BP comment about 'small people' causes anger

[Ed Barrow]

Source: Associated Press

The BP chairman's comment that the oil giant cares about "the small people" has received an icy reception from residents along the Gulf Coast.

BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg told reporters in Washington today: "I hear comments sometimes that large oil companies are greedy companies or don't care, but that is not the case with BP. We care about the small people."

...

Terry Hanners, who is retired from state and federal law enforcement and has a small construction company in Gulf Shores, said the "small people" remark revealed something about BP's frame of mind.

"These BP people I've met are good folks. I've got a good rapport with them," said Hanners, 74. "But BP does not care about us. They are so far above us. We are the nickel-and-dime folks of this world."


Read more: http://blog.al.com/huntsville-times-business/2010/06/bp_comment_about_small_people.html

[gateley]

1. I think that's embarrassing to those who are taking offense - it was clearly

a language/translation slip. He would never come out and say that, even if it was true.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Yeah....but Small people? I didn't like that wording at all.....

and I'm sure the President didn't appreciate it eiter.

this guy could have said he cared about the people.
Ain't nothing small about any of us....especially,
when some guy who runs a giant corporation from another country
used those words over and over again.

It rubbed me the wrong way, and I wasn't looking to feel that way.

[gateley]

4. I think he was trying to indicate small businesses and individual fishermen, etc. He said

BP had been criticized for not caring about the "small" people and he wanted to reassure that they DO care about the "small" people. Unfortunate choice of words and I think it's due to the language.

But the important thing is Obama got them to agree to what we wanted (I heard on the news there were negotiations, BP offering $10, then $15, but we were steadfast) and that these people WILL be getting help.

And for what it's worth, I don't really think they DO care about the "small" people beyond how much money it's going to cost them.

[Tx4obama]

26. Yep, SMALL BUSINESSES, etc. Obama was talkin to them about 'small business' earlier in the day. nt

[No Elephants]

86. All the more reason for him to have said "small businesses," rather than "small people."

I'm sure Obama never used the term "small people," so why would conversations with Obama shed light on what this clown "really' meant when he said "small people?" If there's any English word I'd bet he understands, it would be "business." (Second guess would be "business owner.")

Pls. see also Replies 84 and 85.

[FREEWILL56]

40. It was a Freudian slip, but I believe it was meant.

Many may think BP is really doing their part and owning up to this disaster by offering $20 billion (dividends to shareholders suspended). Give me a break. That doesn't even come close to the damages and that's only the human end of things I speak of as nature they can't put a price on. Much in nature may not recover from this and what does recover may take a very very long time. They couldn't care less about anybody or any thing else as they just want us off of their backs so they can get on with their lives. This kind of criminal corporate arrogance makes me sick and this so called president we have better get out of the hind ends of all of the big corporations' asses as we the people are not being listened to. Wasn't it Obama that said it is time for change? I see more of the same except bush (cough) had more kahunas. I guess president sissy-pants apologized and told them he was sorry to have interrupted their lives over at BP. Come on as many in BP should be in jail for this in addition to more $ and better efforts on their part. Obama let BP take charge of it and that is like letting the wolf put the hen-house back together after he ate all of them. No real punishment and no real viable solutions to the problems.

[tabasco]

49. He said "small people."

That indicates one fucked up motherfucker to me.

[happygoluckytoyou]

54. i think he meant DWARFS.... geez for the love of god, he just meant the people who were hurt...

I AM A LIBERAL
I AM A PROGRESSIVE
I DONT LIKE MANY BIG BUSINESSES....

BUT FOR THE FUCKING LOVE OF GOD HE OBVIOUSLY MEANT "PLAIN FOLKS WHO ARE IN TROUBLE BECAUSE OF THE SPILL"

---- WE HAVE A LOT OF GRIEF WITH THESE PEOPLE BUT FOR THE LOVE OF IT ALL THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE....
WHY THE HELL WOULD ANYONE SAY THAT THEY WAY YOU ARE TAKING IT....

[No Elephants]

87. Pls. see Reply 84, 8 and 86.

[ronnie624]

105. No he didn't.

He meant exactly what elites have always meant throughout history when they 'look down' upon the working class. Executives of gigantic corporations do not attain their station by caring about "small" people.

