This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
This ole world would be a much better place if we all treated each other like the good people in west Virginia always used to thats for sure i know speaking from experience i was treated better up there then ever in my life down here in my own hometown and that aint the way it should be so i will always speak highly of the good people in west Virginia they will always hold a special place in this ole girls ❤️
They should be proud to be called Hillbillies, but not proud that trillions of dollars worth of coal has been taken from beneath their state and they let ‘em take all the profits and leave the state broke and with the cost of cleanup. BTW, it’s way more dangerous being a miner than it is being a cop. Not even close.
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
My grandpa was a coal miner. He had several accidents in the mine. I remember when I was about 10 a boulder fell on him. He was in the hospital for close to week. He is still going at 83 years old.
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
They are the best people in the world. And I’ve been around the world, as I’m currently a resident of Djibouti, Africa. WV residents will give you the shirt off their back.
I know some West Virginians. They can be your best friend or worst enemy. Just depends on how you treat them. Either way, they will let you know where you stand with them. Can't ask for better people than that!
I lived up there in Logan County for several years even though I'm not from there I'm originally from north Carolina but my daughters daddy was from there and worked in the mines from the time he was a teenager I was with him almost 19 years precious memories up there for me and some of the best people you'll ever meet I sure miss it sometimes much love to each and every one of you miners and your families may God bless yall love from down here in north Carolina ❤️ 💙
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
Very well-done film. I live in the southeastern part of West Virginia bordering Virginia. I live five miles from the state border and work in Virginia. My brother, dad, uncle, and many friends worked in the coal mines. Mr. Trump is hugely popular in our state. I am not getting into my opinion of him or politics at all. Just that this film showed decent, hard-working people. Our state is beautiful. Our people are mostly giving and caring folks. Poverty, addiction, environmental impacts, and adverse effects on the health of these hard-working men are some negative realities here, but there is so much more.
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
Ditto my friend. Tri Cities born and raised. I remember the first time I ever heard it said wrong was from a news excerpt by Diane Sawyer back in the 80s.
@@sjcproductionsandmedia oh, it’s so beautiful there! Youre so fortunate to live in a lil slice of heaven. The first time I got to hike Iron Mtn there was an AT angle at the trailhead with goodies. Dad said this was a regular occurrence. That angel inspired me to do a 100 mile trek with my nephew. Then my 71 yr old mom joined in. Golly, that was 8 yrs ago. That trail angel has no idea how they impacted my family. The memories that we made because of him/her. A few hot dogs and coca went a lot further than they’ll ever imagine! I miss good ole Tn hospitality. 💕
I have to say being born and raised and im 45 and still here. I have been reading all the comments from folks that are from and still living in WV and those that are living in the other 49 states on this beautiful Christmas Eve morning and some of the comments have brought tears to my eyes because of the great things you all have had to say about our beautiful state and the Men and women that live and died here. We will do and give anything we can to help our neighbors or if you're someone just traveling thru. Thank you all. Trump 2024!
The coal companies only got away with this horrible treatment of their employees because of corrupt politicians. You can buy a politician for a lot less money than a unionized work force with health benefits and a pension. Damn those poor folks are the salt of the earth though.
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
They had one guy was still scamming those people well into his 90s. I forgot his name but he was known to be a racist and he didn't hide it but they kept electing him. I would have been telling my family and friends to get the hell out of here.
They bought thousands of Cornish people to Australia to work in the coal mines they were basically slaves they would sponsor them to come and then own them
You know its mind blowing that those young men weren't wearing a respirator in the beginning. Seeing these old timers suffering from black and white lung should be enough for the new generation to demand a better breathing air.
Letting companies come in and bust up the union in WV was one of the dumbest things the miners ever let happen. They went from a we're in this together mentality, to an I'm in this just for me, my family, and that quick dollar. My dad was crushed in the mines in WV when he was 20 years old, had it not been for the UMWA my family would have starved to death and dad would have never survived. You heard these miners in this video talking about retiring from the mines right? The only way you retire from the coal mines now is if your become an artist and learn how to draw a disability check every month. Then there's Trump. He promised that he would loosen the regulations on coal mining and that all the coal miners will have their jobs back. All the while his coal baron buddies are making money hand over fist and taking every dime straight out of West Virginia. Wanna know why West Virginia is one of the poorest states in the US or why West Virginia has some of the lowest high school test scores in the US, or why West Virginia has been suffering a "Brain Drain" since the early 2000s? Coal, that's why. The state government has allowed outside companies to come in, deplete WV of her natural resources, then allowed them to take all the money they made and leave without a single dime going back into WV. West Virginia's population on average is older than every other state in the US. This is because you have mainly have two choices for careers in WV, The coal mines, or healthcare, so if you want to do something else after high school or college you have to leave the state.
Very well said. That Mom in the video going on about "I'd love to serve Trump some of this cornbread". Lady, him and his friends don't wanna go near you with a ten foot pole. The guy lives in a gold penthouse and a palatial estate in south florida. But people like you have deluded yourselves into thinking that sucking up to billionaires is the way. They said that young guy in the doc makes 60k? Outlandish. Should be at least 3 times that for the work he does.
Basically not thinking of there future by saying whatever to the union. I have been a union member since 2010. A factory job and now a guards union. I can attest the union in both jobs made the difference!
@@danman1789 Absolutely it is. I have had some very crappy jobs. The 4 non union factory jobs i had were awful and the job i had for 9 years before getting some college credits and becoming a guard had its flaws but because we had a union the pay ya it wasnt high but it was livable and we had decent health ins also they could not fire you for not being there buddy and seniority meant something. The job i have now is a big upgrade but those 9 years making bumpers made it possible to buy a home. Put a little money away and give my kids not only what they needed but be able to buy a camper and do some fun stuff to and even 2 brand new vehicles along with my wifes income. The company i worked for also had non union plants they paid on average 5 to 6$ less a hour and had paltry health ins. I was a union rep for 3 years. I saved a mans job because his wife got sick. He was there 22 years and they tried to fire him and i helped get us a better ventilation system after 2 people came down with cancer. Unions are inportant fkr working people.
