28-year-old Jack Meyerhoff lived in Charlottesville for a time, attending PVCC, when he was arrested for committing acts of ecoterrorism in Oregon with others from the Earth Liberation Front. In this week’s Hook, Lisa Provence looks into Meyerhoff, discovering that he moved here to be with his girlfriend, Lacey Phillabaum, who briefly wrote for C-Ville Weekly and freelanced for The Hook. Meyerhoff has pleaded guilty to 54 counts of arson and conspiracy, which may earn him almost sixteen years in prison.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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I don’t like the word ‘ecoterrorism.’ The very existence of the word suggests that these acts are in a seperate category of zealotry and evil and are somehow unique compared to any other act of terrorism. Al Queda has their radical, ideological agenda that they are trying to enforce through violence against civilians and so does the Earth Liberation Front. The specifics of the ideology don’t much matter. Jack Meyerhoff is a terrorist, period.
I’m annoyed at the usage of the word “ecoterrorism”. I’d like to use it to describe acts of terrorism against the environment, such as intentionally polluting a river that the target population depends upon.
Tim,
As bad as those things are, that is not terrorism. Terrorism is using physical violence to attack civilian targets for the purpose of instilling fear among a population. Terrorists are very concerned with getting a specific emotional result as a consequence of their actions. When a large corporation dumps something nasty in a river it is really the opposite of terrorism in that they are totally uninterested in the outcome of that action.
Webster says:
ter·ror·ism
Pronunciation: ‘ter-&r-“i-z&m
Function: noun
: the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion
eco·ter·ror·ism
Pronunciation: “E-kO-‘ter-&r-i-z&m, “e-kO-
Function: noun
1 : sabotage intended to hinder activities that are considered damaging to the environment
2 : political terrorism intended to damage an enemy’s natural environment
It appears that Webster defines ecoterrorism as a method for protecting the environment through certain types of activities although it may instill fear in the local community it is not its intention.
Please keep in mind I’m not commenting on the activities themselves, just the definition of the word.
Jack, I’m not referring to corporate pollution — I’m talking about intentional environmental destruction (or threats of such destruction) of in order to coerce a certain political outcome.
I would call that “ecoterrorism”, except the word’s already been defined fairly firmly as something else.
Maybe “environmental terrorism”?