Do Not Visit Huffington Post Right Now

[tomm2thumbs]

Animals stuck in oil worse than you can imagine.

Do not go there.

Turn away.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/


_____

* Adding note regarding wildlife images

I believe those posting replies are right - we must bear witness in order to change this - as horrific as it may be, if we do not remember, we will not be moved and changed enough make sure it is never ever repeated. ever

[Big Blue Marble]

1. Should not everyone have to see this suffering? N/T

[TorchTheWitch]

15. No

Not everyone needs to view the photos to know about the suffering and be outraged, saddened and sickened by it any more than they need to view photos of murdered people to be outraged, saddened and sickened by it.

Believe it or not, people are capable of strong empathy without having to subject their sensativities to blatant visual inspection. Frankly, those people that need to see the photos in order have strong empathy are the ones with a compassion problem.

[Big Blue Marble]

17. Sorry, but you sound a little condescending and judgmental.

Perhaps you did not mean to sound that way. Read comment #2 below. It pretty much sums up why we need
to share in the suffering of these precious creatures.

[TorchTheWitch]

18. it's insisting that everyone needs to view the photos that is

condescending and judgemental. I already read post #2 and have the same response for that one. I repeat, it is NOT necessary to visually view the suffering of animals in order to feel appropriately outraged, saddened and sickened. The fact that you and others believe so just appears to validate that you and those others aren't capable of the same high level of compassion as those that find it too emotionally hurtful to look, and therefore, DON'T NEED TO LOOK.

[Big Blue Marble]

21. Not to belabor the point but it hard to be both empathic and

judgmental. You seem to lack in the first and exceed in the second. If you do not wish to look at the suffering,
then do not. Yet you continue to miss hithe2b's point. This is not about empathy; it is about responsibility.

It is extremely painful to look and most will want to turn away. But this is now part of our heritage, our communal experience,
our life and our legacy to future generations. These images are now seared in our hearts forever as they should be.
It is not just feeling pain for the suffering of these beautiful creatures but pain for ourselves and our children that is experienced.
This is our world and we are destroying it. These animals are giving testimony to that fact. It is our responsibility to give
affirmation to that testimony.

[tomm2thumbs]

22. well put, very much the sentiment that needs to come from this

If people did not know how bad things are and will be getting... that there are 'just a few oily birds in need of some soap' they have no idea.

People need to know and if they don't know, they cannot act. The Huffington Post changed their page from a series of images to just the one - but I think people need to know what is happening. If this was your own pet, or a loved one, or a being of any sort, human or animal, it should not suffer such as this. These were the pictures they had along their earlier home page showing the reckoning going on in the Gulf. And this is MILES away from the source of the oil, and already this bad.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/06/caught_in_the_oil.html

The pictures are more horrific than what I ever witnessed in images from Exxon's or anything I have seen. It is not what we have even come to know as an oil coating - it is literally an oil sarcophagus being thrown over these animals. They are being smothered under the corporate weight of greed for profits. Nothing more.

This is all about money. Period.
It is a crime. Period.
These photos are evidence of a crime.

Your comments are dead on about this.

[underseasurveyor]

36. ++++++++ Best Reply ... ++++++++

Absolutly Spot On Correct:thumbsup:

[BlancheSplanchnik]

47. I can't look but I appreciate your remarks.

I just can't do it. I can't stop crying as it is. I'm a wreck any time I see an animal hit on the road. Just reading the thread titles here is enough to put pictures in my mind.

I will not look at those pictures, but I agree they need to be published. I appreciate the warning.

BUT, along with visual verification of the tragedy MUST come decisive change. If it is simply another train wreck for the freak show fascination, then those poor animals' suffering is in vain.

[Big Blue Marble]

50. I truly understand why you would not to want to look.

The change that you seek must come from within each of us. We are a broken species marauding across our planet
leaving death and destruction in our wake. This is one more painful reminder that we are on the road to extinction
if we cannot be present in the world in a new way. I weep for the world and I weep for our children. We were given
such beauty, such abundance and what will we leave for future generations.

The only way we will save our species and many others now, is to reorganize the way we are present in our world and
with our world. We must do this as individuals and we must do this together. It is time to demand that those who
make the decisions that have led us to this precipice are held accountable to all of us. We must somehow reimpower ourselves
to begin again in the wake of disaster.