Very dishonest post. Democrats have been shutting down coal mines since 2008. The governor's office and the state legislature have been democrat-controlled since the 1930s until just recently. You're blaming a guy who was president for 4 years and tried to help steelworkers and coal miners. Pull your head out.
My good friend took me to his mom's house in Beckly, West Virginia..so wonderful, that man got saved, ended up in heaven before all of us ❤ and there he is buried.
I don't know what these boys make an hour but, it damn sure isn't enough. Thank you gentlemen for your hard and very dangerous work, but to mention the health risks. Thank you
As a native of the Mountain State I can attest to several things: 1) The title of this film is very mis-leading because poverty in the coal fields go back for decades. Second: the coal fields are a completely different part of the state. Third: WV has been called the Ireland of American (when it comes to coal mining) and its correct.
My grandfather was 6’3” and he worked in the coal mines, lived in Minden, West Virginia. He walked the railroad tracks home and he was completely black. Died of black lung, my dad joined the army and went to Korea, he did not want to work the coal mines..Dad only went to 6th grade but worked as a medic in the war. I spent my summers there in the 60’s-70’s. There house was on stilts.
I used to know a man who lived on stilts. Well on one end. He was a coal miner and lived near beatyville ky. He also bootlegged and was shot for a few cases of beer one night. My uncle owned Mudcat construction in beatyville until he passed. My cousin owns it now. Good bunch of folks. I am from Ohio Lebanon and there's no way you're getting me in one of those mines. Nope!!
Im a West Virginian, the union use to be what made sure you had a fair paying wage and they couldnt fire you for any reason. So this guy saying he dont care about the union, thats the crap that got the union to where it is now. I can tell you some stories about cabin creek miners. You didnt cross the picket line there, if you wanted to see tomorrow anyway.
I’m not from West Virginia but I travel there a couple of times a year and it has a special place in my heart , if I had traveled there when I was a younger man there’s no doubt that’s where I would have ended up, nothing like the country and the people there
I guess I am just an entitled A-hole surfer from California. I whine when it's cloudy and these guys work all day in the dark. However, they have something so many others don't have; loving families, their religion, and pride in a job well done. I wish them well and thank them for their service!
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
I worked underground 10 yrs in western Kentucky was a shooter man and ran a roofbolter I miss working with the men but I don't miss the mine much I do miss that big money.
over 70 million people voted for trump. There isn't even 2 million in that entire state. you were trying to make a dig at people that voted for trump because you know the education level is low. what you didn't calculate was the type of people they were though. good, honest, hard working people. The kind of people that built, and continue to build and sustain this entire country.
"because you know the education level is low.". They look down on us like we are ants, while they live like Kings with tax payer's money. Speaking of Education, just look and some democrat leaders?, would anyone say those people are educated/smart?.
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
I check EVERY box in the Democrat identity category - I'm Asian, educated, live in a VERY blue state etc and guess what? Voted for Trump 2x and will a third time!
I respect and feel bad for coal miners and those in WV. One said no union because he’s ok with it as long as he can work. Makes me feel bad that they do t have the confidence to do anything else that they would allow those safety restrictions to fall away and potentially harm them for their entire lives. I cannot help but to feel these ppl are stuck here because they don’t think they can do anything else and just take what’s given to them. God bless these guys. Much respect to them but there’s a world that is so much bigger. The young gal that’s a nurse could earn a great salary elsewhere to off their family a different living. I enjoy the area when I visit to ride ATVs but it’s almost sad to me to see how some ppl have to live out there.
Born and raised is Wv and still reside there . (North central). We don’t live like described in this video . There is coal mines . But also many other job opportunity. Much respect for coal miners . My father and his brothers all worked the mines in WV and they’re father but there are a lot more opportunity’s these days. Good representation of a small portion of WV tho but other parts of the state are much different 👍🏽god bless miners
Their embrace of their own exploitation is truly mind boggling. Not even willing to stand as a group and demand safer working conditions as a bare minimum.
They have in the past. They workers have struck alot. Businesses bring in their own people to stop the strike. Including shooting people. I can't remember where. Maybe it was Mingo. Or.. they just bring in scabs when the workers strike.
@@danbailey96 how is that? W. Virginia historically has been ranked as the poorest state in the union. When he was in office. The workers are still making crumbs. Well if you like it I love it 🤗
@@WarrenHolly they were making crumbs because Republicans oppose any decent minimum wage or unions to make better working conditions....big business stripped West Virginia of resources made billions of dollars then left the state to rot. When we have presidents like Regan, Nixon, Bush one and 2 and of course Trump they all fought against the working people so big business got bigger and expected trickle down economy to expand...... This inflation is blamed on Biden but is the fault of big business that are making record profits from gouging prices during COVID when supposedly there was shortages.....I absolutely love our state if you don't who really cares.
The Europeans Ran The Cherokee Off Their Land. My Daddy is Cherokee Indian Who Grew up in Oklahoma Reservation, My Mama Grew Up in The Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. I Sure Miss The Old Ways.
There's a book i believe its called the man who moved a mountain its about Virginia/ WV area i would say around fancy gap bluefield area it gives a good perspective of how things were back in the day
My Great Grandfather worked West Virginia Coal Mines he passed away in a Coal Mine accident my grandfather has a picture of my Great grandfather and his crew in front of the coal mine I have a great aunt uncle and a few cousins still in west Virginia I have family all over Tennessee and Kentucky I grew up work Asphalt With my dad my dad ran one of the biggest Asphalt plant in Tennessee
Trump could give 2 shits about these people. So sad and lady he would never step foot in your house and would rather eat taco bell than have a real meal. He just panders to the poor for thier votes its sad
You are absolutely right he could care less about you folks. He is not a good human and he is just manipulating you people. I know for a fact that behind-the-scenes he makes fun of people like you. For God, sake man he called dead soldiers, suckers, and losers. You think he’s got your best interest in mind?
