Earth Liberation Front (ELF) members are suspected to be the culprits behind a massive torching of two-million-dollar luxury homes in Seattle, Washington. A sign left in the front yard stated that ELF burned down the mansions because they were not environmentally friendly.

ELF got exactly what they wanted: major media attention for their cause. However, we scorn their acts because of the risk they took in an effort to draw attention to their message.

Fortunately, nobody was hurt or killed in the blaze. No one had moved into the houses yet. But had the ELF acts caused harm to anyone, their message would have gone up in smoke.

We also are turned off by the hypocrisy of their acts. By burning the houses, they just released more harmful chemicals into the air, thus harming our ecosystem even more.

The amount of taxpayer money used to pay the firefighters to put out the fire and the investigators to track the suspects alone was a hit to the community. The houses will be rebuilt, so that means twice the amount of wood, metal and manpower will be used.

We see the ELF’s acts as disrespectful and harmful to both the environment and those who inhabit it. They broke the law. They could have killed someone. They risked the wellbeing of the community to prove a point.

ELF members should take a “greener” and safer approach to promoting their cause. We were willing to listen and learn, but their acts thus far left their plight in the ashes.