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Green Is the New Red: An Insider's Account of a Social Movement Under Siege
At a time when everyone is going green, most people are unaware that the FBI is using anti-terrorism resources to target environmentalists and animal rights activists. The courts are being used to push conventional boundaries of what constitutes "terrorism" and to hit nonviolent activists with disproportionate sentences. Some have faced terrorism charges for simply chalking slogans on the sidewalk. Like the Red Scare, this "Green Scare" is about fear and intimidation, using a word—"eco-terrorist"—to push a political agenda, instill fear and silence dissent. The animal rights and environmental movements directly threaten corporate profits every time activists encourage people to go vegan, to stop driving, to consume fewer resources and live simply. Their boycotts are damaging, and corporations and the politicians who represent them know it. In many ways, the Green Scare, like the Red Scare, can be seen as a culture war, a war of values. Will Potter outlines the political, legal, extra-legal and public relations strategies that are being used to threaten even acts of nonviolent civil disobedience with the label of "terrorism." Here is a guided tour into the world of radical activism that introduces the real people behind the headlines and tells the story of how everyday people are being prevented from speaking up for what they believe in. "Will Potter unveils this complex movement with its virtues and its flaws, the courage of a few and the false bravado of others. I see this book as the definitive overview of the genesis of what is emerging as the most important social movement in human history – the war to save ourselves from ourselves."—Captain Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society "If we are to survive capitalism's death grip on our discourse and on our lives, it will be in great measure due to the work of people like Will Potter. His courage and integrity, which set him apart from most journalists, are evident throughout this important book, and throughout all of his other crucial work. Thank you, Will Potter."—Derrick Jensen, author of Endgame "Part history, part action thriller and courtroom drama, part memoir, Green is the New Red plunges us into the wild, unruly, and entirely inspirational world of extreme environmental activism. Will Potter, participant-observer and partisan-reporter, is the perfect guide, unpacking with wit and skill the most elusive concepts . . ."—Bill Ayers Potter (a contributor to The Next Eco-Warriors) warns that the U.S. government is using post-9/11 anti-terrorism resources to target environmentalists and animal right activists (in some cases for doing nothing but speaking up) . . . Potter warns of the crumbling of "the legal wall separating 'terrorist' from 'dissident' or 'undesirable,'" and concludes his account with a call to action and a decry of the injustice that results in the "terrorist" label being put on those who threaten American corporate interests. Alarming."— Publishers Weekly "In this hard-hitting debut, journalist Potter likens the Justice Department targeting of environmentalists today to McCarthyism in the 1950s . . . A shocking exposé of judicial overreach."— Kirkus Reviews (Starred review) Will Potter is an award-winning reporter who has written for publications including the Chicago Tribune, the Dallas Morning News and Legal Affairs, and has testified before the U.S. Congress about his reporting. He is the creator of www.GreenIsTheNewRed.com, where he blogs about the Green Scare.
302 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 2011
67 people are currently reading
2911 people want to read
About the author
Will Potter
3 books145 followersWill Potter is an award-winning investigative journalist and author, and a leading international voice challenging attacks on civil liberties in the name of fighting "terrorism." His work has been featured by the world’s top media outlets, including The Washington Post, Foreign Policy, and Rolling Stone, and his investigations have overturned criminal prosecutions and helped strike down censorship laws. Will was the first investigative journalist to be named a TED Senior Fellow, and has addressed governmental bodies including the U.S. Congress, Australian Parliament, and Council of Europe. He is the author of Green Is the New Red, which exposed the FBI’s targeting of protest groups. His new book, Little Red Barns: Hiding the truth from farm to fable, is a 10-year investigation of factory farms and fascism. Will’s journalism and scholarship have been heavily influenced by growing up in the hardcore punk scene, and he has collaborated with bands including Rise Against. He was previously a visiting professor at the University of Michigan, and was named the distinguished journalist-in-residence at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. He was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas.
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September 6, 2023
This book landed accidentally in my lap. I was searching for something about nature, climate change, or animals, and this came up. From the blurb it sounded interesting enough so I gave it a change, and I’m glad I did. It’s about how the environment movement became a target of the US government after being branded eco-terrorists. Animal Liberation Front and Earth Liberation Front (ALF and ELF) are at the center of this story as they used direct action such as liberating animals, and burning building, and cars, but also organizations such as Stop Huntington Animal Cruelty (SHAC) who used very different methods, targeting the money flow to Huntingdon, and the people working there.
It is an interesting story, that I had seen parts of in documentaries such as Animal People, A Burning Rage, Punk Rock Vegan Movie, and quite a few others, but this book goes more deeply into the politics behind the actions of the government. It’s a story related in a way to the one in Merchants of Doubt, as it is a story of how big money drives government behind the scenes, and the success of SHACs campaigning really worried some of the money people.
Will Potter does a good job bringing all this to life. It is a journalist book, and as such it follows a familiar pattern of the journalist who injects himself into the story, both to set the stage, but also to have a character to drive the story. It is unlike most books by historians I’ve read where the writer is supposed to be mostly absent. But there is also another reason here, and that is that Will Potter is actually part of this story. His involvement with the environment movement goes back much further than writing this book, he has been arrested for activism, and he knows a lot of the people he is writing about here personally. I think he does a good job here at allowing himself being part of the story without it revolving around him. He strikes a good balance.
It is an interesting and frightening story of how the US government decided to go after environmental activists, not just those that in the underground, the ones that burn things, but also those that were fighting using their rights to free speech. The movement was painted as the most dangerous domestic terrorist threat that was facing the US, and yet the activists on he underground made sure they didn’t kill anyone. Despite that one of them ended up on a most wanted poster with the terrorists of the 9/11 attacks, something that was never done with the murderer that killed people working in abortion clinics. So arson of empty buildings became a more dangerous threat than murder, comparable to flying planes into building with people inside.
There is one thing though. Potter talks often about the fact that people in this movement made sure not to hurt anyone, and that there isn’t any example of people getting hurt during these direct actions for the environment, and the animals, but he never mentions Ted Kaczynski who murdered three people who he thought had something to do with the destruction of the natural environment. The reason why Potter omits Kaczynski is probably that Kaczynski was a lone wolf type terrorist, and not part of any movement at all, but I still think he should have explained this omission himself.
Other than that, I think this is an excellent book, well researched, well written, and interesting to read. It brings up some strange things about this, such as the fact that when the government decided to crack down on environmentalist that used direct action, direct actions was actually slowly getting fewer. After the government made it a priority, the direct actions spiked again. This seems like a contradiction, but apparently that was what happened. On the other hand, and I don’t think he goes into this, is the contradiction on the other side. As an example I can mention activists sinking whaling ships in Iceland, to stop whaling, but if I remember correctly, support for whaling in Iceland spiked as a result. It’s only now, decades later that support for whaling here has become a minority opinion. So there aren’t any simple answers in this subject. Do something, and the result can be the direct opposite of what was hoped for.
And Will Potter isn’t saying there are any simple answers here. In fact I think he does a good job at showing the reality of this subject, rather than some idealized view of activism. He shows real people with their problems, both before and after going to jail for their cause. Be he also shows government that is willing to break the fundamental values to keep things the way best suits them, and their backers.
It is an interesting story, that I had seen parts of in documentaries such as Animal People, A Burning Rage, Punk Rock Vegan Movie, and quite a few others, but this book goes more deeply into the politics behind the actions of the government. It’s a story related in a way to the one in Merchants of Doubt, as it is a story of how big money drives government behind the scenes, and the success of SHACs campaigning really worried some of the money people.