I spent 10-years in the military. When I discharged I could've went anywhere, I had the money to do so. But I came back to WV because I wanted to give back to the people in my state, and I've been doing that ever since.
God bless these folks , I could not go in those caves as the thought suffocates the hell out of me.The folks who are claustrophobic are terrified to do this work.How they get up every morning to do this is incredible to me.And all these politicians want to take this life away from these great Americans and treat them like they don’t count.To me you are the salt of the earth.❤❤❤
I'm from Elkins West Virginia and there's nothing here I turned down a d1 football scholarship bc I knew that wasn't a promise for income and ending up going into the military and I just moved bk here to Wv 4 years ago and now there's hardly no va hospitals to go and they talking about closing them down! Thank god trump passed to where we can go to other hospitals if u live further then 30 miles from the va hospital!! It's all about family and hardworking and friendly ppl here that will do anything for u! But it's right these companies come in get what they want then they leave us high and dry! Thank god I got my military retirement and my ssi I paid into! I'm 42 years old and the income for a family here is 46,000$ hell I make 75,000$ it's sad, how bad they do us here in West Virginia!! And alot of ppl think West Virginia is Virginia it's two different places! But this is one beautiful state, drive thru here during the fall, and u see some of the most beautiful sites u will ever see in ur life!!
I was born in Maryland but moved across the river to West Virginia in the early 90s. I have owned 2 homes since then. That would have not been possible in Maryland because the taxes are higher. Plus it’s beautiful here.
But why are we stepping on the snake….. I think it’s okay to use them for worship. Whatever you wanna do. But let’s not torture an animal by standing on its spine. That’s literally what allows it to be mobile. That’s actually animal cruelty.
It seems rough to outsiders, but as someone who lives in this area, everyone who worked in the mines wants to go back so bad. They are now working jobs they hate for way less money. It's weird when the media paints them as victims. Coal mining jobs could pop in any area in the USA and young men would be excited about the work and pay. It's just reality.
I had a buddy down here in Tennessee from McDowell county and he said “The best thing that ever come out of there was a road”. 😂 We live on the Virginia border in the hills.
These are good, hard working people. I bet they would reach out to lend a hand to anyone who needs help. They Put God first and live in Faith. I think they are richer than most people society calls "wealthy".
"Why would you still live here?" The people cannot be separated from these mountains nor the mountains from the people. We are the mountains the mountains are us. We are one in the same. Even death doesn't separate us. We are the mountains soul. The mountains are our soul. Without the mountains we have no soul and without us the mountains are soul less. We are mountainfolk. One does not exist without the other. This is our reservation.
Y’all should tunnel for gold and gems! It’s a lot in those mountains. I live in NC and dredge for gold. I find some every day. It’s just me, but with a big company, you’re gonna find it!
They make music and dance in one of the most beautiful areas in the world.Good people.Different but good. Had some good old Navy buddies from that area, best drinking buddies ever.🇺🇸
Trying to bring back coal jobs is like saying we need to bring back horse & buggy drivers jobs....the jobs are gone. The biggest problem in WV is people wont leave thier hollers to find a job or get a education for a career. You could leave school at 16 and get a $25 a hour job at a mine twenty years ago. Those days arent coming back. West Virginia is beautiful and a great place to be from but it is dying. There is not a single "city" in the whole state with more than 50k people, including the capital.
@@djt8518 it isnt a bad thing...but it isnt a good sign if you are a business looking to build a new factory, office ect. At this point the jobs in WV are Health Care, Service Industry. Retail and little else. Coal will never be what it used to be no matter who is in Washington DC. Sad but true...jobs may be a thing you have to move to find. Good Luck. I am from those mountains and left 35 years ago.
@@melanieingram2901also I think we need jobs first if you build it they will come you are right here it's coal mines moonshine or move on down the line
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
Unfortunately, it ignores reality to expect the world will fuel itself on coal in the future. There are cleaner fuels. While it's pitiful what has happened to Appalachian coal towns, the energy, money and votes devoted to resisting the change from a coal fired world could have been better spent on finding how to adjust to a new reality. Look at oil companies who have made enormous investment in solar and wind technologies. They accept reality and explore ways to survive in the new world. I'm a 77 year old southerner who has seen the south fight to preserve the past while the rest of the world adjusts to the future. Trump can't turn back the calendar but he can sure convince folks he can
I've watched that but I gave my copy to Lee Sexton, the banjo player who is in the film. I don't recall much about that film except that it's kind of ethereal
I owe my whole livelihood to these guys. I work for CSX railroad. I load Coal on to lake freighters. I believe we get almost all of our coal from these guys. We dumped some Western coal but most of it came from West Virginia
I come from a line of coal miners. Its a rough job. No one who works there hardly ever live past 60. Towns are dying, and drugs have taken over. No big companies will come to WV because there isn't enough flat ground for a big complex. Also, there is no work force. 1 in 2 West virginians work. It's hard to find people to work. I pay 17hr. For housekeeping and can't find anyone. Sucks. These miners sometimes have to crawl in shit. Because of course, where else are you going to go when you're under the mountain. They head for the air out take.
Coal miners job is very dangerous and back in the day they would be paid peanuts for taking big risks with their health and life. Many men never went home.
Another sad thing is how loyal these hard working people are to a party that doesn't care about them or for them. The owners are Republicans and the overwhelming majority of their elected leaders are too yet the blame runs on traditional lines.
i was in the teamsters union i worked for UPS for 14 years now im getting close to retiring so i called UPS. they tell me they paid me out of my retirement for $560.00 and i called the teamsters and they will do NOTHING for me except say call UPS???? thought i was in pretty good shape but thanks to the teamsters and UPS im NOT!!!!
