Does this count as inciting violence?
Far-left Canada-based activist group Adbusters has cooked up a new plan to stick it to “the man” and save the planet at the same time. The plan is for its network of loyal followers to go around deflating the tires on SUVs. That supposedly is going to cut down on CO2 emissions and thus save the planet. I’d say they’ve been huffing a little too much paint thinner.
Find out why Ford was ordered to pay out a massive amount here.
Adbusters took to Twitter to spread news of the plan, calling it a “gentle escalation” to make people aware just how much they need to panic about the climate crisis. Followers are instructed to use pebbles to keep the tire valves open, instead of slashing the sidewalls and committing vandalism. Leadership thinks deflating tires will “engdender a systemic aversion to SUVs.” I think they need to lay off the punch a little bit.
At best, the Adbusters loyalists who engage in this kind of activity will end up pissing off a bunch of people. If they’re like me, they have an air pump on hand and can have their tires inflated within minutes. Or they might have to call a tow truck to have it air up their tires. That tow truck will burn more fossil fuels than the SUV, so it’s a net loss when it comes to preventing CO2 emissions.
But loyalists will likely argue this is about changing perceptions. That’s why they’re leaving a leaflet to preach the evils of SUVs on the vehicles they target. If someone has a real emergency and that SUV is their only vehicle, it’s possible they could have a legal case against Adbusters. Even worse, if someone notices a person rummaging around by their vehicle at night, they might grab their gun to investigate. Really, this is a horrible idea, but I expect nothing less from these guys.
The hope is that by deflating SUV tires, people will stop buying SUVs as they see them in a negative light. More likely they will see Adbusters in a negative light. But the organization thinks it can deal a blow since “SUV sales are playing a massive role in the expansion of the auto industry.” Oh give me a break, who actually believes this tripe? They think by deflating tires people are just going to stop buying not only SUVs but vehicles in general. Oh, that’s rich!
Followers are instructed to get a group together and coordinate using “any untraceable apps.” If they aren’t doing anything illegal, why the paranoia? They want the groups to hit specific neighborhoods, with a preference for wealthy ones so they don’t “disrupt workers.” And these guys claim to be anti-communist.
What if someone gets in their vehicle while the tires are still deflating, starts driving, then gets into a horrific fatal accident because of this stunt? Not properly inflating tires can cause a blowout, which can make a driver lose control. Did they think of this? Do they even care?
Maybe you haven’t heard of Adbusters before. The group, which was founded back in 1989 in Vancouver, is a non-profit which claims to have “a global network of activists (sic) writers (sic) artists (sic) hackers (sic) tricksters (sic) poets (sic) philosophers (sic) and punks.” The whole point ostensibly is to revitalize liberal democracy, which is ironic considering they’re using tactics directly opposed to classical liberalism. I’m sure they’d argue with me they aren’t, that they’re freedom fighters and such. I have to credit their dedication in a world where so many are content to just consume the latest gossip about Paris Hilton or whomever.
If Adbusters wanted to fight actual dragons instead of charging at windmills, it would do something about the pollution pouring out of China. Its mega-cities routinely generate so much air pollution people fear to go outside and it’s difficult to see across the street. But it’s a lot easier to deflate some tires in the comfort of a free nation. Then you get to claim you’re helping without risking much of anything.
