Letters

Dear Editor:

Last month's article "The Walk into Whitesville" failed to mention that the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition organized the entire 490-mile "Walk for the Mountains." Larry Gibson, Julian Martin and others walked to raise awareness about the devastation caused to our state by mountaintop removal.

Of course, Carol Jackson out did herself by setting up her "mountaintop removal cemetery" at stops all over the state. The dramatic display features over 1,000 tombstones, each representing one of West Virginia’s streams, mountains or communities that has been leveled, buried or otherwise severely impacted by mountaintop removal.

Hundreds of volunteers contributed to the success of the walk, whether by walking, by giving the walkers a meal and a place to sleep, or by organizing events in towns along the way. The article also failed to mention ALL the walk’s supporters: the WV Highlands Conservancy, WV Environmental Council, WV Rivers Coalition, Citizens Coal Council, Coal River Mountain Watch, the Monacan Indian Nation, members of the Baha’i faith, Stanley Heirs Foundation, Blair Mountain Historical Organization, Heartwood, Appalachian Voices, Potomac Valley Audubon Society, Trees for the Planet and Patagonia, Inc.

Vivian Stockman

Sept 19, 1999

There is no question that those organizations and individual volunteers who supported the Walk for the Mountains deserve no end of accolades for their efforts and expenses. Special thanks are due to OVEC and its staff who took the lead in organizing and follow-through. Ed. ª

Editor: Here's a re-working of WV's state song, with apologies to Mrs. Ellen King (the author of the original.)
WEST VIRGINIA HILLS (updated)
Oh, the West Virginia hills!
How much longer will they stand?
The coal barons want to destroy them
for the wealth beneath this land-
Is it any wonder then,
That my heart with sorrow fills,
As they destroy the place I love-
Those West Virginia hills.
(Chorus)
Oh, the hills, beautiful hills,
How I'll miss those West Virginia Hills!
Is there nothing that can stop
them from removing the mountaintops,
before there are no West Virginia hills?
Oh, the West Virginia hills!
Where my childhood hours were passed,
Will they still be here tomorrow,
or is their fate already cast?
Men in suits make promises
of a future they can't fulfill-
Those who try to justify what they do
to our West Virginia hills.
(Repeat Chorus)
Oh, the West Virginia hills!
How much longer can we stand
To watch the politicians line their pockets
as they lick their master's hand?
I read the news each day
and my heart with anger fills!
Judas still collects his silver
in these West Virginia hills!
(Repeat Chorus)
Oh, the West Virginia hills!
Your people bid you adieu.
They have to pack their things and leave
to find jobs and start anew.
You know they won't come back
to a place that lies dead and still-
Soon this will be just a graveyard
for those West Virginia Hills!
(Repeat Chorus)
I know it's a little late, but you might ask one of the musicians that will be performing at "Music for the Millenium" if they would be interested in throwing this in.
Mini-bio (if you're interested or can use it): I was born in Madison, Boone County, WV, in 1961, the son of a coal miner. I spent my childhood, for all practical purposes, in the woods of that area. While my oldest brother followed in my father's footsteps and into the mines, I was sent away to college when I reached that age when such decisions have to be made. I married a local girl, my high school sweetheart, and now we make our home in Huntington, along with our 2-1/2-yr-old daughter, Olivia. I worry that one day soon I will lose the ability to show her where I grew up. Every time I return to my childhood home a little more of it is gone.
Thanks for listening,
Greg Casto
(recent addition to your ranks) Sept. 5, 1999 Greg, I have no doubt that the Earl Of Elkview, George Daugherty, would be interested in your lyrics! Editor. ª

 

Editor:

I participated in the historical march for Blair Mountain in 1999. This march was to honor all traditional miners past and present. And a chance for me to especially honor my own father, Oliver "Cob" Thompson. He was a miner from age 14 until his death only four months after his retirement.

The first thing I would like to stress is the great sorrow I came to feel for the men that threw eggs, tomatoes, and spit on us while ironically shouting that we were taking food from their tables. Sympathy was not my first reaction. Fear was the first reaction as my peaceful group was swarmed with men and one woman that proceeded to shove, kick, and trip an eighty-four year old elected official. These "men" shoved Ken Hechler and the women in our group from person to person like school bullies. I, myself, was not assaulted, but the shocking events around me were a nightmare. A man wearing expensive sunglasses and dress clothes moved in front of me telling me that he was a Christian and very involved in his church. I asked him to stop this assault, but before he could answer, I was surrounded by other men. One of these men asked "where the hell are you from?" I yelled "Whitesville, where about six years ago a scab coal company moved into our community and laid off about eight-hundred union workers." His reply was "I don’t give a damn!" The police arrived and calmed things down.

On Tuesday, August 31st, the same bullies followed our group of marchers from place to place, stopping at every wide spot in the road, spitting and throwing things again. Until that day I hated those people. At the last wide spot along the road, I understood the reason for their violent behavior.

Four men in dress shirts, ties and dress slacks stood on the outskirts of the crowd that day. There were not miners. They stood behind their pawns, smiling proudly amid the trouble they had incited. I understood then. These men in suits used the fear and anger that those poor miners felt. Used fear and anger for their own personal gain, to have their dirty work done for them, and all for the love of money. Coal companies in the past have an still continue to scare and bully the miners and their families.

Can only a few see that more machines equals huge profits for the company, and in less than half the time? All of this is West Virginia’s loss. Meanwhile, they still haven’t given an answer as to what will become of these men and their families (all of our families) when in the decades to come the coal is gone and they have to leave West Virginia. What will happen to all of us "Mountain"–eers then? Please register and vote in the next election! Keep a close eye upon what your elected officials are doing, and for whom they are doing it. Please exercise your rights as citizens before you lose them!

Julia Bonds September 9, 1999

Whitesville, WV

Yes, and the leadership at the top levels in West Virginia is also conducive to inciting unthinking miners to resort to violence. Gov. Underwood laid the supposed "bomb plant" in the Capitol Complex at the feet of the Methodists for their resolution the week before against mountain top removal which supposedly triggered off some kind of screwball reaction. Is it not more rational to see where Underwood and other coal lackeys, if not actually being involved in the planning of the march disruption, were still giving a silent assent to such kinds of behavior? Ed. ª

Dear Highlands Conservancy:

This summer my wife, Mary Ann, and I climbed Mt. St. Helens. On reaching the top, I thought, only God should be able to remove a mountain top, and even God doesn’t have the chutzpah to remove the whole thing.

John Yevuta

New Martinsville, WV ª