Other news from the day.
I met an ex-shrimper - Raleigh - today. I have a great video interview with him - that I will post as soon as I can get it off tape onto my computer.
I was driving down a road to talk to the people at the closed oyster store and saw his sign at the side of the road (see posted sign and pic of Raleigh). He was sitting in the shade swinging on the swing seat - he invited me to sit with him.
Highlights of the interview:
He is a third generation shrimper - and his kids and grandkids fish and shrimp as well. They are all now out of work.
They are worried about the kids. There is nothing for the kids to do here now - they are used to being out on the water - fishing, shrimping, swimming etc. etc. - it's a complete way of life here. Also - they are worried about all of the workers that have been brought in. Not far from here in Port Fouchon it turns out that one of the workers was a convicted child molester (now has been removed from the area). So they are keeping kids that are used to having a lot of freedom pretty close to home.
We talked about the dispursements and chemicals that they are putting in the water. Raleigh told me that the news is that BP actually owns this chemical - and that it is banned in England and other areas. (I did hear that elsewhere throughout the day - and Billy N. mentioned it on Anderson Cooper tonight)
I asked him how it is that the people here are handling this so well - being so graceful under fire. He told me that it was because he was Cajun - and that's the way Cajun people are. (Note that I also met some people later that they were Coon Asses - which means that you are Cajun - and it is a good expression)
Raleigh and his wife Kay were extremely hospitable and it really was a great moment for me to meet and talk with them
I also decided that I would try to count the homes for sale - but lost count.
After I went out on the boat I went back to visit with Kathy and Dave. There was a gull sitting on a boom. Poor little guy had apparently not moved for over an hour... oil. The workers on the beach were about 30 feet away from the bird.
We also met a couple of guys from Scotland and Britain who specialized in Oil spill clean up. They explained to me how the currents worked and why the booms were placed where they were. There is a big army boom placed in line with the new bridge that they are building. Apparently this is the best place for this boom to help contain the oil and capture it - but the local politicians here are making them move it as it will get in the way of the bridge being built. We could all see the irony in this. Why worry about the bridge when there may not be a community left to use it.
The devestation of this oil spill and the massive negative impact that this is having on Grand Isle should be bringing people together to help solve the problems. Everyone is effected - but the division seems to be growing. Part of the problem is that the local people are somewhat being excluded from being part of the clean up - promises have been made and not carried through - strangers being brought in and kept in compounds - a growing deep distrust in BP - all of these factors are contributing to a growing unrest.
Other pics uploaded are from our day out on the boat - the oiled booms, oil in the water, brown pelicans - and I also included sunset from these incredibly beautiful part of the world.
By the way a note for Anderson Cooper - When I was talking to the BP people today - they did say that if he came down to Grand Isle that they would be happy to talk to him but they they were not going to travel to New Orleans. It would be interesting to see what would happen if Anderson took them up on the offer.
No comments:
Post a Comment