By the way, screeching and cursing does not make your point any more valid or interesting.

[kurtzapril4]

52. I think people are getting their panties in a bunch

for nothing. I think it's a language thing, nothing more.

[marshall]

92. Americans don't often experience the nuance of different languages

English is not this man's first language.

[No Elephants]

84. that's what BP claimed AFTER people got offended. truth is, no one but him knows what he meant.

We have no reason to either accept or reject the after the fact explanation. It could be simply self-serving attempt at back pedaling.

It's a side issue anyway.

[patrice]

53. presumptious, paternalistic, hide-bound class consciousness, noblesse oblige and all of that

[CTD]

7. Psst... the British speak English. No translation involved.

Just arrogance.

[bigworld]

8. He is Swedish

I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, and want to believe he meant common people instead of small. But meh, I'll save my empathy for someone else.

[YOY]

10. "Sma folket" is pretty rude in Svenska too.

n/t

[hopiakuta]

100. små folket ; Just how much more must we be små folketed over & over?

små folket ; Just how much more must we be små folketed over & over?

småfolkets ?

småfolket ?

små folkets ?

Not so sweet Swede, not swayed, nor suede, but pseudo "...care about the small people,...", nor Soweto.

&, what does Svenska Dagbladet say, dag blast it, hot dang blast it?

Um, how about boiling in English petroleum, toil & trouble?


Can Dagens Nyheter turn the heater on?

Does Göteborgs-Posten want us to be Europe's Gotham cyborg?


DonFphrnqTaub Persina

[YOY]

101. LOL

Thanks for the å...and the laughs!

[hopiakuta]

109. More commentary & questions from this tall fat småll folk,...

More commentary & questions from this tall fat småll folk,...

Some of Anthony Bryan Hayward's today testimony, Thursday, seventeenth, June, 2010...:

"The explosion and fire aboard the Deepwater Horizon and the resulting oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico never should have happened — and I am deeply sorry that they did.

"When I learnt that eleven men had lost their lives, I was personally devastated. Three weeks ago, I attended a memorial service for those men, and it was a shattering moment. I want to offer my sincere condolences to their friends and families — I can only begin to imagine their sorrow.


"I understand how serious this situation is. It **** is **** a tragedy. I want to speak directly to the people who live and work in the Gulf region: I know that this incident has had a profound impact on your lives and caused great turmoil, and I deeply regret that.

"I also deeply regret the impact the spill has had on the environment, the wildlife and the ecosystem of the Gulf,........"





"To sum up: I understand the seriousness of the situation and the concerns, frustrations, and fears that have been and will continue to be voiced. I know that only actions and results, and not mere words, ultimately can give you the confidence you seek.

"I give my pledge as the leader of bovine projectile, English Petrol, that we will not rest until we make this right; we are a strong company, and no resources will be spared. We and the entire industry will learn from this terrible event and emerge from it stronger, smarter and safer."

... Because virtually the same script had been so convincing as television commercials,....


Is England watching this?

Is Sverige watching this fraud?

Please, could someone check the various news, posten, tidning, nyhet, & translate, such as the sources Svenska Dagbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Göteborgs-Posten, Sydsvenska Dagbladet, Aftonbladet, Expressen, Metro International?

I do know that many English, you know about England, American Revolution, much of England is angry that we might complain: the English economy is more important than either the World Ocean, Earth Ocean, or the United States of American economy. This explosion proves that England has decided that the American Revolution has not yet ended.

I had checked bbcamerica once; they are not carrying this hearing. This past month I have attempted to find alternatives to bbc: today is the first time in @ least that time that I had gone to bbcamerica for @ least that long, of even four seconds. A bbcamerican? Certainly much less so.


I do infer that Macondo is a description, designation, of a community, a village, that became a tornado of capitalist greed, corruption, destruction. Possibly, this macondominium should have worn a better condom, barrier device, better blowout preventer.



http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4429665

http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4429665

http://democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4429665


Shred all royalty, shred all monarchy, abolish electoral-college, abolish corporate personhood; I am an abolitionist.


Has anyone made a list of how many times Tony Heywood Jablaume has said "I was not aware of,..."? He is a billionaire geologist; what has he ever been aware of? A billionaire should have more numeracy than I do.



