A caller who was an engineer at an oil company refinery called into Politics Done Right. She took exception to my valid attack on the gouging by the oil companies. In the end, she agreed.
Oil Company Employee takes exception.
This former oil refinery engineer, Ashley, reminded me of something that, as one who is trying to promote cooperation between those who believe they differ in ideologies, I must take into account intentionally. Interestingly I point this out in my book “It’s Worth It: How to Talk To Your Right-Wing Relatives, Friends, and Neighbors” when I pointed out that we need to try to see things through the eyes of the ones we are trying to understand and break bread.
I was discussing the oil company’s fraud on us. I pointed out there was never a crude shortage. Additionally, oil companies likely shut down refineries to right-size gasoline supplies. The fact that there was ample gasoline without shortages, even though usage, stayed relatively constant. I discussed much of this in an interview I did with Muslim Network TV.
Ashley ultimately agreed, but she took exception with my narrative in that she thought I was otherizing employees who really had nothing to do with the gouging, etc. I must agree with her in that regard. There are tens of thousands of employees in the oil industry and its derivative industries. As activists like me and others build the case against oil companies, we must ensure that we do not target, implied or otherwise, the employees. Most of us are all in the same boat, one that corporate executives exploit.
Please listen to the entire exchange. It is informative in many aspects of the oil company exploitation and a necessary narrative correction.