Refusal to compromise: The case of earth first!

This qualitative case study examines Earth First!, a radical environmental group whose motto is “No Compromise in the Defense of Mother Earth!” The group creates controversy by engaging in guerilla theater, civil disobedience, and specific acts of private property destruction, variously labeled “monkeywrenching,” “ecotage,” or “ecodefense.” Earth First! texts use paradox, satire, contradiction, parody, and irony to desecrate or recontextualize unfavorable contexts. The larger environmental movement suffers and benefits as a result. Compromise is shown to be a matter of context and perspective.