Article: Threats to BP chief's family - nasty calls make Hayward family rather uncomfortable!

[flamingdem]

http://www.theage.com.au/world/threats-to-bp-chiefs-family-20100608-xtlm.html

THE family of British BP chief Tony Hayward is under police protection because of hate mail and threatening telephone calls.

Mr Hayward's wife Maureen said the mail and calls had made her and her two children feel ''rather uncomfortable'' at their home in Kent.

There has been growing hostility to the company in America in response to the spill, which has so far leaked about 1 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
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''Members of my family have had nasty phone calls and we have also had mail from groups,'' Mrs Hayward said. ''Tony is obviously away and we are miles away from him, so it's upsetting.''

Kent police sources confirmed there was an operation involving Mr Hayward's family home, but did not disclose details. The home is protected by a four-metre hedge and has a private access road.

Mr Hayward was called ''the most hated and clueless man in America'' by one US newspaper after he made several insensitive or over-optimistic comments about the spill.

Amid complaints from businesses that BP was not paying compensation quickly enough, President Barack Obama yesterday said he wanted to be sure that money flowed speedily.

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[tridim]

1. BP destroying the Earth's ecosystem makes me rather uncomfortable.

Deal with it, murderer.

[yellowcanine]

8. Sorry but families are off limits. Threatening children is wrong regardless of what their father

did.

[tridim]

15. The article doesn't say the children were "threatened"

It just says they received some nasty calls and they're upset about it. Waaahhhh.

[Statistical]

19. To a child that can be threatening.

If I came in your house and told all kinds of hateful and vile things to your children you would likely take it as a threat.

It can be threatening and traumatic without making a explicit threat against the child.

I agree that children are off limits. The children didn't get to choose their father. They shouldn't be punished, harrassed, targeted, confronted for the actions of their father.

No if someone manages to throw a bucket of oil on Hayword in a press conference I will cheer about that.

[tridim]

24. True, but I also think these children should know what their father did.

BTW, how old are his "children"? Are they 2 or 20? The article didn't mention that either.

The lack of facts makes me think this article is nothing more than more BP PR, and it seems to be working, even on DU.

[Statistical]

30. "working" is all subject.

Do I feel we should go easy on BP or the executives? Nope.

Do I think cowards (and yes if the only thing you can do is call up the family to harrass them you are a coward) should lay off the families? Yup.

[Whisp]

40. thats not you job, to decide what other peoples children should know about their parent

thats fucked up

[yellowcanine]

27. Of course it is threatening, your mocking of the children not withstanding..

What a big brave person you are, making fun of kids.

[tridim]

29. I didn't make the calls, genius.

I haven't threatened anyone, ever.

[yellowcanine]

32. No you just made fun of their fear.

[tridim]

33. Nope, just calling it what it is. PR.

I might change my mind if we ever get some details about the "threats".

It's really shocking how many smart people still fall for basic corporate PR. It's so freaking obvious in this case.

[yellowcanine]

34. Nice try, after the fact rationalization. Look at your post # 15. No mention of PR.

[tridim]

42. Again, the article doesn't say the children were threatened.

This isn't about Hayward's fearful family, it's about BP using his family for corporate PR and CYA.

Don't fall for it!

[yellowcanine]

47. You have already been rebutted on this and in fact you conceded the point to Statistical

And then you went on to make some silly point about how the children should be informed of what their father did - as if that is the role for some perfect strangers to fill.

[blondeatlast]

2. The tactics aren't cool--but gawdammit--people are justifiably OUTRAGED.

And I just can't say I'm sorry she is living in discomfort right no. I'd like to be aboce such thoughts, but I'm only human.

[Donnachaidh]

3. suck it up and stiffen that lip kiddies

you'll get NO sympathy here. :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity:

[Whisp]

5. I have no idea what scaring his kids is going to do for us.

I hate this part of DU.

[Donnachaidh]

7. just a thought -- BP is going all out to *control the message* here

What do you think the odds are of them *planting* stories like this to get the British public on *their side*?

I won't put ANYTHING past these lying bastards. NOTHING.

[flamingdem]

11. Good point. They will attempt to get sympathy for him and his family nt

[blondeatlast]

12. That was my thought too. Remember Mrs. Lay all prettily weepy on Good Morning America?

My ex had to hold me back from kicking in the tube--I'm NOT joking.

[flamingdem]

16. It works. They'll be daubing their teary eyes and forgiving him. nt

[Whisp]

17. this not put me on 'their side'

holy cripes

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Is DU responsible for the threats?