Will Potter does a good job bringing all this to life. It is a journalist book, and as such it follows a familiar pattern of the journalist who injects himself into the story, both to set the stage, but also to have a character to drive the story. It is unlike most books by historians I’ve read where the writer is supposed to be mostly absent. But there is also another reason here, and that is that Will Potter is actually part of this story. His involvement with the environment movement goes back much further than writing this book, he has been arrested for activism, and he knows a lot of the people he is writing about here personally. I think he does a good job here at allowing himself being part of the story without it revolving around him. He strikes a good balance.
It is an interesting and frightening story of how the US government decided to go after environmental activists, not just those that in the underground, the ones that burn things, but also those that were fighting using their rights to free speech. The movement was painted as the most dangerous domestic terrorist threat that was facing the US, and yet the activists on he underground made sure they didn’t kill anyone. Despite that one of them ended up on a most wanted poster with the terrorists of the 9/11 attacks, something that was never done with the murderer that killed people working in abortion clinics. So arson of empty buildings became a more dangerous threat than murder, comparable to flying planes into building with people inside.
There is one thing though. Potter talks often about the fact that people in this movement made sure not to hurt anyone, and that there isn’t any example of people getting hurt during these direct actions for the environment, and the animals, but he never mentions Ted Kaczynski who murdered three people who he thought had something to do with the destruction of the natural environment. The reason why Potter omits Kaczynski is probably that Kaczynski was a lone wolf type terrorist, and not part of any movement at all, but I still think he should have explained this omission himself.
Other than that, I think this is an excellent book, well researched, well written, and interesting to read. It brings up some strange things about this, such as the fact that when the government decided to crack down on environmentalist that used direct action, direct actions was actually slowly getting fewer. After the government made it a priority, the direct actions spiked again. This seems like a contradiction, but apparently that was what happened. On the other hand, and I don’t think he goes into this, is the contradiction on the other side. As an example I can mention activists sinking whaling ships in Iceland, to stop whaling, but if I remember correctly, support for whaling in Iceland spiked as a result. It’s only now, decades later that support for whaling here has become a minority opinion. So there aren’t any simple answers in this subject. Do something, and the result can be the direct opposite of what was hoped for.
And Will Potter isn’t saying there are any simple answers here. In fact I think he does a good job at showing the reality of this subject, rather than some idealized view of activism. He shows real people with their problems, both before and after going to jail for their cause. Be he also shows government that is willing to break the fundamental values to keep things the way best suits them, and their backers.
May 24, 2011
This book makes me wish I had finished my history PhD. Then at least I could make it required reading for a few college students. It should be required for them all. It gives context to our murky times, where taking moral stands is getting confused with terroristic activity, without oversimplifying what are deeply contested understandings of the path to a better tomorrow. Green is the New Red is an essential text for anyone who believes in free speech, or is interested in the future of American democracy.
July 3, 2012
"At times, the reader might mistake this work of nonfiction for a gripping crime novel, only to remember that everything in here is shockingly true. It is in this way that Potter effectively drives his points home and proves his overarching thesis, that the Justice Department’s targeting of environmentalists is near identical to 1950s McCarthyism." --Indie Street
"While the link between separating recyclables and hijacking planes is far from obvious, the labeling of 'eco-terrorism' has been applied to many aspects of this social movement. Named the 'No. 1 domestic terrorism threat' by FBI deputy assistant director John Lewis six years ago, Potter argues that the fear tactics involved in applying such an evocative term to radical activism is an attempt to intimidate that mirrors the Red Scare of the mid-20th century (which was in fact the second wave of the government's anti-Communist focus)." --Austin Examiner
"An up-to-date crash-course overview of the history of radical environmentalism as well as a study on the scare tactics that the government, the CIA, and several multi-million dollar corporations use against environmental activists, which share certain similarities with tactics used during McCarthyism and the Red Scare. This book is about the Green Scare – this book is at times scary, at times hopeful, and at all times important." --Urchins Movement
"In this hard-hitting debut, journalist Potter likens the Justice Department targeting of environmentalists today to McCarthyism in the 1950s . . . A shocking exposé of judicial overreach." --Kirkus Review
"Part history, part action thriller and courtroom drama, part memoir, 'Green is the New Red' plunges us into the wild, unruly, and entirely inspirational world of extreme environmental activism. Will Potter, participant-observer and partisan-reporter, is the perfect guide, unpacking with wit and skill the most elusive concepts--his discussion of 'terrorism' as myth and symbol is the finest I’ve ever read. He takes us inside the first moments of a movement in the making--idealistic, hopeful, deeply human in its aspirations and its oh-so-human failings--and he reports brilliantly on a ruling power willing to hollow out any sense of authentic democracy in its futile attempt to maintain dominance, privilege, and their arid version of reality. Green is the New Red is an indispensable book that will change the way we think about commitment, the limits of protest, and the possibility of radical change." --Bill Ayers
"If we are to survive capitalism's death grip on our discourse and on our lives, it will be in great measure due to the work of people like Will Potter. His courage and integrity, which set him apart from most journalists, are evident throughout this important book, and throughout all of his other crucial work. Thank you, Will Potter." --Derrick Jensen, author of Endgame and many other books
"While the link between separating recyclables and hijacking planes is far from obvious, the labeling of 'eco-terrorism' has been applied to many aspects of this social movement. Named the 'No. 1 domestic terrorism threat' by FBI deputy assistant director John Lewis six years ago, Potter argues that the fear tactics involved in applying such an evocative term to radical activism is an attempt to intimidate that mirrors the Red Scare of the mid-20th century (which was in fact the second wave of the government's anti-Communist focus)." --Austin Examiner
"An up-to-date crash-course overview of the history of radical environmentalism as well as a study on the scare tactics that the government, the CIA, and several multi-million dollar corporations use against environmental activists, which share certain similarities with tactics used during McCarthyism and the Red Scare. This book is about the Green Scare – this book is at times scary, at times hopeful, and at all times important." --Urchins Movement
"In this hard-hitting debut, journalist Potter likens the Justice Department targeting of environmentalists today to McCarthyism in the 1950s . . . A shocking exposé of judicial overreach." --Kirkus Review
"Part history, part action thriller and courtroom drama, part memoir, 'Green is the New Red' plunges us into the wild, unruly, and entirely inspirational world of extreme environmental activism. Will Potter, participant-observer and partisan-reporter, is the perfect guide, unpacking with wit and skill the most elusive concepts--his discussion of 'terrorism' as myth and symbol is the finest I’ve ever read. He takes us inside the first moments of a movement in the making--idealistic, hopeful, deeply human in its aspirations and its oh-so-human failings--and he reports brilliantly on a ruling power willing to hollow out any sense of authentic democracy in its futile attempt to maintain dominance, privilege, and their arid version of reality. Green is the New Red is an indispensable book that will change the way we think about commitment, the limits of protest, and the possibility of radical change." --Bill Ayers
"If we are to survive capitalism's death grip on our discourse and on our lives, it will be in great measure due to the work of people like Will Potter. His courage and integrity, which set him apart from most journalists, are evident throughout this important book, and throughout all of his other crucial work. Thank you, Will Potter." --Derrick Jensen, author of Endgame and many other books
March 10, 2014
Will Potter's "Green is the New Red" is an excellent reportage of how our government continues to tread on our individual liberties, especially if you happen to have pro-environmentalist leanings, and even more specifically if you are an activist for animal rights.
Potter admits early on that while he attempts to be objective, this is difficult for him as someone who considers himself an environmentalist and for an incident in which he was involved that was the impetus for the research for this book.
In 1998, as a new reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Potter offered to disperse leaflets that criticized a company for its many egregious animal rights violations. FBI agents immediately rounded up and arrested Potter and several others passing out literature. During the course of the interrogation (in which Potter was still kept out of the dark as to why he was being arrested), the FBI agents said that he would be placed on the domestic terrorist list if he didn't cooperate in naming names. All this, for passing out leaflets.
