What pushes people to take radical action??? Because oftentimes peaceful protesters are just ignored and even threatened. Because passionate, brave people are willing to stand up and take chances to make necessary changes. Climate change is the biggest problem our planet is currently facing. Sometimes the actions they take may not seem appropriate. But if that’s what it takes to get people to get their heads out of the sand? Well, maybe. If not me then who? If not now then when? But should they be put on America’s Most Wanted as a terrorist? Equivalent to criminals such as those involved in 9/11? Of course not! By the government’s definition I am a terrorist too. So are most of the people I know! The answer is… don’t give people a reason to have to take extreme measures!! Unless you are lucky enough to be one of the 1% of people who have a billion dollars stashed away, even your vote feels useless… we continue to cast our ballots because at least it’s something. Meanwhile Jan 6 insurrectionists are viewed as heroes, oligarchs who have caused unfathomable damage are walking free in the high life? Something is so, so wrong here- yet finding a solution is such a daunting, tangled, overwhelming struggle… especially for everyday working class people. The voices of the activists in this show really touched my heart. Thank you for exploring and shining light on these issues and diving deeper into the line we need to take to address changes. Keep being a flea working together with other fleas! Stay connected, informed, open minded, mindful, and awake. Lean into the emotions that make you human. Expect nothing... Appreciate everything… Be present… Remember who you are. 👏✌🏿✊🏽 Long live Sunshine (and her mother) and our beautiful mother Earth. Today could be the last day you could experience something really special. ☀️🌸💚

This fragile content was handled with absolute openness and curiosity. I never felt shoved into a singular ideal — I was constantly invited to appreciate a range of evolving perspectives. The production/scoring was also done so beautifully. Wow. I’ve brought up the ethics of “eco-terrorism” at so many different dinner tables. Thank you thank you for such a compelling, thoughtful and patient piece. This work needs more ears!

The podcast is thorough, but I find the journalist’s handwringing over what makes a terrorist tiring. I don’t care that they didn’t kill anyone, what a simplistic view. I agree with the agent who said terrorist laws should be applied equally … though I suspect this podcaster would still have qualms with it. While both sides are interviewed, it seems one sided in tone.

I was hoping for an objective discussion and review of this case. Unfortunately, that’s not what this is. The journalist is incredibly sympathetic to the ELF and their actions, and links everything to climate change. Let the listeners draw their own conclusions!

This was by far one of the best podcasts I’ve ever taken the time to listen to. I appreciate all of your efforts. The story is absolutely incredible.

I listened to this podcast in two days because I couldn’t stop listening. It explores the complexity of addressing the climate crisis by asking, “Is what we’re doing enough? If not, how far is too far?”

I fully support ELF/ALF so I wanted to like this podcast but it’s incredibly repetitive. The same questions are asked over and over and each episode only adds a little new information to build on the story. I gave up after four episodes from boredom.

Really great interviews and historical background. Very informative and thought provoking pod- highly worth my time- but need to focus.

What constitutes being called a terrorist? Is environmentalism or animal rights an act of terror? It is disturbing that people who want to stop the destruction of forests, rivers, wild places, wildlife and animal cruelty are considered terrorists or enemies of the people. Violence is certainly a line, but who is doing the violence and destruction?

This was an outstanding podcast, looking at the so-called eco-terrorists from all angles -moral, legal, philosophical, sociological, historical. It was very balanced and very thought-provoking. Great journalism!

I thoroughly appreciated the dedication to obtaining all points of view, both past and present because it brought so much to the current conversation about the state of affairs of the planet and activism. I especially enjoyed hearing from people who were passionate, experienced and yet humble enough to admit they had changed. It’s especially rare coming from a government official and the conversation between “the arsonist” and the Feds displays the framework for any hope of real change. It’s not at the factories or corporations…it’s around a cup of tea, finding common ground and building from there. It wasn’t surprising at all to hear that Joe had continued contributing to the cause even in light of all he had been through and done. What beautiful souls. 🕊️

I love her podcast

It’s very well reported and fascinating. The hosts did a great job finding people to talk to on all sides of the events, without falling into both-side-ism.

Pretty crazy story all around, much of which I haven’t heard before. The podcast does a good job getting opinions from every side. Well done ladies.

The Earth Liberation Front along with Al Gore’s incoherent rant at Davos discredits the whole environmental movement. It is extremism. Do we need to be better stewards of the earth absolutely. In their own words…so far they have avoided loss of life but…….

I love it. Solid work from a tested journo.

Interesting story and important to take note of how we treat the people who try to warn us…

The Earth Liberation Front were a true vanguard. Out ahead of so many of us, out ahead of the culture, the politics, even right alongside some of the early climate change science. They saw what we were doing to the planet and acted in line with those moral insights. As a climate activist today this is both an inspiring and cautionary tale. The producers do a great job making this story about big, abstract ideas - the planet, direct action, incarceration, the meaning of ‘violence and terrorism’, the way the State pursues and punishes - personal and detailed. The impact of these actions on people and their families comes through clearly but without didacticism. I felt deeply for the ELF alum - they seemed so lonely. Cut off from their friends and families and cut off from the community of current-day activism by the over reaction of the State. Thank you so much. Great show.

