Activists train to live in trees to halt Bush logging plans

Detroit News ^ | July 19, 2003 | Mark Matthews

[fightinJAG]

HUGHES CREEK CAMPGROUND, Mont. -- David Muller hunkered down and watched as an instructor tied a timber hitch around three 20-foot logs. Soon Muller would be practicing knot tying himself, and compass reading and tree climbing. The 56-year-old bookseller from Alaska was in training, not as an outdoorsman but as a political activist.

[fightinJAG]

The glamour activity in camp is tree climbing. Meredith Jefferson, a recent graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, practiced coiling the end of a rope to form a weighted bullet that she then tossed over the branch of a tree.

But doesn't this cause the tree to recoil in pain?

[nathanbedford]

Maybe a RICO action was cause them to recoil in pain.

[Diogenesis]

"One of the most empowering things you can do is to know that you can effect change when you sit in a tree or blockade a road," she said.

Couch potatato devolves to monkey.

[Steve Eisenberg]

The 56-year-old bookseller from Alaska

Not to insult anyone from the last frontier, but there's a brilliant career choice for you.

[SoggyBottomBoy]

cut down the tree and let the chips (and activist) fall where they may!

[Free the USA]

fyi

[Salman]

If this is all we're up against, we've won. Unfortunately this is not all we're up against.

[mfulstone]

They should be ordered off the trees (which are private property after they are sold for logging) and then arrested for tresspassing if they do not comply.

State police should be having tree climbing classes at the same time these idiots are getting theirs.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.

[TomB]

Maybe as a bit of repayment for those who lost their homes due to the stupid environmental policies of the past, we could bring them in and give them a rifle and take a shot at these morons.

It won't bring their houses back, but it sure would feel good.

[countrydummy]

I gotta say it, Geez, you would think Muller would have learned by now that it ain't real smart standing in front of a bulldozer!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!!

[fightinJAG]

You're no "dummy," that's for sure!

[fightinJAG]

Or maybe the state police could train large cats to climb up the trees and snarl at the protestrs.

[fightinJAG]

Eeeeewwwww.

That sounds like an environmental hazard to me.

[countrydummy]

I try not to be, at least I know not to get in front of a bulldozer! lol lol

[fightinJAG]

yeah, what is this with getting in front of bulldozers. Like that girl who got killed in Israel.

Just sad.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Watch out, tree sitters, Bush is coming for ya!!!