Frightened and confused, Potter felt that he needed to dig deeper into what he saw as an insidious trend, since 9/11, of labeling groups of people as "terrorists" for crimes that did not fit into a general concensus and definition of terrorism.
He soon found out that therein lied the problem: an adequate and specific definition of "terrorism" had never actually been stipulated by the government. What Potter discovered was multiple definitions across multiple governmental agencies, and this was just the federal government. Most if not all states had their own definitions of "terrorism".
He also soon discovered that many of these "eco-terrorists", as they were labelled by government agencies and the media, were often receiving twice or more than twice the sentencing that white supremacists, neo-Nazis, or Muslim terrorists were receiving. Keep in mind, too, that, according to the statistics of various governmental agencies, including Homeland Security, FBI, CIA, and others, the number of human and animal casualties resulting from "eco-terrorist" activities has been, to date, zero.
So, Muslim terrorists, whose actions continuously result in human casualties here and overseas, are given lesser sentences than activists who have released animals from laboratories and burned down buildings resulting in no loss of life.
Clearly, the value of property is more important than the value of human life to the government. No surprise, since our government is practically run by corporations, many of whom do not like animal rights activists.
This book will make you mad. It should make you mad, especially if you value things like First Amendment rights and the basic freedoms upon which our country was founded.
Potter has done an excellent job revealing an issue that has perhaps been kept hidden from the eyes and ears of the general public by a ridiculously super-wealthy group of corporations (some of which, not surprisingly, own media outlets such as FOX News and CNN) who believe that they can do anything they want, including the needless mass slaughter of animals and the destruction of the environment, not just to make a profit but simply because they can.
Potter admits early on that while he attempts to be objective, this is difficult for him as someone who considers himself an environmentalist and for an incident in which he was involved that was the impetus for the research for this book.
In 1998, as a new reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Potter offered to disperse leaflets that criticized a company for its many egregious animal rights violations. FBI agents immediately rounded up and arrested Potter and several others passing out literature. During the course of the interrogation (in which Potter was still kept out of the dark as to why he was being arrested), the FBI agents said that he would be placed on the domestic terrorist list if he didn't cooperate in naming names. All this, for passing out leaflets.
Frightened and confused, Potter felt that he needed to dig deeper into what he saw as an insidious trend, since 9/11, of labeling groups of people as "terrorists" for crimes that did not fit into a general concensus and definition of terrorism.
He soon found out that therein lied the problem: an adequate and specific definition of "terrorism" had never actually been stipulated by the government. What Potter discovered was multiple definitions across multiple governmental agencies, and this was just the federal government. Most if not all states had their own definitions of "terrorism".
He also soon discovered that many of these "eco-terrorists", as they were labelled by government agencies and the media, were often receiving twice or more than twice the sentencing that white supremacists, neo-Nazis, or Muslim terrorists were receiving. Keep in mind, too, that, according to the statistics of various governmental agencies, including Homeland Security, FBI, CIA, and others, the number of human and animal casualties resulting from "eco-terrorist" activities has been, to date, zero.
So, Muslim terrorists, whose actions continuously result in human casualties here and overseas, are given lesser sentences than activists who have released animals from laboratories and burned down buildings resulting in no loss of life.
Clearly, the value of property is more important than the value of human life to the government. No surprise, since our government is practically run by corporations, many of whom do not like animal rights activists.
This book will make you mad. It should make you mad, especially if you value things like First Amendment rights and the basic freedoms upon which our country was founded.
Potter has done an excellent job revealing an issue that has perhaps been kept hidden from the eyes and ears of the general public by a ridiculously super-wealthy group of corporations (some of which, not surprisingly, own media outlets such as FOX News and CNN) who believe that they can do anything they want, including the needless mass slaughter of animals and the destruction of the environment, not just to make a profit but simply because they can.
December 9, 2017
Essential information within an always gripping, sometimes humorous, and at times heart-breaking narrative.
Will Potter begins this book by sharing his own experiences with the blood-chilling fear induced by a visit by FBI agents wielding the word "terrorist" after he had been arrested for leafleting in a wealthy neighborhood. He then recounts the investigative journey into "terrorism" that fear prompted him to undertake. Along the way we meet smug judges, altruistic anarchists, power-crazed prosecutors, and the corporate cabals whose behind-the-scenes machinations result in nonsensical atrocities like the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act and a special prison for "low-risk terrorists."
If you care about civil liberties or prisons, you need to read this book. If you care about corporate influence in politics, you need to read this book. If you care about the Constitution, you need to read this book. And, oh yeah, if you're an environmental or animal liberation activist--or any kind of activist at all--then, for your own protection, you definitely need to read this book.
Will Potter begins this book by sharing his own experiences with the blood-chilling fear induced by a visit by FBI agents wielding the word "terrorist" after he had been arrested for leafleting in a wealthy neighborhood. He then recounts the investigative journey into "terrorism" that fear prompted him to undertake. Along the way we meet smug judges, altruistic anarchists, power-crazed prosecutors, and the corporate cabals whose behind-the-scenes machinations result in nonsensical atrocities like the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act and a special prison for "low-risk terrorists."
If you care about civil liberties or prisons, you need to read this book. If you care about corporate influence in politics, you need to read this book. If you care about the Constitution, you need to read this book. And, oh yeah, if you're an environmental or animal liberation activist--or any kind of activist at all--then, for your own protection, you definitely need to read this book.
May 15, 2011
just about to finish reading for the second time.
this book is an excellent expose on the use of fear tactics by the federal government in the wake of 9/11. not just in the area of political dissent, but economic, as well.
moving from history to current events to psychological thriler, Will Potter weaves an engaging story of the dissolution of legitimate freedom of expression by the powers that be, all to prop up a decaying economic/political system. the lesson here is that no one who believes this country is going in the wrong direction is safe from governmental attempts to repress speech to protect the intersts of the rich and powerful.
it's frightening, but this is going on as we speak.
this book is an excellent expose on the use of fear tactics by the federal government in the wake of 9/11. not just in the area of political dissent, but economic, as well.
moving from history to current events to psychological thriler, Will Potter weaves an engaging story of the dissolution of legitimate freedom of expression by the powers that be, all to prop up a decaying economic/political system. the lesson here is that no one who believes this country is going in the wrong direction is safe from governmental attempts to repress speech to protect the intersts of the rich and powerful.
it's frightening, but this is going on as we speak.
April 22, 2011
I hope that this book will be very widely read. Like the revelations of the government's illegal spying, harassment, and bogus convictions that hearings on COINTELPRO brought to light (see Agents of Repression), Potter's research into efforts by industry and government to repress radical environmentalism brings together some poorly understood political issues. Most important of them all, is the fact that activists using traditionally legal tactics have now been convicted on terrorism charges.
I was only faintly aware that animal liberation-type activity has been going on since well before the 1990s--the first instance, Potter claims, occurred in 1977. Even more significant is the fact that by the late 1980s, as the environmental movement became increasingly popular, cool-headed discussions of direct action tactics were appearing in the mainstream media. Until the end of the 90s "eco-terrorism" was explicitly "not on the radar" of law enforcement (55-6). Potter argues that all this changed when politicians got involved. In 1998, the first hearing on "eco-terrorism" was held. And after 9/11/2001, environmental and animal rights direct action came under increasing persecution, soon being elevated to the "top domestic terrorism threat." However, this sudden concern was not explained by any increase in the incidence of the sorts of crimes being targeted.
