Emergency Summit Organizers Denounce Obama’s Gulf Speech: “Utter Failure to Stop Gulf Oil Catastrophe” – Call for “Broad Peoples’ Response”

June 16, 2010
Contact: Larry Everest 504-644-7214                                                                 
Gulfemergencysummit@gmail.com

 

 

Organizers of the Gulf Emergency Summit refuted President Obama’s Tuesday night speech:

* "The claim that BP will soon capture 90 percent of the gushing oil is likely yet another in a 59-day string of government and BP deceptions about the magnitude of the blowout and the effectiveness of BP’s "fixes." Just today the size of the gusher was increased to between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels a day – 60 times what BP and the government initially claimed. Some experts warn oil could be pouring into the Gulf for months more," said Emergency Summit organizer Larry Everest. 

* Obama promised to "do whatever’s necessary to help the Gulf Coast and its people recover," but provided no serious plan for doing so. Instead he continued the pattern of refusing to mobilize all society’s resources, creativity and energy, while stifling or preventing scientists, those affected and others from going all-out to help in stopping the spill, its spread, and recovery efforts.
 
* Obama claimed "the federal government has been in charge of the largest environmental cleanup effort in our nation’s history," yet he refused to provide any accounting of the damage already done to Gulf ecosystems and wildlife and refused to acknowledge the reality that this "cleanup effort" has failed miserably to protect the Gulf, the shores, wetlands, or wildlife.
 
* Obama’s promises of "clean energy" and getting off fossil fuels are hollow and do nothing to stop the mounting catastrophe in the Gulf, which is still out of control.
 
* "President Barack Obama’s Gulf speech exposed – yet again – the government and BP’s utter failure and unwillingness, despite their rhetoric, to stop the oil catastrophe, protect Gulf ecosystems, wildlife, and people – or even tell the truth," stated Everest. "This underscores the urgency of a broad, determined, and powerful peoples’ response to get the truth out, to protect the shores and oceans and to deal with the ecological impacts."

"The world is watching," Summit organizers write. "We must not allow the Gulf and oceans to be devastated.  Our mission is nothing less than stopping this catastrophe."
 
The Summit is:
Saturday June 19, 2010    10:00 am
First Unitarian Universalist Church
5212 South Claiborne Avenue New Orleans LA
 
Draft Demands:
 
1) Stop oil drilling in the Gulf
 
2) The government and entire oil industry must allocate all necessary resources to stop the spill and clean up the devastation. Full support, including by compensation, must be given to efforts by people to save the Gulf.
 
3) No punishment to those taking independent initiative; no gag orders on people hired, contracted or who volunteer.
 
4) Full mobilization of scientists and engineers. Release scientific and technical data to the public; no more lying and covering up. Full and open scientific evaluation of emergency measures such as the use of dispersants. Fund all necessary scientific and medical research.
 
5) Full compensation for all losing livelihood and income from the disaster.
 
6) Provide necessary medical services to those suffering health effects of the spill. Protect the health of and provide necessary equipment for everyone involved in clean up operations. Full disclosure of medical and scientific studies about the effects of the oil disaster.