Im a coal miner like my grandaddy thats all i can be ,,, i got a 9th grade education, So the policies they support takes the education system down ,and their grand kids wont even be able to read , but thats ok.
Victorian working conditions in 2024 and mine owners abusing the workforce. It is a total disgrace, but people accepting it because there is no alternative. Why does the mine roof have to be so low, so humans crawl about like rabbits in a warren?
The roof is so low because they're only cutting out the coal seam from the mountain. Cutting rock wears the teeth of the mining machine down much faster than coal does. The teeth on those machines are made of a super hard metal, probably tungsten carbide, and are expensive and time consuming to replace. Plus, if that machine is down, they're not running coal, and if they're not running coal they're losing money. So they try to only cut the coal because it is so much softer than rock. There's some places where a coal seam is 6+ feet tall and a man could stand up and walk around, but other places, like in the video, the seam is less than 4 feet tall.
@@gcgopro6912 While I wish it wasn't the way that it is, yes. Since the companies turned the miners on each other by busting up the unions, owners can push for more profit. While there are regulations in place, most mine owners only care about three things above all others. The first thing is money, the second is removing as many tons of coal from the mountain in as little time as possible, and the third is how much money they can get per ton of coal. All while keeping overhead costs as low as possible. This means that tons of mined coal are worth a lot more than tons of mined rock, so comfort be damned mine the coal.
Those poor men that have to go in those mines. Generation after generation. Its an American tragedy. You see this in diamond minds, Africa, Salt minds etc. This seems worse. At least there you couldn't be crushed at any second, black lung, explosions, drowning not to mention your joints. Life expectancy is 10 years less than other Americans.
So many idealize the past. The good ol’ days were not that good for most people. Most people worked hard and died young and poor. There is no nobility in exploitation - miners were abused and chewed up like raw meat. The mine bosses had no regard for safety, fought organized labor and relied on a seemingly inexhaustible supply of people without better options.
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He's a company suck ass...scab
You can't fix Stupid
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
MUCH RESPECT to the hard working people of West Virginia
This ole world would be a much better place if we all treated each other like the good people in west Virginia always used to thats for sure i know speaking from experience i was treated better up there then ever in my life down here in my own hometown and that aint the way it should be so i will always speak highly of the good people in west Virginia they will always hold a special place in this ole girls ❤️
U see it
They should be proud to be called Hillbillies, but not proud that trillions of dollars worth of coal has been taken from beneath their state and they let ‘em take all the profits and leave the state broke and with the cost of cleanup.
BTW, it’s way more dangerous being a miner than it is being a cop. Not even close.
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
Geesh! Where do you live?😏
I loved this, made me tear up several times.
I moved to West Virginia from the Midwest 2 1/2 years ago for its beauty.
My grandpa was a coal miner. He had several accidents in the mine. I remember when I was about 10 a boulder fell on him. He was in the hospital for close to week. He is still going at 83 years old.
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
How is his lungs?
@@WarrenHollythat's his problem and his business.
Sometimes a person has got to do what they do! Keep your nose out of it!
@@jwfinley7808 just answer the question if you know it, ok?!?!?
They are the best people in the world. And I’ve been around the world, as I’m currently a resident of Djibouti, Africa. WV residents will give you the shirt off their back.
I know some West Virginians. They can be your best friend or worst enemy. Just depends on how you treat them. Either way, they will let you know where you stand with them. Can't ask for better people than that!
I lived up there in Logan County for several years even though I'm not from there I'm originally from north Carolina but my daughters daddy was from there and worked in the mines from the time he was a teenager I was with him almost 19 years precious memories up there for me and some of the best people you'll ever meet I sure miss it sometimes much love to each and every one of you miners and your families may God bless yall love from down here in north Carolina ❤️ 💙
Well why did you leave?
Just visited there last week it’s a beautiful place! The people were very nice every place we visited
💯👍👍👍👍👍👍👍💯
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
Very well-done film. I live in the southeastern part of West Virginia bordering Virginia. I live five miles from the state border and work in Virginia. My brother, dad, uncle, and many friends worked in the coal mines. Mr. Trump is hugely popular in our state. I am not getting into my opinion of him or politics at all. Just that this film showed decent, hard-working people. Our state is beautiful. Our people are mostly giving and caring folks. Poverty, addiction, environmental impacts, and adverse effects on the health of these hard-working men are some negative realities here, but there is so much more.
Greetings from rural West Texas
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
I live in Northeast Tennessee. Every time I hear the narrator pronounce “Appalachia” it’s like nails on a chalkboard.
Ditto my friend. Tri Cities born and raised. I remember the first time I ever heard it said wrong was from a news excerpt by Diane Sawyer back in the 80s.
Oh wow! Small world. I live in Kingsport.
@@TravisMcMurray halla! JC all day!
I live right across the iron mtn in nc. About 30 minutes from Johnson City
@@sjcproductionsandmedia oh, it’s so beautiful there! Youre so fortunate to live in a lil slice of heaven. The first time I got to hike Iron Mtn there was an AT angle at the trailhead with goodies. Dad said this was a regular occurrence. That angel inspired me to do a 100 mile trek with my nephew. Then my 71 yr old mom joined in. Golly, that was 8 yrs ago. That trail angel has no idea how they impacted my family. The memories that we made because of him/her. A few hot dogs and coca went a lot further than they’ll ever imagine! I miss good ole Tn hospitality. 💕
Coal miners ❤ I appreciate you ALL!!! I know what hard work is. Not only is it hard work, it’s very dangerous and very confined. God will bless you. ❤
💯👍👍👍👍👍👍👍💯
What is coal used for these days?
Coal-fired electric generator plants.
Hard work is admirable! Much respect to the miners!
