August 2010
July 2010
“voomvavavoom asked: I think it’s really unfair of you to blame the entire oil spill on BP. Yeah it happened under their supervision and all but it’s not like they wanted it to happen. It’s sad but this stuff happens all the time. :\ Oh dear, who have you been listening to? There is no one to blame but BP and the government officials that deregulated the oil industry (much of which was done during the Bush regime in 2007). More oversight and regulation may have prevented this disaster and BP from acting so recklessly. Many things happen that we don’t intend but we’re still held morally responsible for our actions. This is like a huge car accident where BP was driving drunk, talking on their cell phone, yelling at their kids in the backseat, and looking for a CD on the floor all simultaneously. BP knowingly took out bad bets on human life and opted to install faulty and cheap safety measures to save money. Oil rig regulators were corrupt and didn’t regulate at all - they received a countless number of bribes and favors from representatives in the energy industry. The rig’s blowout preventer was last inspected in 2005. It failed to work due to a hydraulic leak and a dead batter in its control pod, which officials were well aware of. Just a few hours before the explosion the workers on the rig removed tons of protective mud from around the oil well despite protest from the few engineers aware of the rig’s massive problems. Corporate consistently ignored pleas from workers concerned about safety standards and they refused to listen to even their own engineers. 7 of the 11 men who died had previously worked a full 24 hour shift the week before the explosion. Do you want people tired while working within some of the most dangerous conditions working one of the most dangerous jobs? No one does. The rig was old and had serious problems but was severely understaffed. Many of the workers were extremely overwhelmed but corporate didn’t listen to a single complaint and opted to cut costs further by letting off more staff and forcing longer hours. All of this is in violation of the Clean Water Act. BP has also been exposed in having connections to the Texas lab TDI-Brooks International where they provided BP with favorable oil sample test results. One of the officials within the Minerals Management Service, which oversees and regulates offshore drilling came into the position after working at BP for nearly a decade. There essentially was no regulation, so BP was allowed to get away with whatever they wanted. Now, after all they’ve done, they’ve instructed a massive cover-up operation by restricting free media and destroying evidence of their reckless behavior. I don’t see how you can’t blame BP”
—I think it’s really unfair of you to blame the entire oil spill on BP. Yeah it happened under their supervision and all but it’s not like they wanted it to happen. It’s sad but this stuff happens all the time. :\
