"The Times They are a Changin"

On the way into class today listening to the good ol CBC Radio One, I was surprised by an interview about the BP oil spill. An 11 year old boy was interviewed and he said that he was sad about the spill because everyone would lose money and they might lose their homes as well… that is a scary thought for a child to have. But if I am remembering correctly when the Exxon spill happened in march of 1989 the news reports of the day focused on the environmental impact and the world was heartbroken about the lives of the birds and see life that were lost and the long term effect that it would have on marine life. Now obviously there was an economic crisis that followed within the fishing industry of the area, that the people are still recovering from today, but News reports of the time focused around the environment first. I was surprised to hear an 11 year old talk about the jobs and money that would be effected as his biggest concern. Is it because he has close ties to the fishing industry and this is the talk around the table that he is overhearing from his parents? Is it because this is the same Louisiana coastline that was so badly devastated during Hurricane Katrina only 5 years ago in Aug 2005 and this young person has already lost his home once to a natural disaster? Or is it because the world that we live in today has changed its collective priorities. Yes money and economics are important to the well being of society as a whole, but at what cost?

Another person interviewed from the area effected by the disaster was not just concerned for the fishermen, but for the oil workers who would be out of work too. She blames Washington for the spill, for not enforcing the safety regulations. My question is, if there were safety regulations in place, why weren’t the oil workers themselves helping to enforce them, and if BP wasn’t compliant, why didn’t any of the workers blow the whistle. Is the almighty dollar so important that we are collectively willing to destroy our selves in getting it?

The big picture isn’t the bottom line for our pockets, the big picture is the bottom line for our planet. Maybe my tree hugging socialist roots are showing but The Times they are a Changin. Or maybe it is because I share a birthday with Bob Dylan.