Chat with George Sexton, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands

8/24/07

Regarding KBC's article that Earth First has joined forces to destroy Klamath River Dams, and the alleged attack of Karuk leader Leaf Hillman who left his wife for bleeding and unconscious after beating her with a beer bottle, George Sexton, conservation director of the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, sent the following to KBC, and we responded.

Start at the bottom of the page:

George,

You call yourself an evil environmentalist, and I suppose some would agree since you were arrested for physically protesting logging of burnt dead wood and feel we are "anti-earth hate mongering". We farmers provide your food, and provide 50 percent of the food for the Pacific Flyway waterfowl each year, half of 70 million tons. And we care for 489 species of wildlife in the Klamath Basin, and many of our farms are organic. Our farms were under 20-30' of water, which we now send down a river that used to occasionally dry up in the fall--no water, no fish, no hydropower. Most of us live here partly because of our ties with the earth and wildlife.

You said, "Earth Liberation Front (all of whom's "members" are in now in jail) not Earth First, burned the ski resort in Vail."

Yes, technically it was ELF. However, according to articles on Earth First, "The Earth Liberation Front sprung from -- and in many ways is still an arm of -- Earth First!. Earth First! (EF!) is a "warrior society" that takes a "by any means necessary" approach to "defending mother earth." The group declines to participate in the democratic process, preferring instead to damage, disable, and destroy the property of its ever-growing list of enemies. EF! targets include, but are by no means limited to, loggers, ranchers, and farmers -- especially those who grow genetically modified crops. Earth First!ers' crimes include assault, arson, and untold acts of sabotage."

With EF's demonstrating with the Karuk's and Yurok's agenda of dam removal, should we not be concerned what terrorist acts Earth First might perform with their  "any means necessary" approach?

You slammed Barry Clausen about killing puppies? He does not even know you, and isn't a puppy killer. Where do you get your information?

As far an feeling we should not share articles regarding Karuk tribal leader Leaf Hillman being arrested for allegedly beating his wife with a beer bottle and leaving her unconscious and bleeding to death, I don't think relating that news is out of line. We do not support violence against any race of women, and these folks should not be our leaders no matter what status they are with their community. I'm sure abusive men don't like to see these inconvenient truths on websites.

Again thanks for finding my typo. That was helpful.

KBC

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8/24/07 11:26 AM - The 2004 date is in the boxed action item just under the horseradish (from the "wildlife refuge") advertisement.

Seriously though, it seems like the facts matter less and less on your site, so why bother?

Also, if you're interested in running a police blotter, I'd be happy to forward you all of the domestic abuse cases I see involving farmers and ranchers. But my guess is that you're only interested in reporting on violence involving those whom you'd like to demonize for political gain. I think it is such a tragedy that the politics of personal destruction have won the day in our once great country.

Regards,
George (evil environmentalist) Sexton

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Thanks for your excellent critique. Where is my '2004' typo?
KBC

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8/24/07 10:56 AM - The Klamath fish kill was in 2002 (not 2004 as indicated on your web site) and the  Earth Liberation Front (all of whom's "members" are in now in jail) not Earth First, burned the ski resort in Vail. But don't let the facts get in the way of your anti-earth hate mongering.
Regards,
George "Barry Clausen kills puppies" Sexton