BP Apologizes For Oil Spill – And We’re Supposed To Feel What?
Posted on Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
Does it matter if BP apologizes?
The simple answer is no. It doesn’t matter to the 11 families who lost a loved one due to criminal negligence by BP. It doesn’t matter to the hundreds of thousands of creatures who will lose their lives because they are drenched in toxic waste. It doesn’t matter to the hundreds of thousands of people who’s livelihoods have been taken away from them.
And it doesn’t matter to people like me who’s reason for moving to Florida was to enjoy the pristine, unspoiled beaches. BP says they’re going to clean things up and restore the beaches and wetlands. But, they can’t restore those 11 lives and they can’t restore the dead wildlife.
The oil and tar has washed up on Florida beaches. The same beaches I have pictured here. This is my backyard; this is America’s backyard.
BP has killed 11 men and now they are killing wildlife throughout the Gulf of Mexico, seen and unseen. Without safety precautions in place, how was this, or any other, oil rig allowed to drill? This is pure and simple criminal negligence, if not murder.
Shame on BP and shame on our government for giving any of these oil rigs permission to drill.
I’m going to quit ranting now and just re-post my original thoughts about the oil spill after my last, and final, visit to my beloved white sand beaches of the Florida panhandle. Here it is:
I was recently enjoying the beautiful white sands and gentle surf of the Gulf Islands National Seashore at Fort Pickens.
While sitting silently, enjoying the sound of the waves, a Sandhill Crane approached me, walking slowly, until it got within a few feet away.
While I watched, it took to the air in a wide sweeping motion that would make a Blue Angel pilot jealous – so close I could feel the breeze produced by the wings.
I turned to watch the emerald green waters lap the white sand shores and watched with fascination as the fishing boats with their towering rigs criss-crossed the horizon. So many wonderful moments.
Later, I sat horrified as I watched the news reports of an oil rig explosion that claimed eleven souls. How could such a thing happen? I thought these rigs were supposed to be technologically advanced and safe. That’s the claim made in the oil company’s commercials and by our politicians.
Weeks later, I sit in despair in front of my television, watching grown men, rugged sea-and-sun-scorched fishermen, weep about the destruction headed our way – with no end in sight.
None of us knows what will happen to our pristine beaches, fragile waterways, fish, shrimp, crawfish, alligators, birds, turtles, dolphins, or families. We know the price we’ve paid for this oil rig is too high already with eleven souls gone.
We have seen the loss of life. Now we are seeing the lost livelihoods of the families, empty bins at the seafood shop, the slipping economy of the area, the depressed mood of the citizens, and the murder of our protected wildlife.
When I walked the beach, I noticed a few other people walking slowly, almost reverently, observing the wildlife, the seashells washed ashore, the whiter-than-white sand squeaking beneath our feet, and the cool, clean water. The mood was subdued, quiet, watching the sun sink one more day over the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe the last day we’ll ever see those emerald green waters.
The decades haven’t taught us anything. Clean, safe energy is achievable, but our greed has managed, once again, to overshadow everything else. Where are the safety checks, the regulations, the environmental studies that were supposed to have been done? Who gave the approval for a drilling operation that had none of these systems in place? When is the last time you walked or rode your bike instead of started your car? Where are all the alternative sources of energy? We’ve harvested the wind and the sun, so why aren’t we seeing wind and solar farms on the horizon instead of oil rigs?
Follow the money.
But, that’s enough of that.
I wanted to share a few pictures from my day at the beach – what a pristine beach looks like; what a Sandhill Crane looks like up close. Just in case these scenes disappear, I wanted to share them today.
Oh honey, it saddens me greatly to see what is happening to those beautiful beaches. I am greatful that I was able to experience the glory of the beaches and all it’s creatures before the devastation that is BP ,unleashed it’s stupidity. I can’t bare to think that I may not see those beautiful white sands again in my life time or in my childrens.
I love you dear cuz!
BP must be so proud!
The leaders involved should all be ashamed of themselves … what will our grandchildren write in the history books about all that we have allowed to happen to our planet. I’ve never been one of those people that believes the end of the world is coming …. but after the last few years of talking of global warming, the destruction of forests and jungles, the ocean pollution and now this oil spill, I can honestly say I am worried we are killing our Earth at such an accelerated pace that nature had planned. I guess each of us will have to decide what we can do individually to try and help. When I heard that the whales that wash up dead on our Washington state shores have to disposed of as toxic waste due to the high levels of toxins in their bodies … I was horrified. Now I’ll quit ranting also.
Hey there Cousin Carole and OSS! Thanks so much for joining my rant. It’s painful, not only here but around the world to watch what’s going on as we pollute the earth and kill our precious wildlife (and ourselves in the process.) Don’t you feel helpless sometimes to do anything?
Sure, I try to live a Reduce-Reuse-Recycle existence, I try to keep my carbon footprint small, I try to elect smart people to office, but it all seems useless when the “powers that be” still allow things like oil rigs drilling deeper than they can repair. Safety regulations have been stripped away from the energy industry. Are we ever going to get this right? Help.