To say that I don’t quite fit the bill of a domestic terrorist is an understatement at best. When I find a critter in the house, be it ladybug or roach, I take to paper and cup and gently transport my unwelcome houseguest to their more appropriate outdoors abode. I wouldn’t hurt a fly… literally. But according to FBI deputy assistant director and top official in charge of domestic terrorism, John Lewis, as a vegan and animal rights activist, I’m more of a threat to the safety of our country than Timothy McVeigh. “The No. 1 domestic terrorism threat is the eco-terrorism, animal-rights movement.” This is where I bare my fangs and make a threatening hiss! Scared yet?

For a group of individuals who have yet to cause the death of one human or non-human, Environmental Liberation Front (ELF), Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and other environmental and animal rights organization participants seem slightly out of place on the list of our country’s most ominous domestic terrorists. Putting groups that encourage the assassination of doctors who assist in abortions aside, let’s examine one of the many violent hate groups that are child’s play in comparison (all according to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations, of course) – the Ku Klux Klan.

The Klan is responsible for hundreds if not thousands of deaths and acts of extreme violence against African-Americans, whites who defend African-Americans, Jews, Catholics, homosexuals, and other immigrant groups, not to mention all of the acts of vandalism targeted towards businesses owned by a person who falls into any one or these categories. Lynching, shootings, church and synagogue burnings – the Klan is merciless. Recently a woman was fatally shot by Klan members when she backed out of joining at a campsite initiation. Bet those Klan members are turning in their hoods trying to figure out what they need to do to win the spot on top of the domestic terrorist list.

As it stands, our government is more interested in spending this country’s budget on chasing after and prosecuting tree sitters and mink liberators than white supremacists who are actively killing those who don’t look like them or who don’t conform to their ideologies. The Ku Klux Klan is a racist, anti-Semitic movement with a commitment to extreme violence to achieve its goals of racial segregation and white supremacy. Yet, the KKK is less of a threat than ELF and ALF. Come on, how could that possibly NOT make sense?

A quick read over James F. Jarboe’s Congressional Testimony reveals the key. You gotta hit ‘em where it hurts. Jarboe’s speech tallies up the monetary tolls rack up because of acts like logging and fur farm sabotage but no where is there even a hint that one person was even injured or that any life, human or non-human, was targeted. Total after total are quoted with no trace of intent for these eco-terrorists or animal rights activists to target a sentient being.

Animal rights and environmental rights “extremists” threaten lucrative, often times government run and regulated industries: meat, dairy, egg, logging, oil, land development, not to mention the endless number of multi-million dollar businesses that flourish only because they ride the coat tails of these industries. Be it through peaceful protest or direct action, animal rights and environmental activists hurt these industries’ bottom line and affect their consumer market. Most Americans want their cardiovascular disease inducing burgers with a side of chili cheese fries. They need their brand spanking new Urban Sprawl homes built atop clear-cut ancient forests. God forbid they walk or rid a bike to the Star Schmucks on the corner to buy their non-organic, not fairly traded café au lait!

ELF, ALF, et al. aim to restructure all of these opulent American comforts. The KKK couldn’t care less about these issues. They want to destroy people. ELF and ALF aim to save lives. The KKK aims to kill. Eggs, oil, SUVs are objects that have intrinsic market value, value that must be protected. According to our government, protecting people, like the ones the KKK aims to annihilate, comes second to protecting revenue projecting commodities.

Needless to say, sounds like some priority restructuring is long overdue.