I have to say being born and raised and im 45 and still here. I have been reading all the comments from folks that are from and still living in WV and those that are living in the other 49 states on this beautiful Christmas Eve morning and some of the comments have brought tears to my eyes because of the great things you all have had to say about our beautiful state and the Men and women that live and died here. We will do and give anything we can to help our neighbors or if you're someone just traveling thru. Thank you all. Trump 2024!
I thought Trump brought all the coal jobs back to WVA? IS this an old documentary?
Trump will do nothing and you cannot figure that out. Tragedy.
The coal companies only got away with this horrible treatment of their employees because of corrupt politicians.
You can buy a politician for a lot less money than a unionized work force with health benefits and a pension.
Damn those poor folks are the salt of the earth though.
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
They had one guy was still scamming those people well into his 90s. I forgot his name but he was known to be a racist and he didn't hide it but they kept electing him. I would have been telling my family and friends to get the hell out of here.
Ya these people got screwed by the rich.
But coal has to be stopped it's just to polluting.
It even kills the miners lungs.
Absolutely
They bought thousands of Cornish people to Australia to work in the coal mines they were basically slaves they would sponsor them to come and then own them
You know its mind blowing that those young men weren't wearing a respirator in the beginning. Seeing these old timers suffering from black and white lung should be enough for the new generation to demand a better breathing air.
Hell, not even safety glasses.
People don't seem to learn.
And smoking cigs helps too I’m sure.
I guess if you ask and demand, you dont work. And if you wear a mask etc. you probably be alienated.
I was wondering the same thing, why aren't they required to wear respirators?
those guys are tough as nails no way could I ever do that.
Letting companies come in and bust up the union in WV was one of the dumbest things the miners ever let happen. They went from a we're in this together mentality, to an I'm in this just for me, my family, and that quick dollar. My dad was crushed in the mines in WV when he was 20 years old, had it not been for the UMWA my family would have starved to death and dad would have never survived. You heard these miners in this video talking about retiring from the mines right? The only way you retire from the coal mines now is if your become an artist and learn how to draw a disability check every month. Then there's Trump. He promised that he would loosen the regulations on coal mining and that all the coal miners will have their jobs back. All the while his coal baron buddies are making money hand over fist and taking every dime straight out of West Virginia. Wanna know why West Virginia is one of the poorest states in the US or why West Virginia has some of the lowest high school test scores in the US, or why West Virginia has been suffering a "Brain Drain" since the early 2000s? Coal, that's why. The state government has allowed outside companies to come in, deplete WV of her natural resources, then allowed them to take all the money they made and leave without a single dime going back into WV. West Virginia's population on average is older than every other state in the US. This is because you have mainly have two choices for careers in WV, The coal mines, or healthcare, so if you want to do something else after high school or college you have to leave the state.
Very well said. That Mom in the video going on about "I'd love to serve Trump some of this cornbread". Lady, him and his friends don't wanna go near you with a ten foot pole. The guy lives in a gold penthouse and a palatial estate in south florida. But people like you have deluded yourselves into thinking that sucking up to billionaires is the way. They said that young guy in the doc makes 60k? Outlandish. Should be at least 3 times that for the work he does.
Basically not thinking of there future by saying whatever to the union. I have been a union member since 2010. A factory job and now a guards union. I can attest the union in both jobs made the difference!
@@Thunderrolls87 oh it's a tremendous difference. for sure
@@danman1789 Absolutely it is. I have had some very crappy jobs. The 4 non union factory jobs i had were awful and the job i had for 9 years before getting some college credits and becoming a guard had its flaws but because we had a union the pay ya it wasnt high but it was livable and we had decent health ins also they could not fire you for not being there buddy and seniority meant something. The job i have now is a big upgrade but those 9 years making bumpers made it possible to buy a home. Put a little money away and give my kids not only what they needed but be able to buy a camper and do some fun stuff to and even 2 brand new vehicles along with my wifes income. The company i worked for also had non union plants they paid on average 5 to 6$ less a hour and had paltry health ins. I was a union rep for 3 years. I saved a mans job because his wife got sick. He was there 22 years and they tried to fire him and i helped get us a better ventilation system after 2 people came down with cancer. Unions are inportant fkr working people.
Very dishonest post. Democrats have been shutting down coal mines since 2008. The governor's office and the state legislature have been democrat-controlled since the 1930s until just recently. You're blaming a guy who was president for 4 years and tried to help steelworkers and coal miners. Pull your head out.
My good friend took me to his mom's house in Beckly, West Virginia..so wonderful, that man got saved, ended up in heaven before all of us ❤ and there he is buried.
That's where I live
@@liamwinchesterchasten2229 really? You may know my friend Terry Durham.
@@virginiawilkinson5038 I'm sorry I don't know them
I don't know what these boys make an hour but, it damn sure isn't enough. Thank you gentlemen for your hard and very dangerous work, but to mention the health risks. Thank you
As a native of the Mountain State I can attest to several things: 1) The title of this film is very mis-leading because poverty in the coal fields go back for decades. Second: the coal fields are a completely different part of the state. Third: WV has been called the Ireland of American (when it comes to coal mining) and its correct.
My grandfather was 6’3” and he worked in the coal mines, lived in Minden, West Virginia. He walked the railroad tracks home and he was completely black. Died of black lung, my dad joined the army and went to Korea, he did not want to work the coal mines..Dad only went to 6th grade but worked as a medic in the war. I spent my summers there in the 60’s-70’s. There house was on stilts.
It sounds like your grandfather worked in the Summerlee mine.
I used to know a man who lived on stilts.
Well on one end. He was a coal miner and lived near beatyville ky.
He also bootlegged and was shot for a few cases of beer one night.
My uncle owned Mudcat construction in beatyville until he passed. My cousin owns it now.
Good bunch of folks.
I am from Ohio Lebanon and there's no way you're getting me in one of those mines.
