Failure of Leadership

Let’s assume that the Administration is telling us the truth; that every oil company in existence is contributing to capping the oil blowout, that scientists from a vast multitude of institutions are working on solutions, and that this has been going on for three weeks and more.

Then why is every statement about progress issued by BP or accompanied by the phrase “BP says” or “BP plans” to do whatever? Why is every single image provided by BP itself? Why do we not get images from equipment provided by Scripps, Woods Hole or Shell Oil? Why do we not get statements of plans and conclusions arrived at by the scientists of any of the multitude of institutes which are contributing to solving this disaster, or from any of the other oil companies who are supposedly participating?

At best, this is a monstrous public relations failure, giving no credit to the hundreds of organizations and individuals who are working so hard for the public good. At worst it is a massive untruth, claiming a large scale rescue effort that does not exist.

In any case it is a failure of leadership, as the nation watches destruction
of our public waters. The voice we hear conducting rescue is the voice we associate with damage, death and destruction. We hear the voice of the corporation that murdered eleven good men and despoiled our ocean.

We don’t want to hear that voice, we want that voice silenced. We want to hear a voice that we can associate with the solution rather than with the problem.