Gulf Oil Spill: Bayou Families, Traditions Under Assault From Gushing Oil (VIDEO)

ABC News went down to the Bayou to examine how the Gulf oil spill is affecting generations of families and fishermen. The conclusion is grim. Their way of life, so rooted in the magic and history of the Bayou, is being threatened by the gushing oil.

Diane Sawyer met with some of these residents as they lament a lifestyle that may be slipping away forever.

WATCH:

Comments

[bluemirror]

01:19 PM on 07/14/2010

All of this is very sad.

These people don't want handouts.

No one ever knew of them before this disaster. They were in the "background" of our lives. They don't want to be in the spotlight - just want to feed their families.

[SouthernLeft]

12:01 PM on 07/14/2010

What about any of the families highlighted in this story gives any of you the right to assume that they are part of the "Drill Baby, Drill" crowd?!?! I'm sick of reading comment after comment of people stating they don't feel sorry for anyone affected by this disaster because "the people of the Gulf wanted offshore drilling." Such stereotyping statements about these poor people are as insensitive as what I'd expect to hear from Limbaugh.

[chouette1789]

12:22 PM on 07/14/2010

Amen, and thank you.

Something else to consider is that if you are a fisherman, and your next door neighbor works offshore, it is difficult to say to your neighbor that they cannot earn a living because it might interfere with your own. Prior to this spill, there was no problem so I imagine that a lot of fishermen probably supported drilling for the sake of their community, friends and family who might have been employed by it. These people, like deecee22 and mmaza seem to have a real shortage of empathy.

[stefiz]

01:47 PM on 07/14/2010

most of the southern states vote republican!! i would be shocked if a single person in this video had voted for Obama... I am not trying to insult you in any way SouthernLeft, my state voted blue this last time but voted for Bush both times... my county is full of teabaggers and my neighbor had Obama is a socialist signs hanging from his house...another neighbor lives and breathes every slimey word that falls out of Glenn Becks stinking piehole! I am surrounded...my house and car was vandalized during the election season because i had an Obama sign in my yard(i didn't put up another one! it sucks to be lumped in with the winggers but what can you do??

[chouette1789]

03:10 PM on 07/14/2010

What difference does it make that they voted Republican rather than for Obama?
Does Obama support off shore drilling? Yes.
Did Obama appoint a shill for the oil and mining industry as his Secretary of Interior? Yes.
Did Obama's MMS rubber stamp BP's operations? Yes.
If you believe that the people of the South voted against some kind of environmentalist who would not have allowed this to happen, then you're delusional. They voted against a corporatist, centrist Democrat who is really no better than a Republican on most issues.
Obama is worthless. Worse than worthless, really, because he fooled many progressives into thinking that they could stop fighting.

[SouthernLeft]

04:19 PM on 07/14/2010

40% of the population is not insignificant. Even in "ultra-conservative" Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, Obama got 40, 43, & 39% of the vote, respectively. People associate those states as hard-core right wing because of the extreme positions taken by the elected officials from those states, and the fact that conservatives in the South are some of the loudest mouth-runners in the country.

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if not a single person in that video voted! People who live off the sea work all day long, and I doubt many of them take time out of their busy schedules to head to the polling place on election day. That's all irrelevant. My point is that regardless of what you assume about somebody just by watching them on a video, you have no right to categorize them based on a stereotype and then proclaim to not feel sorry for their loss just because they allegedly have different political views than you do.

[deecee22]

11:39 AM on 07/14/2010

Your Gov and Senators care more about drilling jobs than fisherman ,oysters etc jobs and you support your corporate politicians overwhelmingly so........don't complain.

[chouette1789]

03:14 PM on 07/14/2010

Barack Obama also supports offshore drilling, and his MMS rubber stamped BP's operation. Pull the beam out of your own eye.

[deecee22]

11:28 AM on 07/14/2010

they don't care about the oil ruining their lives. The are more interested in support di.aper Vit.t.ter and where's the birth certificate.

[1Houligan]

11:13 AM on 07/14/2010

God bless all of these families. My heart goes out to them.

[jjjones7]

01:45 PM on 07/14/2010

1 houligan I agree with you. And wouldn't you think that there would be more support from this country? I grew up believing that we were suppose to be helping our brothers and sisters!

[stefiz]

01:48 PM on 07/14/2010

cosign!

[mmaza]

10:56 AM on 07/14/2010

It's hard to feel sad for the "Drill Baby Drill " crowd.
They'll understand this, you reap what you sow.
They want to drill even now. God bless.
The "Great Lakes" up north are nice this time of year.

[spinns17]

10:51 AM on 07/14/2010

there still saying drill baby drill

[Lisa Riley]

12:11 PM on 07/14/2010

How about if you say "some of them" instead of "they"! And this Cajun girl never said drill anything!

[spinns17]

12:19 PM on 07/14/2010

well i dont see you on tv saying that.i see presidents on tv saying there people need the jobs.i see politicians on tv saying the same thing.and now i see the president of the united states saying the same thing.so lets drill baby drill,till you folks down there open your mouths down there in the gulf.

[chouette1789]

12:39 PM on 07/14/2010

Lisa, spinns17 can't even spell or use correct grammar. Don't expect nuanced, intelligent comments.

Much respect to you from a Cajun boy.

[BrianJDonovan]

09:55 AM on 07/14/2010

The damages suffered by victims of the BP oil spill will be enormous and on-going. The livelihoods of all persons whose businesses rely on the natural resources of the Gulf Coast are at risk. Commercial fishermen, oyster harvesters, shrimpers, and businesses involved, directly or indirectly, in processing and packaging for the seafood industry will experience the end of a way of life that, in many cases, has been passed down from one generation to the next.

However, class action lawsuits may not be in the best interests of potential plaintiffs when the damages suffered by each individual plaintiff as a result of the BP oil spill of April, 2010 are potentially so great.

To learn why, visit:

http://donovanlawgroup.wordpress.com/2010/05/09/bp-oil-spill-of-april-2010-why-class-action-lawsuits-may-not-be-in-the-best-interests-of-potential-plaintiffs/

[AverageCanadianGuy]

09:07 AM on 07/14/2010

Very sad ....