Taking action in the Gulf

I am troubled and moved by the Deep Horizon Oil Disaster. What a complete boondoggle. It's easy to slide down the slope of emotion to a place of anger, frustration and despair. Especially when you see the BP CEO talk about how "insignificant the spill is relative to the size of the Gulf of Mexico." I couldn't believe it when I heard that statement come out of his mouth.

• Did someone forget to tell him that the gulf is the 6th largest economy in the world, based on its agricultural, fisheries and tourism industries.
• Did someone forget to tell him that the Gulf is in the midst of rebuilding itself in the wake of Katrina and the Great Recession?
• Did someone forget to tell him that struggling seafood industry and fish stocks in the gulf may not survive this most recent environmental and economic blow.
• Did someone forget to tell him that his companies 'minor accident' will affect the lives of millions of individuals, their families and communities for many generations to come?

Let me quickly remind Mr. Hayward of what's going on at the bottom of the sea floor and let me suggest that he fire his PR firm and hire an agency with both a firm understanding of the region -from the environmental, social and economic perspectives - with empathy.