That's not the Gulf Of Mexico

in the picture you are seeing. That's Nigeria. And apparently they have had their own environmental disaster long before all that "black gold" started spilling into the Gulf.

I read the following story over at The Root, and I do believe that it's cut and paste worthy:

"It's a truth universally acknowledged that in the news media that one missing white girl equals half a dozen dead black girls or 100 dead Muslims or 1,000 Africans with AIDS. The missing white girl will always get front-page coverage while death and disease striking men and women of color will be relegated to the inside pages, below the fold. Wikipedia even has an entry for it: Missing white woman syndrome.

It's a sad fact that this rule applies also to American oil spills. While everyone is now aware of the massive leak off the coast of Louisiana, in the Gulf of Mexico, only now is the U.S. news media beginning to notice in print the 50 years of environmental devastation inflicted in Nigeria. According to the Times story, oil spills equal to the Exxon Valdez spill have occurred every year for the past five decades.

''The oil spews from rusted and aging pipes, unchecked by what analysts say is ineffectual or collusive regulation, and abetted by deficient maintenance and sabotage," the Times article said. "In the face of this black tide is an infrequent protest--soldiers guarding an Exxon Mobil site beat women who were demonstrating last month, according to witnesses--but mostly resentful resignation.''

''Small children swim in the polluted estuary here, fishermen take their skiffs out ever farther--there's nothing we can catch here,'' said Pius Doron, perched anxiously over his boat--and market women trudge through oily streams.

''There is Shell oil on my body,'' said Hannah Baage, emerging from Gio Creek with a machete to cut the cassava stalks balanced on her head.." [Article]

Hannah, it's just too bad for you that you weren't born on A-merry-ca's Gulf Coast. But, then again, maybe it wouldn't have made any difference for you. Just ask the parents of Mitrice Richardson.

PSA: It feels good to be home. I missed you guys...well, some of you. :)