[pecwae]

25. You are absolutely right.

There are those of us who have no need to see those photos to well imagine the suffering and can hurt to our core from that knowledge. It's those with the compassion problem you describe who need to have these images with them 24/7. Even then there are far too many so called humans who would still continue to dismiss living, breathing beings as "just animals" and worthless of consideration.

[hlthe2b]

29. You are wrong in thinking it is those without compassion that

need to see those photos. Nothing will effect what I hope is an extreme minority of individuals. Nothing.

Others refuse to view these photos in order to maintain their denial. It is THOSE people who shirk their responsibility and who will (through their apathy) enable the kind of policies to continue that has brought this horror. It is THOSE who we really need to reach.

[defendandprotect]

40. We also need to understand that this is about the planet -- go veg/Vegan . . .

If we don't totally reverse capitalism and its exploitation of nature --

we will lose our ability to survive on this planet.

Withdrawing business from corporations and moving on to better options is the

way to go -- from plastic to abandoning animal-eating!!

We also need to encourage more government support and subsidy for renewable

alternative energy -- electric cars -- solar/wind. NOT NUCLEAR ...

Imagine how bad this is and what the human error involved would be transferred to NUCLEAR!!!

[hlthe2b]

2. We all have a responsibility to bear witness...

we are all complicit given our dependence on the oil that is now killing them. Yes, those images are wrenching--as horrible as anyone could imagine. But, we have a responsibility to view them--all of us--so that their agonizing deaths will not be in vain.

[gateley]

3. I was watching CNN and they showed oil covered birds gasping for breath -

I just couldn't bear it.

[felinetta]

45. Woudn't it be nice if Tony Hayward could be there with these beautiful birds?

[Captain Hilts]

4. Thanks for the warning. I can't take it. nt

[msongs]

5. umm you going to share "why not"? nt

[tomm2thumbs]

6. added note re: pics

I had removed reference to it from the title

[midnight]

7. I can't look at what continues to be business as usual.

[havocmom]

8. Bear witness to the suffering of the birds and animals

and also to the callous remark made by Haley Barbour comparing it to being covered in toothpaste.

Never for get. Never stand for it happening again.

[wordpix]

10. Haley Barbour said that? He deserves his house to be covered in it, inside and out

What a fucking asshole

[havocmom]

14. and the oil is sorta like mousse, not posionous at this stage....

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/06/02/1460425/barbour-labels-oil-spill-wake.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8475419

...

Barbour described the oil as "weathered, emulsified, caramel-colored mousse, like the food mousse." "Once it gets to this stage, it's not poisonous," Barbour said. "But if a small animal got coated enough with it, it could smother it. But if you got enough toothpaste on you, you couldn't breathe." Barbour said he spoke with a member of President Barack Obama's staff on Air Force One while he was on the island, after telling the administration in an early-morning conference call that oil had come ashore in Mississippi.

...

[peekaloo]

28. Haley BPWhore

currently featured in tourism commercials for the Gulf Coast and everythang is just peachy keen I tells ya!

[scorpiogirl]

9. I saw it but quickly went to another site.

Too hard to see.

[wordpix]

11. when will the criminals be arrested for this crime against man and nature?

:grr:

[wordpix]

12. self delete

:grr:

[tomm2thumbs]

13. I wonder if Brit has found it yet

one of the pictures - he may still be wondering where the oil was

[closeupready]

16. It occurs to me, looking at the picture, that this disaster is capable of destroying BP entirely.

It has to end NOW.

[KT2000]

19. Thank you for the warning

I have seen the pictures on tv and cannot take anymore.
I am so sorry for them.
At this point they need to stop their suffering.

[flamingdem]

20. These pictures need to be everywhere until it gets through the apathy and ADD of US citizens nt

[Are_grits_groceries]

23. Thank you!!!

There are plenty of people who should see these.

I have seen so many before yesterday that I won't ever be able to get rid of them.

I went to HuffPo yesterday and saw one of the pictures just by scrolling. I went to bed thinking about it. and I still can't shake it.

