Where else but California would this happen? What a bunch of idiots. What's funny is that it mentions at the bottom of the article that the burning of the SUVs created much more pollution than driving them would have in their lifetimes. SUVs Torched at L.A.-Area Auto Dealership Friday, August 22, 2003 Associated Press WEST COVINA, Calif. — Fires at an auto dealership charred a warehouse and destroyed several SUVs on Friday, while other vehicles were vandalized with scrawled messages including "fat, lazy Americans" and the initials of a militant environmental group. "With all the evidence that you're already seeing on the vehicle, its highly likely it's an arson fire," said Rick Genovese, fire marshal for West Covina (search). The blaze broke out about 5 a.m. at a Hummer and Chevrolet auto dealership in the Los Angeles suburb. Flames engulfed several vehicles, including Hummer H2s, but there were no reports of injuries. A separate blaze about 100 yards away caved in a warehouse roof and sent plumes of smoke into the air. The word "ELF" was written on at least one vehicle in a possible reference to the group Earth Liberation Front (search). The underground group has claimed responsibility for a slew of arson attacks against commercial entities that members say threaten or damage the environment. It is suspected in a $50 million arson Aug. 1 fire that destroyed a five-story complex under construction in San Diego's fast-growing northern edge. In an e-mail sent Monday to reporters, ELF's news office said it appeared that San Diego-area fire was targeting "rampant urban development," but said it had not been in contact with the persons responsible. No one was injured in the fire. In Friday's blaze, other slogans written in large letters on the sides and hoods of the vehicles included "I (heart) Pollution," "American Wastefullness" and "Fat, Lazy, Americans." Genovese said whoever set the fire may have been trying to protest vehicles that pollute the air because of their poor fuel economy. But he said their approach was misguided. "There's a lot more pollutants from the fire than the vehicles would pollute during their lifetime," he said. "There's hundreds of tons of pollutants that were spilled off."
I've seen footage of it on TV. mainly Hummers, with graffiti. ELF is behind it. Zealots always think their rightness justifies their anti-social behavior. Sometimes, it does. Civil rights, gay rights, for example. But this is tantamount to declaring war. These fools don't understand. NOW they have involved the insurance industry, and those bastards will follow you where police won't go. Right now someone with the insurance coverage is assigning private eyes to fully investigate it, guys who are former cops or FBI agents and have access to law enforcement. Congressmen are getting called to have hearings, maybe issue subpoenas, target ELF and peta for investigation. These guys have bitten off more than they can chew this time. Someone will go to prison for this, and it will probably be federal pen for a long time. Don't be surprised if it's classified as domestic terrorism.
Worst of all they had to call in Hazmat and evacuate several city blocks, because they started all the fires with patchouli oil.
I'll NEVER get that disgusting sent outta' my craw.....WTF?! I mean, hippie BO smells better than that $hit mixed with stale pot and ciggarette butts!.... In other news, these "eco-terrorists" need to re-evaluate how they plan on achieving their goals--burning SUV's doesn't seem to be very "enviromentaly-friendly"
This action is so counterproductive that it is the dream scenario for someone trying to discredit the group or the environmental movement as a whole. Now this is the Harangue Out board so we don't want to all agree on things, so: BTW Hummers and many SUV's do suck the big one and should be viewed as unpatriotic and supporting Bin Laden. The way to deal with these behemoths is tax the hell out of them and raise the price of gas. However, as we have discussed I guess Bush's folks have given them some additonal tax breaks to encourage their purchase and pollution of the environment.
What they really should do is go into poor neighborhoods and torch the 70s-era LTDs and the like that dot the landscape as they are gas guzzlers and don't have anywhere near the environmental protections that current SUVs have.
glynch, i think you hurt your credibility on the board by turning every thread into a bush basher. i know you threw the caveat in but you have to know that your constant bashing gets old. real old. and i agree with you, gas price should reflect the price we actually pay, which is nowhere near the current ppg.
Wouldn't some sugar in the gas tank and a key on the paint have served the same purpose? Instead they filled part of the atmosphere with burning and toxic: paint, plastic, rubber, oil, grease, freon, aluminum, chemicals, and heavy metals. I hate people that claim to be peaceful and helping the earth and all that when they are really just violent idiots.
