Yes, Blair Mountain is an amazing story, I encourage anyone and everyone to read about those radical men and women. The United Mine Workers of America risked death and many died fighting for social and environmental justice. Some great role models there.

And it’s heartbreaking to see how corrupt our government in WV still, is as well as hang out with the super smart and funny little kids still living in poverty in the “billion dollar” coalfields. It’s also incredible to read how many brilliant thinkers there were out there though, setting up the stage for us today.

Storming Heaven and the sequel also touch on the historic struggle for justice in the WV coal fields that puts a lot of the current energy justice issues into a historic context, while also highly readable fiction.

Stark, I think you are silly, and also, not listening to anyone but yourself. Which is fine, if that’s what makes you happy.

Coal Companies aren’t the problem - YOU ARE. And until you realize that there is no end in site.

Go protest and get yourself arrested - pay the fines and the rest of us will think of an actual solution. That solution is conservation, which many of you seem to fail to realize.

Quit punshing others for your inability to sacrifice.

Stark Baddin
Starkbaddin@gmail.com

The sad thing about that statement is that it could be true. Unfortunately we are as greedy as “they” are. Remember the cartoon: I have found the enemy and he is me? Our outward atrocities are a sign of our inner confusion.

Tom Merton said it well: Don’t just do something. Stand there.

http://columbus.indymedia.org/node/13899

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2008/07/07/plant_protest.html?sid=102

**There are still people in jail! Help offset bail costs by donating!**

Money will be collected care of the Earth First! Journal at http://www.earthfirstjournal.org/

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Several people were arrested late Monday morning while protesting plans for a proposed coal-fired plant in southeast Ohio.

Police were forced to subdue protesters after they entered the headquarters of American Municipal Power, located on Airport Drive in east Columbus, 10TV News reported.

Dozens of members with the group, Earth First, were at the headquarters protesting plans to build a new power plant in Meigs County.

According to police, five demonstrators entered the building and chained themselves up. Officers used Mace when the demonstrators refused to leave, 10TV News reported.

Eight people were arrested during the demonstration, police said.

What ARE we going to do? As individuals, as communities, and as a movement? Typically, it takes bold activists pushing the envelope of what is socially acceptable with creative direct action to open the space in the public consciousness to talk about important issues, such as an end to the era of coal. It feels almost embarrassing that major public opinion leaders (quite pragmatic and politically-minded ones at that - not radicals!) are the ones asking where the movement is at in doing what needs to be done to stop coal.

I have a deep respect for those that put their bodies on the line in Virginia, and at Cliffside to directly confront power. And around the world - people are directly confronting coal left and right (From occupying coal trains in the UK, to blockading new power plants, to mass mobilizations calling for the shutdown of existing plants) - but where is the US on this?

Is it any surprise that we are decades behind the rest of the world on climate issues? That many in the movement are left supporting grossly inadequate bills like Lieberman-Warner as a best hope (and even that failed miserably)? That one of our biggest demands of our Federal Government is simply to engage in the international process on emissions talks (much less actually make meaningful reductions!)?

Perhaps it is precisely because our movement has not taken bold, visionary actions that reflect the urgency and the seriousness of the climate crisis - nor have we collectively shown the power than everday people can have when taking action together. As we see time and time again - politicians (and politics) can effectively ignore popular opinion, petitions, letters, polls, and lobbying - and go about business as usual.

We need to look at the strategies and actions that have been the catalysts for EVERY MAJOR MOVEMENT for social and ecological progress - and as Wendell said above - be “….ready to stand in the way of this destruction until it is stopped….”

-Matt

What ARE we going to do? As individuals, as communities, and as a movement? Typically, it takes bold activists pushing the envelope of what is socially acceptable with creative direct action to open the space in the public consciousness to talk about important issues, such as an end to the era of coal. It feels almost embarrassing that major public opinion leaders (quite pragmatic and politically-minded ones at that - not radicals!) are the ones asking where the movement is at in doing what needs to be done to stop coal.

I have a deep respect for those that put their bodies on the line in Virginia, and at Cliffside to directly confront power. And around the world - people are directly confronting coal left and right (From occupying coal trains in the UK, to blockading new power plants, to mass mobilizations calling for the shutdown of existing plants) - but where is the US on this?

Is it any surprise that we are decades behind the rest of the world on climate issues? That many in the movement are left supporting grossly inadequate bills like Lirberman-Warner as a best hope (and even that failed miserably)? That one of our biggest demands of our Federal Government is simply to engage in the international process on emissions talks (much less actually make meaningful reductions!)?

Perhaps it is precisely because our movement has not taken bold, visionary actions that reflect the urgency and the seriousness of the climate crisis - nor have we collectively shown the power than everday people can have when taking action together. As we see time and time again - politicians (and politics) can effectively ignore popular opinion, petitions, letters, polls, and lobbying - and go about business as usual.

We need to look at the strategies and actions that have been the catalysts for EVERY MAJOR MOVEMENT for social and ecological progress - and as Wendell said above - be “….ready to stand in the way of this destruction until it is stopped….”

-Matt