Today is June 21. I started this thread June 15. I have not received one reply. This morning I looked at the state websites and tourism sites for the states of Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. All of the sites say their beaches are open, Gulf tourism opportunities abound. Florida is the only state that said there was any sign of oil on a beach, one beach, but stresses the beaches are opened.

Louisiana has a report on oil seen off-shore from protected marshes and wetlands.

I'm not saying there isn't oil coming from the ocean floor. I'm not saying there isn't going to be any environmental issues from the oil. I'm just asking the same questions I asked in my original post. In the mean time, residents in the state of Florida are suing BP for loss of value on their homes from the spill.

Here are some things said about the Gulf from other threads. It doesn't make sense to me. I am seriously asking for your help to understand this. When people use words like this, I suppose they have seen or read something I haven't. I'd like to see what they have seen and read what they have read.

"Comparing an accident from gross and willful negligence that results in an
environmental catastrophe and wipes out the living of an
entire region... "

"The fisherman will be long out of business and the lives ruined ."

"An entire way of life is at jeopardy. It's not just about jobs or animals,it's about a way of life."

"An oil rig owned and operated by BP blew up and is causing what may be the worst ecological disaster in American history.".