Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumWhat's next, "Exxon Kills Puppies"? "Exxon Eats Babies"?
Another group takes a legit concern over the top, PETA-style, and makes it into a caricature. I realize people get emotional about this issue - I'm one of them - but this kind of lashing out invariably backfires (contrast with 350.org's Do the Math campaign)."You might have seen the ad below, called 'Exxon Hates Your Children,' circulated this week.
'We all know the climate crisis will rip [your children's] world apart, but we dont care, because itll make us rich,' says the fake Exxon executive.
Two groups, Oil Change International and The Other 98%, rolled out the campaign this week and are trying to raise money in order to put the ad on television. Its gotten a lot of attention in the last two days, including from Exxon, which called the ad 'offensive.' So far, the campaign has raised more than $10,000."
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/12/07/1299241/exxon-hates-your-children-ad-part-of-campaign-to-strip-the-social-license-of-oil-companies/
hedgehog
(36,286 posts)Last edited Fri Dec 7, 2012, 12:47 PM - Edit history (1)
"let's fix this" ads attacking the public school system.
wtmusic
(39,166 posts)They're donating a lot to the National Math and Science Initiative, which is a two-pronged attack: 1) they get good PR for "helping the children" and, 2) they get an opportunity to sneak in a pro-petroleum message.
Exxon is fighting malaria, Chevron is fighting AIDS. I think it's great they're spending their wealth on good causes. It doesn't make a whit of difference in my determination, however, to end their core business.
hedgehog
(36,286 posts)math and science, then go on to say "let's fix this." The problem is, Exxon Mobil has been moving from high tax states with good pay for teachers and good schools to low tax states. "let's fix this", indeed!
dballance
(5,756 posts)Seems pretty on the mark to me.
The ads I sick of are those "happy, happy, joy, joy" BP ads about how great life is on the gulf coast despite all the contaminated, malformed sea life.
limpyhobbler
(8,244 posts)Why should Exxon be allowed to treat the atmosphere as an open sewer for their own private profit and then use that money to buy politicians. Exxon does not fight fair. They use their massive money power to distort politics and prevent actions on climate change. I don't feel bad for them at all. They are probably the top force in the world preventing action on climate. It's about time somebody started hitting them back.
Romney Spokeswoman Promoted Climate Change Denial on Behalf of Exxon
Exxon continued to fund climate denial in 2009
This is a contest for political power. Hit 'em hard. Any ad that Exxon makes is an attempt to influence public political opinion, just like a political ad. So far the oil industry's propaganda has gone largely unanswered. It's about time somebody started standing up to these bullies.
hedgehog
(36,286 posts)but if Exxon can seize land for pipelines via eminent domain, maybe there's a precedent there!
limpyhobbler
(8,244 posts)Call it a windfall profits tax.
Regarding "over the top" ads,
The "Exxon hates your kids" ad from the OP may be a little over-the-top on purpose to make the point of how ridiculous the feel-good oil industry ads are all the time. They actually do have one called "Exxon Loves Teachers".
limpyhobbler
(8,244 posts)I guess they wanted to clarify this a little...
Exxon Hates Your Children. Satire with a serious message.
Its a hilarious ad with a serious message. As Congress debates what actions to take to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff perhaps no programs are less worthy of government support than those which subsidize Big Oil, Gas, and Coal. Read on to understand:
...
Nihil
(13,508 posts)Don't you just hate it when you have to explain a joke in words of one syllable because
you forgot who you were talking to at the time?