Daily Archives: June 4, 2010

Speechless

I haven’t said much about the rig explosion (I’m sure you all know the one I mean). It’s because I am so far beyond furious that I really just don’t have the words.

I am furious because the people in charge have wasted so much time trying not to ruin their well that it’s going to be empty by the time they get around to nuking it. I am furious because the economic climate down here can already be described as “delicate.” I am furious because it’s hurricane season and one storm is going to make a big mess bigger. I am furious because the slick can be seen from space. I am furious because apparently the “ocean can take care of itself.” You don’t have to be even remotely environmentally aware to see the problems with that one.

Most of all

I am furious because of things like this.

People will lose jobs, money, homes because of the ruined fishing, ruined beaches, ruined tourism and myriad of other ruined things that no one has even thought about yet. But no people will wash up helpless on beaches because they are slick with oil. No people will be surprised, dismayed and out of luck because all their food is coated in a mousse of oil. No people will suffocate, suffer or starve slowly surrounded by all the oil. The birds, turtles, sea creatures and wildlife that make their homes in and near the Gulf get to do that. Because of the oil.

The oil that people spilt.

The oil that continues to spill.

So screw you, dudes who blew off safety measures, killed 11 people and will stress an ecosystem and economy that are already struggling. And screw you, guys who have no plan for a worst case scenario or how to clean it up. And screw you, folks in charge who thought it was a good idea to just let it gush while you tried a cap and a straw and a whatever all so you could keep drilling later.

Look at that. I have the words after all.