After months of trying, BP finally stopped (for the most part) the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico last week. Unfortunately, after the well had been spewing oil for three months, the effects of the BP oil disaster have been enormous for both the local economy, the environment, and the freedom of the press.
Yes, that's right, freedom of the press.
Throughout the duration of the oil spill, there have been instances of both reporters and curious citizens with cameras being prevented from going to the shore where all the oil has washed up onto the beaches. The real cause for concern: it is not just BP officials who are seeking to keep cameras away from the mess, but the United States government, too.
So what is going on? Are BP and the government in collusion to hide the extent of the damage and the effectiveness of the government response from the public?
Quite possibly.
Almost immediately after the spill started, BP officials were quick to try and restrict media access to the site of the disaster, which was to be expected. However, the big shock came when the United States government (the Coast Guard in particular) restricted media access to the site by setting a 65 foot limit as to how close reporters could get to the oil booms. Because of a journalistic uproar, the ban was lifted last week. However, Congress failed to make journalistic freedom in the cleanup area a law.
Then there is always the question of civilian/freelance reporter access, which the media blackout lift doesn't directly address, either.
Recently, National Public Radio (NPR) has documented a case where a freelance photographer, standing on a public street, took some pictures of a BP oil refinery (not even at the spill site) only to to find himself surrounded by BP security, local police, and FBI agents. With all of these law enforcement people around, the photographer eventually agreed (undoubtedly under duress) to show his photos and provide his personal information (including Social Security number) to government and BP officials. This whole situation violates Bill of Rights protections against unreasonable search and seizure. First, no citizen should be forced to provide personal information to a private corporation. Next, while police can seize a camera as evidence, they need a warrant to search the images.
Civil rights trampled underfoot.
Unfortunately, the incident just described is just one on a long line of incidents of reporters/citizens with cameras being told to leave the scene of cleanup or face legal consequences (see links below). BP spokesman Scott Dean said that these cases are more about officials and cleanup workers just not wanting to deal with reporters and the curious.
However, not a lot of people are buying this.
Marjorie Esman of the Louisiana American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) stated that she gets complaints all the time from people, both journalists and civilians, who are strong-armed into leaving oil-covered beaches/wetlands and places where people are working on the cleanup.
Also speaking about the apparent rash of censorship in the Gulf was FBI special agent Shauna Dunlap, who said that the security precautions came in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks and that "critical infrastructures" (like oil rigs) are targets of terrorists. However, this statement seems to ignore the common sense notion that no terrorist would be stupid enough to go around and shoot the spill with dSLRs and/or professional TV cameras and that, on top of this, pictures of these "sensitive" places can be found all over the Internet on places like Google Earth.
So, with the spill capped, can the assault on the first amendment be stopped, too?
We'll have to wait and see.
For more info:
Demopedia
Human Rights Examiner
BP Oil News
Natural News
Newsweek
OMB Watch
American Civil Liberties Union
Comments
Are you kidding me? This is a joke article right?
Of course this is NO JOKE! This administration wants absolutely no one to see anything that may make it look bad. Furthermore the further left you go the less likely you are to tolerate any views that differ from your own. To that end this administration has gone to great lengths to shout down the opposition. When that fails they strong arm the opposition. Don't believe me? Why then was no action ever taken against ACORN when there was overwhelming evidence showing voter fraud in several states? Why also was no action taken against the New Black Panthers for voter intimidation with the overwhelming evidence (photos and video too)? Where is the transparency this administration promised? Why does the NAACP condone blatant racism by blacks and other minorities but goes way out of it's way accuse others of even the slightest off color remarks? Lastly, why do you think Martin Luther King was a republican?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a member of a completely different Republican Party. The Republican Party of today is the complete opposite of what it means to be a Republican.
We need to ban together in an effort to save the Gulf Coast and clean up the oil spill, bring businesses and communities back together to revisit the beauty of the Gulf Coast.
If we (community and concerned citizens and BP officials) can team up, be progressive as to other avenues in brining people to the Gulf for enjoyment, living, vacation time, special events that will attract people to return to the Gulf Coast ... perhaps BP would be a willing sponsor to aid in the redevelopment of the Gulf.
However, both political parties haev completely turned against what they stood for. Democrates were the ones who started the KKK to push republicans out of office. Now us republicans have the dead beat rascist rednecks. Pretty much what democrates believed back in the day the republicans believe now and the other way around. I am a republican but I am ashamed of both political parties
Obama administration and truth?
people should arrest all involved by using this law citizens arrest on all Bp people and those involved with the sterilization of the spill including the armed mercenaries
BP and the government have already been caught in many lies. They are saying the well is capped BUT... which well? There were two wells at two different locations. The first one was abandoned, the second exploded. The XY coordinates of the fixed well are showing it to be the FIRST well, not the one causing problems. What's going on with that? Have they lied about capping the well? Are they feeding the media what they want to hear while they dump millions of gallons of dispersant into the leak to "hide" the spill and sink the oil to the bottom where it will continue to kill life in the ocean?
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!