58: Friend or Foe pt.1: Tree Hugger

Grant Thomas
Jun 19, 2024
2 min read

Updated: May 22

What is eco-terrorism and... is it all bad? In the 1990s the US government found out what happened when you anger young environmentalist and the power of positive reinforcement for things like sabotage. Grant covers who was the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and the degree to which their crimes deserved the label "terrorist". Saviors of the planet, terrorist, or both? This week's episode of Well, I Laughed, we unpack the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), the FBI’s sweeping “Operation Backfire,” and why slapping the word terrorist on young environmentalists is trickier than it sounds. Expect rattlesnake‑adjacent sprinklers, late‑night‑taco diplomacy, oversharing Tesla drivers, GMO tree farms, the 1999 WTO protests, two arsonists still on the run, and—of course—one painfully ordinary LinkedIn profile. Are these fire‑starters saviors of the planet, criminals, or a bit of both? Find out on the latest episode of Well, I Laughed!

00:35:51 Story starts

Chapters/Key takeaways to listen for

[00:00:03] Pride Kick‑Off: Pumpkin foam hacks, Casey’s “homophobia,” Pride‑weekend FOMO
[00:30:45] Tree Hugger: What counts as “appropriate” civil disobedience?
[00:36:04] Who Is Daniel McGowan?: Queens kid, PR flack, radicalized at NYC’s Wetlands bar
[00:51:45] Enter the ELF: Jake Ferguson, monkey‑wrenching 101, sugar in bulldozer gas tanks
[01:34:28] The WTO “Catalina Wine Mixer”: Mass protest meets Cheesecake‑Factory looting
[02:22:01] Terror Units, the ACLU, and One Very Normal LinkedIn: McGowan’s 7‑year sentence, CMU confinement, 2012 release
[02:28:30] Wrap‑Up & Cheese Break: Takeaways, merch procrastination, and sneak‑peek at Part 2

Photos/Videos Referenced:

*Daniel McGowen's mug shot after the protest outside of a Mine Office near Crandon, Washington*

Warner Creek Barricade in Oregon - courtesy of Kurt Jensen	Burning Oakridge Ranger Station
Vail Resorts Fire - courtesy of AP	Woman with Cheesecake during 2020 Seattle BLM Protests - KIRO7 News

Woman with Cheesecake curing 2020 Seattle BLM Protests - KIRO 7 - Trap Media USA via YouTube

Quotes:

"Take initiative. Form your own cell and do what needs to be done to protect all life on this planet." - Grant Thomas
"As soon as you become a big enough organization, you suddenly understand the issues with running an organization." - Maia Warner

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