Earlier today, mountaintop removal opponents re-announced their plans for Appalachia Rising, a huge rally and day of action scheduled for Sept. 27 in Washington, D.C. According to today’s news release:
Appalachia Rising will consist of Voices from the Mountains, a movement summit on the weekend, and the Day of Action, on Monday. Voices from the Mountains will engage participants in critical dialogue on the movement for justice and prosperity in Appalachia. The Day of Action will unite thousands in a march and rally, including non-violent civil disobedience for individuals who choose.
Meanwhile, coal industry groups have announced their own rally in Washington, scheduled for Sept. 15:
The West Virginia Coal Association, Citizens for Coal, the Federation for American Coal, Energy and Security (FACES of Coal), as well as several allied citizen and coal advocacy groups, will participate in a press conference and gathering held on September 15 on the grounds of the United States Capitol. The gathering will celebrate the American Coal Miner and the contribution coal and coal mining make to our nation’s energy security and economic stability. Current regulatory challenges, coupled with ill-informed public opinion and damaging legislation are threatening the viability of coal mining throughout the United States and particularly in West Virginia.
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Interesting. It would be nice to hear more about the “ill-informed public opinion” and what steps FACES of Coal is taking to rectify the problems with information quality which they have identified.
Gotta luv it , Ken’s own special spin: Appalachian Rising’s “huge ” rally and W V Coal Association’s press conference and “gathering”. I think our attendance numbers will tell the true (no spin) story. After all look at mr Heckler’s anti-mtr vote totals.
Watcher,
While the choice of the adjective “huge” to describe the Appalachia Rising event was mine — I think the organizers are calling it a “mass mobilization” — the phrase “press conference and gathering” is a quote directly from the FACES of Coal press release, which is posted here http://www.facesofcoal.org/newsroom/
In fact, if you read the whole press release, FACES of Coal is not predicting the size of their event or describing it as something with huge numbers of people.
So, the news coverage here on Coal Tattoo is simply a reflection of what the two groups on either side are billing their events as — one a “mass mobilization” (a “huge rally”) and the other a “press conference and gathering.”
If you don’t like the way FACES of Coal described its own event, I’d suggest you take that up with Bryan Brown, their PR guy, rather than simply trolling here on Coal Tattoo … Ken.
Still laughing loudly at the fact Ken really thinks this Blog is “news coverage” . . . . WOW
Watcher do you have any idea what is meant by “ill-informed public opinion”? What opinions? What is the cause of the “ill-inform”ing of the public?
I think it is interesting to note that if you look at Appalachia Rising and Faces of Coal’s press materials, Appalachia Rising is full of testimonies from people living next to strip mines in KY, WV, and VA or in communities damaged by strip mining, not national spokespeople. For Faces’ press release all their quotes were from industry-front group spokespeople. Something unprecedented is coming together in Appalachia Rising.
em2,
Glad to give you a laugh … Coal Tattoo is actually a mix of things — we break news on here all the time, posting complete texts of press releases from all sides of issues, and doing our own reporting on coal matters. There is also plenty of commentary from all sides, including readers from the coal industry, and from myself.
Perhaps, if instead of just making off-hand cracks at me or other readers, you tried to contribute some honest comments that included links to science or data that back up your comments, we could all learn something from your perspective as a coal industry employee.
If you don’t think the blog provides you with valuable information, feel free not to read it.
Ken.
Whether numbers of people showing up at either event, or numbers of people voting for Ken Hechler, numbers alone don’t determine what’s right or wrong. The industry can easily afford to load thousands of miners and their families on buses and take them to DC. Whether they’re paid for the day or not, aren’t they told that they should fight for their jobs, and understand the various implications in that statement?
I find it interesting that the State is considering “outsourcing” IT jobs at the same time it defends MTR Jobs. Shouldn’t we be “insourcing” IT jobs to diversify our economy; not the opposite? I know this has nothing to do with a rally in DC except for the fact that people are desperate on both sides of the MTR issue and the primary supporters of MTR (besides the mostly out of state corporations) are the people who make their living in mining. If we are so desperate for jobs, then why outsource those that we have, especially the ones that are not extraction industries related?
More related to the subject though, can you imagine the outcry nationwide upon hearing that whole towns have been shutdown by international corporations that have completely ruined counties’ and town’s drinking water and quality of life, if the situtations were in some state other than one in Appalachia? Why is something that would be considered outrageous anywhere else in the United States, considered just doing business here? Just because a method is efficient doesn’t mean it is moral or just. I hope there is a big turn out for Appalachian Rising in DC.
Elizabeth,
The private sector is able to provide better goods and services at lower costs than any government agency. The private sector has to compete to remain an ongoing concern whereas government agencies do not and as a result seem to grow while output does not. I’d like my tax dollars going to efficient, competitive services and hopefully not tainted with corrupt government procurers.
Casey, I understand your thoughts on this subject; however, just think about the corrupting influence of those private services when they cajole to get the government contracts and we’ve certainly had our share of that in West Virginia. I personally would rather my tax dollars go to a West Virginian. But, and again, I understand how you feel. I guess it would be ok for Massey Coal to feel the same while they employ enough immigrants and out of state, non-union workers, to come in and mine the coal of West Virginia because they can do it cheaper??? So much for “Jobs for West Virginia”. This issue is this, should all economic decisions be governed by what is cheapest and most efficient in all cases? Is there not an element of what is best for communities and people’s quality of life? In additon, if one is aware of “corrupt government procurers”, one should report them to the ethics commission or whatever.
Elizabeth,
Listen to one of the greatest economists answer some ignorant questions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWsx1X8PV_A
I did not previously state it but my logic was based on legal enterprises and not illegal immigrants.
Yes, Freidman makes a good point, all of us are out for our own self-interests. My self-interest is in having a diverse economy in West Virginia. Having people employed in West Virginia helps this. Having regulations enforced in the mining of coal helps us all by limiting the amount of pollution and making our communities healthy places to live. Let’s not confuse government agencies with communism. If there is corruption in some government agencies it is not usually your neighbor who just wants to make a living, like you. It is not the social worker who has to work a caseload of 60 to 100 kids who are neglected. There is a role for governmental agencies and there is no reason for those employees to be paid less than a living wage.
One thing Mr. Friedman did not address and it would be interesting to hear his comments regarding is the fact that the areas where poverty is endemic often are areas that were colonized and used for major resource extraction or for major agricultural use by large corporations, where native populations were removed from their land so that large businesses could use it. This displacement by more powerful “self-interested” entities resulted in poverty and corruption that leads to child labor, cardboard box communities and societies that have no middle class. So, yes, capitalism does result in innovation and progress; but without governmental limits it can run amuck.