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To look at images of the oil sheen across the Gulf, oil covered wildlife, the gushing oil from the damaged well, the faces of devastated residents along the coast should overwhelm all of us emotionally.  Words fail even as those images overwhelm. In the face of this catastrophic damage, we seek the paths to express our outrage. There are the online actions from satiric videos to Twittering your apology to BP to blogging frustration / information / solutions to  contests to redo BP’s signs, there are protests from Raging Grannies to Hands Across the Sands (action item 26 June), and …

Part of the challenge, of all this, is to find (and express) the right calls for action.  At the core, the true message that we cannot leave aside is that every single one of us has some (infinitesimal) hand in this. We, in the net-connected world, all (ALL) use oil (and other fossil fuels) in some fashion — whether directly or indirectly. Thus, we all (ALL) have some (infinitesimal) culpability in driving the oil companies into exploring and exploiting oil in ever more difficult environments. Thus, the fundamental response should be the realization that we must change demand (reduce it) or face the risk of a future Deepwater Horizon.

While that is a fundamental cause, that our usage and demand for fossil fuels creates the circumstances in which disasters can occur, there are proximate causes that require addressing.

It seems increasingly clear that U.S. regulation and oversight of the oil (and other fossil foolish industries) has been inadequate, favoring their (perceived) profit interests over the near, mid, and long-term interests of the American people. We are already seeing changes (improvements) to this both from Obama Administration and in legislation proposed by Democratic Party members of Congress.

While offshore drilling in deep waters is a dangerous endeavor, it is clear that there are paths to address and mitigate (at least) some of that risk.  And, increasingly, it looks clear that BP’s business practices and methods veered toward mitigating risk by assuming it away (the fantasy approach, perhaps, of risk management: let’s just wish it away).  One could say that basically profits were placed ahead of sensible business practices to an extent that went beyond practical to bloody piss-poor cutting of corners.  Increasingly, as we learn more, it seems clearer and clearer that the unfolding catastrophe did not simply result from the difficulties of seeking to feed our oil addiction by drilling in difficult environments but instead was more directly created by a corporate culture and practices that increased risk to shave cost wherever BP thought it could get away with it … no matter the risk (which, after all, seems to have simply been assumed away).

At the moment, BP faces a $20 billion set aside of money. Some financiers and investors are considering this the extent of risk, in essence a traffic ticket along the way of traveling the highway of corporate profit-making.  While an enormous amount of money, this is simply a manageable expense for the BP cash cow machine.

While, to continue the analogy, a traffic ticket might be appropriate for someone who speeds, at some point that speeding heads into a much higher ticket for reckless endangerment. And, drivers who show a pattern of reckless endangerment have their licences suspended.  And, drivers who kill people due to their reckless endangerment end up in jail.

BP has a serial record of shaving corners, taking undue risks, violating regulations and laws.

BP has a serial record of accidents, including accidents that directly caused deaths and caused significant pollution.

The Supreme Court has been reinforcing the concept of Corporate citizenhood, giving almost more power to corporations than to living/breathing citizens.  When it comes to BP, it is looking increasingly likely that a viable case exists that BP’s practices raised (or lowered) to the level of criminal negligence. And, that criminal negligence has already directly killed people and will kill even more (cancers and otherwise), has already done massive environmental damage and will do more, and has already done massive economic damage and will do more.

At what point do we say and recognize that a speeding ticket simply isn’t enough?  At what point do we say that we must hold the Corporation truly accountable for their actions?

And, “BP” is made up of people, there are executives behind the decisions, people behind the policies.  At what point do we make the decision to seek to hold these people accountable for their decisions?

Is it time to throw the book at BP and their (ir)responsible executives?

Simply put, shouldn’t we prosecute?

Here is a (near) free way to join the call to prosecute, as a company is offering free prosecute bumper stickers. While it is somewhat odd to be putting it on a car with increasing pollution every time we turn the key, the sentiment seems on target as a path toward helping reduce the risks of a future disaster and taking a step to reign in corporate excesses. While we should all be fighting to get national policy that will reduce fossil fuel dependence and should be working to cut our own demand, we should also seek to have criminals held accountable for their actions.

Sticker Robot, that wild and crazy company that printed and disseminated Shepard Fairey’s historic Obama “Hope” stickers, is giving away free “PROSECUTE” silkscreened stickers.

America has been sold to BP and other high rolling, sketchy corporate criminals who are robbing us blind and completely destroying the earth. These immoral, corrupt bottom feeders should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, not galavanting around elitist golf clubs and yacht races. We’re pissed. You should be too. This is our planet they are destroying.

Simply send us a S.A.S.E. It’s that easy.
( *S.A.S.E. is a self addressed, stamped envelope! )

Ok, now that we have that cleared up, all you need to do is to send us a LEGAL SIZE envelope s.a.s.e. (otherwise we have to fold your sticker) to this address:

Sticker Robot / Prosecute
PO Box 1189
Woodacre, CA.
94973-1189 (subject to availability).

We will gladly send you a sticker or two, depending on the response to this offer. The initial response was very promising. The criminals responsible for this catastrophic oil spill should be prosecuted.