Howl

Today marks the 46th day since the BP-created oil spill in the gulf. 46 damn days with no end in sight. Watching the agonizing coverage day after day as the crude spreads across the coast while each attempt to stanch the leak meets with failure is exasperating. The whole wretched experience seems to be happening in slow motion, and a solution to the problem is in no hurry to get here.

There is a feeling that this sort of hopelessness creates. It starts in the pit of your stomach as a sickening pang that threatens to work its way through your body like a cancer. And if this horrible feeling were to reach your larynx and become sound, it, WE would howl.

We would howl over the 35 million gallons of oil that has already gushed from this busted well.

We would howl over the toxic dispersants that are being used to break the oil down, but will likely create new problems that are yet to be seen.

We would howl over the continuing destruction of the wetlands that help shield coastal communities from storm surges.

We would howl over the noxious clean up efforts that will produce terrible health issues for those who are attempting to contain the spill.

We would howl over our reliance on the dirty fossil fuels that are moving towards our pristine shores.

We would howl over the booms, "top kill," "cap and kill," "mud kill," "junk shot," and the skimming, siphoning, and shoveling efforts that look positively prehistoric in their lack of effectiveness.

We would howl at BP, Halliburton, and Transocean whose gluttonous desire for profits exceeded the safety needs of their employees, marine life, and the very ocean itself.

We would howl at a Federal Government that must rely on the criminals that caused the spill to now contain it.

We would howl at Republicans and Democrats who have worked so hard at weakening regulations in the name of lining their pockets with corporate donations.

We would howl at Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar who had to know what a mess the Materials Management Department was before the spill happened.

We would howl at the "Drill, Baby Drill" crowd that have argued that deep sea oil exploration is not only safe, but necessary to bring down the price of gas a few damn pennies over the next 20 years.

We would howl at that damn camera at the bottom of the ocean that is a disgusting reminder of all that we have lost and are about to lose.

We would howl for Louisiana, for they have clearly suffered enough.

We would howl for Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and the whole Atlantic Coast that now awaits the worst.

We would howl for the fishermen whose whole way of life is in jeopardy.

We would howl for the animals that wash ashore covered in so much oil that it is difficult to ascertain their species.

We would howl for the 11 men murdered on that oil rig by a corporation too cheap to check the battery on the blow out preventer.

We would howl because it hurts. It hurts like hell.

Of course, we know all this howling probably makes no difference at all. So we howl over that too. What else can we do?

Sumo-Pop
June 4, 2010