Turns out the case I discussed in this post was not eco-terrorism, but in fact something far more common- a pissed employee:
security guard accused of burning down homes at the suburban Washington housing development where he worked told investigators he was upset his employer did not show enough sympathy after his infant son died this year.
Aaron L. Speed, 21, who worked for Security Services of America, told police he left his job from August to October because of SSA’s “indifference to the death of his infant son,” according to court papers released Friday.
When asked by investigators who might have started the fire, Speed said: “Someone who works at the site and recently experienced a great loss.”
A relative said Speed lost an infant son earlier this year.
Speed had been hired to protect the Hunters Brooke development, where a string of fires Dec. 6 destroyed 10 houses and damaged 16 others. Authorities said it was the biggest residential arson case in Maryland history, with damage put at $10 million. No one was hurt in the fires; many of the houses were under construction.
Early on, there was speculation the fires were set by environmental extremists, because some environmental groups had complained that the houses were a threat to a nearby bog. But no evidence has been found to support that theory, police said.
Several readers think I should be ‘eating crow’ regarding this, and I am not sure why. All I did was state that eco-terrorism should be treated more seriously, as I was relying on the media suggestions that this was in fact eco-terrorism.
As for eating crow- piss off. I don’t think the ELF and ALF and EarthFirst, whose websites all advocate arson (or have in the past), have been unfairly smeared by this website.
S.W. Anderson
Blogging offers a lot of potential for being too quick on the draw. I know; just about a year ago, I opined on an incident in which, it was initially reported, an innocent woman had been trampled by bargain-crazed shoppers stampeding into a Wal-Mart.
I didn’t get into anything radical about this, just offered a thought that no Wal-Mart bargain is worth getting killed over. Also, that people should keep their wits and decency about them, especially in large crowds and a competitive atmosphere.
A couple of days later egg formed on my face as I read it had been learned that the woman had a history of slipping, falling, getting bumped into, etc., in or near big-box stores — and suing or settling. There were serious doubts about her having been really trampled in the latest incident. Oops.
So, I did a follow-up post acknowledging all was not as it had seemed when writing the first post, although, I said, the advice I had offered was still worthwhile.
I think we mistake what we do for reporting sometimes. That can lead to being in too much of a hurry when it would be wise to see what additional facts emerge.
What we’re really doing is echoing news from other sources and commenting on it. Not long ago, it was common for newspaper editorials and Op-eds to comment on things several days to several weeks in the past. It’s all telescoped down in time now.
Maybe a little crow eating is order for having jumped to a conclusion. Even so, I salute you for posting an acknowledgement of what happened. That’s the fair, honest and decent thing to do. Sometimes that’s the best we can do.
Kimmitt
Your post was fairly general and applied to a number of incidents, even if I disagreed with it.
Ripper
Before ELF, tiny places like this didn’t have or need special security. So they are responsible for the cost and mistakes of the guards.
Dean Esmay
I don’t see what you should “eat crow” over either. It’s not as if eco-terrorists don’t exist, because they do. So one was misidentified; so what? Are we thinking they’re ALL misidentified?
Kimmitt
Before ELF, tiny places like this didn’t have or need special security.
Er . . . no. I guarantee you that the presence of security guards on-site had a lot more to do with the presence of valuable construction materials and equipment than anything else.
Veeshir
I’m not sure if I need to eat crow either.
I definitely thought it was eco-terrorists and commented that way.
I was wrong, but I’m not sorry. They do things like that.
To make it worse, I’m still not convinced that it wasn’t ELF and friends. Just because a bunch of 20 year olds say they did it for a different reason doesn’t mean I should believe them. 20-something nitwits are the core of ELF’s membership. They have ample reason to lie as I the Federal gov’t might get involved if it’s ELF.
As it is, I bet they get a slap on the wrists.
Al Maviva
ELF pulled a similar stunt to this in San Diego, burning down a new development. They’ve also torched SUV dealerships.
Kimmitt
It’s a little misleading to say that ELF “did” something; the organization has no central decision-making capacity. ELF is a community of vaguely like-minded individuals, not anything like an organization.
I’m baffled that someone wouldn’t be sorry for falsely accusing someone of a crime — even someone who is guilty of other crimes of the same type and magnitude. Must be a conservative thing, some variant on “they all look alike.”
Kidbit
Look, if the enviro-wacks didn’t do this one, they’ll catch you on the rebound. They don’t care if you blame them for something they didn’t do. It helps build their rep.
And they don’t look alike, but they think amazingly similarly. Uncanny, really.
Veeshir
Calling me a racist. Is that the best you got Kimmitt? That’s why you rarely fail to make me laugh.
They all act alike is a long way from they all look alike. Of course I’m not surprised you don’t see the difference when addressing an opponent.
I look forward to your indignant post about how you didn’t call me a racist.
Kimmitt
Calling me a racist. Is that the best you got Kimmitt?
Not indignant, just resigned. Did you even read the link I posted? It’s pretty obvious what I meant.
Veeshir
Nope, I have to admit I stopped reading your links a long time ago Kimmitt. I think the last time was when you linked to the Nation to prove a point.
Even after reading your link I can only see you calling me a racist.
Must be a conservative thing, some variant on “they all look alike.”
Kimmitt
The POINT was that the link shows that the motivation might have been racism, rather than any high-falutin’ liberal ideas. I then linked your idea of collective guilt to the idea of racism, attempting to demonstrate that both were equally reprehensible and intellectually bankrupt.
So, hey, I’ll go ahead and say it. Your idea of collective guilt is reprehensible and intellectually bankrupt — and endemic to conservative thought. HTH. HAND.
Ripper
ELF is a crimnal conspiracy, the whole point of conspiracy law is collective guilt.
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