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Upset Louisiana Fishermen Plan to Burn British Flags at BP Protest

MBP13

MBP13

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 13, 2011
278
1
http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20110512/HURBLOG/110519790/1223?Title=British-flags-to-be-burned-at-BP-protest

HOUMA – Frustration with claims procedures and the lingering damage from the BP oil spill on Louisiana's only inhabited barrier island nearly had some residents up in arms, literally.

But after discussions with Grand Isle and Jefferson Parish officials, organizers of a planned Saturday protest have agreed that unloaded guns will not be brought to the event as originally planned.

British flags as well as BP company flags will still be smeared with oil and burned to symbolize their displeasure.

Calling themselves the “Boudin Taliban,” the group includes Grand Isle shrimp dealer Dean Blanchard and his assistant, Karen Hopkins. Both have been outspoken about their displeasure with BP.

“The purpose is for somebody to get on BP and make sure they do things right from now on,” Blanchard said. “It's time someone gets on them to stop cutting corners. We're not getting help from the American government maybe we can get help from the British government.”

A Facebook invitation reads, “This is your chance to raise hell.” The event promises that oil spill claims chief Ken Feinberg and local politicians accused of coziness with BP will be subject to scorn. “We will smear the BP logo, Feinberg's face and oil all over the British flags so that the British who are our true friends will know why this is happening,” the invitation reads.

The protest will take place at noon at Dean Blanchard Seafood on Cypress Lane, on the Caminada Bay side of the island.

Check Friday's print and online editions of The Courier and Daily Comet for the full story.
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I'm personally disgusted that American individuals would disrespect the British flag because of the treatment that British Petroleum, as if Brittan is to blame for this.

All hell would break loose if American flags were planned to be smeared with oil and burned. It's just as wrong to burn another country's flag.

All of this is taking place in my area of southern Lousiana. It's pathetic and sad..
 
MacRy

MacRy

macrumors 601
Apr 2, 2004
4,350
6,277
England
Yeah because burning a nation's flag is just the right way to get them to help you! What a dick! And since when did a country's goverment become responsible for the practices of private companies?
 
chrono1081

chrono1081

macrumors G3
Jan 26, 2008
8,451
4,149
Isla Nublar
Reading the article its easy to see that the organizers of this protest are definitely not intelligent.

As for the burning of a flag, who cares. Its a piece of cloth, just an object. Getting caught up in the symbolism of what a particular flag stands for only gives the protesters the reaction they want.
 
OllyW

OllyW

Moderator
Staff member
Oct 11, 2005
17,196
6,799
The Black Country, England
MBP13 said:
I'm personally disgusted that American individuals would disrespect the British flag because of the treatment that British Petroleum, as if Brittan is to blame for this.

All hell would break loose if American flags were planned to be smeared with oil and burned. It's just as wrong to burn another country's flag.

All of this is taking place in my area of southern Lousiana. It's pathetic and sad..
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The company isn't even called British Petroleum, it changed to BP in 1998 when it merged with the US company Amaco, so why don't they burn the America flag too?

As they associate the nationality of the company with it's former names they could burn the Iranian flag too as the company used to be called the Anglo Iranian Oil Company. :rolleyes:

chrono1081 said:
Reading the article its easy to see that the organizers of this protest are definitely not intelligent.
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Indeed. :)
 
B

bayou1000

macrumors newbie
May 13, 2011
1
0
Louisiana
Isn't the largest shareholder JPMorgan Chase, and UK holds only a minority of ownership.

BP does not stand for anything other than BP, since the name change.
 
iStudentUK

iStudentUK

macrumors 65816
Mar 8, 2009
1,439
4
London
bayou1000 said:
BP does not stand for anything other than BP, since the name change.
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Yeah, that's what most people miss. It's not like the UK government sent BP out and told them to spill oil. It's BP's fault.

I don't care if they want to burn flags. In general, I don't think we British have such a strong attachment to flags compared to Americans. Go nuts, it's just a flag.
 
0098386

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
MBP13 said:
All hell would break loose if American flags were planned to be smeared with oil and burned. It's just as wrong to burn another country's flag.
Click to expand...

I think it's a bit odd that they would choose to burn a British flag considering 1) it's a private company 2) it's not exactly British (don't the Americans own most of it now?) 3) what nationality was the platform itself, who built it, who was manning it at the time?

But also it's just a flag. I'm British and I honestly don't care if someone else burns any flag or religious book. I don't hate my country - infact I love it here. But I just don't see the problem with burning/stepping on/eating a flag.
 
R

remmy

macrumors 6502a
Jul 1, 2007
649
0
The only thing it does do is gives me a negative feeling about americans. again
 
OllyW

OllyW

Moderator
Staff member
Oct 11, 2005
17,196
6,799
The Black Country, England
iStudentUK said:
I don't care if they want to burn flags. In general, I don't think we British have such a strong attachment to flags compared to Americans. Go nuts, it's just a flag.
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It's only a bit of cloth, it's not like it's sacred.

Anarchy.jpg
 
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remmy

macrumors 6502a
Jul 1, 2007
649
0
Moyank24 said:
Stand in line. Everyone else in the world has negative feelings about Americans.

You shouldn't let the actions of a few sour yourselves on the rest of us.
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I know, when ever I very rarely meet someone from the US they seem nice and polite, like the majority of people in the world. I guess your media and political 'elite' are partially to blame.
 
N

Nathaniell

macrumors newbie
Oct 18, 2010
20
0
Americans love burning flags. Doesn't matter who's, but it makes 'em feel better. They're complaining about polluting the ocean so they pollute the air instead.

Lame.
 
P

Psychomacuser

macrumors member
May 3, 2011
67
0
American Flag burning - I endorse since this country is no longer America as we know.

I've burned about 30 of them in protest against the totalitarian government we now have in place. I do hate Obama and I also hate anything GOP or any one that supports high food prices and gas.. AMerica has lost my interest.. I'd rather fly the hammer and sickle as a PROTEST that one day a NEW AMERICAN revolution will take place - a day when the American people will take back their country from CORPORATE RULE(totalitarian nazi rule).

America was never a Plutocracy and neither was this stupid government we now have in place.. Down with corporate rule and down with the REPUBLICAN PARTY!
 
P

Psychomacuser

macrumors member
May 3, 2011
67
0
iStudentUK said:
Yeah, that's what most people miss. It's not like the UK government sent BP out and told them to spill oil. It's BP's fault.

I don't care if they want to burn flags. In general, I don't think we British have such a strong attachment to flags compared to Americans. Go nuts, it's just a flag.
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I agree.. I don't see why Americans should be upset if they burn their flag? I have burned 30 of them and I don't even fear the Totalitarian PRO-CORPORATE government here.. in fact, I am not even scared of them since one day their rule of plutocratic draconianism will come to an end. I also want to see Obama gone as he is responsible for carrying out Bush's regime and making America the MOST HATED country in the world..

As for Bernancke and Geitner = they should be SHOT AND KILLED for bringing this country down to its knees and making all of us pay for their mistakes.
 
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