Why BP Should Be Boycotted

A new article in Newsweek proclaimed that American consumers shouldn't boycott the oil giant BP due to the giant oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which will wreck the gulf ecology and economy for years, maybe even decades. The reason behind this opinion is that BP's competitors, namely Exxon and Texaco, are equally "evil" companies. Exxon specifically never paid full compensation to fishermen in Alaska who were put out of business, and Texaco is allegedly poisoning groundwater in Central America.

So why punish BP at all?

For one, BP has what is probably the worst record in the oil business. Newsweek also says that to find the real culprits you need to look in the mirror. Apparently the magazine's viewpoint is that it doesn't matter what consumers choose to do because we are all "addicted to oil" and can't boycott all of them. But the fact of the matter is that other oil companies, such as Exxon after their oil spill, simply haven't had the dismal safety record that BP has. And BP, like many of the other oil companies, answer to their stockholders more than to their conscience. If a boycott of BP fizzles, then other oil companies won't be afraid of a boycott themselves. Already people are talking about boycotting BP, so in a way the cat is already out of the bag.

The Exxon Valdez oil spill was more of an accident than the BP oil spill given current allegations, specifically that BP cut corners and put greed over doing methodically safe oil exploration. The Exxon Valdez accident didn't happen because of greed, but because of poor policies involving drinking and driving massive oil tankers. That is what makes BP's actions all the more insidious and evil and why they should be punished through a boycott.

Another reason why a BP boycott is a good idea is because it is so easy to do and will have immediate effects on BP and other oil companies, and will pressure BP to do more to clean up the spill and face up to the true economic impact which could easily be billions of dollars. Other oil companies would take note and might review their safety procedures and environmental records.

As Harvey Keitel's character said in the first National Treasure movie regarding the theft of the Declaration of Independence, "Somebody has to go to jail Ben." BP simply has to be punished to set an example, the magnitude of the tragedy demands it. I plan on immediately beginning my personal boycott of BP.

Sources:

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/06/07/boycott-bp.html

http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2010/06/07/bps-safety-record-argues-against-act-of-god-excuse/?cxntfid=blogs_jay_bookman_blog