New York City is on high terrorist alert. The entire nation is on tenterhooks. And at California State University at Fresno, security was heavy — for an academic environmental conference. The reason? The conference addressed “revolutionary environmentalism” and participants included former members of militant environmental and animal-rights organizations that have been linked to fire-bombings, vandalism, and other acts of so-called eco-terrorism. The conference attracted some 850 people and considerable controversy; some felt that it condoned violence and criminality, while others depicted it as a “sober academic discussion” and still others hailed the university for hosting it. Steve Best, who chairs the University of Texas philosophy department and spoke at the conference, said, “Fresno State is the most courageous university in the country for holding this conference. Throughout history, property destruction and civil protest has been part of our heritage. If you have a problem with that, you have a problem with the Boston Tea Party.”
