Instructions: Fully utilize the materials that have been provided to you in order to support your response. Responses should be a minimum of 250 words and include direct questions. You may challenge, support or supplement another student’s answer using the terms, concepts and theories from the required readings. Also, do not be afraid to respectfully disagree where you feel appropriate; as this should be part of your analysis process at this academic level.

Forum posts are graded on timeliness, relevance, knowledge of the weekly readings, and the quality of original ideas. Sources utilized to support answers are to be cited in accordance with the APA writing style by providing a general parenthetical citation (reference the author, year and page number) within your post, as well as an adjoining reference list. Refer to grading rubric for additional details concerning grading criteria.

Respond to Jason:

In regards to this week’s discussion board topic pertaining to eco-extremist and animal rights groups, the position I take is opposite of the eco-extremists and opposite animal rights groups on most things. Eco-extremists essentially look to try and protect the environment from those who are destroying and profiting from it. The major reason why I am against eco-extremists is because they will resort to violence in order to get their point across. This violence includes arson and bombings. “During the past two decades, radical environmental and animal rights groups have claimed responsibility for hundreds of crimes and acts of terrorism, including arson, bombings, vandalism and harassment, causing more than $100 million in damage” (www.adl.org). The burning and bombing of property and building in order to get a point across, only leads to the destruction of more natural resources in order rebuild/fix what was destroyed. Therefore, the eco-extremists are doing more harm to the environment than they are good for it. Additionally, how are the eco-extremists getting from one location to the other? If they are using any type of motorized transportation they are being hypocrites. This is why, I am on the opposite side of eco-extremists.

In regards to animal rights groups, I am on the fence, and can see the argument from both sides. For example, I completely disagree with a person raising dogs specifically for dog fighting. The conditions and treatment the dogs endure is horrible. However, on the other side of the spectrum, I can completely understand for the need to conduct testing of various things on animals. Testing various things on animals has led to several major breakthroughs. “The California Biomedical Research Association states that nearly every medical breakthrough in the last 100 years has resulted directly from research using animals” (procon.org).

How do you stop people from committing acts of domestic terrorism when they believe so passionately about a topic? I partially believe that you can’t stop someone from committing domestic terrorism for a cause they believe deeply in. I believe the first approach would be to get them involved. The various groups (eco-extremist and animal rights) should reach out to the government (at all levels) and see if the two sides can work towards a common view on the topic. Maybe if the extremists took the time and truly tried to understand the other sides viewpoint, it may change the way the think about a topic. The second approach would be to mandate much harsher punishments for people convicted of domestic extremism relating to eco-extremism or animal rights. The problem with doing this, is that often times the hardcore true believers, the ones who feel compelled to carry out various forms of destruction for their cause, will most likely use the fact that they were arrested as some type of propaganda, at a minimum they will use it as “street cred” among the other activists. Being arrested may only allow the person to show how dedicated they are to the cause.

Ecoterrorism | Extremism in America | ADL. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.adl.org/education/resources/reports/ecoterrorism.

Pros & Cons – ProCon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://animal-testing.procon.org/.