Film review justifies violence as tool for activism
The Guardian recently published an article in support of the film How to Blow up a Pipeline, which promotes eco-terrorism (How to Blow Up a Pipeline: an Eco-thriller Australia urgently needs). This movie glamorizes violence and justifies it as a valid tool for activism. This is wrong, no matter the magnitude of the issue. Believing your cause to be ‘just’ or having personal struggles does not justify resorting to blowing up property or risking deadly harm to others. Imagine for a second this movie called on people you disagree with to blow up something you believe is crucial; how would calls for violence sit then?
Beyond objections to the movie itself, it’s concerning the author seems to endorse its principles, writing that “Australia feels like a place that needs to hear this film’s message loud and clear.” Given that the film’s message is overtly in support of eco-terrorism – acknowledged by the author when he says the movie “is not sitting on the fence” – this article is a concerning endorsement of violence. This movie and the Guardians’ endorsement of its filmmaking and its principles may inspire activists to adopt violence as a tactic for achieving illegal outcomes they deem ‘righteous.’