I just wanted to say I just read "Night comes to the Cumberlands" by Harry M. Caudill. It was written in the early 1960s. It is the most insightful book probably ever written about Eastern Kentucky. People like him and Judge George Wooten of Hyden, are real heros.
The highest point in Kentucky should be a State Park and tourist destination. If you have never visited this beautiful place and the interesting commmunities at its base, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you go.
I live in Wise co. va and spend a lot of time in Ky. The saddest thing about mining and mountaintop removal is the fact that we as a people don't really reap the benefits of the black gold we dig out of the ground. Why would someone up north give a shit about our habitat as long as they have their electricity? Its a damn shame!
This breaks my heart and really angers me. How can someone destroy something so beautiful. Those mountains hold such spiritual powers. It's the only place I feel at peace within my soul, the only place I find true happiness. I hope and pray that everyone can understand how very important and special the mountains are and leave them be. PLEASE.
Black Mountain IS the land that was first settled by my ancestors; Samuel & Rebecca Maggard and both are buried at Maggard Cemetery. I can't imagine what they would think and feel if they saw what was happening to their old home land.
Larry N Maggard doesn’t matter if 30 men at a time die in a mine like at Scotia underground tell them why their r no jobs there and only poverty & drug addicts
My ancestors first settled in the shadow of Black Mountain in Letcher County, Kentucky in 1796. 12 generations of my family have lived and are buried in these mountains. The Coal Companies are literally stripping away over 200 years of my families land and history. Where my people first settled in Letcher County is still called "Sam's Mountain", Founded Oven Fork Church, Maggard Cemetery. This makes me feel absolutely violated down to my inner core. This will NOT be allowed to continue!
My his ad and I ultimately a log cabin I. The hills of TN near Hutsville TN. Lots of strip mines and stripping of the forests ensued. It was de devastating to the area. The water is awful and it is also horrible le to wash clothes I. It is sad how they have destroyed the mountains here. A general store was close by and the village was called Smokey Junction.
It's communities like this that have to provided it, and at the same rate are almost completely dependent upon this for what economy Harlan County has. This is our only industry or major job provider other than I guess the school system or the Hosptila/clinics. Coal is also harder to get to... there's plenty of it, but it's deep. We don't want our home destroyed, but at the same time, we don't look into providing any other industry here....
I'll have you know Sam that people have indoor plumbing in Harlan County, thank you very much. I've lived there all of my life and I guess you can only understand fully if you've lived there. Just away from where they were going to strip mine(they never strip mined the top of black mountain in KY), the mountains are completely dessamated. Once you strip mine, all that is left is bedrock. Nothing can grow there... no one can live there. Once the coal is gone, so is everything else.
Every place that could be potentially mined, is precious to the residents there. This is unfortunate, but we are a society dependant upon fossil fuels. The mining is destructive, but it does provide income that keeps residents from leaving. I grew up in Fulton Co., IL and strip mining was a big industry there. I'm sure the people of Fulton Co. would love to see the mining start again because there are few living-wage jobs there.
i'm from Mudzoory. i'm coming down there to have a look. hope the coal companies can stop this madness. i know the coal company execs don't live near black mountain so they better listen up. buzz
I can see your point of view. I have also seen progress leave it's ugly footprint behind, from clear cutting all the forests and subrurbian sprawl. My area used to be full of forest and tobacco fields on family farms, but they are becoming no more. Mt. top removal is a ugly thing, but with the nations energy problems we need more solutions. Maybe nuclear, but there has to be a solution.
This sort of puts people between a rock and a hard place. In order for this nation to run, it needs energy, which is primarily produced by burning coal.
we all should be mad....destroying Appalachia is actually even worse than losing the rockies because Appalachia is home to the most biologically diverse ecosystems in all of North America and they are the oldest mountains in the world...the Appalachians have a much more diverse ecosystem (and cultural history) than the rockies, and they are much older...we must act now!