Recent efforts to disrupt, discredit, and destroy the movements associated with the ELF and ALF use the new legal framework of terrorism instead of existing criminal law. Potter's shows that no valid argument has been made for this change. Counterproductively, this trend marginalizes environmental and animal rights activists in general, convincing more of the moderates among them of the need to radicalize in order to make any real progress because the system seems irredeemably opposed to their values. Just think if all the effort involved in this anti "eco-terrorism" campaign were directed instead toward supporting legal activism and creating new legislation. (Remember the adage, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em"?) The extreme wing of the movement would probably not be so desperate that they'd feel the need to resort to property destruction, intimidation, etc. Marginalization leads to radicalization. School shootings, always by unpopular or alienated kids. Germany after WWI. Duh.
While reversing this marginalization would be a far more effective strategy toward preventing the illegal acts in question, the reason that will probably not happen is that proponents of "eco-terrorism" legislation and prosecutions aren't the least bit interested in environmental protection or animal rights--because they are (or are funded or influenced by) capitalist interests who profit from unsound environmental practices or animal exploitation. The movement against "eco-terrorism" is driven by corporate profit and is, therefore, opposed to any obstacles--legal protest or illegal--to doing business. (If you're unaware of the extent of this corporate influence, Potter documents it quite well.) Narrow private interest is not--nor is anything else--a basis for criminalizing a political movement, but the disregard for free speech exhibited by those behind this "eco-terrorism" meme is quite evident.
Potter argues, beyond this political critique, that this conflict of interests is essentially cultural (242-7). Like the Red Scares and COINTELPRO last century, this "green scare" is another manifestation of manipulated fears of a segment of the population who are told the "American way of life" is threatened, as alternative lifestyles and values associated with these movements (vegetarianism, etc.) become more widely accepted. The late Michael Crichton even made (absurdly nihilistic) "eco-terrorists" the subject of a novel. Their fear is ultimately not of "eco-terrorism" but of the shifting of values it represents within modern society. I would add, these shifts are not always perceived to be in the interests of capital, in which cases the new movements become political targets. As this tragic conflict unfolds, let's remember who it's between: people who value capital first and people who value the life of the planet first.
I was only faintly aware that animal liberation-type activity has been going on since well before the 1990s--the first instance, Potter claims, occurred in 1977. Even more significant is the fact that by the late 1980s, as the environmental movement became increasingly popular, cool-headed discussions of direct action tactics were appearing in the mainstream media. Until the end of the 90s "eco-terrorism" was explicitly "not on the radar" of law enforcement (55-6). Potter argues that all this changed when politicians got involved. In 1998, the first hearing on "eco-terrorism" was held. And after 9/11/2001, environmental and animal rights direct action came under increasing persecution, soon being elevated to the "top domestic terrorism threat." However, this sudden concern was not explained by any increase in the incidence of the sorts of crimes being targeted.
Recent efforts to disrupt, discredit, and destroy the movements associated with the ELF and ALF use the new legal framework of terrorism instead of existing criminal law. Potter's shows that no valid argument has been made for this change. Counterproductively, this trend marginalizes environmental and animal rights activists in general, convincing more of the moderates among them of the need to radicalize in order to make any real progress because the system seems irredeemably opposed to their values. Just think if all the effort involved in this anti "eco-terrorism" campaign were directed instead toward supporting legal activism and creating new legislation. (Remember the adage, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em"?) The extreme wing of the movement would probably not be so desperate that they'd feel the need to resort to property destruction, intimidation, etc. Marginalization leads to radicalization. School shootings, always by unpopular or alienated kids. Germany after WWI. Duh.
While reversing this marginalization would be a far more effective strategy toward preventing the illegal acts in question, the reason that will probably not happen is that proponents of "eco-terrorism" legislation and prosecutions aren't the least bit interested in environmental protection or animal rights--because they are (or are funded or influenced by) capitalist interests who profit from unsound environmental practices or animal exploitation. The movement against "eco-terrorism" is driven by corporate profit and is, therefore, opposed to any obstacles--legal protest or illegal--to doing business. (If you're unaware of the extent of this corporate influence, Potter documents it quite well.) Narrow private interest is not--nor is anything else--a basis for criminalizing a political movement, but the disregard for free speech exhibited by those behind this "eco-terrorism" meme is quite evident.
Potter argues, beyond this political critique, that this conflict of interests is essentially cultural (242-7). Like the Red Scares and COINTELPRO last century, this "green scare" is another manifestation of manipulated fears of a segment of the population who are told the "American way of life" is threatened, as alternative lifestyles and values associated with these movements (vegetarianism, etc.) become more widely accepted. The late Michael Crichton even made (absurdly nihilistic) "eco-terrorists" the subject of a novel. Their fear is ultimately not of "eco-terrorism" but of the shifting of values it represents within modern society. I would add, these shifts are not always perceived to be in the interests of capital, in which cases the new movements become political targets. As this tragic conflict unfolds, let's remember who it's between: people who value capital first and people who value the life of the planet first.
April 18, 2013
It's a little embarrassing to admit it took me this long to finally read Green is the New Red, but it didn't disappoint! I can't really recommend this book enough, even if you think you're pretty familiar with the arguments it is going to make. It's just a really thorough, brilliant, and enjoyable read. (PS: Please double the fervor of this if you're a law student who does civil liberties stuff but isn't familiar with the repression directed at environmental or animal rights movements.)
July 18, 2011
[I won a free copy of this book]
First off, hoorah for this book and Will Potter's reporting. This is a critical living history, a first attempt to pull the last decade of eco and animal rights action and repression into one cohesive analysis. Read it for the narrative. Read it for the names and the individual stories, the Green Scare and particularly the Operation Backfire and SHAC7 defendants; for the explanation of US policy and lobbying record; for the breakdown of legal jargon; for the synthesis of many events into a posited whole. It is critical that we know these stories, tactics, legal proceedings, repression, and laws. At times Potter's book feels rushed, and he sometimes dips in and out of present/past tenses making it hard to know what happened when. But that's because Potter's book is rushed. He has captured and collected an ongoing historical event and attempted to present it as completely as possible to an audience that is still enacting it. Activists, read it to help reflect on your own experiences.
This Green Scare history is set within the context of the post-9/11 War on Terror. Potter covers the language and rhetoric of "terrorism" and the ambiguity and evolution of that word's definitions. Potter asks why the label "terrorist"-- and its related sentencing enhancements-- are being applied to environmental and animal rights activists engaged in non-violent civil disobedience, and to those who have caused property destruction but have never injured humans or animals, who went out of their way to ensure they did not harm living creatures. Why isn't the word "terrorism" applied to rightwing ideologies whose adherents have actually killed people, like women's clinic bombers and racist or anti-immigrant militias? Potter argues, "The [US] government treats attacks on corporate property more seriously than violence against doctors [i.e. George Tiller] and minorities not because of the nature of the crime but because of the politics of the crime. The government's domestic terrorism operations are more about protecting profits than protecting people" (p.47). Potter then follows the money back to the machinations of agro-industry to insert "terrorism" into media reports on petty vandalism and into bills like the "Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act," laws that impose harsh sentencing upgrades and harsh (super max!) prison conditions on people convicted of non-violent crimes.
