From the AP:
A Virginia college student was ordered held without bail Friday on federal charges he was part of a group of radical environmentalists who toppled a high-tension electric line and firebombed a lumber mill office and a tree farm.
Dressed in jail fatigues and shackled around the ankles, Stanislas “Jack” Meyerhoff, a student at Piedmont Community College in Charlottesville, Va., responded in a quiet voice, “Yes, your honor,” when asked if he understood the 17 counts of arson, conspiracy and destruction of property that could send him to prison for life. About 5-foot-6 and 140 pounds, Meyerhoff was clean-shaven with short brown hair.
Meyerhoff, 28, was one of six people arrested Wednesday in five states on federal charges they took part in a series of attacks in Oregon and Washington state dating back from 1998 to 2001.
Given that he was named an honor role student at Central Oregon Community College just last June, we (happily) can’t claim him as a local.
i wonder if he had any connection to the ELF’s invasion of the Hollymead Town Center?
Good memory. I wondered the same thing, but given how recently that it appears he arrived here, I don’t think we have any reason to think that. Still, how many ecoterrorists could there be in C’ville?
This guy actually is a local, albiet a recent transplant from the west coast. This fall semester was his first at PVCC as an engineering student. He didn’t earn degrees from Central Oregon Community College or Piedmont. He had an apartment on Four Seasons Drive at the North Woods complex in Albemarle County.
I’m not sure of how long it takes to be able to claim the crown of “local,” but I’ve just arbitrarily decided that it’s at least one day longer than he’s lived here. I think Oregon gets the blame for him. ;)
He had an apartment on Four Seasons Drive at the North Woods complex in Albemarle County.
Hmm. There’s an apartment available at North Woods, you say?
;)
didnt realize he was a transplant. LOL, may he still help ELF with the Hollymead. And this guy loved the area so he decided to move here. OH NO, ecoterrorism encourages growth. The irony!!
“Jack” Meyerhoff ; that sounds like a name from a prankster;)
As a point of definition, I think it is odd that we’ve allowed the term Terrorism to become associated with crimes against property where no living creature was physically harmed. By this definition, people who spray paint on train cars are “terrorists”. Likewise, a certain band of men who dumped tea into the Boston Harbor were also terrorists. I won’t even bother going into the methods Jefferson advocated…
Like it or not, the United States has a long history of Civil Disobedience, and almost all major changes in our society were influenced by people who broke some law or another. There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever in my mind that ELF pushed the boundaries of direct action in a really irresponsible way and that they do deserve to be charged for the crimes they committed and they probably deserve conspiracy charges too for collaborating to cover up their crimes (even Thoreau did go to jail…).
What I feel is really scary though is treating these activists on an equal basis as those who’d blow up a car bomb by an elementary school. These aren’t equal crimes. By attaching an additional “terrorist” penalty to crimes the U.S. can basically silence dissent. I really question how ELF ever merited the #1 priority of the FBI when the people who sent Anthrax to congress are still at large?
I know it is unpopular to advocate for the criminal, but I do feel that we as a society need to be really careful how we deal out “justice” for one day it may be considered “terrorism” just to speak ill of the government… It may sound paranoid, but there are currently a large number of people in Cuba who’ve been imprisoned without a trial for three years!
Interesting points, Tigernach — I’ll be mulling that over for a while.
we can call them Treedom Fighters?
Treedom Fighters… I like it! : )