Covering the Oil Spill (English Homework)

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/05/26/the-missing-oil-spill-photos.html

Article Review:

This article talks about the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Local and federal officials are limiting access to the sites of the oil spill where the effects are most visible, to news photographers and journalists. Even when they are allowed to visit the site, a close eye by the officials is kept on them. As local fishermen and charter boat captains are left without a source of income as a result of the spill, they are being forced to work for BP in order to keep their livelihoods. They are thus being pressurized by BP not to talk or co-operate with the press at the risk of losing their jobs.

The BP oil disaster is one which really shook the world. It being denied coverage, is in my opinion one of the most selfish acts conducted by the officials. Peace Marvel, a charter boat captain, claimed that “running members of the press around only gets in the way and makes things worse”. This is a fallacious argument, as should officials be worried about the clean up works being hindered by visitors, all should be kept out, and not just members of the press. In addition, planes are not allowed to fly below 3000 feet above the affect areas, which clearly wouldn’t have any role in hindering clean up works.

Peace Marvel also compares this restriction of press coverage to not allowing people to enter a flaming building to take photographs. This comparison is ridiculous, as the latter brings about a risk in human safety, while the former does not. It appears to me, that BP, together with their supporters, federal and local officials, are making up excuses to justify them concealing their big blunder in order to salvage their reputation.

The damage has been done, and no amount of salvaged reputation will be able to fix the problem. The affected land might be governmental property, giving them every right to restrict access to whomever they please from a legal point of view. Looking at it morally however, it is wrong to do so, as the environment belongs to everyone, and thus they have the right to know what exactly is happening to it.

I hope that BP comes to their senses. Two wrongs does not make one right.