Chesapeake Continues Trying to Buy Friends…
by Bernie…only this time its your kids they’re after.
If you’ve been to or read about Mayfest this year, you’ve probably heard that the festival’s main sponsor this year was Chesapeake Energy. Chesapeake is on a tear this year, throwing money at any event that will have them, and making sure the outdoor advertising companies are swimming in Barnett Shale cash too.
On the surface, Chesapeake’s desire to sponsor a family event like Mayfest seems innocent enough. (I won’t get into whether the sponsorship was a good idea for Mayfest, whose stated goal is to promote the Trinity River as a resource for the city. Should they really have take a big check from a company who has shown zero regard for the river corridor environmentally? We’ll save that question for another story.)
But What I found most interesting, and a bit disturbing, about Chesapeake’s appearance at Mayfest was their blatant attempt to buy your kids’ favor.
The Chesapeake “Kids Zone” tent was a study in contradictions. Here you’ve got a company who is bankrolling an event that is supposed to get people outside and enjoying our natural resources. Then the presenting sponsor proceeds to set up a giant tent in which kids can play VIDEO GAMES! What the hell kind of respect for the river is that? Who ever says to their kids, “hey, you’ve been inside all day… you need to go outside and play Guitar Hero!”
What I think Chesapeake proved at this year’s Mayfest is that while they are willing to spend lots of money to tell people they are good neighbors and good for the environment, the simple fact is that they have no idea what Fort Worth is all about, and they don’t care about being a part of our natural environment.
It’s been said here before, but it bears repeating: They are here to make as much money off our city as they can, and then they’ll be gone, leaving us with the environmental tab. When that happens, I hope it will have been worth it. Unfortunately, I have my doubts about that.
Tags: Chesapeake Energy, evironment, festivals, Guitar Hero, Mayfest, trinity park, Trinity River, urban gas drilling
9 Comments, Comments or Pings
pete g
Cartoon characters worked for the tobacco industry. Maybe Chesapeake should look into that. “Joe Frakker” could be a whimsical sunglasses-wearing Panther in workmen’s overalls. “Hey Kids! It took hundreds of millions of years for the Barnett Shale to form…Joe Frakker will suck it dry in less than 20! Wheeee!”
May 5th, 2008
Hasty
I kinda wanted to go this year. The Kildares were playing, a fun group and Gracie would have had a blast. However, my boycott of Mayfest continues. I hate the fact that they shut down my bicycle freeway for a month so they can plan a 4 day festival.
May 5th, 2008
TXsharon
How very sad, Bernie. They will only love FW as long as they are making money.
May 5th, 2008
Don Young
If you want to contact the Mayfest organizers, here is an email address for managing director, Patti Cox:
patti.cox@mayfest.org
May 5th, 2008
Mary
Here is another “kid event” they are sponsoring. A few days ago I got a fund raising letter from the Back To School Roundup that I contributed to last year. The Chesapeake Logo was very prominent on the stationery requesting that I send $25 to $100 to the Roundup that will take place in August to give poverty level kids back packs, school supplies, hair cuts and shoes and socks.
May 5th, 2008
AndyN
So should we boycott worthy causes like the School Roundup if they choose to accept funds from Chesapeake?
May 5th, 2008
Don Young
ABSOLUTELY! The boycott is one of the few weapons we have. The worthy causes managed just fine before Chesapeake came along. Don’t you see that they are just using such “causes” to buy public influence? Their motives are impure and poisonous to these causes. They dilute their integrity.
Fort Worth is still very much asleep. Some of the finest minds in FW are still, STILL saying that they are “not opposed to drilling in general, just in certain places”. Like where, my friends? Eighth Avenue? Tandy Hills? Heritage Park? Rockwood Park? East Lancaster? Trinity Trees? Downtown? The drillers want it all and are taking it while we wring our hands and wonder whether boycotting is a good idea or not.
I challenge those people to tell me where they propose dumping the toxic waste being produced in Fort Worth and who pays the hidden costs of that disposal? Tell me exactly which chemicals are going into our groundwater? How much lost green space is acceptable? How do 3,000 new industrial sites affect FW air quality? Etc. Etc.
Until those and many other important questions regarding public safety and environmental impacts are confronted and answered, ALL of us should oppose urban gas drilling.
Chesapeake, XTO, Devon and the rest are miles ahead of us and spending big bucks to buy what they can’t steal and bribe. If we can’t at least boycott Chesapeake’s blatant highjacking of our town and its institutions we night as well move to Dallas.
DY
May 5th, 2008
quaid
I say we should call the police and complain about heavy trucks.
They have a weight restriction, and you can check each water truck going into a drill site to check and see if they are overweight. If they are, start ticketing the hell out of them. It is another form of disrespect to the citizens of Cowtown.
May 5th, 2008
Bernie
I don’t think anybody wants to deprive children in need of school supplies. If you want to give school supplies to kids in need, but choose not to participate in the school roundup because of CHK’s involvement, please find another organization with the same mission. There are a few out there… as a teacher’s spouse, I can attest that there are many kids who need the help, and will greatly appreciate it.
May 6th, 2008
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