US coast guards harass journalists covering BP's oil spill disaster

US coast guards harass journalists covering BP's oil spill disaster

www.guardian.co.uk

News photographers and TV camera crews are claiming that they are being prevented from reporting on the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

They complain that US federal and local officials, including coast guards, are blocking access to beaches where the effects of the spill are most visible.

A CBS TV crew was threatened with arrest when attempting to film an oil-covered beach last week.

He defended flight restrictions as "a necessary safety precaution". Private aircraft must get perm

(visit the link for the full news article)

What's going on here?
There's a huge spill, it's on the news
They do whatever they can to NOT immediately fix the leak
Time goes by
Obama puts pressure on BP
Politicians complaing that Obama needs to get off his arse and take control
Finally Obama says "that's it, the govt. is taking over"
Then Coast Guards don't let reporters cover the mess

How crazy is that?

Now keep in this:

"BP is operating at our direction," Obama said. "Every key decision and action they take must be approved by us in advance," adding that, if the Coast Guard orders BP to do something, "they are legally bound to do it."
www.latimes.com...

My only question is.... how much more powers will the U.S. government gain from this?
How big of an government expansion will this mess allow?
How much "regulations" and new regulatory departments will Obama create?
How much money will be thrown around?

It's a hard topic to criticize because something does need to be done.
Thoughts?

www.guardian.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Well since we cannot get photos of it, it must not be happening.

See the government fixed everything all nicely.

We were mad about seeing the oil spill. Now we can't see it anymore.

Why still mad?

Wow, more weirdness

Remember when the Attack at the Taj Hotel happened in India?
There were less security guards and personel that day.

Also remember 9.11 when Bush sent a bunch of air force personel for training somewhere far far away.

Three months before the massive BP oil spill erupted in the Gulf of Mexico, the Obama administration proposed downsizing the Coast Guard national coordination center for oil spill responses, prompting its senior officers to warn that the agency's readiness for catastrophic events would be weakened.

Accidents happen, "but what you're seeing here is the government is not properly set up to deal with this kind of issue," said Robbin Laird, a defense consultant who has worked on Coast Guard issues. "The idea that you would even think about getting rid of catastrophic environmental spill equipment or expertise at the Department of Homeland Security, are you kidding me?"

"Cutting a strike team is nuts," said Stephen Flynn, a former Coast Guard commander and now president of the Center for National Policy, a Washington think tank. "Whether it's an accident of man or an act of terrorism, it requires almost the exact same skill set to clean it up."

www.washingtonpost.com...

I don't know, maybe i'm thinking too much
Good article though

And.......... It continues!!!!!!!!!!

There Was 'Nobody in Charge'

In the minutes after a cascade of gas explosions crippled the Deepwater Horizon on April 20, confusion reigned on the drilling platform. Flames were spreading rapidly, power was out, and terrified workers were leaping into the dark

An examination by The Wall Street Journal of what happened aboard the Deepwater Horizon just before and after the explosions suggests the rig was unprepared for the kind of disaster that struck and was overwhelmed when it occurred. The events on the bridge raise questions about whether the rig's leaders were prepared for handling such a fast-moving emergency and for evacuating the rig—and, more broadly, whether the U.S. has sufficient safety rules for such complex drilling operations in very deep water.

Read Entire Article
online.wsj.com...

Anyone else notice the tide moving towards more govt. regulation and more expansion of govt. powers over the waters?

They are very much setting the tone.

Thoughts?

I support this!

We all know it's bad... Yes, it's THAT BAD!! We don't need hundreds of reporters floating around the beaches and asking questions when there is work to be done.

Think people Think... It didn't kill 3 thousand people.. 11 men and sea life/gulf coast wildlife.. sure it will hurt the economy in the area..

But.. what could this be a false flag for?

What legislation would Obama hope to pass by doing this?

If we could figure that out.. there may be a real conspiracy here.

Originally posted by CanadianDream420
I support this!

We all know it's bad... Yes, it's THAT BAD!! We don't need hundreds of reporters floating around the beaches and asking questions when there is work to be done.

But.. we do need enough reporters getting the shots PB doesn't want people to see, to show the people what is really going on..

Oh, and I am sure reporters wont get in the way of the cleanup crews -DUH !

Originally posted by CanadianDream420
We don't need hundreds of reporters floating around the beaches and asking questions when there is work to be done.

L.A. scientist, NOT THE COAST GUARD OR BP finds 3rd Plume
www.abovetopsecret.com...

How come the Coast Guard didn't find this?
Maybe if they didn't disallow reporters from flying over the waters they would have found this earlier.

Who knows what else is out there!

The fish, the dolphins.... everything!!!!
Poor them

[edit on 28-5-2010 by ModernAcademia]

Local & national law enforcement along with BP are all breaking constitutional law.

The US government is nothing more than a corporate meat puppet used to destroy the last remnants of Constitutional democracy.

Pisses the hell out of me.

Journalists finally getting off their backsides to report some actual news & the US & ex-patriot criminal gangsters keeping them from it.

reply to post by CanadianDream420


You support censorship of truth? How does that benefit anybody? Cause by blocking reporters that's exactly what's happening. Everybody on this planet needs to see what's happening and the extent of this ecological disaster as it unfolds.

Here's another article on the topic.

BP blocking journalists from spill sites

Of course, anyone flipping on the cable networks or perusing online news sites has probably seen images from the spill. But Philips says many images "are coming from BP and government sources."

Philips' finding is not surprising given the anecdotal evidence of journalists who say they've been prevented from doing their work. Just in the last week, BP contractors stopped a CBS crew from filming and threatened arrests; CEO Tony Hayward was caught on tape yelling "Get outta there!" at a photographer snapping pictures; and Mother Jones reporter Mac McClelland said her efforts to reach Elmer's Island on the tip of Louisiana were thwarted after she was stopped more than once by Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies.

With such access being cut off, Philips writes that journalist trying to cover "the worst environmental disaster in the history" of U.S. waters must do so "against the will of BP."

news.yahoo.com...

[edit on 28-5-2010 by ZombieSlayer]

reply to post by ZombieSlayer


Yep I agree, lets not have the press motoring around looking for themselves ..... its better to have the criminals supply us the evidence of there destruction.

(sarcasm intended)

"But.. what could this be a false flag for? What legislation would Obama hope to pass by doing this? If we could figure that out.. there may be a real conspiracy here."

Pres. Obama Now Wants to Ban Sports Fishing, Make Recreational Fishing a Crime – Update: Glenn Beck Video on Gov’t’s US Water Grab Efforts...

www.frugal-cafe.com... g-a-crime/

An incident such as this can end up giving the Federal Government extraordinary powers over U.S. inland, coastal and ocean waters. With the planet's clean water supply being systematically destroyed by corporate interests, this type of incident would be the perfect excuse for the Government to step in and take full control of a resource which is essential to all life. No better way to control the population than by controlling the water supply.

[edit on 28-5-2010 by SphinxMontreal]

Outstanding Thread ModernAcademia Flag and many Stars and votes for u to be ATS star reporter on BP oil spill news.

All I can say is Obama government seems to be supporting BP rather than the spill. I cannot figure out which is scarier the spill or the new powers the government is going to enjoy as a result of BP not being able to control this outrageous event.

I also cannot believe there is a nuke solution being considered.

Thanks for the news keep up the good work!!!!!!

Edited to add 3 para just too many unbelievable thoughts going through my head and the first one is that I cannot believe after the Alaska spill that someone would approve a offshore platform. Just a thought should not all drivers who purchase gas boycott BP out of conscious? Just do it for the planet!!!!!!!!!

[edit on 5/31/2010 by IceHappy]