Climbing Bounty Hunter Topic Continued.

You, the treesitter, are trespassing on private property. The owner of the land is legally able to forcibly remove you form his property. Same as if someone was occupying your front lawn and you (literally) licked them off.

Josh

Originally posted by Tear
Same as if someone was occupying your front lawn and you (literally) licked them off.

I've really got to keep up on the newest non-lethal techniques...

Depending on the perp's hygine that technique would require real commitment.

Finally something to smile about on this thread

Icabod

Even after you pointed that out, it took me a read or two to get it. Glad I could brighten your day.

Josh

Tear, your thread implies that because the lumber companies own the land, they SHOULD be allowed to get rid of you.

The big reason people sit is because the people who own the land are not obeying the law. They are cutting trees that they legally should not be cutting.

So why do the sitters have to comply with the law, but the cutters don't?

If I own my house, can I open a crystal-meth lab downstairs? No matter who owns it, we still have to obey the laws.

love
nick

Then we culd look at the view that breaking or bending some laws in order to support your view or cause is justified. This can get to be a very heady discussion. Start with a read of The Monkey Wrench Gang and the others in the sage, Hayduke LIves, etc.

Which law do we choose to abide by?

Tom

Nick,

I was just clearing up why it's not considered assault. I've already passed my moral judgement on the situation (please read the first half of the thread if you haven't). I absolutely believe in the importance of challenging, either through direct action or legal processes, unjust laws.

Josh

In this case, it wasn't the owner of the land that did the work. It was hired contractors.

This sort of thing has been going on for many years. Look back on the union movement during the early part of the 20th century. Do you know the story of Joe Hill? Civil rights marches and sit-ins.

Tom

That's right, it wasn't the land owners themselves. But to keep using the yard analogy: It's as if you were trespassing on a little old lady's yard and she called her big, burly neighbor to do the removal for her because she physically was unable.

So on public land, extracting would be illegal then?

On public land, "timber" sales to the logging companies render trees the private property of the owner of the sale. During a logging show, especially a contested one, timber companies can block public access to the sale area. They don't own the land, they own the wood. As I understand it, there is no effective difference between public and private land when it comes to occupying a tree that's been sold for timber. The tree is private property even if the land isn't.

This means every treesitter is trespassing. Every treesitter is breaking the law. Every treesitter risks eviction and/or arrest.

It comes down to principle. How do you feel about the hero who stands alone in front of the tank? The tank can legally run him down.

I appreciate everyone on this thread for your passionate attention to this disturbing and important issue.

Sophia

Thanks for clearing that up, Sophia.

Thanks Sophia! That makes good sense. So the tree sitters need to get out of the trees and just sit around the base of the tree so it can't be felled!

love
nick