paved roadway for police to practice high-speed chases and even a “mock city” for police and firemen to practice their skills.
Protesters want to retain the forest, which provides tree canopy for Atlanta and is home to rare plants and fish. Many also judge the new training center to be part of the militarization of America’s police forces.
Besides the domestic terrorism charges, some politicians want to reinforce the idea that Atlanta’s protesters are on equal footing with Osama bin Laden. The Democratic mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens, labeled the protests as terrorism, as did Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
It is true that the protests in Georgia have been violent. Protesters have hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police. Equipment, including at least one tractor, has been burned. But does this constitute terrorism? I grew up in the 1960s and have heard of protests my whole life, many of them violent. The Watts Riots in 1965 lasted five days, during which hundreds of buildings and whole city blocks were burned to the ground. Antiwar protests during the Vietnam War were overwhelmingly peaceful, but sometimes became riotous or violent. Arson and violence also characterized the Stonewall Riots, which are recognized as the beginning of the modern gay rights movement.
At no time during those tumultuous times were the protests or riots described as terrorism. People were arrested, charged, and sometimes convicted of theft, destruction of property or sometimes lesser crimes, but no one was charged or even labeled as a terrorist.
Labeling protest as terrorism has been a development over the last several years. The tactic was used four years ago during the height of the protests against the Keystone Pipeline. This is deliberate and insidious. Using the word terrorism scares people. It brings up images of car bombs ripping through city streets and airplanes flying into towers. It can also scare the protesters. Somebody who opposes a pipeline or the destruction of a forest might be willing to risk being charged with disorderly conduct, but it’s a whole ‘nother thing to possibly face years in jail as a terrorist.
Do you think it’s wrong to associate Erin Brockovich with terrorism? Do you think violent protesters are on par with terrorists? Please click the “Leave a Comment” button and let me know.
Uncontrolled urban growth is just another name for cancer. https://earthmonk.substack.com/p/we-are-cancer