[flamingdem]

14. I doubt anyone at DU supports threatening his wife or kids

That's taking things too literally.

[Whisp]

35. ''suck it up and stiffen your lips kiddies.''

that's just one example, I don't mean to pick anyone specific out.

This kind of talk if pretty close to support, what else would you call it?
sure, I doubt anyone here would actually initiate such actions as threats but reacting in such a way sure supports it.

[Donnachaidh]

36. support for WHAT? Are you implying that I support threats?

It seems we have some here who could really use some reading comprehension studies. And also need to stop looking for something where nothing is.

A snarky comment in no way implies support of violence. YOU are the one drawing that DEAD WRONG conclusion.

Complete FAIL on comprehension.

[Whisp]

39. complete fail on your part in communication then

to me you sounded like a nyah nyah 5 year old when something bad happens to a dog that belongs to someone he doesn't. like.

[flamingdem]

4. I want me life back and me stock price

BP has lost some 35% of its value over the last two weeks.

[Mudoria]

6. The CEO should be catching the heat

but his family should be left out of it. They aren't running BP.

[flamingdem]

10. We should possibly see them as victims of BP and Tony Hayward

He's probably a jerk in his private life as well.

[slampoet]

20. "I don't kill baby seals i just eat their delicious Eyes."

That my daddy gives me.

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. AWWWW!

:nopity: Sticks and stones, eh? :evilgrin:

[flamingdem]

18. I'm interested in whether Tony realizes that he and BP have done anything wrong

and when will it get through to his arrogant ass that his actions and inactions lead to a massive tragedy. He seems impervious.

[blondeatlast]

21. Nail, meet head. He's worse than the Toyota CEO--and more intrerested in

pretty PR ads than in actually doing something.

Why doesn't Hayward ask the President for help himself? I mean, really--does he honestly think he couldn't get access?

:mad::mad::mad:

[Catherina]

22. ''rather uncomfortable'' You poor babes

I've had enough with people who enrich themselves on the misery of others being "rather uncomfortable".

You dance with the devil, you go home with him.

[City Lights]

23. Targeting the family and their home is wrong, IMO.

The anger and frustration should be vented to his office.

[tridim]

25. His "office" doesn't give a crap what we think. That's the problem.

Now he's using his family as PR. Fuck him.

[blondeatlast]

28. Just like Ken Lay did. Sick bastards--and their kids, sadly, will grow up with the same behaviors.

[City Lights]

31. No one gives a crap what we think. That's the *real* problem. nt

[Whisp]

41. so you believe any story similar to this is all made up PR for sympathy?

or only the families of the person you hate most at the moment?

[Captain Hilts]

26. Yes, I agree. nt

[The Northerner]

37. People who are angry should be certain to blame Mr. Hayward

and not his family who seem to have no involvement in causing the mess.

Blaming the mess caused by the father & his corporation on the spouse & children should be off limits.

[blindpig]

38. Too fucking bad.

As though BP hasn't made life more than a little 'uncomfortable' for millions around the world. The arrogance and assumed privilege of these people are beyond the pall. His children should know what a monster their father is and where their comfortable lifestyle comes from.

Kill Capitalism.

[DeschutesRiver]

43. Their dad sold enough shares 1 month ago to pay off their home in Kent

so that his family doesn't have to fear losing their home to a change of fortune caused by the horror of what their dad's company has visited upon the entire gulf coast, and soon the east coast. Shares he sold due to his insider's knowledge of exactly how uncontrollable the Deepwater well had become. The people he and his company have harmed, however, get to first lose everything and then chase BP through the court system for years, as happened with the Exxon Valdez. You know, because insider trading is okay - it is the people of the Gulf states whose claims must be properly vetted for legitimacy, no matter how long that takes, or how much they lose as they struggle to hold onto their homes and jobs.

Their dad runs a company that has threatened reporters who try to record the crimes that are occurring to people and wildlife; threatened livelihoods in several states; and that threatens the life and health of hundreds of thousands of other dad's kids.

I am not certain that I care enough anymore to make him and his family off limits from people expressing their fear and anger. I know that isn't the charitable way to view things, however, I am not at all surprised that they are on the receiving end of the same type of treatment they are dealing out to other families.

Unless these claims of "threats" are not "legitimate". Maybe someone should look into their legitimacy.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

44. Well, that's sure to fix the problem

Since after all they're responsible for the failures of the company their father/husband works for.

[otohara]

45. All These Death Threats

is this just another form of venting?

[jxnmsdemguy65]

46. In my view, the Haywards are about the same as the Romanovs...

and they deserve the same fate...