We all should look at oil spill photos every day.

[garybeck]

on edit: changed the OP title. Evidently people were misreading my post thinking I'm trying to blame car drivers on the oil spill. not the case.

--------------------------

I've heard it before... "I can't look."

Well, LOOK.

We all have a responsibility to look at these photos.

Part of what created this nightmare is our collective addition to oil. I'm not saying it's our "fault" that it happened. I'm saying that we have to KNOW what happened in order to do something about it.

If we hide our heads in the sand, just "knowing" it's terrible and hoping they do something about it soon, we are truly hiding, and fooling ourselves.

Everyone, from the lefty liberals to the teabaggers, politicians and peasants alike, should be looking at these photos every day.

A photo is worth a thousand words, and it speaks the truth. It cuts through the BS and the spin. There are no words, no spin, no right or left, no liberal or conservative, when it comes to this.

Watching the live video of the oil spilling out might be interesting, but that is hiding too. We have to watch the real photos of the effects of this nightmare.

We must know what is happening. Only from a position of knowing what is happening can we react appropriately. If we hide our heads and say "I can't look" as we drive to work, fill up our gas tank, we are not acting appropriately. If we look at these photos daily, we will do something about it.

Looking at these photos will fuel a fire of anger in our collective souls that is needed to make change. Anger is the first step. If you look back at history, many of the greatest changes that have taken place have started with people's anger towards something that is wrong. Then this anger must be channeled appropriately. We don't need to go shooting out the windows of BP gas stations. But we MUST do something. But what? That's coming. But if we don't look at these pictures daily, we might not do anything. And that is unacceptable.

I know, many of you are already filled with anger. We all still have to look at the photos until something is done.

The photos fuel the anger. Then we channel the anger for positive change. We are on the cusp of change already. But we have to push it through. We have to get off oil, and we can. We have to change our energy use in this country and we can. We have to push our politicians to change our direction. We can. We must DEMAND it, and not take "no" for an answer anymore. Every 10 minutes the sun sends us enough energy to power the whole planet for an entire year. There are dozens of emerging clean energy technologies. Solar, wind, biofuels, OTEP, wave energy, EVs, I could go on. It's all there. But we're not using it to its potential. Not even close. Why? Because we haven't pushed for it enough. For decades we have allowed the oil industry to receive billion dollar subsidies from our own tax dollars, and the status quo.

No more status quo.

Just look. Feel the anger. Let it simmer inside you. Then ask yourself, how are you going to channel that rage?

Here are today's photos. I'm sure you can find some more for tommorrow. No more hiding.

[jobycom]

1. What about the people who use computers?

Or lights or ac or public transportation...

[Xipe Totec]

5. Yup, #6 fuel oil and natural gas is used to power those electric generators

We are all covered in oil now.

[Newest Reality]

6. Or anybody who lives a modern lifestyle

above that of the Amish. Oil is just about all of modern life and in order to really be proactive and make a difference you would have to simply give it up. Who will volunteer first?

Transportation is only one aspect of the dependency that we have bought so easily into, but are having a hard time letting go of.

Also, not everyone has access to public transportation. Consider the rural population where just going to the store or work is not feasible without a vehicle. Sorry, the horse and buggy are just too slow to be able to clock-in on time.

[garybeck]

14. would you be happy if I changed the title to "everyone" needs to look at the photos?

maybe that will help clarify the meaning of the post. I'm not trying to pin the blame on car drivers. I'm just trying to say we all need to look at the photos, which will fuel our anger and ensure we do something about it.

evidently some people are misreading the spirit of my post and thinking I'm just trying to blame people who drive cars.

that's not what I intended to say

[jobycom]

19. Yeah, the new title works much better.

:thumbsup: And thanks for clarifying what you meant.

[sharp_stick]

2. As should everyone that uses plastic

or electricity or any other number of things that rely on petroleumm products.

[walldude]

3. So people who drive did this?

Did you miss the fucking 3rd grade slide show about how oil is used in every day life? From energy, to food, to plastics, to health care products? You want drivers to be the ones to look at the photos.. Gimme a fucking break, we all have to eat shit on this one. Every single one of us, and for you to attempt to pin this on people who drive is a mighty crock of bullshit. YOU are as much to blame as anyone else. Maybe if you tried just posting the photos with a heart wrenching text you might get somewhere but you can take your blame crap and shove it.

[garybeck]

7. NO, read what I said. and skip the 4-letter words please.

This has nothing to do with blame.

It's about the future, and demanding the changes we need.

If you want to play the blame game, it's BP.

But they're not going to make the changes we need. They'll do the same thing again tomorrow if we let them.

have a nice day.

