Careful Fox News
Fox News headlines and Eco-terrorism case with "Student Gets Eight Years for Eco-Vandalism." (linked above) Vandalism? One hundred and twenty-five vehicles destroyed is "vandalism?" This is a significant act of domestic terrorism, and on the tenth anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, we would do well not to minimize the threat to our way of life from extremist groups from either the left or the right.
Let's start with straight talk. The word "student" in this headline leads the reader to believe that this act may have been perpetrated by a misguided youth. It does not give the reader the impression that this "student" was 24 years old and a doctoral candidate. This information moves this act from college high-jinks gone wrong to the level of serious intentional act by a mature adult...a very different picture.
Additionally, the coined and catchy phrase "Eco-Vandalism" gives the reader the impression that somehow this poor lad met a harsh judge and was unfairly sentenced for his role in some graffiti tagging campaign. Over one hundred vehicles destroyed...this is a serious attack by a growing faction in this country that is getting more radical and violent each day.
In my job as a Facility Manager, post 9/11, we are in constant contact with state authorities about potential threats...International and domestic. These types of groups are number one on their "most dangerous" and active lists.
Careful Fox...give us the headlines that fit the story, not catchy buzzwords that give the writer and editors good feelings about word invention or phrase turning. This is serious...treat it as such.
6 comments:
Good point MM. At least the federal courts are taking this seriously even if Big Media does not. 8 years in prison and $3.5 million in restitution is nothing to sneeze at. These young jackasses that think they are doing the world a favor by destroying things in the name of environmentalism should have the book thrown at them. I agree with you that sometimes Big Media portrays these idiots as oppressed people with a just cause. Bullshit!
I suppose he'll have to start his dissertation research all over after 8 years . . .
And the good news about federal prison is that 8 years means 8 years - plus, he'll probably have to spend the rest of his life trying to pay off the restitution. I hope the other little "eco-warriors" out there sit up and take notice. And I hope they find the other two and give it to them in the neck as well.
(You'd think a Caltech doc candidate would be smart enough to know that IP addresses can be traced.)
Maybe he wasn't first in his class.
MM
24, but "mature" adult i'm not sure about...
Wow, like SF alpha geek said, what a dumbass. Its amazing how people think they're "anonymous" on the internet when they're really not. I mean, at least send it from a public library or something...SOMETHING other than your own personal computer.
SFAG said:
I suppose he'll have to start his dissertation research all over after 8 years . . .
sort of.......
he'll come out "ward churchill on steroids". move to colorado, and in a month or two, get tenure.
he was throwing molotov cocktails....you know how dangerous this guy could/can be with a degree in physics?
i was dangerous in my high school chemistry class.
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