Thank You,

DonFphrnqTaub Persina

[Name removed]

110. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[droidamus2]

28. Not sure

Don't most European countries teach English in their schools. I am sure that pretty much any CEO of an international corporation is going to speak English pretty well. I think this is very indicative of the 'class warfare' not only in this country but in the world. The 'haves' see themselves as better, more important and in general just more deserving people and their general attitude about the 'small people' is 'why should I care about you if your poor its all your fault now get back to work'.

[B Whale]

35. the english speak english as well strangely ;)

this guy is swdish however,

i think its an attempt at 'fighting for the little guy'....which is a sentiment heard often.

BP, however are complete fuck ups so no surprise they got it wrong

[Tx4obama]

36. Psst... the folks in Sweden speak Swedish. n/t

[No Elephants]

90. they speak English, too. And he knows enough English to head BRITISH Petroleum. See also Reply 10.

the phrase is very similar in both languages.

[gateley]

46. He's not British - English is not his first language. nt

[No Elephants]

94. Please see Reply 90.

Most educated people in the world are a lot better at languages than we are and most grow up bilingual, tri-lingual or even more. My cousins grew up speakig four languages. A "second" language is a very meaningful and significant concept in the U.S., not necessarily abroad.

[kurtzapril4]

55. Ummm...the guy who spoke those words...

isn't English.

[No Elephants]

89. Please see Reply #10.

[roguevalley]

37. actually, its what you say under pressure that too often is the most

accurate and true. they do think we are small people or they wouldn't have concluded they could go on the cheap because the dead people that might come out of it would only factor to about 10 million dollars each. may they burn in hell.

[mvonkroeker]

61. "Small" people or not...

...at least we're not the ones with countless oily, half dead (soon to be dead) albatrosses around our necks!

BP will never, ever, EVER live this down!! I applaud thier nightmare!!

[TroglodyteScholar]

76. Yea, and nobody ever would have said "I want my life back" either. n/t

[No Elephants]

91. Well, not when addressing the small people, anyway. And yet.....

[Art_from_Ark]

79. He probably meant to say "Lilliputians"

but couldn't think of the word.

[No Elephants]

85. "He would never come out and say that" And you know that how?

The very similar phrase "litte people," got discredited in this country because of comedians who mocked Academy Award winners who, in their acceptance speeches, thanked "all the little people," like grips and camera operators (then accurately called cameramen).

Until the mocking, the people who used the term thought they were being gracious to the otherwise unsung production crew, not that they were, in the process, also revealing how they categorized those less wealthy, less powerful and less famous than themselves.

Without our cultural history, perhaps the chair of BP was also revealing how he thinks. Or perhaps not. (See Reeply 84.) But I see no reason to assume that someone in charge of a company with so many safety violations (for workers--I'm sure the directors' well-being was seen to) is at heart nothing but egalitarian.

[MidwestRick]

104. Midgets are up in arms!!!

n/t

[rzemanfl]

2. Small people cut corners to make money for themselves. Small

people lie to cover their asses. Small people don't care about small animals. Small people get other small people in government to give them breaks or look the other way. Small people don't bother to check whether their experts are still alive or died five years ago. Fuck the small people at BP. The motherfuckers.

[handmade34]

6. yup!

[louis-t]

5. "Only small people pay taxes"

[El Supremo]

9. Reminds me of >>

[Spheric]

22. Oh crap! That post should have a warning on it.

I about jumped out of my chair.

But, yeh, I agree. Same mindset exactly. The BP execs sure do have a tough time hiding their contempt.

[awoke_in_2003]

44. no shit...

my heart palpitated

[lunatica]

27. Shriek!

[No Elephants]

88. Donkiey!

[tabasco]

50. FUCK! Give a warning before a pic like that!

Jesus Christ I about shit my pants in horror.

[VermeerLives]

59. Right

Leona also had contempt for the "little people." I also found that remark offensive, even if he meant it differently. Poor choice of words, IMO.

[northernlights]

69. have mercy

try to imagine waking up every morning and seeing *that* looking back at you in the mirror. :scared:

[jtuck004]

11. No, he said exactly what he meant. He sees the people as "less than"..

less important
less powerful
less than BP
and
less than him.

Don't apologize for him. If he didn't mean it, he shouldn't say it. And he is a big boy, fully capable of using some of the billions of dollars their company has made while this is going on to put himself on tv to apologize if he didn't.