Nope!!
Im a West Virginian, the union use to be what made sure you had a fair paying wage and they couldnt fire you for any reason. So this guy saying he dont care about the union, thats the crap that got the union to where it is now. I can tell you some stories about cabin creek miners. You didnt cross the picket line there, if you wanted to see tomorrow anyway.
I was born in Cabin Creek. Dad was a coal miner.
@@maryhubbard782 These companies have brainwashed young miners.
He doesn't know what he'll be going through if he isn't in the union.
I’m not from West Virginia but I travel there a couple of times a year and it has a special place in my heart , if I had traveled there when I was a younger man there’s no doubt that’s where I would have ended up, nothing like the country and the people there
God Bless these people, their families. I’m crying aloud. Our government needs to take care of these wonderful family’s.❤
Not everyone wants government handouts. These are hard working folks. They help each other out.
Not too many people are brave enough to work in a mine. I know I couldn't handle it.
I lived in Mingo County for 2 years. I can attest it is a different world.
I guess I am just an entitled A-hole surfer from California. I whine when it's cloudy and these guys work all day in the dark. However, they have something so many others don't have; loving families, their religion, and pride in a job well done. I wish them well and thank them for their service!
Well said.
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
❤
So true
Thank you boys for keeping the lights on praying for y’all from Indiana 🇺🇸
I worked underground 10 yrs in western Kentucky was a shooter man and ran a roofbolter I miss working with the men but I don't miss the mine much I do miss that big money.
I worked at elk creek coal mine in Hopkins county from 2011-2013.
@@olbuddyanem3935 I worked at that andalex mine in Madisonville it was full of water bad top.
@olbuddyanem3935 I worked near there in that Andalex mine it was really wet.
I love southern WV. Them are the the best people in the country.
over 70 million people voted for trump. There isn't even 2 million in that entire state. you were trying to make a dig at people that voted for trump because you know the education level is low. what you didn't calculate was the type of people they were though. good, honest, hard working people. The kind of people that built, and continue to build and sustain this entire country.
"because you know the education level is low.". They look down on us like we are ants, while they live like Kings with tax payer's money. Speaking of Education, just look and some democrat leaders?, would anyone say those people are educated/smart?.
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
I check EVERY box in the Democrat identity category - I'm Asian, educated, live in a VERY blue state etc and guess what? Voted for Trump 2x and will a third time!
❤👍🎯🥰
Voting for a con man says all you need to know about them.
I respect and feel bad for coal miners and those in WV. One said no union because he’s ok with it as long as he can work. Makes me feel bad that they do t have the confidence to do anything else that they would allow those safety restrictions to fall away and potentially harm them for their entire lives. I cannot help but to feel these ppl are stuck here because they don’t think they can do anything else and just take what’s given to them. God bless these guys. Much respect to them but there’s a world that is so much bigger. The young gal that’s a nurse could earn a great salary elsewhere to off their family a different living. I enjoy the area when I visit to ride ATVs but it’s almost sad to me to see how some ppl have to live out there.
Reality at its best!
Thank you for this!
Born and raised is Wv and still reside there . (North central). We don’t live like described in this video . There is coal mines . But also many other job opportunity. Much respect for coal miners . My father and his brothers all worked the mines in WV and they’re father but there are a lot more opportunity’s these days. Good representation of a small portion of WV tho but other parts of the state are much different 👍🏽god bless miners
All these guys have balls of steel working in the mines they're deserve double what they get payed
My home. God bless West Virginia
God bless and keep these families that the providers have had to poison their selves to provide for their families
As Scotsman this was an interesting watch ❤
WV might be one of the poorest states but it has some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Such a shame what happened to such a beautiful state
There's some mean ones too
Their embrace of their own exploitation is truly mind boggling. Not even willing to stand as a group and demand safer working conditions as a bare minimum.
There’s no such thing as ‘safer working conditions’ in the coal mines. It’s all bad down there.
They don't have much choice in that matter honestly. It's either work or don't.
They have in the past. They workers have struck alot. Businesses bring in their own people to stop the strike. Including shooting people. I can't remember where. Maybe it was Mingo. Or.. they just bring in scabs when the workers strike.
It's cuz they don't have their own thoughts, trump makes up their thoughts only .
@@jacobgates1986 you sound jabbed
The ignorance around the politics of this region is heartbreaking.
What's that politicians name that was still in Congress at the age of 90?
@@WarrenHollyyou talking about Byrd ? In the Senate great man he helped our state a lot.
@@danbailey96 how is that? W. Virginia historically has been ranked as the poorest state in the union. When he was in office. The workers are still making crumbs. Well if you like it I love it 🤗
@@WarrenHolly they were making crumbs because Republicans oppose any decent minimum wage or unions to make better working conditions....big business stripped West Virginia of resources made billions of dollars then left the state to rot. When we have presidents like Regan, Nixon, Bush one and 2 and of course Trump they all fought against the working people so big business got bigger and expected trickle down economy to expand......
This inflation is blamed on Biden but is the fault of big business that are making record profits from gouging prices during COVID when supposedly there was shortages.....I absolutely love our state if you don't who really cares.
Adapt,change or get left behind.
My Family is from Webster County. God bless WV!
Watching this from my home in Beckley, WV right now. Moving back to North Carolina after 8 years here.
I agree with Maria 💯 percent!!
The Europeans Ran The Cherokee Off Their Land. My Daddy is Cherokee Indian Who Grew up in Oklahoma Reservation, My Mama Grew Up in The Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. I Sure Miss The Old Ways.
There's a book i believe its called the man who moved a mountain its about Virginia/ WV area i would say around fancy gap bluefield area it gives a good perspective of how things were back in the day
My Great Grandfather worked West Virginia Coal Mines he passed away in a Coal Mine accident my grandfather has a picture of my Great grandfather and his crew in front of the coal mine I have a great aunt uncle and a few cousins still in west Virginia I have family all over Tennessee and Kentucky I grew up work Asphalt With my dad my dad ran one of the biggest Asphalt plant in Tennessee
Maria G you rock girl! More power to you luv 😮. StandStrong MuchLove
Thank you, Sheriff, well said !!
