Oil company hatred

The letters to the LAT editors (those that are printed, at least) are usually so far out on the fringe that they are seldom worth reading. Today's letters are not different but one stood out. It was a rant about big oil following the Supreme Court's decision last week cutting back a punitive damage award.

The letter-writer calls the decision "pathetic" and argues that it proves that "the system works for the establishment and punishes the innocent." Why this is so the letter-writer doesn't explain, but he goes on to suggest that some good might come from the decision if it stops efforts to explore ANWR.

The writer calls oil companies "con artists" and says they will promise anything but will leave "the exploration area" for "residents to clean up the mess." He says evidence of this exists in the "west side of the southern San Joaquin Valley, where oil was first discovered in the late 19th century." He offers that there is enough oil "junk" there to justify a "side industry just reclaiming it." Wonder why no one has if the facts are as the letter-writer claims. The letter-writer doesn't connect the 19th century "junk" to the 21st century oil industry or Exxon Valdez.