Environment

Warriors the World Environment – The Loyal Arthurian Warband

Druidism has long been associated with a strong connection to all things natural. The order has definitive attachment to the wilderness as evidenced in the name Druid. In Roman history, they were a special group of learned people’s referred to as the Oak-Seers.

They led a mostly reclusive lifestyle shrouded in secrecy. Most early Druids lived in the woods or in caves. This special affinity for nature hasn’t been lost on modern day Druidism. All profess to have a desire to rekindle the compassion for the earth inherent in their ancestral Druids.

One politically active group has proven a torchbearer for these beliefs. The Loyal Arthurian Warband was founded by King Arthur Pendragon. In the 1980s, through a dramatic spiritual experience, John Rothwell envisioned himself the reincarnation of King Arthur.

Rothwell changed his name to Arthur Uther Pendragon and formed his order as proclaimed warriors of truth and justice. When Pendragon was recognized by the Order of the British Council of Druids in 1990, the group became champions for an array of environmental causes.

Climate Change

Groups like The Loyal Arthurian Warband (LAW) follow their roots in Druidism. Following over two millennia of historic origins, much of their focus is on nature. The original Druids were educated elites who lived in harmony with nature.

There are accounts of human and animal sacrifice, of which few have any documented evidence. Today, Druid societies ban these unthinkable practices. Fighting for environmental causes is not; in fact it is at the core of their principles.

One such cause worthy of the group’s attention is climate change. The Loyal Arthurian Warband placed a great deal of importance on advocating for steps to stop climate change.

The LAW unified with the Climate Coalition, a United Kingdom dedicated to the movement. King Arthur Pendragon and his order helped form a peaceful rally in November 2006.

They were part of a gathering at Traffalger Square to promote Stop Climate Chaos. It was a successful day that included musical performances and a wealth of information about climate change.

Fracking

If we really try to envision the basic physics of fracking, it doesn’t take much to raise huge questions about its effect on our environment. Machines blast pressurized water into rock to force out the natural gases.

Much of the destruction occurs under the ground and out of sight. However, it’s blatantly obvious to groups like The Loyal Arthurian Warband there is going to be profound environmental consequences of fracking.

They have used their activist influence to support an anti-fracking campaign. To help show people how devastating fracking is to the environment, Pendragon’s group instituted the Frack Off movement.

They posted factual data about how fracking pollutes water supplies and damages the environment. Beyond just voicing disapproval for the process, the LAW website also provided a list of energy companies that did not have any associations with fracking operations.

Other Environmental Battles

The Loyal Arthurian Warband has expressed an affinity for a number of other environmental causes across the decades. They have used their active presence, plus other tools like social media, to defend what they feel are aspects of nature that cannot defend themselves.

• Newbury Bypass – As warriors for the land, the LAW was an instrumental part of the more than 7,000 people who protested the building of the Newbury Highway Bypass in 1996. The fight was referred to as the Third Battle of Newbury.
It was one of the largest anti-road protests in the world. It’s estimated that over 800 protestors were arrested and the cost of police efforts to finish the project cost in the millions. As Druid influenced warriors for nature, The Law was at the heart of this battle.

• Titnore Woods – Local preservationists were angered by what they perceived as invasive development around a pristine stretch of natural forest in the Sussex region. There have been dozens of verbally contentious meetings and exchanges since late 2001.
In June 2006, a band of protestors with many from Pendragon’s Warband took up tree harborage in Titnore Woods outside of Worthing, Sussex. One local resident reported that a block of tree houses seemed to appear overnight.

Many of the protestors have been labeled anarchists, but they have persisted in their efforts. They occupied what was called Camp Titnore. While the efforts could not block all development, countless concessions evolved from the efforts.

• Badger Culling – Another highly contentious debate across much of the United Kingdom involved the call to cull badgers. There was enough evidence to support the idea based on an assumption it was essential to protect humans from getting sick.
However, dozens of scientists insist the chances of humans contracting bTB, bovine tuberculosis, because of badgers is incredibly low. Protests also were outraged at the method of free shooting employed to reduce badger populations.

This entailed trapping the animals and shooting them inside cages. The protests insisted the method was almost as absurd as the whole idea badger culling was necessary at all. This is another of the causes where The Loyal Arthurian Warband has battled to protect nature.

One principle of Druidism is that nature belongs to all, animal and human alike, and should not be exploited by affluent developers for personal gain. The group has been instrumental in echoing the cries of thousands.

The Loyal Arthurian Warband is a sounding board for climate change, a voice against fracking, and peacefully insists government must protect nature and her wildlife. These a few of the environmental causes supported by The LAW. True to their principles, there will surely be more.