We shake our heads in astonishment at the level of the disaster unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico. We want to help, but don't know how. Seems no one has the answers, least of all BP, who continues to whitewash the beaches in advance of the arrival of Anderson Cooper or President Obama.
Ironically the New Orleans Oyster Festival, postponed from its original 2006 premier by Katrina and Rita, had its inaugural -- and likely final -- run last week. No one has anything optimistic to tell us about the future of the Louisiana oyster beds. More bad news comes when you talk to shrimpers, longline fishers, trawlers, and on and on.
Soon-to-be-outgoing BP CEO Tony Hayward is saying that it will "pay all legitimate claims" made by the people whose lives their carelessness ruined, but looking at the Exxon Valdez spill for precedent, Exxon tied them up in court for two decades and eventually paid a mere 10% of the total claims. So no, I don't think anyone believes Mr. Hayward.
And so it comes down, as it always does, to the strength, goodwill and generosity of the American people to try and help the victims of still more corporate carelessness.
The first of what I am sure will be many opportunities arrives this week. Jimmy Galle, owner of bay Area seafood supplier Gulfish, has organized Dineout for the Gulf Coast, a 3-day benefit at many of the best restaurants around the country. The short-term goal of The Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund, administered by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, is to make emergency grants to nonprofit organizations helping the victims of the oil spill. The long-term goal of the fund is to address the long-term economic, environmental, cultural effects of the disaster, and strengthen coastal communities against future environmental catastrophes by investing in solutions.
Maybe you can't afford to send thousands of dollars. Maybe you can't afford the time it would take to go down there and lend a hand. Most of us want to help in those ways, and most of us simply cannot. This is a small way you can help - go to dinner, eat some good food for a good cause.
Let the profiteers and politicians haggle over the blame game. We'll keep taking small steps toward recovery. Only a fool fights in a burning house - it's time to help the people.