I remember when the actions of the Earth Liberation Front were in the news. I wasn’t too sure what to make of them then. Maybe they were terrible people. Maybe they had a point to make. I just didn’t know. There were too many unknowns in my mind to develop a position one way or the other. Leah Sottile and her production team have cleared up my confusion that I had then. Joe Dibee’s words now echo in my mind. “If not me, who? If not now, when?” It’s too bad it had to come to this, too bad for all of those in the ELF I feel their frustration. Now the planet is starting to burn up. It may be too late to do anything. But just this past week, both of the people running for the US Senate in Pennsylvania said they support fracking because it brings so many jobs. Too many politicians are still looking the other way. They are either ignorant of the reality, stupid, or just don’t care what happens after they are gone, as long as they can have their jobs and power now. Addendum I just listened to Episode Eight and a half. I know there were some reviewers who dismissed this podcast because they perceived that there was political bias in its production. However, I did not find that to be the case. I thought ample time was given to government prosecutors and law enforcement and that they made a very good case. I listened carefully to the words of the judge at Joe Dibee’s sentencing hearing. After all, she has heard ALL the evidence, and listened to the best arguments from the government and from Mr. Dibee’s lawyer. I know that none of the negative reviews were written by people who were in that same position; she is the only one. Her conclusions may stun some listeners and make others feel vindicated. All I can suggest is to remember that she is the only person who has heard it all. She very thoroughly explained her reasoning in imposing his sentence. I wonder if Josephine Sunshine Overaker will ever be found and given an opportunity to present her story. I’m sure it would be fascinating. If she is ever able to speak, I hope Leah Sottile and Georgia Catt will be there to hear what she says and produce an Episode Nine.

How far are we willing to go to save the planet? What’s moral or “right” in the face of climate change? Where is the line when it comes to protesting and taking action? These are some important questions at the heart of this podcast. And while it focuses on dramatic narratives of fugitives and eco saboteurs operating 20-30 years ago, the show smartly applies insights from those events and turns its gaze towards our current climate crisis. This is an important topic, and thank you Leah for digging for answers in such a gray area.

Leah and Georgia did a great job collecting a lot of different viewpoints and covering a lot of background on a very important part of modern history. I’m a boring and somewhat oblivious suburbanite who hasn’t really paid attention to what’s going on in the environmental movement but this was an excellent podcast series on some pretty critical constitutional and justice issues and its impact on our present approach to the environment. Pretty much one of the best podcast series I’ve listened to in along time.

I’m far more conservative that I would ever consider myself left, leaning. But Georgia and Leah did an excellent job of trying to find a middle ground to answer difficult questions. It’s a kin to the dark reality of nonviolent drug offenders. I found it fascinating and it’s a chapter in the last several decades, long since forgotten in American history, but worth revisiting.

I’ve always been impressed with Leah Sotille’s work both in print and podcasts. This series lives up to my high expectations. Very thoughtful and asks tough questions. And I’ve spent considerable time in Eugene and I’ve had numerous conversations with insufferable environmentalists (still easily found today - just spend some time at Saturday Market) and remember the Warner Creek days well. It’s important context for this story and I think they did a nice job including that history.

This is such an important topic that I’ll listen to anything produced. Personally I find the overall tone of Burn Wild too sensational, but there’s clearly a lot of competent work put into making it, not the least of which is landing some of these interviews. If you’re hungry for more I recommend OPB’s podcast “Timber Wars”, and a stunning novel “The Overstory” which was tranforms much of this story into fiction.

Tough questions are not asked of the extremist/terrorist. They are treated like heroes. Stating over and over that they did not kill or physically harm someone doesn’t justify violence. Do these people drive cars, own houses, use tech, fly??? Yes they do! It seems the extremist require others to change but they do not hold themselves to the same standard. Very disappointing reporting.

LS definitely digs deep into a subject to get all the information. These episodes are just the right length to hear in one setting.

Crap reporting, sensationalist editing, melodramatic sound effects, and inaccurate/incomplete story.

