Protest

Back in the 60's when I was in my late teens and early twenties there were all kinds of protest about all kinds of things. We protest Vietnam, why we couldn't have legal pot etc. I haven't been involved in a protest since then until now. A group called Murdered Gulf sponsored a protest against BP in New Orleans in Jackson Square. The group says they are a small group of New Orleanians who are pissed off about the spill. They had a good protest, a good size crowd and it was well planned and attended by a cross-section of protesters. The only problem I had with it was that I don't think enough people knew about it. Also the national press didn't give it any attention although the local stations did. Looking back on the all the 60's protests I'm not sure what good they did. Oh, the photos of those protest are used to show anger and discontent but what did we accomplish? I'm not sure protesting against BP will make any difference either, but it sure as hell feels good!

Oil

According to officials the oil spill is getting near MS. This comes from noaa the agency that I have found to be extremely conservative in their predictions of oil coming ashore. I don't think many people here on the coast are ready for it to happen. It seems that most, including the news and TV folks are sort of living in a denial mentality. If they don't think it, it won't happen. Most everyone here is concerned with tourism. I can understand that and I understand that the fishing, shrimp, and oyster fisherman and industry are in great peril. I think that this spill is going to destroy the economy of the Ms, Gulf coast in a way that no hurricane, including Katrina has. Following a hurricane, clean up starts, rebuilding gets going and people are able to get their lives in some kind of order although it takes years to do so. And the people of the Ms. Gulf Coast are remarkable in their ability to persevere and to come back, although the Coast has not returned as swiftly following Katrina as it did after Camille. I'm not sure the Coast will be able to do that with the oil. It's going to destroy the Gulf and it's creatures like nothing ever has. The group from Alaska that came to Louisiana tried to tell the people that it takes years, sometimes a lifetime and then things are never 'normal' again. That is a hard fact to wrap one's mind around. It's depressing, scary and sad. It is such a huge impending disaster that we sometimes do better to ignore it until we have to accept it.