A Good Video

I haven't posted in two weeks...I promise I will soon. But until then, here's a video you should watch:

Liar, Liar, The Ocean's on Fire

Ever since the blow out occurred in the Gulf of Mexico on the 20th of April I have adopted a mantra that I repeat over and over again to anyone who will listen. It's quite simple: "They are lying". Easy to remember, obviously true, proven time and again, but people still deny it. "Why would BP lie about how much oil is gushing?" Yes, those of you reading this blog probably wonder how someone could ask such an ignorant question, but I get it all of the time.

Why?! Really…okay let's just assume for a second that a question as ignorant as that even deserves an answer. Here are a few: when penalties and fines are assessed after this disaster is no longer getting worse (assuming the flow is ever stopped) the amount of oil leaked is directly proportional to the amount of money BP will owe. This makes the use of dispersants come into clear view: they are using them to hide how bad it is. This should be obvious to most as well, but apparently it is not. BP is a corporation, their obligation is not to the American people, the Gulf of Mexico, the wildlife, or even to their employees (11 of which died when this disaster began). No. Their responsibility is to their share holders. They will do everything possible to make this the smallest FINANCIAL loss to themselves. If anyone still has any illusion that BP cares they should give it up now. They do care, but not for you and not for me, unless you own enough stocks to be on the board…and I have a feeling that if you do own that many stocks you aren't reading this blog.

It isn't just BP that is lying. The government? Oh yes, they are lying too, but so is the media in the indirect way they have of doing so. Mainstream media is ignoring the fact that Obama got more campaign contributions from BP than any other candidate. It is ignoring the fact the BP has spent millions on newly hired lobbyists that it sent out to DC to sway the opinions of politicians. They ignore all of this…and what does CNN have to say about the inaction of the government in this crisis? Obama, apparently, is afraid to take action because angry black men scare people. No joke here. The article can be found here: http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/08/rage.obama/index.html

The smoke and mirrors do not fool me and you shouldn't be fooled either. This is a pretty simple case of not betraying the hand that feeds you. From a political standpoint it makes sense for Obama to not scold BP too heavily…they give him money. It makes sense for BP to cover their asses as a corporation in the current system. What doesn't make sense, and what everyone is afraid to say (or so it seems) is that the system that makes these atrocious acts acceptable is inherently flawed. Capitalism…the extraction of resources (be they human, plant, animal, or fossil fuels) for profit results in the destruction of habitats. It makes people look at living beings as resources, not as communities of life that are dependent upon each other for survival. Capitalism creates a dog-eat-dog system that makes it acceptable (and rewarded) to care not for your neighbor (be your neighbor human or otherwise). It is a system based on exploitation and it is broken. People see this brokenness now. They see the flaw of a system made to reward the elite and sentence the poor to a working class existence at best.

So let's rise up and fight. It's time to take the broken system down friends. It's time to demand that the land, the animals, the humans and all life forms are respected in their own rights. It's time for real change, and one that someone who gets money from an oil giant will not facilitate. Take a step back from your microscope and look at the entire system. That is what is broken. Capping the leak is important, obviously, but there will always be more leaks, more death, more corruption if the current way things are run is not changed.

And finally some articles about the leak you should check out:

Are Big Green Groups Protesting Too Little Amid Oil Disaster? http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/06/13-0

BP oil leak aftermath: Slow-motion tragedy unfolds for marine life http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/10/bp-oil-leak-marine-life-wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife blog: http://www.defendersblog.org/

BP Censoring Media, Destroying Evidence http://www.huffingtonpost.com/riki-ott/from-the-ground-bp-censor_b_608724.html

Gulf Needs Concrete Actions that Respect Residents' Rights http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kerry-kennedy/gulf-needs-concrete-actions_b_609827.html

Cheney's Push of Deregulators led to BP Disaster http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=5163

Oiled Birds Everywhere, but Little Rescue Crews can do http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Oiled_birds_everywhere_but_little_rescue_crews_can_do_999.html

Oil Leak Counter

BP has announced that the top kill procedure failed...and they seem to not want to try anything else until the relief wells are done being drilled in AUGUST. So...here's a nice little counter to help you visualize the horrible destruction being done to the oceans by BP each second. I'd go with the high estimates if I were you (we know BP lies).