Renaming the BP Oil “____” (A Contest)
Guest post by Greta Gaard
Ok, in the interests of Truth and Accuracy in Reporting, let’s think of a new word.
In daily news coverage since April 20, when BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig began gushing uncontrollably into the Gulf of Mexico, the media have persisted in calling this phenomenon a “spill.” Huh? When your child knocks over the juice glass at the breakfast table, that’s a “spill”—accidental, small in size, limited in impact, unskillful certainly, but blameless—and you can clean it up with a sponge. Is this thing in the Gulf comparable to a juice glass? Let’s see—
Accidental? Not really. Since the 1970s, past oil spills have proven deep-sea drilling is dangerous and uncontrollable. Attempts to remediate disasters have taken up to nine months, allowing oil to contaminate ocean life and coastal communities .
Size and impact? 8 ounces of sticky juice plus a few drips on the floor, vs. 1,470,000 gallons of toxic and suffocating black tar per day, impacting the lives and deaths of thousands of birds, fish, and human communities. Kitchen sponge clean-up doesn’t apply.
Blameless? Now we’re at the core: media usage of “spill” implies blamelessness and thereby protects the corporation…hmn…BP execs deny responsibility but generously work to “cap” (wait, aren’t caps usually twelve inches or less?)—I think we’re onto something. Media and corporations…where have we seen this connection before? And if we were going to de-link the two—not blaming anybody, heavens no, just naming actions with accuracy—what would we call it?
Spew? Blowout? Hemorrhage? How about “selfish-appropriation-of-earth’s-commons-for-corporate-profit”? Catchy. Maybe something in German, like “fuckendrillinsprechen” or “kapitalistichoilkeitdrownin”?
Let’s have a contest. Send in your suggestions for renaming BP’s presence in the Gulf. The winner gets prime media coverage and we can all write letters to the editor of our local papers, proposing the new word.
Go!
Superweed sez: Use the comments to propose a name or vote on those proposed by others. Winner will be declared by popular acclaim (or me) and will get a copy of my book, Aftershock.
