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- symbolic blockades than other groups. Because of this, direct
action is the preferred Earth First! tactic, but it must be
emphasized there is a time and a place for it. Civil disobedience
itself may not be a necessary or the best tactic all the time;
rallies, slideshows, and educational events may be more effective
depending on the specific political circumstances.
Monkeywrenching and civil disobedience don't mix.
Monkeywrenching should never occur in an area where other
activists are doing civil disobedience; this endangers the
activists by making them prime suspects of police investigations
and targets of violent, redneck wrath. Monkeywrenching is
generally most effective in areas that are not the centre of
public campaigns; threatened suburban fields and woodlots or even
large tracts of wilderness not yet privileged to be the focus of
organized environmental campaigns are the most effective
monkeywrenching sites. Monkeywrenching may also effectively be
used in the advanced stages of a campaign where the natural
progression of tactics have taken place, from letter writing to
civil disobedience, all failing to prevent the Freddy's
bulldozers and chainsaws from finally moving in. The stage is
set, then, for "last ditch" monkeywrenching that may revive the
issue. Monkeywrenching early in an environmental campaign may
unnecessarily alienate the public, and what the public thinks
does matter; in fact, if you want to actually save the Earth and
not simply pose as a "radical", it is vital to gain as much
public support as possible. This is how policies, legislation,
and society is changed.
Earth First! and strategy
This brings us to the point of tactics and strategy. Tactics
are the specific types of actions used to achieve a goal, whereas
strategy is when, where, and how you apply those tactics to best
achieve victory. The tactic of hitting a mugger in two different
places may be the same; but the strategies of hitting him in the
chest or hitting him in the throat are not equally effective.
This is especially important to understand for many Earth
First!ers who believe that only "radical" or illegal activities
are effective. Tactics must be viewed from within the overall
framework of the most effective strategy to actually achieve
one's goals. We must not let our green rage become blind rage;
focus your anger where it will best aid in achieving concrete
results.
Earth First! is strategically most effective in 3 main
situations:
1. When an issue is largely unknown, whether the rest of the
environmental movement has yet to focus on it or simply cannot
get it into the media spotlight. By engaging in dramatic actions,
Earth First! can draw public attention to an issue, from which
point more powerful mainstream groups can mobilize a now-aware
public to actually save it. Earth First! first raised public
awareness about the now mainstream concerns over temperate rain
forests, public lands cattle grazing, and the destruction of
tropical rainforests through the purchase of fast food beef. If
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