Soft Machine³ - Arts Tech and Other

They think of themselves as radical protectors of Mother Earth, and they have taken the incredibly egotistical and judgmental position that they have the authority to decide when people and organizations cross the line, and need to be stopped by acts of destruction and threats of violence.

From the Earth Liberation Press Office:

Earth Liberation Front Topples Two Radio Station Towers in Snohomish County, WA

 

Everett, WA: Two radio station towers were torn down early Friday by the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) in the Lord’s Hills valley in Snohomish County, WA. The towers, owned by station KRKO, have been a source of controversy for years. A sign left at the scene claimed responsibility by the ELF.

“Due to the health and environmental risks associated with radio waves emitted from the towers, we applaud this act by the ELF,” stated Jason Crawford, a spokesperson for the North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office. “When all legal channels of opposition have been exhausted, concerned citizens have to take action into their own hands to protect life and the planet.”

For the past eight years, opponents have waged a legal battle against the towers, arguing that AM radio waves cause adverse health affects including a higher rate of cancer, harm to wildlife, and that the signals have been interfering with home phone and intercom lines.

Last year, the first four towers were erected by KRKO after numerous hearings and appeals. KRKO plans to build two more towers to boost the station’s broadcasting power.

Full press release

---

---

 

If the ELF is going to continue trying to shut down AM radio transmission, they need to be put away, perhaps in a padded cell. I suppose FM transmission is OK because it’s a different frequency class that is not full of “hot talk radio?” Do you “activists” have any hard evidence to back what you call your “arguments” about AM radio transmission?

What about the more popular scare story that high-voltage power line radiation causes… I’m not sure…. tendency to join utterly stupid “activist” groups like Earth Liberation Front? That would be cause for alarm! This AM radio tower fight seems highly cherry-picked — a local, long-running pitched battle. I suspect the ELF may be the ignorant tool of a clever, devious person. Perhaps a competing radio station owner, or property developer.

It’s interesting to see the ELF target one communication technology to protect others, a.k.a. “home phone and intercom lines.” Intercom lines? Seriously? Like the ones in the classic office setup where you tell your secretary to “get her sexy ass in here?” If Rush is interrupting such intercom use, I can see why one would be upset. One doesn’t want Rush to “get his sexy ass in here,” does one?

After digging more, this quote indicates the actual motivation here may be greed and the worst sort of NIMBY-ism.  “Opponents” have been waging an eight-year battle, perhaps because the tower ruins the view from the lovely house they inherited from their parents.

“We have to weigh our priorities and the local ecosystem in Everett, along with the local residents, do not need additional sports news radio station towers that come at the expense of reduced property values and harmful radio waves,” Crawford continued. “We sincerely hope that people continue to take direct action to stop the threats to human health, wildlife and the planet.”

These people need to take some remedial high school civics, science and physics before they continue “helping” by destroying things they are suspicious of. This is the forefront of the very worst aspect of “eco” extremism, which I tend to lump together with other anti-science and junk science trends.

Check out this lovely quote from the site regarding trees removed to provide communications in Mexico City:

“For every tree that is ripped from the earth to serve Telmex there will be thousands of sabotages; we will not stop until we see disgusting civilization, progress and all those who spread it destroyed!”

They can’t have ever taken debate, logic or science classes. Terms used with no definitions: “disgusting civilization” “disgusting progress” “those who spread aforementioned”

There are real issues that need addressing — it’s criminally negligent to destroy AM radio towers when we can’t seem to address health care reform. The only way the ELF can justify this is if they take the anti-human position that we all need to be exterminated — to protect the planet! In which case I think they should “do the honorable thing” and go first.