There has been considerable controversy over BP preventing journalists and activists to film in public areas — showing the damage of the recent spill on animals and the environment. BP has no authority to do so, but it continues (as in this video) to prevent filming at various locations.
The video shows Drew Wheelan, the conservation coordinator for the American Birding Association, was filming himself across the street from the BP building/Deepwater Horizon response command in Houma, Louisiana. He is approached by an officer (who we learn later is working for BP):
Wheelan: “Am I violating any laws or anything like that?”
Officer: “Um…not particularly. BP doesn’t want people filming.”
Wheelan: “Well, I’m not on their property so BP doesn’t have anything to say about what I do right now.”
Officer: “Let me explain: BP doesn’t want any filming. So all I can really do is strongly suggest that you not film anything right now. If that makes any sense.”
Wheelan says that he was later pulled over by the same officer and another officer named Kenneth Thomas with a badge reading “Chief BP Security.” He was allegedly questioned and Thomas confiscated his Audubon volunteer badge.
The deputy was off-duty at the time and the story below reports that Major Malcolm Wolfe of the sheriff’s office insisted that there was nothing wrong in an officer working for a private company to use his police car to pull over citizens. The story says Wolfe thought it was a proper use of a vehicle because Wheelan could be a “terrorist.” He should rest assured. With the possible exception of the 9-11 attacks, no terrorist in history has caused the type of property and environmental damage as BP.
If BP contests these facts, it should do so clearly and publicly. As it stands, this is a truly frightening story.
Source: Mother Jones
Jill I have been anti war my whole life. I was against the invasion of Iraq from the beginning. Innocent people are tortured in US prisons everyday.
Jill you are 100 percent right about torture but I still don’t think we have a good alternative to Obama. I think the alternatives will be much worse. You have to come up with names. Unfortunately polling shows that the majority of Americans approve of torture. That is wrong and dangerous. We seem to be a much more blood thirsty country than we used to be. I blame Bush for this. He was that way when he was governor of Texas. He laughed about executions.
Byron,
The terms liberal and conservative no longer have the meaning they once did. Cheney and Bush being called “conservative” is as laughable as Obama being called “liberal”. They should all be called ruthless authoritarians. They have all committed unconscionable acts which have broken our Constitution and the lives of others.
Swartmore Mom,
What makes me very sad/angry is how the acceptability of torture, murder, endless war, the imprisonment of the innocent, etc. has entered into many good peoples’ psyche. It is really more important for one’s team to win an election than to elect good people who want to do the right thing? If we don’t elect good people, what is the point of winning? We have accepted a very small universe where no matter what harm “our” team engages in, at least it’s “our” team. I think there is much more to politics than a win. There are good people to vote for. Voting for someone who does something so deeply wrong as imprisoning the innocent is codifying evil into our laws and our hearts. We have other choices and we should take them.
Ay I thought you were were a Jim Hightower populist. I guess I was wrong.
Swarthmore mom,
I will restate that I am an old style Texas Democrat which is a little to the right at times. But with a conscience of what happens to our fellow citizen and realize that sometime government must help the individuals as opposed to the corporations.
It is amazing that when George the first was still head of the CIA he considered himself to be a citizen of Kennebunkport, ME, until right before he found out what the estate tax was for citizens of an out of stater and instate estate tax. Because he changed his residence to Texas, having owned NO REAL PROPERTY for decades until he bought the vacant property in Houston’s River Oaks, Texas, he claimed the Rice Hotel as his primary residence. He paid about 243,000 in estate taxes.
HOW PRESIDENT BUSH CUTS HIS TAXES
Bush pays no local income tax in two places he calls home and no more than a small sum in the third.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/1992/01/01/87059/index.htm
Ain’t life grand when you can make it your own?
I guess Obama does not want to lose like Adlai who lost to a war hero. Adlai got kicked around for being an “egghead”. My mother worked on Adlai’s campaigns. I think she transmitted to me the desire to be politically active in the Democratic Party. I am 100% partisan and don’t deny it. Eisenhower would be a leftist in the republican party now. Barry Golwater would have to change parties. A successful independent now is Charlie Christ. He is going straight down the middle with Rubio to his right and Meeks to his left and he is winning in the polls. He is still right of center though. Unfortunately it seems to be where most Americans are these days.
Jill:
“None of these powers that Obama has granted himself required the approval of Congress. Would you call these powers those of a liberal democrat or of a dictator?”
