Portland State University’s faculty senate passed a resolution earlier this month that criticized use of terms such as “ecoterrorism” saying that they unnecessarily links nonviolent political dissent to terrorism. The resolution passed 46-9.
And what sort of nonviolent political dissent are Portland professors concerned about defending? The kind that involves arson and setting fire to trucks.
The resolution was co-written by Mary King, chair of PSU’s economics department, and Barbara Dudley, adjunct professor of political science. King told Willamette Weekly’s Amy Roe that she was inspired by the plight of one of her former students, Jeremy Rosenbloom.
Rosenbloom received a bachelor’s degree in March but more recently was one of four environmentalist extremists arrested for allegedly setting fire to three trucks belonging to a logging company in June 2001.
King is horrified that society might actually punish Rosenbloom for his crime,
I know him, and the idea of him spending a big part of his life in jail appeals me.
Oh the horrors — that someone might actually be punished for a premeditated arson that destroys property and places firefighter and others in harms way.
The final resolution deleted a phrase that King and Dudley had written that implied that such acts of destruction were not terrorism, but the intent is still clear as Roe describes it,
The resolution decried the use of “inflammatory terms such as ‘terrorism’ and ‘ecoterrorism,'” which could be prejudicial and “dramatically increase potential sentences.” It was sent to the mayor and city commission.
Dudlely says she wanted the resolution to apply to the Muslim community as well as as environmental activists.
What I guarantee you will never see in these sort of resolutions and approving comments is any suggestion that the actions of pro-life extremists or other right-of-center extremism not be considered terrorism.
Had Rosenbloom firebombed vehicles belonging to an abortion clinic instead, you can bet that the faculty senate would have been considering other business — as it should have. So why does environmental and animal rights extremism receive a free pass from Portland State?
Source:
Profs Decry “Terrorism” Label. Amy Roe, Williamette Weekly, November 20, 2002.