D.J. Chump doesn't give one $hit about these hardworking West Virginians!
And the left don't don't give a shet about u
Ok Vladimir and O'Biden does?😂😂😂
Muy bonita la vida en los pueblos apalaches. Dios bendiga a esas familias de mineros en West Virginia.
Excellent video
Trump could give 2 shits about these people. So sad and lady he would never step foot in your house and would rather eat taco bell than have a real meal. He just panders to the poor for thier votes its sad
What are you talking about?? President TRUMP loves his country just as we do!!!
You are absolutely right he could care less about you folks. He is not a good human and he is just manipulating you people. I know for a fact that behind-the-scenes he makes fun of people like you. For God, sake man he called dead soldiers, suckers, and losers. You think he’s got your best interest in mind?
And the alternative cares?? Biden only cares about the "new comers".
@@leighchambers5052 I'd like to teach you, but it would take years.
They are right you know you are in a cult
I spent 10-years in the military. When I discharged I could've went anywhere, I had the money to do so. But I came back to WV because I wanted to give back to the people in my state, and I've been doing that ever since.
In what year was this film made? I wonder how the past three years have affected these people. I wonder if someone will film the current situation.
Yes I would love to see a current state of events
@@jenniferwoodring1410were doing just fine. We dont get caught up in the bullshit
These are real men. Sacrificing their lives to provide for their families that they rarely get to see.
This WV girl aint messing with no snakes.
God bless these folks , I could not go in those caves as the thought suffocates the hell out of me.The folks who are claustrophobic are terrified to do this work.How they get up every morning to do this is incredible to me.And all these politicians want to take this life away from these great Americans and treat them like they don’t count.To me you are the salt of the earth.❤❤❤
I'm from
Elkins West Virginia and there's nothing here I turned down a d1 football scholarship bc I knew that wasn't a promise for income and ending up going into the military and I just moved bk here to Wv 4 years ago and now there's hardly no va hospitals to go and they talking about closing them down! Thank god trump passed to where we can go to other hospitals if u live further then 30 miles from the va hospital!! It's all about family and hardworking and friendly ppl here that will do anything for u! But it's right these companies come in get what they want then they leave us high and dry! Thank god I got my military retirement and my ssi I paid into! I'm 42 years old and the income for a family here is 46,000$ hell I make 75,000$ it's sad, how bad they do us here in West Virginia!! And alot of ppl think West Virginia is Virginia it's two different places! But this is one beautiful state, drive thru here during the fall, and u see some of the most beautiful sites u will ever see in ur life!!
I was born in Maryland but moved across the river to West Virginia in the early 90s. I have owned 2 homes since then. That would have not been possible in Maryland because the taxes are higher. Plus it’s beautiful here.
But why are we stepping on the snake….. I think it’s okay to use them for worship. Whatever you wanna do. But let’s not torture an animal by standing on its spine. That’s literally what allows it to be mobile. That’s actually animal cruelty.
Maria Gunnoe speaks well in this documentary
It seems rough to outsiders, but as someone who lives in this area, everyone who worked in the mines wants to go back so bad. They are now working jobs they hate for way less money. It's weird when the media paints them as victims. Coal mining jobs could pop in any area in the USA and young men would be excited about the work and pay. It's just reality.
Yep I been there done that
That church scene is unreal. 4 people a kid some snakes and an old lady trying to set herself on fire. Hardly an advert for the place
Then mentioned his dad an brother dues does the same thing with snakes 😳😳
Standing on that snake is terrible
Live here, and love it it here. Also love Trump 😎
Sadly you do NOT know who Trump is…Liar, fraud, does NOT care for you nor America….
I thank the coal miners. The coal companies should be fixing the land after they're done though.
I had a buddy down here in Tennessee from McDowell county and he said “The best thing that ever come out of there was a road”. 😂
We live on the Virginia border in the hills.
These are good, hard working people. I bet they would reach out to lend a hand to anyone who needs help. They Put God first and live in Faith. I think they are richer than most people society calls "wealthy".
I love the Don Rigsby version of muddy water!
"Why would you still live here?" The people cannot be separated from these mountains nor the mountains from the people. We are the mountains the mountains are us. We are one in the same. Even death doesn't separate us. We are the mountains soul. The mountains are our soul. Without the mountains we have no soul and without us the mountains are soul less. We are mountainfolk. One does not exist without the other. This is our reservation.
I’ve never experienced claustrophobia before till watching this on a 72” screen
Y’all should tunnel for gold and gems! It’s a lot in those mountains. I live in NC and dredge for gold. I find some every day. It’s just me, but with a big company, you’re gonna find it!
They make music and dance in one of the most beautiful areas in the world.Good people.Different but good. Had some good old Navy buddies from that area, best drinking buddies ever.🇺🇸
Was the legend dirkie white not available, for this doc? 😂
Keep up the good work.
Who misses the WV license plates that said Wild Wonderful on them? My cars do.
Fantastic Job👍
Thanks for the post.
I take my son camping all the time in West Virginia. They are good people, but I never discuss politics.
Why would you not talk politics with West Virginians?? They're good people, sane people.
Trying to bring back coal jobs is like saying we need to bring back horse & buggy drivers jobs....the jobs are gone. The biggest problem in WV is people wont leave thier hollers to find a job or get a education for a career. You could leave school at 16 and get a $25 a hour job at a mine twenty years ago. Those days arent coming back. West Virginia is beautiful and a great place to be from but it is dying. There is not a single "city" in the whole state with more than 50k people, including the capital.