From where I sit I would say there is not much difference, Obama is a self described “liberal democrat”. But I dont think “liberal” means what it used to mean when Adlai Stevenson was a democrat.
Do you call the following policies “occupying the center”:
1. imprisonment of the innocent?
2. the claimed right to kill American citizens should Obama, and Obama alone, determine they are “terrorists”
3. the illegal use of drones on civilian populations
None of these powers that Obama has granted himself required the approval of Congress. Would you call these powers those of a liberal democrat or of a dictator?
You must look more deeply into what is happening in Congress itself. If you research many of the bills you will find that it was the president who took certain options off the table or demanded others.
Please do not confuse me with Rush. I back up what I say, he simply bloviates.
It seems to me Obama is the one who is occupying the center which is why he is criticized by the right and the left. His contuation of Bush’s policies regarding the war and torture are inexcusable but is he Mussolini? No way. Many of his legislative initiatives have been blocked by the threat of a filibuster. Do people think he can pass initiatives without congressional votes? I guess he could if it were a true fascist dictatorship.
Swarthmore Mom,
Please remember both the left and the right fail to understand what is going on in the govt.. Obama isn’t on the side of unions and I don’t know why Rush doesn’t like Obama. My right wing neighbors hatred of Obama is a great mystery to me. Obama has embraced or exceeded Bush in implementing his destruction of our civil liberties, escalation of our many wars and continuing Bush’s devastating economic policies. As they loved Bush, I don’t know why they don’t like Obama.
Similarly, it is a great mystery to be why people on the left like, trust and support Obama. When these same actions were taken by Bush he was rightly called a bad person who was amassing dictatorial powers for himself. There is a moral and intellectual dishonesty going on in the right and the left which needs to stop.
mespo,
I will take on your last statement. We do not yet have a full picture of what is happening with BP. As we no longer have the rule of law, but instead have only the rule of fiat, it should not be surprising that the govt. will almost always side with a corporation against its own citizens (as I clearly laid out). Still, remember, rule of fiat means just that–fiat. Should the govt. be displeased with a lesser corporation or officer thereof, they can be replaced or taken down. It is stupid of the powerful to think they are beyond reach. That is only the case with those at the very top of the ruling elite. If the top tier finds it useful to sacrifice (or to pretend to sacrifice) people from the next tier down, believe me, it will be done. That’s what the rule of fiat means, even for the powerful. BP has many plum properties that other, larger and better connected companies would like to have. Perhaps BP will be broken up and sold off to these more powerful companies. This happened in the financial world, it can happen here.
Whatever happens to BP has nothing to do with the use of govt. force on their behalf to abridge the civil rights of our citizens. That is wrong and it has no place in a democracy.
One lives to be of (blushing) service, Blousie.
Buddha Is Laughing
Blouise,
Might I suggest a new term (to my knowledge) that would describe that behavior?
Corporate Feudalism
===================================================================
The phrase “Corporate Feudalism” jumped off the page and planted a kiss on my cheek … I like it! No further clarification needed.
Stupak: BP Won’t Let Congress Talk To Key Employees</p
Speaking of video, here’s one that shows better the scope of the damage BP has done. A NASA time lapse view of the oil spills spread.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfOinnQeHIY&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
But it makes BP seem both “compliant” and “a victim” in one fell PR swoop.
mespo,
“One wonder under what permutation of corporate controlled government is a corporation compelled to establish a 20 billion dollar victims fund by that government to pay claims of individuals.”
One that calculates the costs in a style reminiscent of the Ford Pinto fiasco. 20B is nothing compared to what the final bill will be.
Doh! Pardon the sloppy code (still on 1st cup). SB “see the most excellent film Rollerball.”
Blouise,
Might I suggest a new term (to my knowledge) that would describe that behavior?
Corporate Feudalism
If one needs clarification on what I mean by this, see the most excellent film It is also Rollerball.
The real one with James Caan, not that POS remake starring Chris Klein (pure junk).
Rush Limbaugh has also called Obama Mussolini because he supports unions. The real Mussolini busted unions.
“There are many types of fascism. This govt. is one. It most closely resembles the rule of Mussolini and Peron. Fascism occurs when the state works on behalf of corporations.”
***************
One wonder under what permutation of corporate controlled government is a corporation compelled to establish a 20 billion dollar victims fund by that government to pay claims of individuals.
Trends are not states of existence. They are merely road signs to a destination, and vague ones at that.