[walldude]

16. Really? Because the title of your thread was "EVERYONE WHO DRIVES SHOULD

LOOK AT THESE PHOTOS". Wow, sorry for misunderstanding.. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: MAybe you should have opened with "EVERYONE WHO BREATHES"

Oh and there are many four letter words in the language if I stop using them this sentance would look like this:

Oh and there are letter words in the language if I using sentence would :rofl:

[jdlh8894]

8. Said it a HELL of a lot better than I could. Thanks! n/t

[maxsolomon]

4. everyone who pays taxes should look at dead Iraqis and Afghanis everyday

(that's why Al Queda held the occupants of the WTC responsible for America's crimes against Islam).

Everyone who eats meat should look at pictures of feed lots and abbatoirs everyday.

Etc.

[garybeck]

10. I agree.

Everyone who eats meat should go to a slaughterhouse and see what happens there.

[jdlh8894]

18. And what difference would that make?

3/4 of this country(maybe more) make their livelihood from cattle or byproducts.

[garybeck]

22. it makes a big difference

every person who becomes a vegetarian, reduces their carbon footprint significantly. every little bit that everyone does makes a difference. to say it makes no difference when someone becomes a vegetarian, or puts solar panels on their roof, or carpools with their friends.... if that's the case I guess we might as well give it up and become republicans and just expliot the earth as much as we can until there's nothing left.

[jdlh8894]

24. Cool !

Let's give the cattle,hogs,chickens,etc. free access to all the crops! Then as a vegetarian, you will have nothing to eat!

[jdlh8894]

11. Good (whatever)

That makes as much cents (sense) as a penny!

[maxsolomon]

27. soooo... 100% sense, then?

as a penny is worth 100% of 1 cent. so thanks.

there was irony in my OP - but not 100%.

[daleanime]

9. I can tell by the rec count...

you've touched a nerve, good work:bounce:

[dana_b]

12. I posted the pics on Facebook

as a Happy "World Oceans Day" post the other day and not ONE of my "friends" bothered to comment. I don't think people want to see it. It impedes on their lifestyle too much. It hurts to see animals dead or suffering but not doing anything about it makes them feel bad about themselves.

I take public transportation to work and drive a little around my area but am more conscientious about grouping my errands together. I wish I didn't have to drive at all.

[pintobean]

13. I don't need your advise on how to manage my anger.

Thanks anyway.

[NightWatcher]

15. and if you use electricity you are responsible for mountain top removal, nuclear waste....

the blame game is much bigger than a brief sentence.

Our attitude towards Profits over Peace and renewable energy are more to blame than everyone with a car.

[garybeck]

17. This is NOT about blame!

This is about the doing something about it - facing reality and feeling a strong urge to act.

[NightWatcher]

20. not "blame" in the finger wagging sense, but like you meant, to get people upset

no one's going to change their behavior until they cant breath, cant drink the water... until it's too late.

I for one, am planning on doing what I can to act. (PS love the Solar Bus) I'm working on plans for kits to convert ISO's (metal shipping containers) into self sufficient solar powered homes.

[jdlh8894]

21. Well then, get your butt out of Vermont

And down to the Gulf and do something!

[garybeck]

23. I'm thinking about it.

I could fit about 20 people in my bus and head down there. I've found a few organizations coordinating relief efforts.

short of that, I want to energize the demand to end the subsidies on the oil companies and ensure we change our direction to use renewables.

[jdlh8894]

25. Please explain renewables to me.

How do renew the wind? How do you renew the sun's rays?

[jdlh8894]

26. I'm waiting!!

[jdlh8894]

28. Still waiting!

[ZombieHorde]

29. Perhaps, and perhaps anyone who eats meat should look at animals being "housed"

and butchered everyday.

[NM_hemilover]

30. We men make women feel........

self conscience about their bodies to the point that breast enlargement, vaginal enhancement and tummy tucks are all to common place.
In an effort to become more self aware, I vow to study my girlfriends body using braille, and to look at as many pictures of nekked women every day as I possibly can, so that I appreciate every minute of every day how much more wonderful the world is with women in it.

Life is fricking rough enough right now for a lot of people, an early morning dose of nudity rather than improperly placed guilt seems a whole lot more enjoyable. I own several firearms, I shoot regularly, I hunt.......but I am no more responsible for the Mexican teenager being shot on the border than I am responsible for the Gulf oil disaster.

Six degrees of separation tells me that you are only six people away from DIRECT responsibility for this and nearly every other horrific event in the US, how's that for a bummer to contemplate every day.

[Juneboarder]

31. The pictures make things so real...

it just breaks my heart every time I look at them.