Not many people you say that like it's a bad thing we don't need people we need jobs
@@djt8518 it isnt a bad thing...but it isnt a good sign if you are a business looking to build a new factory, office ect. At this point the jobs in WV are Health Care, Service Industry. Retail and little else. Coal will never be what it used to be no matter who is in Washington DC. Sad but true...jobs may be a thing you have to move to find. Good Luck. I am from those mountains and left 35 years ago.
@@melanieingram2901I did too but I came back I'm a former miner
@@melanieingram2901also I think we need jobs first if you build it they will come you are right here it's coal mines moonshine or move on down the line
This is new NEW AMERICA. Those coal bums can stay in their cellar! America is about Gay Pride and LGBTQIA+ now and forever! Thanks Joe Biden! Dem4Lyfe!!!
Unfortunately, it ignores reality to expect the world will fuel itself on coal in the future. There are cleaner fuels. While it's pitiful what has happened to Appalachian coal towns, the energy, money and votes devoted to resisting the change from a coal fired world could have been better spent on finding how to adjust to a new reality. Look at oil companies who have made enormous investment in solar and wind technologies. They accept reality and explore ways to survive in the new world. I'm a 77 year old southerner who has seen the south fight to preserve the past while the rest of the world adjusts to the future. Trump can't turn back the calendar but he can sure convince folks he can
So glad I got my EE degree and got out of that hellhole
Best documentary about W. Virginia by far is "Searching for the Wrong Eyed Jesus".
I've watched that but I gave my copy to Lee Sexton, the banjo player who is in the film. I don't recall much about that film except that it's kind of ethereal
@2:14 The tunnels are barely a metre high, 11 seconds later shows a man standing
Ok, so you really don't know anything about a mine.
What is a tunnel? 😂😂
he was on his knees...are you blind?
Nothing but RESPECT for these coal miner's!
I owe my whole livelihood to these guys. I work for CSX railroad. I load Coal on to lake freighters. I believe we get almost all of our coal from these guys. We dumped some Western coal but most of it came from West Virginia
I have never seen the churches where people handle snakes here and I have lived here most of my life
I come from a line of coal miners. Its a rough job. No one who works there hardly ever live past 60. Towns are dying, and drugs have taken over. No big companies will come to WV because there isn't enough flat ground for a big complex. Also, there is no work force. 1 in 2 West virginians work. It's hard to find people to work. I pay 17hr. For housekeeping and can't find anyone. Sucks. These miners sometimes have to crawl in shit. Because of course, where else are you going to go when you're under the mountain. They head for the air out take.
Coal Miners: Respect. I couldn't do it. Not even a day. Get used to wearing a mask.
Mask is useless black lung will get you coal is ridiculous
I’ve watched this exact documentary before… who’d you steal it from?
I've seen this video/documentary before as well.
Coal is what keeps the lights on. How about them WV coal miners❤️❤️❤️
With the coal miners. GREAT PEOPLE.
Coal miners job is very dangerous and back in the day they would be paid peanuts for taking big risks with their health and life. Many men never went home.
Another sad thing is how loyal these hard working people are to a party that doesn't care about them or for them. The owners are Republicans and the overwhelming majority of their elected leaders are too yet the blame runs on traditional lines.
You think the far left care about you, kid yourself
No documentaries on Bidenland Scranton Pa.?
My dad was a coalminer and my nephew is a coalminer
I live in the Eastern panhandle of West Virginia and we pronounce Appalachian as app-a-lay-shun.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!
i was in the teamsters union i worked for UPS for 14 years now im getting close to retiring so i called UPS. they tell me they paid me out of my retirement for $560.00 and i called the teamsters and they will do NOTHING for me except say call UPS???? thought i was in pretty good shape but thanks to the teamsters and UPS im NOT!!!!
Im a coal miner like my grandaddy thats all i can be ,,, i got a 9th grade education,
So the policies they support takes the education system down ,and their grand kids wont even be able to read , but thats ok.
Victorian working conditions in 2024 and mine owners abusing the workforce. It is a total disgrace, but people accepting it because there is no alternative. Why does the mine roof have to be so low, so humans crawl about like rabbits in a warren?
The roof is so low because they're only cutting out the coal seam from the mountain. Cutting rock wears the teeth of the mining machine down much faster than coal does. The teeth on those machines are made of a super hard metal, probably tungsten carbide, and are expensive and time consuming to replace. Plus, if that machine is down, they're not running coal, and if they're not running coal they're losing money. So they try to only cut the coal because it is so much softer than rock. There's some places where a coal seam is 6+ feet tall and a man could stand up and walk around, but other places, like in the video, the seam is less than 4 feet tall.
@@joeblankenship2360 In other words people are cheaper than machines. Profit before lives pure and simple.
@@gcgopro6912 While I wish it wasn't the way that it is, yes. Since the companies turned the miners on each other by busting up the unions, owners can push for more profit. While there are regulations in place, most mine owners only care about three things above all others. The first thing is money, the second is removing as many tons of coal from the mountain in as little time as possible, and the third is how much money they can get per ton of coal. All while keeping overhead costs as low as possible. This means that tons of mined coal are worth a lot more than tons of mined rock, so comfort be damned mine the coal.
Joe. I have worked in 7 ft coal also worked in 32in coal with one foot of that being mud
Reagan started the union busting in 1981 McDowell county had 30% unemployment
Those poor men that have to go in those mines. Generation after generation. Its an American tragedy. You see this in diamond minds, Africa, Salt minds etc. This seems worse. At least there you couldn't be crushed at any second, black lung, explosions, drowning not to mention your joints. Life expectancy is 10 years less than other Americans.
So many idealize the past. The good ol’ days were not that good for most people.
Most people worked hard and died young and poor. There is no nobility in exploitation - miners were abused and chewed up like raw meat. The mine bosses had no regard for safety, fought organized labor and relied on a seemingly inexhaustible supply of people without better options.