BP has more than the loss of human life, livelihoods and tourism to answer for. And so do the government inspectors who allowed this corporation -- as seemingly greedy as the bankers, mining companies and marine park owners whose careless conduct has resulted in similar destruction -- to put profit over safety.
If the criminal investigation of BP and those who signed off on the drill-site inspection sheets and safety assurances shows willful fraud and deception, dereliction of duty, bribes or who knows what else, there is one additional set of criminal charges that should be added to the list: cruelty to animals. For this is the largest case of cruelty to animals in U.S. history.
We are being spared, for political reasons, some think, but mercifully perhaps, most of the photographs of the animals who have died and are still dying, slowly, painfully, not just coated but drenched in oil. It is hard for anyone with a heart to see the gulls and pelicans, blinking up through a thick coat of muck that prevents them from flying, eating, taking a drink of water and escaping the burning heat of June. It is even too much to come across a snippet of video that shows a huge rubber-gloved hand gently plucking a tiny crab out of a puddle of black glop. Only the outline of his body tells you what he is, although his struggles tell you that he is still alive. For the moment.
For most of the animals, any help is too late. Studies show that even if wildlife rescuers capture an oiled bird in time, before much damage has been done, the terror of being handled by a predator, of being force-fed, doused and scrubbed, is too much for their pounding hearts to endure. Even if they survive the trauma of being cleaned and re-cleaned, it is suspected that most die after their release.
And in this case, one must ask, "Where can they be released?" Many birds mate for life; others are lost without their flocks. Their nesting grounds now lie under the oil slick; their friends and family are dead or dying. What is there for them to return to?
And what of the turtles, dolphins and -- dare I write it -- the whales? Cetacean experts do not expect whales to escape this slick completely. Once killed for their own oil, will they now be killed by ours?
And don't laugh, but what of the fish? As inconvenient as it may be to think about it, given the seafood buffets of summer, studies show that fish feel pain and fear just as acutely as mammals do.
Whether or not BP is charged with cruelty, there are many things that we can and should do other than just pointing a finger. Some suggestions are to provide less support to oil companies by consuming less oil, by buying fewer oil-based plastic goods (the beaches of Hawaiian atolls are inches deep in discarded plastic) and by following the recommendations issued by the United Nations this month and going vegan in order to save the waterways, forests and ozone layer. Paul McCartney's "Meat-Free Monday" project is getting institutions and individuals to look at the environmental devastation caused by energy-intensive factory farming and to do something about it by reducing meat consumption. In taking responsibility, President Obama would do well to announce that he, too, is embracing at least that one baby step.
Those responsible in the corporate world and in government can never truly make amends. How do you "make it up" to those who are suffering and dying in agony out there at this very moment or to those who have already lost their lives or loved ones? However, before looking away from the umpteenth heart-wrenching photo of an oil-coated pelican, the rest of us can do something positive and make some personal choices ourselves so that none of the oil companies will be able to claim consumer demand as a reason for misbehaving. It's just a thought.
Ingrid E. Newkirk is the president and founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, 1536 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; www.PETA.org. Her latest book is The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights.
John Robbins: The Brutality of Factory Farms: An Inside Look (VIDEO)
It's not animal cruelty if it is unintentional, though yes BP needs to be held accountable.
"Use less oil." Thanks Ingrid! It's so simple! No. People are not going to stop using oil or plastic
(the number one selling byproduct of gasoline) until it is economically viable.
Actually, no wait, there is one helpful suggestion! Still trying to convince people to go vegan to help reduce environmental impact. It's too bad that peta does more harm than good in that area...
Seriously, though, I wasn't making an attack on the idea that we should be concerned for animals and people affected by this very tragic and terrible set of events...I just frequently disagree with Ms. Newkirk on her methods and logic.
Fanned!
If someone had allowed a personal oil spill to kill a few birds, they would certainly be charged. BP has killed billions of animals with its neglect.
Fanned!