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Can We Change? Will We Change?
Updated May 15, 2024 It’s no secret that I’ve become a bit of a cynic. Read some of my previous posts, and you’ll see I have a lot to say about the failures of environmental organizations, academics, and, well…the whole socioeconomic system we live in. I’ve stated many times that it’s become hard for me…
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Writing, Privilege, Scholarly Activism, and the Future of Appalachia
I popped over to Ken Ward’s blog Coal Tattoo and noticed he hadn’t written anything in almost a year and a half. I know the feeling. My last post broke a nearly one-year dry spell, and even then, I hadn’t posted more than maybe five times in a few years. While I can’t speak for…
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Dear Trump Supporters…
I wanted to take a moment to speak with everyone regarding Trump. Life’s been tough in rural America. It always has been. We’ve been the ones who built this country. The food that was put on the plates of our founding fathers was grown by the hands of the working people (or slaves when thinking…
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The Love-Hate Relationship of Exporting Appalachian Coal
Since the death of the United States steel industry, the majority of Appalachia’s metallurgical coal reserves have been going overseas. Some goes to European steel mills that produce highly engineered, high quality products. Unfortunately, most of it ends up in Chinese and Indian steel mills where companies pay low wages and have minimal pollution controls…
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The Only Way Out for Appalachia’s Coalfields (at least in my opinion).
The boom and bust cycles of coal markets have always worked to the advantage of coal companies. In some of Central Appalachia’s coal-producing counties, over 90% of the mineral rights are owned by absentee owners—owners who manipulate local and state governments to keep property taxes low on their holdings. When markets are up, coal companies…
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Appalachia’s Coalfields Weren’t Always Red
Since the last presidential election, I’ve witnessed a near constant stream of ridicule against Appalachian Trump voters: “They are getting what they deserve,” “They had a choice and they chose a lying bigot,” “They screwed us all.” I have even been told “We don’t have time to deal with them (Trump voters). We have bigger…
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Coal Miners Deserve Better
In 1989, Pittston Coal (present day Alpha Natural Resources), eliminated the healthcare benefits of all it’s pensioners. This included retirees, disabled miners, and widows. It led to the last major UMWA strike centered in southwestern Virginia, just across the mountain from Eastern Kentucky. 1,400 miners walked off the job, sacrificing their paychecks to restore those…
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Freedom?
Tony Oppegard recently shared this article with me about a case he’s involved in. As the article reads, West Virginia miner Richard Harrison was fired from his job for defiantly rejecting a new safety bonus system that, believe it or not, reduces safety. Upon receiving his safety bonus check, Harrison voided it and sent it…
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The Truth About Friends of Coal
A while ago I decided to do some investigating on who or what “Friends of Coal” was. If you are a coal miner, or have miners in your family, it’s important that you read and understand who and what you are really supporting. Friends of Coal isn’t a group of coal miners and their families…
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The Religion of Coal
“If God didn’t want us to use coal, he wouldn’t have put it here!” I’ve heard it a dozen times from people back home. It’s even been preached in sermons to coal miners and their families and proclaimed at pro-coal rallies organized by coal companies. My question is….have we mined and used coal in ways…
Thoughts of a Coal Miner 