"Whipping Boy!"

Back in the time of the colonies in America, our system of punishment was much different than it is today. Public punishment was the order of the day. Puritan leadership took harsh measures to anyone who displayed behavior not acceptable to the community. Public humiliation was an accepted method of punishment. Most of us read the "Scarlet Letter" in high school, poor Hester with that big red A on her dress; today she'd be a rock star. The "whipping post, stock, and the pillory" were common uses of public punishment. Regardless of the weather, the perpetrator of a crime was taken to the village square; there they were turned over to the ire of those passing by. Throwing of rotten vegetables, cursing, and other physical abuse was the sport of those passing the victims of colonial justice. Wow, I'm sure glad those days are over.

Did any of you watch the Congressional hearing last week when Tony Hayward, B.P. CEO, was being questioned? I'm not a fan of B.P., I know they are the ones who must bear the blame for this environmental and economic disaster. I have the same angst as everybody else when I pay $40.00 every time I pull up to a gas pump. I believe we should be investigating the root causes of this incident. I believe anyone who is found responsible should suffer the consequences of their actions or inactions, as they contributed to this disaster.

Politicians are like the "Great White Shark"; they can smell blood in the water. Those committee members certainly smelled blood during that hearing last week and they took after Tony Hayward in a feeding frenzy, taking every excuse to ravage the executive with questions that were leaving scars on him throughout the session. It is obvious that Hayward wasn't going to admit to anything at this time, and he kept his cool under questioning. His attitude was frustrating to his questioners, and it showed in their demeanor. Congressional dignity went out the window as their question went from actually trying to seek a response to general insult and disdain for Hayward. In the end, nothing seemed to be accomplished other than the vicarious "flogging" of the embattled CEO by the committee members.

My personal feeling about this hearing is this was used as a political theatre to showcase committee members as those with "righteous anger" against the "evil oil company". It seemed like those questioners were saying, "Look at me America, I'm pissed too!" Where was this emotion when the American people were standing outside the Capital Building protesting the forced health-care bill? I guess after years of lies and phony concern from politicians, I've become a little jaded; I just don't believe what they are doing is genuine. They are like bad actors who over play their emotions during a drama. B.P. will end up paying for this mess when it is resolved. If Congress wants to exert some pressure, they should turn to the White House and ask why we turned down help in the beginning of this debacle. Why did it take weeks for Obama to make a real response of any kind to a mega-disaster? Using Tony Hayward as a "whipping boy" will not make these questions go away. What about these questions, Mr. Obama? Will you ever answer them? America is waiting!