Thanks to the efforts of those in the media, there is a sense of urgency that the languid, viscous pools of oil and tarballs washing on Alabama and Florida beaches have made even more clear to our nation's leaders, particularly President Obama. When the oil first reached Louisiana shores and permeated the fragile marshes and estuaries known as the Louisiana wetlands, critics and commentators were appalled. With the loss of thousands of jobs and businesses closing down that had been healthy a little over two months ago -some that had existed for a hundred and more years - the pressure has been ramped up for a more rapid response. Do something. And for those on the sidelines, far north, east or west away from the crisis, there is one burning question: what can we do? As British Petroleum CEO Tony Hayward attempts to get his life back, hundreds of thousands of honest, hard-working Americans who have had little to do with the petroleum industry are at risk. They want their lives back too. They also want their fragile ecosystem and ways of life back. The thousands of dead birds, turtles and other sea creatures have weighed heavily on the minds of the young and old. Vox populi - the voice of the people - has been issued from the collective mouths of the innocent and those responsible leaders we look to for action. The question we should all be asking is: are you listening, B. P.?
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