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Encounter Eco Terrorism

Submitted by Philip on Thu, 2011-06-16 10:04
If a Tree Falls

The Encounters Documentary Film Festival is showing If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front at the Nu Metro at the V & A Waterfront on 22 and 26 June.

 

The film raises the question about the difference between an eco-warrior and an eco-terrorist. 

 

Directors Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman try to find out by tracing the story of Daniel McGowan, a member of Earth Liberation Front.  In the process the film reveals the complex moral and ethical issues of contemporary environmentalism, activism and terrorism.

 

McGowan, son of a New York policeman and an unrepentant environmentalist, was rounded up with 5 others by the FBI's Operation Backfire, and indicted on multi-billion dollar arson charges.  Awaiting sentencing he discloses intriguing details of the secretive ELF, their targets and their 'monkey-wrenching' sabotage techniques.

 

See the film to decide if the ELF choices are the sane options in an insane world.

 

Another film that should interest those seeking a greener lifestyle is Our Daily Poison that investigates the chemicals in our food.

 

For full programme details for the Documentary Film Festival that runs through to 26 July, go to www.encounters.co.za

 

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Comments

Nowadays, our society is

Submitted by ronbilson on Wed, 2011-09-07 08:08.
Nowadays, our society is facing a lot of huge problems. These include eco terrorism, rising unemployment rate and terrorism and a lot more. These should be given actions before they worsen. I have heard of a news about terrorism. The war on terror hasn't been very popular, and the CIA's extraordinary rendition program hasn't helped matters. The Guardian reports that it has been great business for a handful of individual United States corporations. A handful of individual U.S. companies were apparently hired by the CIA to transport terror suspects to secret interrogation centers, where alleged torture techniques were used. Resource for this article: CIA extraordinary rendition aid linked to private US companies. It is better that the government will conduct a thorough investigation regarding this case.

Food for thought

Submitted by Line on Thu, 2011-06-23 15:59.

We went to see 'If a Tree falls' yesterday and it was food for thought. The apparent reaction is that what Earth Liberation Front was doing; setting fire on companies properties to stop them as part of protecting the environment is totally out of line. But, what do you do when you have talked and talked, but no one seems to listen? What motivated the persons in ELF? The documentary interview several involved persons in the Earth Liberation Front, and also the ones chasing them. The film especially portraits Daniel McGowan who was a very central actor in ELF. How hard should you pay for something you did in the past? 

Personally I don't agree with the approach of ELF, but the documentary is definitely worth a view!

 

What is a terrorist?

Submitted by Mari on Thu, 2011-06-23 15:40.

To be honest I had not done much research on the film beforehand. All I knew was that the story was based on eco-terrorism and the question if the Environmental Liberation Front are environmentalists or eco-terrorists. The movie tells a story that it is difficult not to be affected of, even if you are in to environmentalism or not. Not only the line between an actionist and a terrorist makes the issues of the film interesting, but also the way the American legal system treat and punish their convicted terrorists. Go see the movie Sunday 26th, at 5.45.