It seems to be the way with most significant events affecting the safety, prosperity and well-being of Americans, that the actual damage caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has been downplayed significantly in spite of constant media attention; even those directly responsible are engaged in frenzies of finger-pointing and hand-washing to absolve themselves of possible liability.

Initially, 160,000 liters were reportedly spilling per day, then 1.9 million. Evaluations led by US Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt have now placed the estimated daily release of crude oil at closer to 8 million liters, meaning as much as 100 million gallons could already have leaked into the Gulf.

President Obama wants to hold BP responsible for this devastating blunder. BP wants to share the blame with Transocean Ltd, which operated the Deepwater Horizon platform and Halliburton, whose crew finished a cement sealing job on the rig just days before the explosion that has led to this catastrophic oil spill.

Many have pointed out that certain essential tests were not performed, that time- and cost-saving measures were applied in the construction of the drilling apparatus, and that early warnings of a blowout were ignored.

Most interesting of all is the response of those in the communities most harmed by the slippery mess washing on shore, who are urging the President to lift the ban on deepwater oil drilling to perpetuate the main livelihood of many Gulf coast towns.

Does this horrifying, possibly endless disaster do nothing to shake our belief in the necessity of oil?

Instead of weeping for lost oil-industry jobs, we should celebrate an event that might finally be enough to shake Americans out of their stupor and awaken them to the very real options of alternative energy.