Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxx.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!ihuxx!ndsss From: ndsss@ihuxx.UUCP (Alfred R. Zantow) Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Re: liberal news media, Bohpal Disaster Message-ID: <886@ihuxx.UUCP> Date: Sun, 23-Dec-84 01:04:02 EST Article-I.D.: ihuxx.886 Posted: Sun Dec 23 01:04:02 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 27-Dec-84 03:38:11 EST References: <281@amdcad.UUCP> <624@pucc-k> <163@gcc-opus.ARPA>, <155@vax2.fluke.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 66 Keywords: lawyers, Union Carbide, Government of India >The Devil made me do it< I will not profess to know the "TRUE" cause of the disaster in Bohpal, India, but from what I have read in the papers and seen on TV the problem was caused by a mixture of greed on the part of the India government and on the part of Union Carbide. The India gov't (and many other 3rd world countries) has lax health, safety, and enviromental laws. The reason for this is to attract companies like Union Carbide with the prospect of higher profits, cheap labor, ect. Union Carbide on the other hand seems to have taken full advantage of these "benefits" by placing a hazzardous plant in Bohpal, without the computerized monitoring system that is used in the much hyped "similar" plant in the U.S.A. The Indian gov't compounded this problem by allowing squatters to settle near the UC plant, which was originaly in a fairly open area, and then the Indian gov't gave the squatters title to the land (or amnesty, I'm not sure which). The result was a disaster waiting to happen, and it finally did. The refinery fire in Mexico, and the other fire in Brazil (I think) seem to have the same histories, except that the respective gov'ts were in charge of the refineries. Both seemed bent on getting all the money (mostly Western) they could get there hands on at next to any cost. *** Sulu, prepare to fire one Photon Cheap Shot *** When thousands of innocent people are killed for greed and/or stupidity, I get pissed off. When what seems to be thousands of Ambulance Chasers and Legal Vultures scurry off to another country to suck millions, possibly billions of dollars out of a horrible disaster, I am royaly steamed. These scum buckets will stoop to no low to clean up on the anguish of others. This disaster is a dream come true for the lawyers; Thousands Killed, hundreds of thousands maimed by a heartless, evil, money grabing american company. They will try to suck Union Carbide dry, and get what they can from anyone else while there at it. They are worse than the people responsible for the killing of the people in Bohpal, and will rot in Hell if I have any say in it. *** Direct hit, Sir. *** I know there are a LOT of good lawyers out there, so don't get bent out of shape. The disaster was bad enough, but when the lawyers ran to get in on the skimming they gave themselves and the USA a bad name. I do belive that the people of india should be compensated for our part in the disaster, but it seems that we (the USA) are not to blame for the entire thing. Union Carbide will take a real beating out of this, as it damn well should for taking advantage of the people of India. Just because the government will let you get away with murder does not make it moraly right. What I object to is the fact that lawyers will probably drain UC until it folds, or needs aid from the US Gov't to keep from folding. The least that will come out of this will probably be much higher insurance rates for hazzardous industries, which will of course drive up the cost of the products produced at these facilities. This is what has happened before when lawyers have bloated the damages awarded to people to insane levels; you have to remember that all the money in the world will not bring a dead person back to life. Sure, you should compensate people fairly (what is fair ? That is a question that could burn for months on this net ), but when the person in charge of determining fair is getting a cut of X% off the top, you know he will go for an "overly fair" settlement. Well, I've got myself in deep enough for now, it realy is sad that it had to happen at all, but I hope some sanity prevails in the picking up of the pieces. Al Zantow "Benson, you are so {mercifully} free of the ravages of intelligence" [Time Bandits] (see, I got this fixed too.)