Posted on 04/11/2022 6:58:51 PM PDT by Subcutaneous Fishstick Blues
A left-wing environmental activist group proposed deflating the tires of sports utility vehicles as a radical act of protest against climate change.
Adbusters, an activist group that describes itself as a “collective of artists, designers, writers, musicians, poets, punks, philosophers and wild hearts has been smashing ads, fighting corruption and speaking truth to power,” and has been tied to the Occupy Wall Street protests in 2011, called for activists to deflate SUV tires in a Twitter thread on Wednesday.
“So here’s what we do: Wedge gravel in the tire valves, leaflet the SUV to let them know the tires are flat and why it was done, and walk away,” the organization wrote. “It’s that simple. If we organize, we can hit enough SUVs in particular neighborhoods to spark reporting and spread the metameme. We do this neighbourhood-at-a-time to make the biggest splash. Organize a crew (off of any traceable apps) and make leaflets that lay out the case for climate action. The mission is not to win individual converts at this point, but to engender a systemic aversion to SUVs. Climate change is the biggest crisis we’ve faced as a species, and we are failing the test at every step. It is time for us to carefully escalate our methods in a non-violent manner and convey the seriousness of this crisis in tangible ways.”
“A flat tire is non-violent,” Adbusters continued. “There is no property damage. But it is a huge pain in the a**. We’ve seen this method succeed in Sweden, and have initial success in the UK with [Tyre Extinguishers] (articles warning off SUV purchases at risk of being targeted). Time to go global. Targeting SUVs is good way to hit the automotive industry where it hurts. SUV sales are playing a massive role in the expansion of the auto industry, both as a percentage of global market share and in total numbers. And that increase is setting the climate back massively.”
The group recommended targeting wealthy areas, to begin with, saying that its goal “isn’t to disrupt workers,” and to avoid targeting vehicles that have disabled stickers or handicap hangers.
Adbusters also posted a sample leaflet for activists to place on the windshields of vehicles they target.
“Your tires are flat,” the leaflet reads. “It isn’t personal. SUVs are disproportionately fueling the climate crisis. They’re the 2nd-largest contributor to increasing CO2 emissions since 2010. And they’re totally unnecessary. The climate crisis is spiraling out of control, making drastic action necessary. So we deflated your tires. Walk, bike, take public transit if you have to. But it’s time to end our reliance on these gas-guzzling behemoths.”
Critics on Twitter blasted the group, noting that the idea is ineffective, criminal, and possibly dangerous.
“[I’m] sure ruining someone’s day is a great way to make them agree with you,” one user wrote.
“Most people don’t carry a tire pump. They’re going to call a tow truck to either tow them because they don’t know the tire is still good or to reinflate the tire. The tow truck is way less efficient, burning fuel and unnecessary. They’re now p***** off and way less sympathetic,” wrote another.
“Malicious vandalism comes with occupational hazards,” a user tweeted.
“Three days in and Twitter is like yeah, encouraging property damage is totes fine,” another critic wrote.
“@TwitterSafety, pretty sure this is illegal,” said another.
Time to flatten some protesters, gently but visibly.
Fourth step thump tire vandal with baton of nightstick
Please, please come onto my property with mischief in your heart. Dog food is so expensive these day and even a runty little leftist could feed them for days.
He threatened me with a ghost gun officer.
Hit em with a slingshot with lead balls.
The greenie weenies are going to get themselves shot if they try this crap with the wrong people.
No loss.
4th Step:
Retrieve broken teeth from pavement.
5th Step:
You better run really, really fast, you punkass piece of shit!
Apply tire iron to skull.
Shoot a few of these commie bass turds and they’ll stop doing it. Shoot, shovel and shut up.
We need to start printing up “handicap hangers” and start selling ‘em. We can make some big bucks.
If caught, they can endure the “wood shampoo” challenge, where they get beaten with a axe handle.
“A left-wing environmental activist group...”
There’s that word again - “activists”.
These termites need to be exterminated.
These are nothing more than holier than thou vandals wanting to dictate how you should live.
Sadly that’s what it would take to put a quick end to these malicious pranks, but I don’t see that happening.
“.....“So here's what we do: Wedge gravel in the tire valves, leaflet the SUV to let them know the tires are flat and why it was done, and walk away,” the organization wrote. .....The mission is not to win individual converts at this point, but to engender a systemic aversion to SUVs.....It is time for us to carefully escalate our methods in a non-violent manner and convey the seriousness of this crisis in tangible ways.”
“A flat tire is non-violent,” Adbusters continued. “There is no property damage.......”
I am sorry guys, there is likely property damage to the tire.
In some places, I would consider it violent. If I get back to my SUV or pickup truck at the end of a day of hiking and find a flat tire, I am not going to be in a good mood. If I see someone doing that at a trail head, I am not sure what I would do.
I would be tempted to tie them up to the front bumper *with a sign around their neck) of one of the cars with deflated tires and let the owner of the vehicle decide what he or she wants to do with them.
The thing that eco-terrorists don't understand is that there is a growing vigilante movement in this country.
Wait until they make the mistake of trying this tactic on some gangbanger’s SUV ...
A few bullets will deflate them rather well.
Imagine how much pollutants and carbon they wont be able to release then, decades worth saved.
Save the Planet, Deflate a Liberal
Step 1. See an idiot vandalizing your tires, shoot.
Step 2. Walk away.
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