[UpInArms]

12. shades of Helmsley: "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes..."

:puke:

[onethatcares]

13. it's that club that we don't belong to, and we're never going to

belong to it.

There's a whole world of difference between what gadzillionaires do and what 55K a year aires do., or 125K a year aires.

We're those invisible gnats that keep the wheels turning for them. That's all.

[Mimosa]

18. ^ Amen! You've got it. ^

Onethatcares: "There's a whole world of difference between what gadzillionaires do and what 55K a year aires do., or 125K a year aires."

I just talked with somebody who seems to think like that and doesn't understand people who can't afford to put money by or take vacations. They think it's a matter of simple financial planning. *gag*

Yes, the meaning was the same as when Leona Helmsley referred to the 'little people'. It means people who are beneath ordinary notice of the wealthy.

[burnsei sensei]

41. The Club for Growth

at any fucking price.

[Abq_Sarah]

14. I guarantee

There are a lot of people in Washington who regard us as the "little people", They're just careful not to say it when there are any microphones around.

[elleng]

15. He searched for a 'better word,' but needed one going in.

TOO BAD. LOTS of things to be upset about here.

[booley]

16. My GAWD PEople! How much more do you want?

He said BP cares about you small insignificant peons! What more do you want from them?

As a large section of the country literally dies and we bear untold costs in money and our health, remember BP cares about us.

It just didn't care enough to spend any money to prevent these kinds of disasters.

OR to put it mathematically..

Small People< Money

[awoke_in_2003]

45. the fucker

didn't even send us any cake :)

[Jumping John]

17. Well eleven of their employees are dead and I

have formulated an opinion, from what I have seen and read, that the payoff of getting that well in was of more importance to BP management than the safety of the people on the rig.

[elleng]

21. Yes, it was, but they had no idea of the LARGER unintended consequences.

[Jumping John]

29. One of the small people did because he got his affairs in order and

drew up a will before he was scheduled to got back to his job on the rig.

[NICO9000]

19. I heard they want their life back too

Yeah, I know it was Hayward who said that but still...

:puke:

[Yeahyeah]

20. Hey,the big people always take care of us,right?

No worries,mate.

[kirby]

23. He meant people of short-stature

Seriously, come on people. He obviously meant the 'little people'. Bad PR but is this what everyone needs to focus on now?

[KamaAina]

24. I'm sure my dear friend (3'8") will be thrilled to learn that BP cares about her

:sarcasm:

'specially seeing as how she's as much of a lefty as I am!

[OHdem10]

25. This is a simple mistake in translation. I am sure he was meaning

"Little Guy". Not being American, the terminology can
be confusing?

[Robbien]

30. His world is one populated with elites only

He has no clue as to the great unwashed masses which lie beyond his world.

To him calling non-elite people "little" is a compliment compared to what he really believes about us. The elite have a very dim view of people who are not their kind.

[No Elephants]

95. You're sure what was in the mind of someone whom you've never met?

[Enrique]

31. the correct term is midgets n/t

[Juche]

32. I hope the Roloffs protest

[B Whale]

33. This is the same as 'fighting for the little guy'. i don't think BP would be able

to say anything now however they've fucked up so much.

but many people on DU have talked about what about the little guy.

i think they're trying to reflect that, but as i say they've fucked up so much so anything they say will be held in contempt i think....

[B Whale]

34. This is the same as 'fighting for the little guy'. i don't think BP would be able

to say anything now however they've fucked up so much.

but many people on DU have talked about what about the little guy.

i think they're trying to reflect that, but as i say they've fucked up so much so anything they say will be held in contempt i think....

[rasputin1952]

38. While he is certainly extremely good in his English...

he is not fluent. I think this is something that was battered about because of the translation situation.

We talk about, "the little guy" all of the time...and if one wants to be realistic about all of this, we are the "small" or Little guys". Why take offense at something relatively trivial?

He promised that dividends would not be paid, put $20 billion into trust, apologized...pretty darn good considering the horror we've seen. If he sticks to his word, I'm satisfied.