The book's biggest weakness is its narrow focus; like his blog by the same name, this book lacks an intersectional foundation. Potter writes a book about terrorism in the post-9/11 era and yet rarely connects the demonization, surveillance, and repression of eco and animal rights activists with that of anti-war, Palestinian, and global, social, and environmental justice activists, and Muslim and Arab people generally. At one point (p.109) he recounts how a group of sharp-dressed, mostly (all?) white animal rights defendants gathered outside court were asked by a passerby if they were law students. "'No,' [SHAC defendant] Gazzola says, smiling, without hesitation. 'We're on trial for terrorism.'" A cute story, sure, except that it's inclusion and other similar comments implies that, haha! of course cleancut white kids aren't really terrorists! Doesn't their appearance make the absurdity of the charge poignant and clear? ...But where does that leave someone else who does fit the social construction of what a "real terrorist" looks like? Potter's narrow lens creates (or enhances) a false split between those who fight for earth & animal justice and those who fight for human social, economic, and environmental justice. It ignores that these are often the same people. It creates a huge gap in his analytical paradigm, ignoring the connections between capitalism's colonial exploitations of people and land. It hangs entire groups of people out to dry.
Potter did make some overtures to other movements vilified by the "terrorist" label in the chapter on prison conditions, though others have done a better job. Of those writing on the issue, notable is SHAC defendant Andy Stepanian, who was housed in a quasi-legal, ultra-harsh Communication Management Unit prison as a "balancer," a white person brought in to decrease the overwhelming majority Muslim population held in these awful conditions (p.215).
The other major weakness of this book was Potter's decision not to question or complicate the tactics of the activists he writes about. His repeated insistence that no animal or eco activist have "harmed" a human being rings false when some of their tactics have targeted individual people with stalking, economic and social sabotage, and direct threats of injury or death (regardless of whether they were carried out). These are not the same tactics as corporate property destruction, just as property destruction is not the same thing as non-violent civil disobedience, and separate too is publication of completed actions from publication of home addresses. Potter weakens his credibility by refusing to acknowledge these distinctions-- if he really believes they are equivalently nonviolent, then he should address this issue head on and break it down for the reader. Me, I don't see it.
Bonus quote from a Homeland Security report:
Animal and eco rights activists success "not only would fundamentally alter the nature of social norms regarding the planet's habitat and its living organisms, but ultimately would lead to a new system of governance and social relationships that is anarchist and anti-systemic in nature." (p.245)
[Review written 1 month after finishing the book, because my original review was swallowed whole by the internet monsters]
First off, hoorah for this book and Will Potter's reporting. This is a critical living history, a first attempt to pull the last decade of eco and animal rights action and repression into one cohesive analysis. Read it for the narrative. Read it for the names and the individual stories, the Green Scare and particularly the Operation Backfire and SHAC7 defendants; for the explanation of US policy and lobbying record; for the breakdown of legal jargon; for the synthesis of many events into a posited whole. It is critical that we know these stories, tactics, legal proceedings, repression, and laws. At times Potter's book feels rushed, and he sometimes dips in and out of present/past tenses making it hard to know what happened when. But that's because Potter's book is rushed. He has captured and collected an ongoing historical event and attempted to present it as completely as possible to an audience that is still enacting it. Activists, read it to help reflect on your own experiences.
This Green Scare history is set within the context of the post-9/11 War on Terror. Potter covers the language and rhetoric of "terrorism" and the ambiguity and evolution of that word's definitions. Potter asks why the label "terrorist"-- and its related sentencing enhancements-- are being applied to environmental and animal rights activists engaged in non-violent civil disobedience, and to those who have caused property destruction but have never injured humans or animals, who went out of their way to ensure they did not harm living creatures. Why isn't the word "terrorism" applied to rightwing ideologies whose adherents have actually killed people, like women's clinic bombers and racist or anti-immigrant militias? Potter argues, "The [US] government treats attacks on corporate property more seriously than violence against doctors [i.e. George Tiller] and minorities not because of the nature of the crime but because of the politics of the crime. The government's domestic terrorism operations are more about protecting profits than protecting people" (p.47). Potter then follows the money back to the machinations of agro-industry to insert "terrorism" into media reports on petty vandalism and into bills like the "Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act," laws that impose harsh sentencing upgrades and harsh (super max!) prison conditions on people convicted of non-violent crimes.
The book's biggest weakness is its narrow focus; like his blog by the same name, this book lacks an intersectional foundation. Potter writes a book about terrorism in the post-9/11 era and yet rarely connects the demonization, surveillance, and repression of eco and animal rights activists with that of anti-war, Palestinian, and global, social, and environmental justice activists, and Muslim and Arab people generally. At one point (p.109) he recounts how a group of sharp-dressed, mostly (all?) white animal rights defendants gathered outside court were asked by a passerby if they were law students. "'No,' [SHAC defendant] Gazzola says, smiling, without hesitation. 'We're on trial for terrorism.'" A cute story, sure, except that it's inclusion and other similar comments implies that, haha! of course cleancut white kids aren't really terrorists! Doesn't their appearance make the absurdity of the charge poignant and clear? ...But where does that leave someone else who does fit the social construction of what a "real terrorist" looks like? Potter's narrow lens creates (or enhances) a false split between those who fight for earth & animal justice and those who fight for human social, economic, and environmental justice. It ignores that these are often the same people. It creates a huge gap in his analytical paradigm, ignoring the connections between capitalism's colonial exploitations of people and land. It hangs entire groups of people out to dry.
Potter did make some overtures to other movements vilified by the "terrorist" label in the chapter on prison conditions, though others have done a better job. Of those writing on the issue, notable is SHAC defendant Andy Stepanian, who was housed in a quasi-legal, ultra-harsh Communication Management Unit prison as a "balancer," a white person brought in to decrease the overwhelming majority Muslim population held in these awful conditions (p.215).
The other major weakness of this book was Potter's decision not to question or complicate the tactics of the activists he writes about. His repeated insistence that no animal or eco activist have "harmed" a human being rings false when some of their tactics have targeted individual people with stalking, economic and social sabotage, and direct threats of injury or death (regardless of whether they were carried out). These are not the same tactics as corporate property destruction, just as property destruction is not the same thing as non-violent civil disobedience, and separate too is publication of completed actions from publication of home addresses. Potter weakens his credibility by refusing to acknowledge these distinctions-- if he really believes they are equivalently nonviolent, then he should address this issue head on and break it down for the reader. Me, I don't see it.
Bonus quote from a Homeland Security report:
Animal and eco rights activists success "not only would fundamentally alter the nature of social norms regarding the planet's habitat and its living organisms, but ultimately would lead to a new system of governance and social relationships that is anarchist and anti-systemic in nature." (p.245)
[Review written 1 month after finishing the book, because my original review was swallowed whole by the internet monsters]
March 3, 2017
The "terrorism enchancement" is what it's called, post-9/11: the weighing of crimes with additional consequence, to increase sentencing.
In a manner that should surprise no-one, Christian fundamentalists, murderers of abortion doctors, and other racist-and-other-sorts who've shouted at every available opportunity of their intent to harm others have somehow miraculously eluded this classification, while so-designated "eco-terrorists" have fallen under this rubric, since their intent to damage property caused economic losses to the corporations in question.
THIS is not something you don't want to see coming: with reports coming in about protesters (of whichever anti-Right Wing sort) ending up on "terrorist" lists, be aware this classification has been well-worn in and trod so the avenues are ready and waiting, à la legal "fast track," to put Lefties behind bars — for nothing more than stomping around out-of-doors, civil disobedience-style.
Be prepared, properly allied, and duly wary: These new laws and "inventive" restrictions have been put in place in the recent "who's a terrorist/you're a terrorist" years, and they aren't going anywhere; their application's just being stretched to darn-near-close to "catch all," and the potential is chilling.
Already there are "Communications Management Units" (on-these-shores "Guantanamo Bay"-type prisons) in Terre Haute, Ind., and Marion, Ill., and the prison industry is hungry. As the Republicans in for a majority until 2020 know ... all ... too ... well!
