Corporations frame their own reckless disasters as uncontrollable natural events to escape blame

Evidence

Blankenship referred to federal lawmakers who called for tighter regulation of the mining industry as “crazies” and “greeniacs” (Cooper, 2009). He proclaimed global warming a “hoax” (Goodell, 2010) and set profits above miners’ safety and environmental costs. With natural gas replacing coal in power plants, Blankenship’s commanding control over the political system declined. Federal prosecutors indicted Blankenship for conspiracy to violate mine safety standards and conspiracy to impede federal mine safety officials (Segal, 2015). He pleaded not guilty, claiming that the mine disaster was an act of God and blamed the federal administration as a contributor to the explosion by changing ventilation systems (Goodell, 2010). — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 1822 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Corporate rhetoric flips the slow poisoning of the poor into an act of terror — Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism…, 162; Corporations deflect blame for industrial disasters even when fault is evident — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm…, 2708; Executives frame lethal disasters as acts of God to deflect blame — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm…, 1822 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Executives frame lethal disasters as acts of God to deflect blame #exemplifies (0.95) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 1822