This of course means they have to really get that leak under control...I don't care how much cash gets pushed at people...the leak must be stopped as quickly as possible.



edited: typo's...:blush:

[Curmudgeoness]

47. I agree that this was just a translation error. Nothing more.

We have been talking about the "little guy" all the time, and you may not realize just how much slang we use. I mean really, we use "guy" for just about everything. I was ticked off about the "I just want my life back" comment, but this is a non-issue. Focus your anger, people. This is not worth the effort.

[Skittles]

39. strange, I just read that in a headline and I thought: ARROGANT FUCKS

[humbled_opinion]

42. ENOUGH !

Oh its sounds good we are putting 20 billion in escrow to help the little people that were hurt by our neglect and greed.

OK smart people where is that 20 billion going to come from? Did BP say all their CEO's were taking pay cuts for the next 20 years? NO !!! The money is going to come from the Little People.

This is all a sham. Your government and BP are and always have been in cahoots.

If Obama really wanted to do something he would have seized BP assets in the U.S. and closed them down for good.

Then he would have told the American people that this disaster was it, no more war for OIL, no more devatstating spills, no more carbon pollution, America would lead the way off of oil once and for all.

There are many ways the government could implement a strategy to get us off oil for good, and not that cap and trade crap either that does nothing more then hurt the Little People....

WAKE UP !!!!!!!!!

[rasputin1952]

48. Much of that money will come from people that make a living out of

investing. Some of it will come from common stockholders. Some of it will come from people that have smaller amounts invested through mutual funds or another aspect of the market.

here is the key point though, those that have substantial investment in BP, and did not use their power as shareholders to ensure the company was running a situation they said they were, are going to lose. Investment involves risk, they took the risk and lost...it's as simple as that.

[humbled_opinion]

60. What? You don't know what you are talking about.

BP sells a product its called oil which is refined into Gasoline and sold by their affiliate stations throughout the world, 20 billion, 20 billion, seriously? That is nothing but a small increase in the cost of their product to be passed down to the consumer, passing stricter regulation on Oil Producers and pushing for Carbon taxes on Carbon producers will result in the same small and potential large increases in the cost of the Product being passed down to the consumers (US).

I am not saying that investors don't share some of the pain but hey thats a pay to play situation I have not feelings for them but they are not the only ones that will pay the hardest hit are going to be the CONSUMER me and you.

The majority of us are slaves to Oil, there is no inexpensive alternatives to oil. I hate my electric bill, I loathe the gas pump but really what alternatives are there? Cost increases to oil will cause me to suffer.

How is it fair when BP passes these costs back to the consumer that I, who make roughly $13 per hour will pay the same cost increase as Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise, and the various Billionaire CEO's of these companies? Those people do not feel the pain that I will, this is nothing more then common sense. Greed fuels their capitalist hearts.

The only real anwer is that the government should take control of all oil production in the USA and ration the gasoline to the people based on the peoples ability to pay i.e., The rich will pay substantially more per gallon and the less fortunate will pay substantially less. That way we really all have skin in the game and we all will be in agreement that we must get ourselves off of oil.

The government will then implement a transition plan from Oil to an alternative (personally I like the Hydorgen model) The government will use the proceeds that it gets from the OIL etc to subsidize the poor and lower income folks so we will be able to afford a Hydrogen vehicle and the RICH again will be forced to pay substanially higher costs for their Vehicles, the fuel for Hydrogen vehicles is extremely inexpensive it is the vehicle itself that bears the cost.

The government can set a date say no more oil consuming vehicles will be manufactured or sold in the USA and that will solve so many of our problems.

I hate the fact that I have to use carbon produced energy, but guess what thats all the alternative I have so as I conserve and struggle through life the Rich still keep their houses nice and cozy and fuel their limos and private jets, screw that.... Its time for real change and it Obama can't do it then he needs to get gone.

[rasputin1952]

71. If the cost of BP oil goes up because of the escrow account...

buy your gas somewhere else. Of course, in the long run, that only hurts the local owner of the station.

Petroleum is a fungible product though, so you actually have no idea who's petroleum product you are using. It is sold to the highest bidder, only a percentage of what is recovered from the Gulf is refined and sold in the US. BP does not make it's own price, oil is a commodity and sold through a commodity market. In the scheme of things, if shareholders are not getting a return on their investment, and then bail out of the company...so be it. The oil is still sold at the commodity price...you pay more if the price goes up because of market changes, not because BP.