I really don't know that much about either except they can both be ugly. Underground mining is very dangerous to the miners as they go deeper. Mountain top removal sounds horrible as well, besides the polution it is like they'er going to far (man was not ment to move mountains).
@bestplugins Less Than 10% of the nations electricity comes from Appalachia surface mines. And surface mining employs about .4% of Kentucky's population.
i live in michigian but im comin down there 2 protest brother this shit aint right oil spill now rippin up the mountains of my ancestors shit we better start doing somthing as a people or we aint gonna have shit left no gulf shrimp no wild life in ky va ect im pissed man
You just lost your argument right there by saying... "I work on a strip job." That stream may be as clear as can be, because its treated with so many chemicals that nothing can live in it. I'm not trying to insult your intelligence, my dad is a miner as well (underground). But I think an independent biologist not affiliated with the mining operations may have a better understanding of the ramifications of mtn top removal.
Im hg..im going to do all i can to stop the mining n tearing down of our memories people and land... I fight wuth my native family, n american family, i cant let go without a real big im that hick that will not allow us to fall.... Never again pray for me n dont ever give up!!!!!!!
@tigerbear9 I hate the word limitation on comments, anyways, continued! I'd also say that another one of those terrible beliefs of christianity is the idea that Jesus is going to come back one day and destroy us, I mean if I were a person destroying nature I'd certainly say (whats the point, Jesus is gonna come back and wipe us out) you can't call yourself a christian and not believe that. I'm not saying religion is the cause of mans greed, but it does and always has played a huge part.
I just wanted to say I just read "Night comes to the Cumberlands" by Harry M. Caudill. It was written in the early 1960s. It is the most insightful book probably ever written about Eastern Kentucky. People like him and Judge George Wooten of Hyden, are real heros.
The highest point in Kentucky should be a State Park and tourist destination. If you have never visited this beautiful place and the interesting commmunities at its base, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you go.
I live in Wise co. va and spend a lot of time in Ky. The saddest thing about mining and mountaintop removal is the fact that we as a people don't really reap the benefits of the black gold we dig out of the ground. Why would someone up north give a shit about our habitat as long as they have their electricity? Its a damn shame!
This breaks my heart and really angers me. How can someone destroy something so beautiful. Those mountains hold such spiritual powers. It's the only place I feel at peace within my soul, the only place I find true happiness. I hope and pray that everyone can understand how very important and special the mountains are and leave them be. PLEASE.
Black Mountain IS the land that was first settled by my ancestors; Samuel & Rebecca Maggard and both are buried at Maggard Cemetery. I can't imagine what they would think and feel if they saw what was happening to their old home land.
my family own black mountain i have family also got my peeps. cemetery up there
Larry N Maggard doesn’t matter if 30 men at a time die in a mine like at Scotia underground tell them why their r no jobs there and only poverty & drug addicts
Mr. Ball knows all!!!
this made me cry.
My ancestors first settled in the shadow of Black Mountain in Letcher County, Kentucky in 1796. 12 generations of my family have lived and are buried in these mountains. The Coal Companies are literally stripping away over 200 years of my families land and history. Where my people first settled in Letcher County is still called "Sam's Mountain", Founded Oven Fork Church, Maggard Cemetery. This makes me feel absolutely violated down to my inner core. This will NOT be allowed to continue!
My his ad and I ultimately a log cabin I. The hills of TN near Hutsville TN. Lots of strip mines and stripping of the forests ensued. It was de devastating to the area. The water is awful and it is also horrible le to wash clothes I. It is sad how they have destroyed the mountains here. A general store was close by and the village was called Smokey Junction.
It's communities like this that have to provided it, and at the same rate are almost completely dependent upon this for what economy Harlan County has. This is our only industry or major job provider other than I guess the school system or the Hosptila/clinics. Coal is also harder to get to... there's plenty of it, but it's deep. We don't want our home destroyed, but at the same time, we don't look into providing any other industry here....