I am in serious danger of getting into a black hole that is very hard to climb out of. I have fought depression for years, and I have a good idea when a big episode may be on the way. If you think I am joking, I'm not.

[marions ghost]

24. Thanks Huff Po

People are literal. If they don't see it, they won't believe it. They don't see workers exposed to toxic chemicals. They don't see small marine life in decline. These birds, turtles, dolphins etc are the large animals that represent ALL the rest.

If nobody will look, then these creatures are dying in vain. At least let their deaths be instructive.
At least let people care that they are dying in such large numbers.

It's hard to take, but these pictures should be everywhere until people around the country come to grips with the meaning of this catastrophe.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

48. I can't look, as I said upthread...but you're right.

I've been trying to decrease my footprint for years, including not breeding (one of the most important steps, imo).....

anyway, I can't stop crying about this, I can't get the pain and grief out of my mind as it is .... looking at the pictures would just destroy me.

[GoCubsGo]

26. Thanks for the warning.

I recognize that there are lots of people out there who need to see those photos. I'm not one of them, for reasons others here have explained so well. I will be staying away from Huffy Poo for the day. I only wish that they were presented elsewhere, like Fox "News", the Wall Street Journal, and all the right wing rags that cater to the "Drill, baby drill" crowd. THEY are the ones who really need to see those photos.

[Jamastiene]

32. It wouldn't do any good.

Right wingers have no compassion whatsoever. It wouldn't do any good to show them the photos.

I would go the opposite in my opinion. Most of the right wingers in my area of the country, especially, should NOT be allowed to see the photos. They'd actually get off on them. They are that cruel and hateful. Some of the things I have seen these assholes around here do to animals (just for the hell of it) would leave the animal lovers of the world with nightmares for years to come.

[marions ghost]

43. I have to agree

People whose whole philosophy is about "power over" --do NOT have much compassion for animals. Maybe their own dog is prized, but you know the Bible says, "Man shall have dominion over all..." so look out environment and animals. You are The Other. I can exploit you.

I agree that some of the worst can even "get off" on such pictures. It's kind of a primal thrill. Because when you kill animals, but YOU get to live, YOU must be immortal. This is the primitive psychology behind it. Triumphing over death.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

49. I hate the bible.

Man above all.


:puke:

[NoPasaran]

27. This command is true at all times, all days

[L. Coyote]

30. Visit the shores covered with oil instead and get the real response to a toxic mess

that will never end for the United States.

[CanonRay]

31. Americans should have this image jammed up their butts

for the next year.

[cilla4progress]

33. You are so right...

I almost became hysterical last night, when I saw these birds on the site.

[JNelson6563]

34. No problem, I never go there.

I think they are horrible and refuse to give them the hit.

[SidDithers]

35. Ditto...nt

Sid

[depakid]

38. You're missing a lot of good writing and analysis then

Not that everyone or everything there is peachy, but by in large seems a pretty decent mix to me. Reminds me of a European or Aussie type paper, sans the local stories.

[blindpig]

37. Never, ever forget, don't look away, get angry.

Kill Capitalism

[defendandprotect]

39. K&R for later . . . saw some of the pics on Rachel and Olberman last night . . .but ...

they say that most of this won't be visible because the animals will simply die in

the ocean. Unless we totally and completely begin now to reverse this system of

capitalism and its exploitation of nature, this will be our own destiny!!

[Sheepshank]

41. That was one of the hardest things I've had to to do in a long time

see and witness that kind of wanton pain and suffering. Makes it even worse knowing this is so that oil companies may reap millions upon millions of dollars without end....that they feel justified.

[AngryOldDem]

42. How will this affect the long-term health of these creatures?

Some have been cleaned up nicely, but what about what is in their systems?

:cry:

[marions ghost]

44. this is a good article on that question

http://magblog.audubon.org/audubon-oil-spill-reponse-team-update-7-what-oiled-birds-look

badly oiled:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/28/oil-spill-and-birds

another one:
http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/wdb/pub/wmh/13_2_8.pdf

[AngryOldDem]

46. Thank you.

I am just heartsick -- what we have done to this planet.

[DevonRex]

51. I think it's good that you warned people. Some take it harder than

others do when it comes to pictures of people or animals suffering and in pain.