[humbled_opinion]

72. If you read my whole reply ...

I was not just talking about the Oil Spill or the small sum that they are being fined, I was talking about the cap and trade bill the tax that even as the government declares it will be on carbon producers will effect the bottom line price of gas at the pump. That is my complaint. The government has got its priorities backward. Don't punish the use of carbon because there is no viable alternative. Create and invest in the alternative and in the mean time force the issue. The government can seize control of the Oil industry in the US and it can control the price and it can force the rich to pay more for their gasoline and energy then the lower income folks. That is the problem here.... Did you miss my point somewhere? We are all being punished because of the greed of these oil producers, they cared more about getting the well up and getting their product on the market then they did about the safety of the workers and the safety of the GULF. Obama is not punishing just them BP he is punishing us all.

[rasputin1952]

75. There is a viable alternative, and renewable as well...

in ethanol, produced from various forms, the end product after combustion is water and oxygen. It takes a carbon source to produce, in the form of natural gas, but the trade off is, no carbon emissions from the tailpipe. Using petroleum products uses heat as well, and the end product, after combustion is carbon monoxide. In ethanol, you have a slight trade off in mpg, but you also don't fill the atmosphere w/more carbon.

IMO, cap and trade or a carbon tax will answer anything in the short or long run. The object has to be to cut down, or eliminate where we can. There is much talk about the Chinese working on their carbon problem, and new technology is being introduced. If we would have tackled this in the 70's we'd have the technology to sell...but it was just too easy to shelve research. History shows us though that the only time we really get rolling on these things is when there is a substantial increase in cost, that is one reason for the carbon tax; it adds impetus to make changes.

[KansDem]

43. Hey, BP!!!

FUCK YOU!!!


Oh, wait...I'm one of the "small people."

FUCK YOU!!!

[PerpetuallyDazed]

51. But in the end we're ALL just people with different priorities

here's a throwback... hate the game, not the playa.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

56. BP -> Big People with small minds and smaller hearts

[katty]

57. o, BP another faux pas: really? 'small people" bad choice-again

[Kumbricia]

58. The word he was looking for was "second class citizen"

aka the other people - the ones who aren't corporations

[The Old Creak]

62. And

anyone here is surprised?

[stuart68]

63. Isn't anybody weirded out that Jamie Gorelick is representing BP

That's pretty sleazy.

[howaboutme]

68. Realistically - did anyone expect Jamie Gorelick to represent small people - LOL?

Gorelick and her Harvard peers use the "small people" as vehicles to advance their wealth, power and interests.

[dorkulon]

64. saw this one coming. /nt

[Dappleganger]

65. Classist, elitist pig...

typical corpoRAT attitude towards the hard-working people of the Gulf. Fuck 'em!

[deutsey]

66. Exposed! Secret Video of BP CEO and Director of Communications

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk47saogI8o

:evilfrown:

[Alcibiades]

67. Sweden? Little People?

My guess is he was referring to gnomes. No gnomes in the Gulf, so he's off the hook.

[cliffordu]

70. It would be too bad if one of the small people

KICKED HIS ASS.

Where's skittles??

Not that she's diminuative, but she KICKS ASS whenever it's needed.

[drm604]

73. Go easy on them. The big people just want their lives back.

:sarcasm:

[Zorra]

74. Sure, and he's hearin' the wail of the banshee and knows the wee people are

comin' to take back the pot of gold he stole from them.

[WeekendWarrior]

77. I'm no defender of BP, but this is ridiculous

I wish people wouldn't be so goddamned sensitive. You can't say a damn word these days without somebody jumping down your throat. We all know what the guy meant. Sure, we're pissed off, and sure, it was a poor choice of words—but REALLY? Do we really need to make an issue out of this?

Who gives a shit about "frame of mind." Just fork over the money.

[howaboutme]

78. Might be, but it also might be a Freudian slip of the tongue

and an oft used expression usually said amongst elitist peers.

[WeekendWarrior]

80. He's probably an elitist pig, but

this is much ado about nothing.

[Hansel]

96. Best comment on this thread. nt

[hopiakuta]

81. So many anecdotes in search of a theme,....:

So many anecdotes in search of a theme,....:

“Nobody wants this over more than I do, I want my life back.”

