Dear Mom - Letters to Heaven

Friday, September 09, 2005

Expose Exxon




Hello all,
Recently I decided to shelve my Exxon gas cards. After all I have B/P and Citgo so it wasn’t a big decision. I became aware of the Exxon Boycott through NRDC and figured it was an easy gesture. They wouldn’t miss my monthly money. I have been most offended by the junk science since the 70’s that has hampered the proper management of our resources, and worked on the fear campaign that living within the environment in a healthy fashion costs too much money and eliminates jobs. The opposite is the truth as technology and innovative advancements spur on the economy, and a healthy environment lowers health care costs. In a day and age when we need to all work together and see the big picture too many of us are still stuck in the "every man for himself" mode. There’s nothing successful or heroic in ignoring the big picture and screwing the public, but a lot of the fat cats get their jollies this way. They think it makes them men. It makes them classless hypocrites in suits, but they do get rich in the short term. However, it catches up to them. The Expose Exxon campaign is part of the catching up process and you should join. It’s easy use your Shell, B/P or Citgo card. There are enough gas stations (Hess) that you can easily drive by the corner Exxon. The amazing thing is that this campaign must be working.

If you ever felt powerless against big corporate conglomerates look how quickly you can bring them to their knees when you exercise the power of the dollars under your control. When their profit projections start to tail off because of a boycott they’ll do what’s in the best interest of the Citizens. Until then they do what’s in their best interest and hold us in contempt. This is easy and it’s working. Pull your Exxon cards out of your wallets. I haven’t missed them but they sure have missed me. Look at what they are sending me in the mail! The pictures posted at the top are what came in the mail from Exxon. Actions speak louder than words.



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey Paul,
You are in the right profession because you certainly are a prolific writer. I am happy to boycott Exxon/Mobil, but I have one question. Where do all the little "not chain" stations get their gas from? Like Wawa and BP? I was under the impression that most of our gas came in and was refined by a few companies. then distributed to retailers, like the enery grid. Exxon/Mobil I'm sure are reaping from the refining of petroleum. So are we going to make a dent in their pocketbooks by boycotting the retailers?
I am not trying to be pecimistic I'd love for a boycott to work. I have seen them work, and this is certinally a better idea than not buying gas for one day. But in order for it to work we really have to reduce consumption.....
Ride a bicycle to work one day a week, carpool indefinatly, turn you air-conditioners/heaters off during mild weather and "down" during severe weather. We all live too comfortably and that makes us targetable. From gas companies as well as suicide bombers who are willing to sacrifice for the common good.
until we sacrifice a lot more we will be easy targets!
Peace Out,
Fran