Symbolism: Exxon is a Sponsor of McCarren Park Earth Day Event

We woke up this morning to an email from a group called The Change You Want to See, that was widely distributed by the New York Action Network point out that today's Go Green! Greenpoint Earth Day festivities in McCarren Park have a number of interesting corporate sponsors. We'll start with the most ironic of them: ExxonMobil, which of course, is responsible for the horrific oil spill under Greenpoint along Newtown Creek. The spill is the largest in American history and the slow pace of the cleanup (which has stretch to nearly a half-century) is the topic of much local anger and controversy. Other sponsores include BP America, Waste Management and Forest City Ratner Company. The release we got said "These companies are no friend to our community, and no friend to the environment." A group calling itself Greenpoint SuperFUNd SuperFriendz is starting an online email campaign to send messages protesting the sponsorship and asking for faster action on the oil spill cleanup to City Council Members and Members of Congress. That email says:

I was disappointed to hear that ExxonMobil was sponsoring the Go Green Festival in McCarren Park this weekend. ExxonMobil is responsible for the largest oil spill in America's history just meters away from where the festival will be taking place.

If ExxonMobil really wanted to do something positive for their image, they should start cleaning up the 17 to 30 million gallons of oil they spilled over 50 years ago. Sponsoring a so-called "green" event is no substitute for taking responsibility for the tremendous amount of suffering ExxonMobil has caused the Greenpoint community.

For those interested in sending the email, it can be found here.

In the meantime, there's a protest today at the park:

Join us at McCarren Park for a protest rally. We’re calling on YOU to help reclaim Earth Day from the greenwashers and reclaim the oil from McCarren Park!

Reclaim the Oil! Saturday, April 19, 11am -- Meet at Driggs and N. 12th by the dog run. There’s oil a plenty underfoot and we oil men will be on hand with rig, drills, and buckets to reclaim our oil and our earth (day). Dear Exxon, We Drink Your Milkshake!!!!

Needless to say the sponsor names did not appear on any of the fliers posted around Williamsburg.