Anthony Bryan Hayward

“Where were the boats that could have been commandeered by the government to be sent into this region to deal with that oil plume as it was coming up to the water and destroying marine life?”

Michele Marie Amble Bachmann

http://democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=471178&mesg_id=471178

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"The president just called for creating a fund that would be administered by outsiders, which would be more of a redistribution-of-wealth fund," said Bachmann. "And now it appears like we'll be looking at one more gateway for more government control, more money to government."

Also, David Weigel reports that Bachmann also said: "They have to lift the liability cap. But if I was the head of BP, I would let the signal get out there -- 'We're not going to be chumps, and we're not going to be fleeced.' And they shouldn't be. They shouldn't have to be fleeced and make chumps to have to pay for perpetual unemployment and all the rest -- they've got to be legitimate claims."

Michele Bachmann

Does she truly own a mental health care clinic, practice, in Stillwater?

Mexican matador Christian Hernandez said bullspit to killing a bull, & was arrested.

http://inothernews.tumblr.com/post/701958642/apparently-god-hates-jesus-statues-and-british

~ Tuesday, June 15 ~

Apparently God hates Jesus statues and British Petroleum: lightning strike causes halt in oil recovery effort


BP says a fire believed caused by lightning has shut down a system capturing oil from the gushing well in the Gulf of Mexico, the Associated Press reports.

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Jesus Christ Statue Destroyed By Act Of God;

but, when their god visited Monroe, Ohio, it bypassed Larry Flynt's Hustler Hollywood pornography emporium, & aimed for the church, & the statue.

"...resign. Well, in the Asian culture we do things differently. During the Samurai days, we would give you a knife,..."

Joe Cao

Yet, they do want their life back from the small people.

British Petroleum

Brit Petrol

English Petroleum

English Petrol

Thank You,

DonFphrnqTaub Persina

[Spheric]

82. Too many people are defending this.

Why couldn't he just use the term "people." Why did he feel it needed a qualifier? There is only one reason - because he views the world in terms of "us and them." It has nothing to do with a grasp of language. It is all about attitude. Period. "We are not the same as them." And his choice of qualifier shows exactly how he views "them."

I refuse to accept my given role as someone beneath the oligarchy. Screw that asshole.

[Nihil]

83. Storm + Teacup = Distraction

Shame that all the folk whinging about a mistaken colloquialism
haven't got better priorities for their ire.

"small people" = "little guys" = "common man" = "..."

The guy is Swedish FFS ... you've only recently got rid of a president
who couldn't even manage ENGLISH!

[Hansel]

97. Exactly. Focus.

The outrage is in what they have done. I could care less what they say.

[No Elephants]

99. Agree as to "distraction." (Not so sure about the rest.)

[Nye Bevan]

93. Wow. He *really* said "we care about the small people"?

Seriously? Oh. My. God. That is absolutely unbelievable. Has this guy no shame? What a despicable, horrible, horrible man. I'm disgusted. Absolutely disgusted.

[No Elephants]

98. Interesting to see how may DUers KNOW what a man whom they've never met "really" meant.

Most of us never even heard of him two months ago, yet most of us can already read his mind and heart well enough to know that he did (or did not) mean exactly what he said.

Bottom line for me: this is not important. It's mostly media pot-stirring. A distraction.

[BeFree]

111. Eh?

No Elephant claims: "Bottom line for me: this is not important."

You say not important, yet you posted at least 12 times in this thread.?!?!?

So, the Lord of BP had to stand in front of the White House and declare BP cares about people?

Answer that.... why did he feel he had to make such a declaration?

[Haole Girl]

102. Of course they see the gulf residents that way

After all, they have been considering themselves Overlords for a long time now.

grr.

:grr:

[kestrel91316]

103. He is SWEDISH. English is not his first language. He was trying to

refer to "the little guy", but that's an American colloquialism that he can't be expected to know.

He did not come across like Leona Helmsley referring to "the Little People".

I give him a total pass on this. People need to GET A GRIP and focus on the real problems with BP.

[Bo]

106. ASSHOLES...

JUST A BUNCH OF ASSHOLES....and Obama ain´t doing shit to help

[classysassy]

107. Keep those small people on the other side of

the moat,we are under siege.

[classysassy]

108. To the tower men

the Liliputians are coming.