I have to admit I've been reluctant to get gas at any BP station in eastern Connecticut, and there are many. At first I felt it would be sanctioning their negligence in the Gulf of Mexico and one of the worst records of violations by an industry already wielding way too much influence over government policy. Apparently an attempt to boycott BP is having a nationwide effect at stations displaying the BP sign. But who is hurting when customers shy away? BP stations are locally owned and operated, not company run. They pay BP to use their name. Many are contractually obligated to continue with BP for years. I saw one of those station owners on CNN, and it was clear that he was taking the hit and not BP. It also could leave one less choice for consumers who may not even be buying BP gas when they go to a BP station. That revelation makes you wonder about truth in labeling, a whole other topic. Make no mistake about it. BP should pay. They should pay big. Thankfully, they have capped the leaking well for now, but there are too many unanswered questions about their corporate conduct. If you boycott, you may not be punishing the right people. Maybe we should also look at ourselves when we support politicians who say "drill, baby, drill" as our fossil fuel addiction forces oil companies to search in increasingly risky places.
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