In a manner that should surprise no-one, Christian fundamentalists, murderers of abortion doctors, and other racist-and-other-sorts who've shouted at every available opportunity of their intent to harm others have somehow miraculously eluded this classification, while so-designated "eco-terrorists" have fallen under this rubric, since their intent to damage property caused economic losses to the corporations in question.
THIS is not something you don't want to see coming: with reports coming in about protesters (of whichever anti-Right Wing sort) ending up on "terrorist" lists, be aware this classification has been well-worn in and trod so the avenues are ready and waiting, à la legal "fast track," to put Lefties behind bars — for nothing more than stomping around out-of-doors, civil disobedience-style.
Be prepared, properly allied, and duly wary: These new laws and "inventive" restrictions have been put in place in the recent "who's a terrorist/you're a terrorist" years, and they aren't going anywhere; their application's just being stretched to darn-near-close to "catch all," and the potential is chilling.
Already there are "Communications Management Units" (on-these-shores "Guantanamo Bay"-type prisons) in Terre Haute, Ind., and Marion, Ill., and the prison industry is hungry. As the Republicans in for a majority until 2020 know ... all ... too ... well!
July 26, 2011
Traces the history of environmental activism and the ways in which activists have been targeted by the FBI in ways similar to COINTELPRO in the 1960s. Potter details the amount of resources devoted to fighting animal activists and the Earth Liberation Front as the number-one domestic terrorism threat - pure insanity. And don't we all love it when undercover FBI agents infiltrate vegan potlucks and try to incite some violence? This book makes me so upset.
April 23, 2013
"Although there have been times when activists themselves have made this Green Scare easier, they have not created it: it exists not because of the nature of their words or their actions, but because these movements have grown increasingly effective and accepted. The only way to explain the conflation of mainstream and radical groups as terrorists is to assume that all of it - from ballot initiatives to sabotage - poses a threat."
This paragraph, taken from the last chapater of the book, sums up perfectly what this book is about. Yes, some people involved in the animal rights and environmental movement have made some choices that have come back to haunt them and their movement, but the reality is, on a whole, this movement is being targeted because it is costing multinational companies a lot of money and showing that a better world is possible.
Will Potter's writing is easy to read. This book is a must-read for anyone involved in the animal rights and environmental movement, but it should also be read by anyone that is concerned with civil liberties. I'd recommend that anyone and everyone read this book.
This paragraph, taken from the last chapater of the book, sums up perfectly what this book is about. Yes, some people involved in the animal rights and environmental movement have made some choices that have come back to haunt them and their movement, but the reality is, on a whole, this movement is being targeted because it is costing multinational companies a lot of money and showing that a better world is possible.
Will Potter's writing is easy to read. This book is a must-read for anyone involved in the animal rights and environmental movement, but it should also be read by anyone that is concerned with civil liberties. I'd recommend that anyone and everyone read this book.
February 15, 2013
A highly insightful and interesting account of the Animal Rights/Environmental Activists Movement under siege in America by a journalist who was part of it. Highly recommended read. You will not be disappointed by the story. For those who know philosophy, Plato's allegory of the cave is mentioned in the book.
June 15, 2023
Wasn't what I was expecting, and was focused mainly on the persecution of environmental activists based in the USA, but still managed to boil my piss.
September 17, 2017
I thought this book was so amazing, not just well written but the story itself. I didn't want to put the book down. I was glad to have been able to hear Will Potter speak when he came to Harvard University. I remember parts of this story but didn't really get the scoop of what happened until a friend told me. I was outraged. I just couldn't believe what had happened. After AETA (Animal Enterprise Terrorist Act) passed people didn't realize what that meant & how it was going to effect them. As an animal rights activist & environmentalist since college, I never knew to what extent people went through in order to save them. I had heard about the various things groups like Greenpeace & PETA had done along w/ Kim Bassinger's fight about the beagles being tested on in Long Island. But what happened here w/ what became known as the SHAC (Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty) 7 was a story that had to be heard by all. I am stunned by the stories of each person & how things transpired. What the SHAC 7 did was heroic but also epic in being able to shut down the mega research corporations. People may not agree w/ their methods of how they did it, but it nonetheless garnered attention that other companies & gov't agencies had to rethink things & come up w/ AETA. It was just complete bs for AETA to even have been a thing, unfortunately only so much you can do about though. Being able to be a pen pal to a few of the SHAC 7 members was also really inspiring to me & how they stuck it out. Reading this book really gave me a different perspective on what they actually endured & how they managed to stay strong throughout the entire ordeal. If I could thank them in person for all their work, I would. They all deserve medals.
December 20, 2014
I've been remiss. I finished this book just before I left for Peru and despite managing to write a review I never posted it. In the interest of full disclosure I received this book from the Good Reads' giveaway program. Regardless, it has landed on my essential reading shelf for a number of reasons.
Maybe you were in a neighborhood where Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) put up posters. Even now, I remember them vividly - charges that they killed puppies. As a jaded teenager, I never paid much attention to them - I figured if they had to use such a sensationalist charge to tug at my emotions the whole deal was probably absurd. Perhaps I was also somewhat offended that they thought they needed such an extreme charge to get me involved.
I like to think that maybe ten years later I'm a little wiser and a little less jaded, but regardless, enter Green is the New Red. I was surprised to find SHAC's story in here, along with a number of other animal rights and environmental activists, specifically those who were a part of ALF and ELF. I also like to think I have a decent awareness of the government's tactics when it comes to social movements - I know they killed Fred Hampton, I know they infiltrate vegan pot lucks with FBI agents, I know they run secret prisons and I know that big money has its tentacles everywhere in politics.
And yet Green is the New Red routinely had me all sorts of shocked, appalled and infuriated. Potter lays out the history of the red scare (I had to stop at this point and let the new information sink in, it just blew my mind.) Another example is something that seems to have currently come on the radar of liberal groups - my inbox is lighting up with emails about ALEC, the group in which corporations pay to be members and then draft legislation that is then presented as legitimate by lawmakers - Potter goes into depth about how ALEC works in the book and I was left feeling infuriated.
There are many, many different threads in this book. Court cases against animal rights activists, a history of the red scare, details about the government infiltration of liberal and leftist groups, corporate influence in government... Despite that, Potter more than manages to make a very convincing argument that Green is indeed the new Red, illustrating that activists that try to change corporate behavior are the new brand of terrorist. Admittedly I probably wouldn't have picked this book up if I felt that it concentrated too heavily on animal rights activists. And despite that being the book's focus, there's a lot to learn here - Potter portrays the larger picture just as successfully as his focus on animal rights and environmental activism. And because of that, EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!!!!
Maybe you were in a neighborhood where Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) put up posters. Even now, I remember them vividly - charges that they killed puppies. As a jaded teenager, I never paid much attention to them - I figured if they had to use such a sensationalist charge to tug at my emotions the whole deal was probably absurd. Perhaps I was also somewhat offended that they thought they needed such an extreme charge to get me involved.
I like to think that maybe ten years later I'm a little wiser and a little less jaded, but regardless, enter Green is the New Red. I was surprised to find SHAC's story in here, along with a number of other animal rights and environmental activists, specifically those who were a part of ALF and ELF. I also like to think I have a decent awareness of the government's tactics when it comes to social movements - I know they killed Fred Hampton, I know they infiltrate vegan pot lucks with FBI agents, I know they run secret prisons and I know that big money has its tentacles everywhere in politics.
And yet Green is the New Red routinely had me all sorts of shocked, appalled and infuriated. Potter lays out the history of the red scare (I had to stop at this point and let the new information sink in, it just blew my mind.) Another example is something that seems to have currently come on the radar of liberal groups - my inbox is lighting up with emails about ALEC, the group in which corporations pay to be members and then draft legislation that is then presented as legitimate by lawmakers - Potter goes into depth about how ALEC works in the book and I was left feeling infuriated.
