In 1989, an Exxon tanker, known as the Valdez ran aground in Alaska. The resulting disaster was one of the worst the U.S. had ever seen. Consumers were outraged. They cut their Exxon credit cards in two and sent them to the company. A week or two later, the C.E.O. Lawrence Rawl said, "In ten years, you'll see nothing." And in response to consumer outrage, he said that we would forget. He was half right. The effects on the Alaskan tundra are very much still felt today.
But Exxon didn't fold over it…the conglomerate is still in business. Exxon bought Mobil and is stronger than ever. But me? I didn't forget. I haven't bought gas at an Exxon since the day the oil was spilled. It wasn't that the spill happened, I get that "accidents happen." It was the half-assed way the company went about cleaning it, and the years-long litigation in trying to get the damages reduced. For over 20 years now, they have been taking it back to court, and reducing what was awarded in order to avoid being held financially responsible for the mess they made. Most of America forgot. But I did not. No Exxon, no Mobil.
Enter BP and the ongoing cluster!@#$ taking place in the Gulf of Mexico. Continually downplaying the amount of oil being spewed, BP has been pussy-footing around this mess since it happened. Executives are as distant as they can be. They claim they can't stop the oil that is gushing from the pipeline. And maybe not. But until we see the BP big-wigs standing knee-deep in muck with a toothbrush in one hand, and a bottle of Dawn dishwashing liquid in the other, I will not believe they are, "Doing all we can." And as such, I choose to vote with my dollars, yet again. I am not buying gas from ARCO. I will not be patronizing AM/PM and I will steer clear of Castrol motor oil. All of these are owned by British Petroleum.
BP is known for over 8,000 disasters in the last twenty years. And what has been done about it? Isn't it time to say NO to profits over people? I think so.
Will it make a difference to BP? Perhaps not. But it makes a difference to me. Almost 20 years ago, George W. Bush made a mess of handling the Exxon oil spill. This time, President Obama will hold the perpetrators accountable. And so will I.
T, who figures it should mean something
4 sent chocolate:
An interesting little tidbit - there are no Exxon or Mobil gas stations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Nearest is Sacramento.
Have you seen the video by Rachael Maddow comparing this spill to a very similar one back in 1979 that also happened in the Gulf?
Wait, but then Alaskans turn their heads and don't do anything about the illegal oil dumping in Prince William Sound by the cruise liners? The oil you see in Prince William Sound NOW?...from the Cruise ships. I live in Alaska. The government up here is it's own clusterfuck of money over people over just about everything else. Greedy bastards. And such is the current Federal government administration. Obama pretends to be outraged...I don't buy it. He's mad that his ratings are going to cost him in November and nothing else. Politicians are nothing but criminals no matter how pretty their smiles and vows for "change". Sorry, but boycotting buying gas...does nothing. I don't hate BP, not in the least. At least they don't hide their accident stats like everyone else. Ask ConocoPhillips or Shell...hmmmm. This wasn't BP's fault entirely...once the blame game and the finger pointing and all the environmentalists fall away (and they will), once something "bigger" catches their attention. So no, I don't hate BP. Someone else will happen...why? Because we as a society learn NOTHING from past mistakes and we are unwilling to stop driving our big SUVs and use of petroleum products. too little, too late. So no, I don't hate BP and I think people that point fingers without all the facts (the ones the government WANTS YOU TO SEE anyways) are small minded.
The only problem with this is that apparently that oil rig is actually owned by multiple gas companies. Hmmmm.
BUT, you know, it might be a good idea to investigate which oil company is "best" to buy from. I don't think that alone is enough - but it's definitely something!
(and good for you for being willing to stick with something for YEARS!)
Kris: That's me, I guess. Small-minded. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your opinion, though. Hope to see you again.
Thanks everyone!
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