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(emphasis added by Mega)VENICE, La. — The "small people" of the Gulf Coast have a humongous message for oil giant BP: They're tired of the company's big-time executives making insensitive comments.
On Wednesday, BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg told reporters in Washington: "I hear comments sometimes that large oil companies are greedy companies or don't care, but that is not the case with BP. We care about the small people."
Orange Beach, Ala., Mayor Tony Kennon laughed when he heard Svanberg's remark.
"They can call me small, miniature, they can call me anything they want. Just write the check and send it to us," he said.
But Justin Taffinder of New Orleans was not amused.
"We're not small people. We're human beings. They're no greater than us. We don't bow down to them. We don't pray to them," Taffinder said.
Svanberg is Swedish, and his comments — in English — may have been an unintentional slight. He uttered the remark to reporters following a joint press conference with President Barack Obama — who had spoke of the small business owners, the fishermen and the shrimpers affected by the spill.
But coastal residents already were angry over the oil spill disaster and at BP CEO Tony Hayward's earlier comments that he "wants his life back."
Asked about the chairman's remark, BP spokesman Toby Odone told The Associated Press in an e-mail that "it is clear that what he means is that he cares about local businesses and local people. This was a slip in translation."
Lyn Ridge, 47, ferried reporters to see oil clean up operations Wednesday in a bay at Plaquemines Parish. He just shook his head when told about the "small people" comment.
Ridge describes himself as "commercial contractor that can't find work and driving boat trying to make a living." To make matters worse, Ridge figures his house on the water in Myrtle Grove has lost half it's value due to the oil spill.
"They can say he didn't mean it that way, but that's how they think of us," Ridge said. "They can't keep their foot out of their mouth," he added referring to another BP executive's desire to have his life back.
In Alabama, Terry Hanners, who owns a small construction company in Gulf Shores, said the chairman's remark revealed something about BP's frame of mind.
"These BP people I've met are good folks. I've got a good rapport with them," said Hanners, 74. "But BP does not care about us. They are so far above us. We are the nickel-and-dime folks of this world."
Kennon said he is relieved that BP agreed to put $20 billion in an escrow fund, and joked, "They better be lucky I called off the invasion of 10,000 rednecks with their rifles headed toward England anyway."
seems some are thinned skinned.. mustve been sheltered as kids..
*sniffle* my wishes hand isnt filling up as fast as the other hand *sniffle*
just pay the bills "big shot"..
well, the bloke does look pretty tall (he's the one on the left), so maybe he just assumes he's taller than all the people on the coast
A side note. I don't know if it is the photo, but those suits look awfully cheap. You would think that the heads of BP could afford better.
I don't know if you are assuming context where I am not picking it up or what, but I have no idea how to make sense of your comment.
A side note. I don't know if it is the photo, but those suits look awfully cheap. You would think that the heads of BP could afford better.
Despite both having joined BP from university after doing scientific degrees and both taking the top job after heading BP's core exploration and production unit, Hayward and Browne would seem to have little else in common.
Browne was an opera and art lover, while Hayward, whose thick brown hair helps give him an appearance younger than his 52 years, prefers soccer and rugby.
Browne wore tailored suits, handmade shoes and ties with a perfect dimple below the knot; Hayward's suits are off the peg, he often dispenses with a tie and when he wears one it doesn't look like he spent much time agonising over the knot.
Hayward wears a big watch and cufflinks with sporting motifs that Browne, one senses, might have found gauche.
The Associated Press: BP 'small people' comment causes anger along Gulf
(emphasis added by Mega)
So what do you think? Was it a slip in translation (since this guy is obviously not a native english speaker) or was it condescension?
Personally, I think it was a little bit of both.
A side note. I don't know if it is the photo, but those suits look awfully cheap. You would think that the heads of BP could afford better.
I haven't seen any outrage. He was talking about the, "little man". You know, the one that the Dems are taking care of by killing what's left of our economy. Yeah, him.
All things considered, BP has done a helluva lot better job taking care of the, "small people", than the government has.
You haven't seen any outrage? Must not have been looking. But then, you work in the oil industry, don't you?
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It's not just BP's words at this point. They are attempting to dictate how the cleanup will occur, and the feds are backing them in doing so. BP hasn't done a particularly good job to this point in time, so forgive me if folks in my neck of the woods don't trust them to handle things anymore.
Yes, I do work in the oilfield and I was referring to outrage about the, "small people" comment, which is what the thread is about; not about outrage over the spill itself.
I'm with you 98% on that. My peoples are pissed, too. They all see how the government has screwed the pooch on containment of the spill. BP is definitely at fault for the blowout, but the cluster **** response by the government is very apparent to most folks that I know.
See my comment below yours.
The feds have allowed BP to dictate the terms of the cleanup. **** BP.
Therein lies the responsibility of the government. If BP was doing such a terrible job, the Hope-n-Change government should have swooped in to save the day.
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