They’re Just Mountains
Posted on May 7, 2009 | By Denny Tyler | 1 Comment
Recently I had the opportunity to somewhat discuss mountaintop removal coal mining with a coal supporter from a non-coal producing state. The thing that prompted me to start a dialogue with this individual is that he/she was commenting on an article written about mountaintop removal, obviously an article not in favor of MTR. At any rate, the very first sentence of the comment – They’re just mountains.
I have to wonder, is that a popular feeling? How do you combat the idea that mountains are nothing more than things to be wiped off the earth at our convenience?
The community impacts from mountaintop removal coal mining never came up in this individuals comment. So being the hillbilly that I am, I pointed them out to him. I even did it in a nice educational way. The reply was – if you don’t like mountaintop removal then move. I have to feel disappointed in people that take one side of a serious issue without having a clue to any facts from the other side or willing to listen/learn. I guess you could call that a convenient activist. They don’t really know anything but you give them enough incentive and they will gladly boast your cause, regardless of the facts. (I thought of the friends of coal right here for some reason… hmm, how strange.)
In the time that I have been actively speaking out against mountaintop removal I have never been more confused as to which front the battle is actually being fought on. Sometimes I think the battle against mountaintop removal coal mining is less of a battle against the coal industry and more of a battle against those that feel these mountains can’t possibly be our home, they are just things to be used and discarded.
Is society as a whole so disconnected from their heritage that to come upon a people that are not only connected to their heritage but willing to fight to protect it… is that so unheard of? People want to argue and call us stupid because we want to protect our heritage and our homes. We don’t want to leave our home and we are proud of our heritage. Hell if you wanna argue with somebody, why not go argue with a soldier in Iraq. Go call them stupid for protecting your heritage and your home. Or better yet, just tell them to quit fighting… you are willing to leave your home and say to hell with your heritage. Is there a difference? If there is, I sure can’t see it.
For those that don’t know what it means to throw away ones heritage – picture yourself throwing your grandmothers portrait out the window of a speeding car simply because you fail to see the value in it.
I don’t know, I’m just forever amazed at the carelessness of man both in talk and in action.
———
To any new readers just to let you know this is a personal blog… sometimes I ramble. As far as the conversation with the individual, where it occurred is unimportant. It is a coversation that is repeated tiresomely.
Our remnants of wilderness will yield bigger values to the nation’s character and health than they will to its pocketbook, and to destroy them will be to admit that the latter are the only values that interest us. – Aldo Leopold
Comments
One Response to “They’re Just Mountains”
Leave a Reply
Search This Site
Archives
You Can Help…
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Featured Posts
Popular Posts
Endmtr.com Forum
- Mountaintop removal in Tennessee December 18, 2011
- Michigan coal-fired plants to close; wind and air to step up December 17, 2011
- Energy Company Abandons Plan For Georgia Coal Plant December 17, 2011
- GOP’s Coal Poison Pill Risks White House Veto Of Payroll Tax Cut Bill December 17, 2011
- New study documents cumulative impact of mountaintop mining December 12, 2011
The Latest Google News – MTR & Climate Change
- INFLUENCE GAME: Big donors and what they want - Ventura County Star - 06 Feb 12
- INFLUENCE GAME: Big donors and what they want - Atlanta Journal Constitution - 03 Feb 12
- INFLUENCE GAME: Big donors and what they want - Fox News - 03 Feb 12
- If We Can Stop the Keystone Pipeline, We Can Stop Mountaintop Removal. Right? - Huffington Post - 02 Feb 12
- Asheville Green Drinks initiative promotes sustainability, green movement - The Blue Banner - 01 Feb 12
Information / Hotline
Contributing Authors – Past & Present
Gallery
EPA
Admin
Last searched terms
Visitors Online
- 03 visitor(s) online
- powered by WassUp
May 9th, 2009 @ 8:55 pm
being the cynic that I am I hold the view that folks like your friend are not interested in truth or any ideal that does not have a dollar sign attached.
they don’t sang
they don’t love music
they don’t go swimming in the creek
they don’t pick blackberries
lame-o
you can’t win them. just put those people in jail