Gulf Coast

Pancakes and Propaganda

I was getting ready to go to work and simultaneously watching “Good Morning, America” when a commercial caught my eye.  As summertime approaches, naturally tourism advertisements are more frequent, beckoning you to travel all over the country and all over the world.  But when I heard the words “gulf coast,” for some reason I paid close attention. 

I had seen this commercial before.  But at that moment my eyes were glued to the screen.  Maybe because I had recently heard news about how the Gulf Coast was having major issues after the BP oil spill in 2010 (surprise, surprise).  I had specifically heard about how sea creatures like shrimp, a major source of income for Gulf fishermen, were showing increased deformities (which sounds very appetizing of course).  Based on this disturbing knowledge, I was interested in what the commercial was trying to convey.

Something was being conveyed, but it wasn't the truth. The screen bounced between people representing different Gulf Coast cities and states.  They were basically glorified cheerleaders for their different hometowns encouraging everyone to come down and experience the fun and food; hopefully seafood is not included.  I also noticed that these were business owners and other prominent people in the cities, not regular locals who may have had a completely different message to the masses. On top of that, the end of the commercial flashed “BP” as its corporate sponsor and well, we all know what’s wrong with that.

Cross-posted from Bridge the Gulf Project

Thrown into activism by the BP oil disaster, Cherri Foytlin has become a dedicated advocate for justice for Gulf Coast citizens, as demonstrated through her work with Gulf Change. She recently spoke with Bridge the Gulf and the Institute for Southern Studies for the report Troubled Waters: Two Years After the BP Oil Disaster, a Struggling Gulf Coast Calls for National Leadership for Recovery (download). Foytlin talked about how she’s been able to amplify the voices of overlooked Gulf residents, how she works to hold the oil industry accountable and why the health problems after the BP oil disaster need to be addressed immediately.

Cross-posted from the Southern Energy Network blog.

Young people from Florida International University held an “Oil Spill Black Out” action this Friday to mark the second anniversary of the tragic BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Young people and community members gathered to remember the victims of the oil spill by taking personal pledges to reduce their oil consumption and to demand that we end our nation's addiction to oil.

Since the disaster two years ago, the oil that persists in the Gulf continues to threaten the Gulf Coast communities and ecosystems. Out of this disaster, there is an opportunity to transition Florida, and our country to an economy powered by clean, safe energy. At the campus, the activists called for President Obama and Congress to make clean energy a priority now.

Less than a week ago, I came home to the Gulf Coast after a trip to Washington DC (where I joined a group of Gulf Coast residents in protesting the Keystone XL pipeline and BP "Claims Czar" Kenneth Feinberg).  Since coming back, here is what I've seen and heard: I have seen photos of a 7-year-old with a rash all over her body - whose mother is fearful we will lose her if she is not helped.

I have been unable to contact a close friend, who worked clean-up on the spill. He told me before I left for D.C. he was “not alright”. He was supposed to go with us, but had lost 22 pounds in 5 days, and the doctors had no idea why. He can’t breathe, and has been told he has the lungs of a 45 year old smoker. He is in his mid twenties, and hasn’t smoked a day in his life.

I have spoken to another friend, who is a resident who lived near the spill. He has been sick for a very long time now, and wishes death to take him.

I have heard from a friend who is very near to losing her house, while not receiving one dime from Feinberg as an interim payment. He is starving her out.

I talked to a friend who is a shrimper who said there are little to no shrimp, and he brought up oil in his net, and he has to use a inhaler 3 times every hour to breath.