Corporate integrity and a changing US?

The recent furore over the petroleum company BP oil spill impact on the US natural environment, lifes lost, and economic damage, is dominating news in the US.

And so it should.

But it raises a few questions.

Firstly, based on my reading 'Confessions of Economic Hitman' (book), energy companies (including US ones) have been devasting other countries cultures, natural habitats, lives and livelihoods for at least decades now. Is the current anger in the US because it affects directly the US? Or are Americans ready to get angry about any company / country that causes loss of live, damage to the environment, and descruction of a way of life as it occurs in any country? If the latter is correct, I would take great comfort.

Secondly, for the first time I have witnessed it, the US people appear angry about a company (BP) that may have put profit before safety and the environment. This is great. However from a distance it appears to me that the corporate culture of the US has been this for some time, in fact some may suggest they set the standard of this globally. Does this mean we are seeing a signficicant change in the value system of the people? That distain for profit before people and the environment, once a vision held only by fringe 'greenies' and other 'woodstock leftovers', is becoming mainstream in America? If it is, that's exciting.

Thirdly, is this expectation that integrity should be maintained before profit and greed, going to filter into all industries? At the moment, I am seeing US companies continuing to sell books that they have been advised directly and indirectly contain serious copyright breach issues.  Or will the inital expectation for corporate integrity be limited to companies affecting our natural environment only?

Time will tell. Promising signs either way. This could be interpreted as an early indicator that the 2012 predictions/prophecy as they relate to a new era of integrity could be coming.