Saturday, June 12, 2010

Kick 'Em In The Head



Don't think you won't be affected, directly or indirectly.

It will harm us economically, like we ain't already got enough problems, and will affect even what we eat.

It will harm our President politically.

What am talking about? Not quite the same thing I've been posting on the past three weeks, because today is a special day, which I'll tell you more about in a minute.

BP and Big Oil are trying hard to run the show and are doing a good job of running the Coast Guard. As this cartoon shows, Barack is worn out, bent over, and powerless (no hands) to do more. And finally, he’s bleeding, just like Mother Earth. As she may be destroyed from this stroke she’s having, politically, he may too.


Oilbama. Illustration by Andre Carilho, NY Mag


Tragic, ain't it?

Well it doesn't have to end this way. He can start by taking off BP's pipes and shoving them up their azzes. They ain't the only source of oil or energy in the world, so don't believe BP's hype. Nobody, but nobody, is indispensable or beyond the law when the law is determined enough.

That editorial cartoon is from New York magazine. The author of that piece, titled Oilbama, says:

"...the flip side of every danger lies an opportunity - and the BP spill is no exception. As much as pulling the country back from the economic brink or passing health-care reform, the catastrophe in the gulf offers Obama a chance to rise to the occasion, and in the process not only validate his conception of progressive, activist, and competent governance but reclaim the visionary mantle that inspired so many during his campaign."

Yep.

This shit is beyond bad. If it gets worse, possibly your health will be affected if you live too close to the disaster. It now covers several states.

Let's start with toxic oil dispersant called Corexit. It's so toxic that the question is, what will be left after the oil spill? The answer in today's Times Online may give you nightmares.

This dispersant also causes reproductive problems in people.

"Pregnant woman and children should not be anywhere near this," said Riki Ott, a marine biologist who has worked extensively to study and raise awareness about the impact of oil spills on both the environment and on people.

This has already occurred in ocean life. One pod of mammal-eating whales affected by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill have not reproduced since then.

And, according to this dire report by Russian scientists to their President, the combination of oil and dispersants in the Gulf will cause toxic rains that could destroy up to half of North America (I'm guessing by poisoning our agriculture and plants).

There is much evidence that BP is censoring the media and destroying evidence. Word yesterday you can't even fly a small plane over the affected areas.


"Think globally, protest locally."


Today is Worldwide BP Protest Day. The links are here and here to attend one. Specific locations for all cities are incomplete at this hour.

If you can't go to one, writing a brief post is another form of protest of their crippling and killing the Gulf, negligence and deceit.

Boston.com/bigpicture has up to date, gut-wrenching photos of the catastrophe which covers several states now, which you can post on your blog.




There aren't many unifying tragedies that cut across politics, class, race, and religion, but this is it. So protest if possible, and write, write, write, if that's your thing. Our collective voices count.

Be part of it. It may give Barack the just the push he needs to kick those got damned greedy sons of bitches in the head.


~ Kit


8 comments:

  1. You know Kit I have posted a few articles or rants in my case on this BP Oil disaster.
    My guess President Obama is in his war room often trying to figure out how to make everyone happy,that's his MO.
    On this issue he can not play both sides to the middle,I respect President Obama as a person,but his leadership on this BP Oil disaster has been failing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. YES! Permission from the People. That's what he needs--and not just a few rants or posts, but major protests. We can sit back on our asses and wonder why Obama doesn't kick some ass. But unless we get off our asses and act, we should shut up and trust him to do his best in the quiet vacuum we create.
    TLS

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the tip. We did our part at our blog. There will be another round of protests two weeks from today and we'll be at one.

    That Oilbama photo breaks my heart. We can't let that happen to the first bro in the White House. I hope he draws from our strength and has the audacity to kick some BP ass.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sista Sagacious, I don't want to see him come to that either. I thought hard before showing that photo, knowing that it could piss off some readers, but I weighed this with the need for us to collectively open our eyes to how the rest of world is viewing Barack's compromises, and it's a lie to call it all racism; this thing goes beyond race and politics.

    TLS, He might just kick ass after this month. Hope springs eternal.

    Big Mac, You said, "On this issue he can not play both sides to the middle,I respect President Obama as a person,but his leadership on this BP Oil disaster has been failing!"

    Never thought I'd see the day you'd say this. It feels hard and sad and weird, to see that word, failing, in print. I don't think he's there yet. He has a little time, thank God. The ironic thing is that his best feature, the ability to find a middle ground so everyone feels like they got something, is not the way to go this time.

    ReplyDelete
  5. According to Financial Times BP will reduce or possibly place into escrow its shareholder dividends.About 40% of BP shareholders are American who IMO would be more likely to buy into this, BP is the UK's biggest company so there's pushback from that end. They also have committed to keep sufficient cash on hand to meet all "legitimate" claims.

    I would expect Obama is doing as he did with financial reform, building populist support (or anger)to get the ball rolling then plans to "pull the claws in" once things fall into place.

    It's possible the president is concerned with the human suffering and is working towards that end, but it's certain he's concerned with the November elections and cannot afford to send a signal to the financial sector that would curtail their support. So he must balance populist rage with political reality and we all know who's gonna win out there.

    Kabuki.

    ReplyDelete
  6. KIT I can't look at that news coverage out of the Mississippi gulfcoast without thinking about just how badly BP shit the bed this time.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oso, Kabuki, indeed.

    Reggie, Yeah. Too bad the earth doesn't have a washing machine to clean it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi there Kit. I was at the Nezua, the Unapologetic Mexican's blog and he posted something that made me think of you and you alone. I hope you check it out and I thank you for all the work you do to keep us informed.
    I also posted this at my own black culture blog.

    http://theunapologeticmexican.org/elmachete/2010/06/09/news-with-nezua-all-these-walls-will-fall/

    ReplyDelete

Hi, this is Kit.

I haven't posted since summer 2010, and comment moderation has been on for a very long time.

My old blogger friends (you know who you are) are welcome to email me.

I can be reached at:
kitsmailbag@gmail.com.