Hold BP's feet to the fire

I was born and raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and am appalled at the BP disaster. The overwhelming urgency for BP to find a way to stop the oil spill in the Gulf is on everyone's mind and heart. BP has shown that it cares more about the money in its pockets than it does for human well-being, wildlife and nature.

No use in BP trying to save face. Do what is right and clean up the disaster of the oil spill, take care of those whose livelihood has been harmed and save the wildlife and ocean life.

We the people have a voice. Contact your government representatives and demand stronger regulation on offshore drilling. No new offshore drilling permits. And make sure safety requirements are up to exacting specifications on existing oil rigs. Ask why the Navy, Coast Guard and Marines can't go in and cap off this spill and protect our country. Ask why BP has announced that this quarter over $11 billion in dividends will be going to stockholders. Instead of putting money in its pockets, BP should give up every penny and use that money to do the right thing.

In many other countries, if such a disaster would have happened, the company executives would have been fired and held criminally responsible.

"Vigilance," "reform" and "never again" should be the watchwords learned from this crisis.

ANNIE WRIGHT ROBERTS, Cape Girardeau