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Originally Posted by ComixZone
But seriously - the Oil & Gas industry is the basis for pretty much the entire world's economy and way of life. They do their best, they do care. It's not like they're literally sitting back in their chairs made of gold and the bones of small forest creatures laughing at the people and the planet as spills wreak their havoc.
If you're strongly against the Oil & Gas industry, then you should be doing an awful lot more than boycotting a professional sports team. |
Do you really think that they care? Do you really believe that statement?
Quite an interesting case article, and one really has to wonder how Iran would be in the world today.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_604511.html
Think it is just one company? Think again. Heck, even PepsiCo (a cola company? really?) approached Kissinger about Chile, as Chile wanted fair-market value for their aluminum wealth. When PepsiCo refused to actually give Chile what the resources were actually worth, Chile announced they have no choice but to nationalize their mineral wealth. USA (on behalf of PepsiCo partially) went in and orchestrated a coup, removing the responsible and democratically-elected Allende (who was loved by the people) and was replaced by Pinochet. Just do a little bit of searching on what happened in Chile afterwards. Ask any Chilean friends how it was to live in that country under Pinochet. By the way, Pinochet was eventually brought to justice in Spain, and one of the charges (amongst many) was genocide - a genocide that should never have happened.
Here is a good quote by Allende (the democratically elected president of Chile at the time):
http://www.krysstal.com/display_acts...cle=1973_chile
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His warning about multinational companies at the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 has been proved correct. He warned of "a coming conflict between multinationals and democratic governments. They operate without assuming their responsibilities. They share no instinct for the common interest. The political system of the world is weakening as a result."
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It isn't being 'against the oil industry' (or industry as whole, including the Oil industry). It is about being against the power and influence they wield for their own benefit, often at the cost of environment, the rights and freedoms of other people in this world, and even people's lives. Does the world need Oil? Of course. What they don't need is Oil companies acting like international governments and getting away with environmental disasters and murder, which they often seem unable to care less about.
I find this stuff very fascinating and very upsetting. Years ago, I thought: "Why do those idiots go and riot and vandalize stuff at all the G8 and G20 meetings? Get a job losers!" Then I asked: "Why do they really do that??" Surprising what you start finding out, what one thing leads to another to another. You quickly discover that these big multinational firms spend considerable wealth in influencing decision making in the world, so that they can make even more money by stealing resources and disregarding environmental concerns.
It isn't about being against the Oil (or other) industry. It is about how they go about their business, and how it negatively affects so many in this world unnecessarily. I can still have a car to go to work in that is product of the hydrocarbon industry, but did so many people have to lose their rights, freedoms and life? Did so much of the world need to be irreparably poisoned?
This is getting a bit sidetracked with regards to the Flames. Having an owner that has invested in this company (and I would bet there are probably people on this forum who are invested, and maybe don't know it) doesn't make it his fault necessarily (doubtful, unless he was a board member and part of the decision-making group, and even then it would be difficult to pinpoint if he was really responsible, or just believed and trusted what the 'experts' told him). However, I still don't see a relevant connection to the Flames. You can still support the Flames without feeling 'guilty' or contradictory.