Stop Thief!

In the face of incontrovertible evidence, the “drill at any cost” advocates are determined as ever to continue their course. This evidence is growing daily and we may soon have to accept the folly of deep water oil drilling in particular and, eventually, of our dependence on fossil fuels in general. In each case the sooner the better!

One of the main arguments for continuing as we are is that oil production puts a lot of people to work. The same can be said of growing tobacco. Granted, petroleum is in broader demand than nicotine. On the other hand nearly everyone is a potential victim of careless oil drilling while nicotine generally affects those who started as volunteers.

The situation is being made worse by those responsible for it. While their misdeeds in causing it are now only allegations, their stupidity in dealing with the aftermath is there for all to see. BP’s low balling of the spill’s discharge is understandable. But at 1000 barrels a day compared to the currently estimated 60,000? Did they think we’d never notice the discrepancy? Spraying oil with chemical dispersants may make it less visible. But it’s no secret that this will not make it go away, only harder to recover.

Beyond this stupidity is a horrendously unconscionable act committed in broad daylight. That is BP’s prohibiting its workers at the cleanup site from wearing anything resembling a gas mask. The motive is clear. It’s bad for the old image, particularly with corporate liability involved. How do they know that breathing oil is safe? For people who have yet to learn to deal with something as vital to their field of purported expertise as a deep water oil spill, they seem to have great confidence in their knowledge of medicine.

Should they be wrong their liability, already immense, would grow astronomically. Perhaps they have reason not to care. Barring the remote possibility of criminal charges against top brass, the worst that can happen to BP is bankruptcy, corporate bankruptcy. The people responsible for causing this mess and exacerbating its effects will still be doing quite nicely thank you. This too should frighten us!