Could I be Wrong?

      Ok, so I'm rethinking this oil disaster again. I am ashamed to say it, but James Carville's recent editorial column has lit a fire under my butt. (http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/06/in_louisiana_its_one_damned_th.html) He almost took the words out of my mouth. It is how I am really feeling. As I read over my last blog post, I almost sound like I'm feeling sorry for BP. I wanted this blog to be sort of "therapy" for me, and if I erase my last blog post, then I am defeating the purpose. I need to see when my thought process is "twisted."I want to delete it, but I need to leave it. I need to see what happens to your brain when you are removed from the situation like I am – like the rest of the country is. Although I live in a coastal parish (St. Mary), I have not been directly affected by this oil spill ----- yet. I will be affected ---- no doubt, but I need to get my ass in gear and do something BEFORE I am directly affected. I am getting subtle "hints" of things to come. On Friday, KT's pregnant friend was having an "envie" (craving for) boiled crabs. She called every seafood market, restaurant, fish market, and grocery store down here, and guess what? No crabs. Unbelievable. Louisiana without crabs? Yesterday, I went to the store. I strolled along, like life was normal here in South Louisiana. The large iced down cart was situated in the middle of the isle, like it normally is. It was full of beautiful Gulf Shrimp; however, instead of paying a meager $2.50 a pound, they had more than doubled in price to $5.50 a pound….another subtle hint of things to come. I meandered over to the prepackaged fresh seafood cooler. There were all the usual ----oysters, white lump crab meat, crab claw meat, catfish, crawfish, etc , ----crabmeat was $27.99 a pound, oysters were $25.99 a pint, and the list goes on. Wow. Not even I – “Ms. Not Directly Affected Lady” can afford that. Is this the beginning of the end of a way of life here in south Louisiana that has spanned well over 250 years? Hmph. Possibly. I read the newspapers. I read about the fisherman down the bayou. Some are 4th generation or more fishermen. Many are in a deep depression – the summer months are the height of trawling season, crab trapping, oyster harvesting in south Louisiana. Everyone’s boats are parked. This is the time of year that they make all their money. This money sustains their families until the following summer. BP has cut some of them checks for their loses, but it is nowhere sufficient. So what in the hell is going on people? Wait a minute. Is Louisiana part of the United States of America? Um, yea people. Isn’t the United States of American that big ole country that rushed to the aid of the people of Haiti after that devastating earthquake several months back? Didn’t the United States of America send money, food, supplies, tents, rescue workers, doctors, military ships equipped with complete hospitals on board staffed with American doctors, nurses, EMT’s, medicine, etc? Hmmmm. Um, yea people - it was the United States of America. Within hours of that earthquake, President Obama began sending help to Haiti, but it has been – what? – day 57, 58, who the hell knows – WHERE THEY HELL IS OUR FREAKIN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT????? WHAT THE FREAKING HELL???? LOUISIANA IS NOT A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY???? Screw BP. Our federal government should have FEMA – FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY down here making sure that the people directly affected are taken care of. I AM FREAKING FURIOUS!!!!! What the hell is the government going to do if BP goes bankrupt? Nothing? What? I’m like James Carville – it is one damn thing after another! President Obama has placed a moratorium on offshore drilling in the Gulf – sorry, but I am still for that – we need to stop and take a deep breath, look over the way rigs are inspected, how the oil industry prepares for a disaster such as this, etc Whose fault is the inspections on these rigs. Is it the oil industry? HELL FREAKING NO IT ISN’T! IT IS OUR FREAKIN GOV’T THAT SHOULD HAVE DEMANDED STRICK REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW, THEN PLACED HOMELAND SERCURITY IN CHARGE OF OVERSEEING THOSE REGULATIONS. You know that the oil companies are going to cut corners to make extra profit. Why give them a blank approval form? Now, I can’t blame Obama for the lack of regulations on the oil industry. This is the work of past administrations. Hmmmm, Halliburton involved – not surprised there. BUT IF YOU PUT A MORITORIUM ON DRILLING IN THE GULF BECAUSE YOU GAVE THE OIL INDUSTRY A BLANK APPROVAL FORM, THEN IT SHOULD BE THE FEDERAL GOV’T REPONSIBILITY TO COME DOWN HERE AND COMPENSATE THOSE OIL RIG WORKERS AND FAMILIES FOR YOU LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY IN PROTECTING, NOT ONLY THEIR LIVES, BUT THEIR LIVELYHOODS! Supposedly, the media is reporting that President Obama is visiting the Gulf states and will address the nation Tuesday night – bout time. I am hoping he will ease the fears and worries of the people of Louisiana. I will sadly be disappointed if he doesn’t step in and take over the welfare of my people. Right now, I’m okay. I am a teacher. I now that the loss of income for the people of Louisiana will eventually trickle up to sales tax revenues dropping, which equals less revenue to local school boards, which equals more layoffs for teachers, and less money across the board for the children of Louisiana. Our federal government needs to step in now and stop the progression of pain in Louisiana. We will see just how important Louisiana is to this nation. I’m hoping and praying that we are very important. Important enough to help us weather this disaster. We will survive this. I am just hoping we do not have to go it alone again.