I'll have you know Sam that people have indoor plumbing in Harlan County, thank you very much. I've lived there all of my life and I guess you can only understand fully if you've lived there. Just away from where they were going to strip mine(they never strip mined the top of black mountain in KY), the mountains are completely dessamated. Once you strip mine, all that is left is bedrock. Nothing can grow there... no one can live there. Once the coal is gone, so is everything else.
anyone else notice the guy who is all about KY and it's heritage is wearing a MI shirt? LMAO. good job.
r.i.p. Hazel King
The people from WV and KY need to unite and get someone as a spokesman to speak up and show the nation what is happening to the environment here!!
Every place that could be potentially mined, is precious to the residents there. This is unfortunate, but we are a society dependant upon fossil fuels. The mining is destructive, but it does provide income that keeps residents from leaving. I grew up in Fulton Co., IL and strip mining was a big industry there. I'm sure the people of Fulton Co. would love to see the mining start again because there are few living-wage jobs there.
i'm from Mudzoory. i'm coming down there to have a look.
hope the coal companies can stop this madness.
i know the coal company execs don't live near black mountain so they better listen up.
buzz
I can see your point of view. I have also seen progress leave it's ugly footprint behind, from clear cutting all the forests and subrurbian sprawl. My area used to be full of forest and tobacco fields on family farms, but they are becoming no more.
Mt. top removal is a ugly thing, but with the nations energy problems we need more solutions. Maybe nuclear, but there has to be a solution.
This sort of puts people between a rock and a hard place. In order for this nation to run, it needs energy, which is primarily produced by burning coal.
we all should be mad....destroying Appalachia is actually even worse than losing the rockies because Appalachia is home to the most biologically diverse ecosystems in all of North America and they are the oldest mountains in the world...the Appalachians have a much more diverse ecosystem (and cultural history) than the rockies, and they are much older...we must act now!
Anyone know the song at 4:13?
Hush my restless soul
STOP THE MINING THIS IS GODS COUNTRY. Im seein not believin whats happening. From the Blue Mountains in Australia.
I really don't know that much about either except they can both be ugly. Underground mining is very dangerous to the miners as they go deeper. Mountain top removal sounds horrible as well, besides the polution it is like they'er going to far (man was not ment to move mountains).
One nation under greed, divisible. So sad.
@iamdiaperman
I thought we were supposed to be the ignorant ones.
@zachschevelle Never mind, I saw it in the credits.
@bestplugins
Less Than 10% of the nations electricity comes from Appalachia surface mines. And surface mining employs about .4% of Kentucky's population.
They don't REALLY mine anymore...It's too expensive. Are the REAL miners saying anything?
i live in michigian but im comin down there 2 protest brother this shit aint right oil spill now rippin up the mountains of my ancestors shit we better start doing somthing as a people or we aint gonna have shit left no gulf shrimp no wild life in ky va ect im pissed man
Easy for you to say.
You just lost your argument right there by saying... "I work on a strip job." That stream may be as clear as can be, because its treated with so many chemicals that nothing can live in it. I'm not trying to insult your intelligence, my dad is a miner as well (underground). But I think an independent biologist not affiliated with the mining operations may have a better understanding of the ramifications of mtn top removal.
Im hg..im going to do all i can to stop the mining n tearing down of our memories people and land... I fight wuth my native family, n american family, i cant let go without a real big im that hick that will not allow us to fall.... Never again pray for me n dont ever give up!!!!!!!
AND THAT'S A FUCKING SHAME !!
@shilltheshillXXX SEEMS LIKE YOU KNOW
@tigerbear9
I hate the word limitation on comments, anyways, continued!
I'd also say that another one of those terrible beliefs of christianity is the idea that Jesus is going to come back one day and destroy us, I mean if I were a person destroying nature I'd certainly say (whats the point, Jesus is gonna come back and wipe us out) you can't call yourself a christian and not believe that. I'm not saying religion is the cause of mans greed, but it does and always has played a huge part.
what kind of uninformed, stupid comment is this?
the people did not do this, greed did this.