This is not journalism. This is biased. False equivalency, minimizing Jan 6th as “trying to overturn an election” — when the Capitol was stormed to wage a VIOLENT COUP. Rule #1 in activism: don’t do anything to make the target into a victim. By burning random chicken & horsemeat factories down (covered by insurance, guys! No financial damage done!) — you made the evil corps VICTIMS. Pyromania is violent, and actual pyromaniacs often escalate to homicide. The Leader of “The Family,” as you wish to call it (how Manson-esq of you), is clearly a Pyromaniac, and quite possibly, a FEDERAL INFORMANT/CI (or hired by the corporations being targeted, to infiltrate and take the org down from the inside) — who pushed teenage activists to become extremists that burn down empty buildings to achieve absolutely nothing but POLLUTION, and giving pretense to turn environmentalism into terrorism right when we had BIG OIL as President: George W. Bush. We’ve ALL known about Climate Change since the 90s, when it made national headlines, and at least in the early 2000s, we were taught about it in Science class in the American public school system. Further, in college, we were continued to be taught about it. Bush, and I’m sure Blair, fought very hard to push forth Climate Denial pseudoscience. So please, stop gaslighting listeners by making ridiculous hyperbolic statements like “the ELF knew about global warming before everyone else — 20 years ago.” Zoomers might buy this, but the rest of us REMEMBER. And pls, stop patronizing listeners by Pod-splaining GLOBAL WARMING to us. Stop painting these CI Leaders of ELF & ALF as martyrs — when they took vulnerable young environmentalists and convinced them acts of terrorism and POLLUTION were the only way to “make a difference.” They, instead, got the entire mvmt under surveillance. NEVER AGAIN try to tie EITHER org with the South Dakota Pipeline activists. That was about corporations destroying sovereign NATIVE AMERICAN LAND. Everyone was involved. The ELF has no idea what persecution by Corporate Government is compared to what South Dakota ACTIVISTS went thru. The ELF burned things at night in rural areas. Kool. Meanwhile these activists took time off work, quit jobs, went to SD, and were every day people defending Native lands in solidarity with the Native ACTIVISTS. Their lives were in REAL jeopardy. For how often this gets brought up to legitimize something not even remotely related, I’m disgusted that there’s still not been a single podcast covering this REAL mvmt whatsoever. Nah, y’all want sensationalism that’s safe. Not real stories that come at a price. Burning down empty buildings — pollutes the Earth more than anything, with the exception of environmental wild fires caused by the climate change (thanks to air pollution from FIRES) or corporate negligence (see California gas company found at fault), burning trash & recycling by corps, etc. This is not in the name of the environment. Clearly, some members had good intentions, but were teenagers without fully developed pre-frontal cortexes — which is the intention with recruiting teenage girls. You don’t inflict economic damage to corps by turning them into “victims” who get REIMBURSED by insurance anyways. The leadership exploited Anarchists, turned this into a cult, and pyromania is a violent crime highly correlated with homicide. There’s no ideology behind the use of fire on BUILDINGS, yet the “journalist” doesn’t point out these obvious points. Burning National Forest Rangers stations (aka Federal police) — puts a bulls eye on activists backs. The lawyer you’re platforming is an Antisemitic nut. The host is making excuses. The name of this Podcast, now that Ep 2 gave full context, shows exactly HOW they want to frame this story. And yes, in England, there’s no freedom of the press. So the lil zine named “Green Anarchy” — clearly trying to bait actual Anarchists, was obviously going to get shutdown by a country with no Constitution of guarantee of Free Speech or Freedom of the Press. That sketchy British guy sounds EXACTLY like a Spy Cop. An Agent Provocateur, which quite frankly, the radicalization of this mvmt into “we’re just going to burn everything” — FEELS like an org that’s leadership were CIs. And yes, they got people to commit acts that fall under terrorism by burning and targeting numerous corp factories, HQs, and Park Ranger Stations (FEDERAL POLICE). Not a single Animal “liberated” or saved. Not a single corp shutdown or changing their ways because of these unnecessary actions that did nothing but put a bunch of kids in jail, while the Leader (who sounds like an Informant) sits pretty on house arrest with a $$$ attorney — while the rest are silenced by 20-30 yr sentences. Stop romanticizing a mvmt that was likely infiltrated by Feds/MI5/MI6 to push it into pyromania, so the conversation we’ve been having since the 1990s about climate change being caused by corporate greed, changes to acts by what are now ecoterrorists. This is sabotage. As someone who remembers this mvmt and also thought it seemed legit at only 21, I’m shocked to learn just how fake it all was, as this podcast seeks to rehab their image as the cult leader goes to trial. Maybe you should’ve looked into the present-day so-called Animal Environmentalist Activists — one whose leader was grooming vulnerable teenage girls in Minneapolis, and is infamous for holding up a banner about cows being killed at a Bernie Sanders rally — kicking him off stage!! They also covered themselves in fake blood and ran inside grocery stores, and nearly killed members by chaining them to dangerous machinery.

But couldn’t hold my attention.

The main people that are interviewed for this story are feds and the woman that sold out the movement that she “sacrificed her life” for. This does not capture the story of the activists. This is a sensationalized puff piece that focuses heavily on “uncovering” information about an activist still in hiding. This is not helpful, informative, or insightful. I’m bummed I wasted the time that I did listening to it. It is biased in favor of imperialism and you should do your own research about these events and these people.

…and biased.

Leah Sottile has spent years reporting on right-wing extremism, and in this podcast she explores the far left of the spectrum. Like everything she does, this series is full of history, context, nuance, and a ton of original reporting. Well worth your time.