It may be the case that these sort of tactics are effective in areas of the Global South resisting colonial fossil fuel extraction on their land. It is likely to be more of a “frontier” situation – both in terms of the unrestrained/regulated plunder of natural resources and effective means of resistance at the disposal of impacted communities.

Having spent decades in the anti-nuclear field, and having been arrested dozens of times, I see this as an opportunity to work with and hopefully inspire the local community, as well stop corporate criminals like those that run Massey Coal. Non-violent civil disobedience has a long and honorable history, going well beyond this country and the civil tights movement. Look at Gandhi and the Mothers of the Plaza in Argentina. Having people come to West Virginia and lern about non-violence and going onto Massey Coal property to shut down mountain top removal is what I see as the next logical step. We are planning to have a summer camp in May and June to train people in nv training. as well as other trainings, and would love to see Massey Coal shut down daily, That would do a lot in my estimation. If you are interested contact me at guinstigator@yahoo.cpm oe call me, Guin, at 304-854=7372

Monkey wrenching is just as flawed a tactic in bringing about sustainability and social justice as pumping up your car tires. Strange comparison? Our current injustice and unsustainability are systemic problems, and are going to require systemic solutions. At best, monkey wrenching can be a pain in the ass to the fossil fuel empire, not a serious threat, and certainly not changing the wider status quo. Like pumping up tires, changing light bulbs, or changing your computer’s energy usage you are prescribing individual choice solutions to a systemic problem. Not going to get us where we want to be.

If the coal companies had to hire guards at all the railway bridges from Wyoming to Georgia, they would cut costs elsewhere. Mountain top removal and strip mining is about cutting costs. What’s next?

Nonviolent civil disobedience has a long and honored history and people in the mainstream understand and support it. Monkey wrenching, eco-sabotage, and property destruction, scare people (albeit because of the way it is portrayed in the corporate media)! If we are going to transform society from a carbon-belching extortion scheme to something sustainable and just, we need a popular movement demanding and creating new systems, not a couple of irrelevant eco-saboteurs screwing around with nuts and bolts.