Mobil Offering a Firsthand Look

Concerning Mobil’s slated open house (Times, Aug. 20), I cannot believe that the Los Angeles Times has not asked, nor has Mobil volunteered information as to exactly where the festivities will take place. One could easily mistakenly surmise from reading news stories that we’d be camping out under the catalytic cracking unit or near the hydrofluoric acid storage tanks.

Has anyone stopped to think that Mobil would have a great deal to lose by inviting 12,000 residents to a party of death and dismemberment? Would they actually take such risks? For God’s sake--NO! I understand that the open house site is far removed from any contact with the process equipment.

Mobil is attempting to educate the residents about the refinery. Are you interested in how the refinery works? Do you want to know what steps Mobil takes to ensure the safety of its workers and the surrounding community? Do you want to learn about Mobil’s future plans for the refinery? Do you want to get the information firsthand, or would you rather get it secondhand from sensationalized media news releases?

Yes, Mobil will usher in the event with much fanfare. What do you expect? When you give a party for an important person or persons, do you not put out the best china? Mobil is made up of people, and they’re only doing what people normally do--make a fuss over someone they feel is important!

Here is a chance for Torrance to meet the faces of the “cold, cruel” Mobil corporation. Without a doubt you’ll see the management types, but you’ll also meet the men and women who open and close the valves, work on the pipes and vessels, inspect equipment and make repairs, and train the employees concerning safety.

As far as I’m concerned, the residents of Torrance are being whipped into a frenzy by reckless, self-serving public officials, media and lawyers. How many people have taken the time to visit Mobil or other industrial facilities and learn how they really operate?

I could understand that the local government agencies and the lawyers don’t want you to go to Mobil’s open house. If you see what actually goes on instead of what they tell you, you won’t have to rely solely on them for your information. That’s too bad, because a lot of times they don’t know what they’re talking about. Heaven forbid that you should find out that a public official is just trying to advance his/her career by misinforming his/her constituents about some cause.

Mobil is giving us the opportunity to learn some facts. For once, why don’t we stop complaining and make the effort to find out for ourselves what the story is, instead of being led as sheep?

NEIL P. FORKER

Rancho Palos Verdes

Forker is a computer consultant whose clients include Mobil Oil.