There are many, many different threads in this book. Court cases against animal rights activists, a history of the red scare, details about the government infiltration of liberal and leftist groups, corporate influence in government... Despite that, Potter more than manages to make a very convincing argument that Green is indeed the new Red, illustrating that activists that try to change corporate behavior are the new brand of terrorist. Admittedly I probably wouldn't have picked this book up if I felt that it concentrated too heavily on animal rights activists. And despite that being the book's focus, there's a lot to learn here - Potter portrays the larger picture just as successfully as his focus on animal rights and environmental activism. And because of that, EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!!!!
February 4, 2012
This is terrifying. Will Potter does an excellent job tracing historical protests, new laws, and legal precedent to explain how environmental activism has become labeled under 'terrorist' activities. Interviewing key activists who were prosecuted as 'eco-terrorists,' the story is meant to incite people into action--as it should.
I do find the description of the activities that were prosecuted a bit skewed: Potter appears to be trying to attempt an almost neutral presentation. Sometimes no added details are necessary. It is terrifying to think that those who pass out fliers, chalk sidewalks, or live in giant redwoods to prevent their demise should be prosecuted under terrorism laws. It is terrifying to think of a mass operation of infiltration into activist circles by the government. And it is terrifying to imagine the suffering of animals in labs--and Potter describes the conditions with lurid details. It is this last point, however, that I find slightly flawed: by describing Angora bunnies as loving white pets before describing them as passive when the lab techs who burn their skins with fluids and by describing Britches, the isolated and sensory deprived (through his eyelids being shown shut 'primate,' recovery, Potter may be stacking the narrative deck. Yes, these things are appalling. But is there another narrative co-existing with these brutal ones, one which does not rely upon capitalist profit and the disruption of such through the damage to property done by activists?
From my own experience, I can say yes. Perhaps my desire to have this included may be asking too much of the text. It would have been truly difficult for any author to capture the gray in this moral area, where human suffering is measured against a rats'. These scales have no balance, the central pillar is pain.
This book is well executed and thoroughly researched. I recommend it--and I recommend a collective call to dismantle any law fitting environmental activism under terrorism.
I do find the description of the activities that were prosecuted a bit skewed: Potter appears to be trying to attempt an almost neutral presentation. Sometimes no added details are necessary. It is terrifying to think that those who pass out fliers, chalk sidewalks, or live in giant redwoods to prevent their demise should be prosecuted under terrorism laws. It is terrifying to think of a mass operation of infiltration into activist circles by the government. And it is terrifying to imagine the suffering of animals in labs--and Potter describes the conditions with lurid details. It is this last point, however, that I find slightly flawed: by describing Angora bunnies as loving white pets before describing them as passive when the lab techs who burn their skins with fluids and by describing Britches, the isolated and sensory deprived (through his eyelids being shown shut 'primate,' recovery, Potter may be stacking the narrative deck. Yes, these things are appalling. But is there another narrative co-existing with these brutal ones, one which does not rely upon capitalist profit and the disruption of such through the damage to property done by activists?
From my own experience, I can say yes. Perhaps my desire to have this included may be asking too much of the text. It would have been truly difficult for any author to capture the gray in this moral area, where human suffering is measured against a rats'. These scales have no balance, the central pillar is pain.
This book is well executed and thoroughly researched. I recommend it--and I recommend a collective call to dismantle any law fitting environmental activism under terrorism.
January 10, 2015
I highly recommend this book to everyone, whether you're an environmental and animal activist or not. Will Potter's exhaustive but very readable account of the ethically-challenged to downright illegal actions the US government and agencies like the FBI have taken to cast these activists as the #1 domestic terrorist threat in the country should open eyes to corporate and industry power to enact ridiculous anti-terrorism legislation and redefine the First Amendment to suit their agenda.
"They came first for the Communists, and I didn't
speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak
up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no
one left to speak up."
--Pastor Martin Niemoller
"We have sacrificed too much in the name of fighting terrorism, and the enemy keeps growing, Since September 11th, the word has been stretched and pulled and hemmed and cuffed and torn and mended to fit a growing body of political whims. Ultimately, our response must ultimately be about the limits of the government's political tailoring. It is about reaching the point at which we have outgrown the rhetoric, and we decide to stop wearing the past." (Will Potter. p. 250)
"They came first for the Communists, and I didn't
speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak
up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no
one left to speak up."
--Pastor Martin Niemoller
"We have sacrificed too much in the name of fighting terrorism, and the enemy keeps growing, Since September 11th, the word has been stretched and pulled and hemmed and cuffed and torn and mended to fit a growing body of political whims. Ultimately, our response must ultimately be about the limits of the government's political tailoring. It is about reaching the point at which we have outgrown the rhetoric, and we decide to stop wearing the past." (Will Potter. p. 250)
February 26, 2017
The subject of the book is revolving around “eco-terrorism”, term invented by Ron Arnold in 1983 and defined as being “a crime committed to save nature.” Exploring both famous investigations that caught media’s attention as well as rather small incidents that went unnoticed for one reason or the other, the narrative really keeps you engaged as you turn each page. Since “Earth Liberation Front (ELF)” and “Animal Liberation Front (ALF)” were the primary groups targeted by the American government, a rather large portion of the book covers specifically their members, leaders and their suffered consequences.
Will Potter started down on this path of investigating why animal rights and environmental activists have become the number one domestic terrorism threat, and it seemed as though the reasoning behind it was the same one operative in so many aspects of American politics: money. Anyone, including journalists, could be labelled a terrorist for exposing activities that industry would rather keep secret.
One of the specific cases that can be analyzed even further if the book caught your attention is being highlighted through Adam Durand, a nonviolent activist, that has received 180 days in jail, plus $1,500 in fines, plus probation, plus 100 hours of community service, all for producing an undercover documentary about a factory farm.
Will Potter started down on this path of investigating why animal rights and environmental activists have become the number one domestic terrorism threat, and it seemed as though the reasoning behind it was the same one operative in so many aspects of American politics: money. Anyone, including journalists, could be labelled a terrorist for exposing activities that industry would rather keep secret.
One of the specific cases that can be analyzed even further if the book caught your attention is being highlighted through Adam Durand, a nonviolent activist, that has received 180 days in jail, plus $1,500 in fines, plus probation, plus 100 hours of community service, all for producing an undercover documentary about a factory farm.
October 22, 2015
Harrison Jones
Waldorf 2
ELA 11
20 October 2015
Green Is The New Red Quote Sandwich Review
In Green Is The New Red Daniel McGowan is a strong willed activist, but is also cognisant of his personal well being. While he was on trial for terrorism for the arson of a logging company, and an SUV dealership he says “I hope that you will see that my actions were not those of a terrorist but those of a concerned young person who was deeply troubled by the destruction of Oregon’s forests” (Potter 79). He took extreme actions, by normal standards, all in the name of protecting the environment and it’s wildlife. Later in the trial he had the opportunity to expose illegal spying by the NSA but instead took a plea deal to reduce his own sentence. The author states “For McGowan who always seems to be thinking of the bigger activist picture, the deal means forfeiting a rare opportunity to expose systemic government corruption.” (Potter 81). This runs directly in contrast to to his dedication to the causes of the ALF and the ELF throwing all of that away in a moment of him pursuing his own self interest.
