If Words Could Kill... (The Transcript)

The following is a transcript of the audible interaction on the videotape documenting the confrontation between nonviolent activists and hostile loggers the morning of September 17. Arlington Ammons, the logger who cut the tree that killed David Chain, is identified as "A" in this transcript.

Narrator #1 (Zoe Zalia, activist): [quietly] Here we go. There's a clearcut right ahead of us. This is what it looks like after they clearcut. In the background you can see what it looks like before they clearcut. [Narrator #1 ducks behind a tree and hands off the video camera to narrator #2, Mike McCurdy, as a logger chases the other activists downhill, threatening them.]

A (Arlington Ammons): [running downhill after activists screaming] You fuckin' cock suckers... [inaudible]... in the trees and let the fuckin' people who don't know what's goin' on go to fuckin' jail. We had patience yesterday. I stopped yesterday!

E (Erik "Ayr" Eisenberg, one of the activists): ... [inaudible]...

A: Get the fuck out of here! You've got me hot enough now to fuck!

E: We don't want to cause you any problems.

A: You already have! So get out of here! You cock suckers! I mean it!

E: [assertively]... When CDF [California Department of Forestry] comes out here they'll tell you to stop.

A: When the motherfucker shows up and tells me to stop, I'll stop!

E: [calmly]... work... Well we should give 'em a chance to show up.

A: Why the fuck weren't they here early this morning!?

E: They were here early this morning?

A: I said, "Why weren't they here early this morning!"

E: Because they're in the company's pocket. So now...

A: [sarcastically] They're in the company's pocket? That's why they're fuckin' with us everyday, yeah!?

E: They're not fuckin' with you everyday, otherwise they would be out here this morning. That's the thing.

A: Get outta here! Otherwise I'll fuckin', I'll make sure I got a tree comin' this way!

E: All right, well let's not talk about that. You know we're not gonna...

A: Cock sucker!

E: [calmly]... [inaudible]... Hurwitz ... [inaudible]...

A: That's all I heard out of you motherfuckers yesterday!

E: ... [inaudible]...

L (another logger): [yelling] Why don't you go over there and harass the other fuckin' crew!

E: ... [inaudible]...

A: Why don't you get outta this fuckin' plan and go to the fuckin' trees that ain't been approved! We don't cut anything that ain't been approved, otherwise we go to fuckin' jail for it!

E: ... [inaudible]...

A: [shouting] Where you cock suckers belong for being out here and fuckin' with us!

E: ... [inaudible]...

A: Ohhhhh, fuck! I wish I had my fuckin' pistol! I guess I'm gonna just start packin' that motherfucker in here. 'Cause I can only be nice so fuckin' long. Go get my saw, I'm gonna start fallin' into this fuckin' draw!

N #2 (Narrator #2, Mike McCurdy): [quietly] Grizzly Creek, September 17. A very angry logger.

A: [shouting] Fuck! Yee Hoo!

N #2: [quietly] I think he gave up now.

[Chainsaws revving, cutting. Narrator scrambling up hill]

N #2: [breathing heavily] They are logging with people in the area. There's a tree falling. There are people in the area. Only a few minutes after I saw the irate logger threatening to hurt people I retreated from him... Here's some more fresh cut. As you can see this is a very fucking steep slope. I can barely climb up it... making it extremely dangerous for an activist or logger up here.

E: ... [inaudible]...

A: [shouting] What?

E: ... [inaudible]...

A: I said I fuckin' love it! You got something else... Get out of here motherfucker!

[Narrator #2 chased out of area by logger. End of video]


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This page was last updated 10/28/98