Waldorf 2
ELA 11
20 October 2015
Green Is The New Red Quote Sandwich Review
In Green Is The New Red Daniel McGowan is a strong willed activist, but is also cognisant of his personal well being. While he was on trial for terrorism for the arson of a logging company, and an SUV dealership he says “I hope that you will see that my actions were not those of a terrorist but those of a concerned young person who was deeply troubled by the destruction of Oregon’s forests” (Potter 79). He took extreme actions, by normal standards, all in the name of protecting the environment and it’s wildlife. Later in the trial he had the opportunity to expose illegal spying by the NSA but instead took a plea deal to reduce his own sentence. The author states “For McGowan who always seems to be thinking of the bigger activist picture, the deal means forfeiting a rare opportunity to expose systemic government corruption.” (Potter 81). This runs directly in contrast to to his dedication to the causes of the ALF and the ELF throwing all of that away in a moment of him pursuing his own self interest.
July 3, 2011
Will Potter has explained the attacks on animal/environmental rights activists in a thorough, thought provoking, enraging and inspiring way. His explanations and accounts of the Animal Enterprise Terrorist Act and its subsequent use in the American judicial system is amazing. To know that there is no official definition of the term "terrorism" in the government is frightening as it is now so freely applied to anyone who leaflets or joins in a protest for the rights of animals or the environment. He illustrates so clearly how history continues to repeat itself when it comes to Americans who apply civil disobedience and the right to free speech when standing up to government and corporations who continue to strip away our rights as citizens of this country. Always in retrospect we see how wrong we were to arrest and kill those who stand up and demand basic human (animal, environmental) rights. From our sister suffragists to Dr. King to Daniel McGowan. Truly this book is an amazing account of our current struggles with our government.
May 9, 2012
I'm not normally tempted to review books, but I couldn't resist. Potter's analysis of US domestic terrorism laws is fascinating and frightening at the same time. As someone who enjoys exercising her First Amendment rights, I find it horrifying that the government is fabricating more and more excuses to prosecute (harshly) acts once considered legal displays of activism. Not only are activists for the environment and animal-rights being targeted at an alarmingly high rate, they are being labeled domestic terrorists and treated as such in prisons and the courts. Potter's account of various cases and his in-depth reporting makes this book a must-read for anyone interested in these issues. Unfortunately, since its publication, things have gotten worse with newly passed "Ag-gag" laws preventing filming, reporting and cameras at slaughterhouses. One can only hope that he'll revise this book in a few years...I'll be waiting.
June 10, 2015
Green is the new red, terrorism is the new communism (when it comes to civil liberties), and somehow ecoterrorists and animal rights "extremists" are te FBI's number one domestic terror threat. This is a gripping account of surveillance, the perversion of the word "terrorism," and a totally overreaching government crackdown. Regardless of whether you're a bike-riding vegan or not, this is a scary and readable portrait of how little the First Amendment can mean when powerful interests oppose your cause. If you *are* a bike-riding vegan, it's terrifying and necessary because you might be put on a terrorist watchlist for distributing flyers about a research lab or your friends might be put in secret prisons for burning an SUV--and it's important to understand that we face risks (not as many risks as some, but certainly not risks worth scoffing at), how these risks were put in place so we know how to deal with them, and that these risks are worth it.
August 27, 2014
Honestly, I just couldn't bring myself to finish it. It seems like it's arguing against itself! "No deaths have been caused by so-called ecoterrorists"... "self proclaimed ecoterrorists sell high profile woman's worn underwear on eBay and promise her every bidder gets her home address"... I wanted to be on the side of the misunderstood environmental freedom fighter, but the book honestly makes me more apprehensive about signing up or joining any rallies or walks or talks. Seriously. I'm supposed to be all outraged because someone was arrested and threatened over leafletting, but then someone is lighting buildings on fire and planting bombs... Seriously?
Yikes guys. Yikes.
And it just gets repetitive and boring after a while. It's still on my Kindle (like I said, I was gung-ho to like it) so maybe I'll flip through it again in the future, but, I doubt it.
Yikes guys. Yikes.
And it just gets repetitive and boring after a while. It's still on my Kindle (like I said, I was gung-ho to like it) so maybe I'll flip through it again in the future, but, I doubt it.
December 24, 2013
It's funny writing a review on a book about surveillance without becoming paranoid when wanting to discuss allegiances.
I liked this book. The writing was good and the story was exciting (and, of course, sad and depressing), but I'm not so sure about framing it within the sphere of constitutional rights. So many of the characters are uninterested in laws and rights, so what's the point? It seems a little dishonest to pose things in this way, especially after the trials are over and many of the sentences have been served. That said, it makes the book approachable, and something I would be able to give to my parents to read, but I'm not sure it opens the path to talking about issues outside the scope of government-sanctioned rights and their violation.
I liked this book. The writing was good and the story was exciting (and, of course, sad and depressing), but I'm not so sure about framing it within the sphere of constitutional rights. So many of the characters are uninterested in laws and rights, so what's the point? It seems a little dishonest to pose things in this way, especially after the trials are over and many of the sentences have been served. That said, it makes the book approachable, and something I would be able to give to my parents to read, but I'm not sure it opens the path to talking about issues outside the scope of government-sanctioned rights and their violation.
January 19, 2012
if you would like to read about the inner workings of the people who go after environmentalists to further their own greed, this is the book. it is quite shocking at the lengths big ag, big pharma, the lumber and medical companies and others with vested interests will go in terms of trying to pass legislation and lobbying politicos in order to continue to torture helpless animals and rape and poison the landscape for their own financial gains.
this is at the heart of OWS in all it's meanings and why we need to continue to fight.
i started rereading it again immediately upon finishing it - that's a first for me.
this is at the heart of OWS in all it's meanings and why we need to continue to fight.
i started rereading it again immediately upon finishing it - that's a first for me.
September 15, 2013
Everyone ought to dig into the plot of this story. I cannot express enough appreciation for Will Potter and those who helped him publish it, moreover for those whose political activism has meant not only the loss of their liberty, but their designation as "domestic terrorists," increasing the severity of their punishment due to the political motivation for their alleged crimes. Most of those who were given the federal terrorism enhancement, stiffening the penalties, were convicted of civil disobedience and/or propagating animal rights & liberation ideology. The American Legislative Exchange Council is a danger to the democratic process, and history will absolve animal and earth liberation.
January 8, 2014
"Green Is the New Red" is far and away the best account of the way members of the radical environmental and animal rights movements in the US are confronted with increasing state repression. While Potter is an open sympathizer and active participant in the movement, and his writing is engaged and supportive, his analysis is well-substantiated and his conclusions sound. Consequently, I have no problem using this book for my academic work. At the same time, it is written for a non-academic audience, very accessible and engaging. A must read for anyone interested in the radical environmental and animal rights movement as well as in state repression (in the US).
September 28, 2014
This book is on an undeniably fascinating and important topic (the equating of animal rights and environmental activism with terrorism by the US government). It's too bad it's written in such a jumbled, confusing style. I found the thread of the narrative difficult to follow. Sections seemed to come in random order. The author goes off on tangents, then returns to follow a particular activist, the details about whom I'd already forgotten. All of this unfortunately lessens the impact of the content. I may seek out more short-form journalism by Potter, but I don't think he was quite ready for a book.
December 20, 2014
Excellent look at the corporate interests that have conspired to define environmental and animal rights activists as terrorists.
It is sobering to realize that the FBI's focus on animal/environment activists has taken away resources from investigations of white supremacists, anti-abortionists and even the white collar fraud that caused the mortgage collapse.
The beginning of the book struggles to establish itself. However, once it finds its groove, the book flows and sucks you in.
This is a must read for everyone.
It is sobering to realize that the FBI's focus on animal/environment activists has taken away resources from investigations of white supremacists, anti-abortionists and even the white collar fraud that caused the mortgage collapse.
The beginning of the book struggles to establish itself. However, once it finds its groove, the book flows and sucks you in.
This is a must read for everyone.
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