Rocker Ted Nugent to Emcee Pro-Coal "Friends of America" Rally in West Virginia

West Virginia coal baron Don Blankenship is no stranger to controversy. His company, Massey Energy of Richmond Va., blasts the tops off of densely-forested ancient mountains in Appalachia, and he doesn't like the media asking questions about it. In the video below, he informs an ABC News cameraman investigating mountaintop removal coal mining "If you're going to start taking pictures, you're liable to get shot."

Mr. Blankenship also has some interesting ideas about family entertainment. Most West Virginia families will celebrate the end of summer with their children in wholesome family activities such as boating, swimming and eating hot dogs. West Virginia is in the Bible Belt, and many West Virginians are military veterans and God-fearing Southern Baptists and Pentecostals - some of whom are opposed to mild cursing and even dancing.

Yet in order to "honor working families" Blankenship has invited vulgar Detroit rocker Ted Nugent to the "Friends of America" Labor Day rally, which will be located on a flattened, baking hot former strip mine site in the mountains of southern West Virginia.

Nugent, whose on-stage antics include wearing a loincloth and inviting President Obama to "suck on my machine gun" will emcee the event, which includes other notables as New York FOX News commentator Sean Hannity, musician Hank Williams Jr. and British global-warming-denier Lord Christopher Monckton.

According to the "Friends of America" press release, "America's working families are under attack." There have been a series of violent attacks this summer - but the attacks have been by coal thugs against environmentalists and West Virginia residents who are trying to save the remaining mountains, see here and here. All summer, the coal industry has tried to fan the flames against "outsiders" who have come to southern West Virginia to support the local mountain-lovers who oppose mountaintop removal.

College students and young people with the Mountain Justice and Climate Ground Zero movements have been resolute in their support of the mountains and streams of Appalachia which provide millions of people in Cincinnati, Louisville and Nashville with drinking water. Many young people have spent their entire summers campaigning, organizing and building a community in the southern West Virginia coalfields, despite the nearly constant harassment. The coalfields remain deeply divided on the issue of mountaintop removal, but statewide polls show that 56 percent of West Virginians oppose mountaintop removal. Still, some West Virginians are afraid to speak out, due to the threats from coal industry supporters.

Events such as Blankenship's "Friends of America" Labor Day rally are designed to pressure politicians and instill even more fear into the opponents of mountaintop removal. Rally organizers have offered no assurances to environmentalists that there will be adequate police protection for them if they do appear at the free event. At a June 23 rally against Massey's Goals Coal plant, death threats were thrown at environmentalist speakers, including actress Daryl Hannah and Coal River Mountain Watch's Vernon Haltom. One banjo-playing musician had an air horn blasted in his ear. Another environmental leader was told "We know where you live, and you'd better not sleep."

It will be interesting to see if Ted Nugent plays "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang" or any songs from his latest CD "Love Grenade" for the West Virginia families and children in attendance on Labor Day.

Now thats some family entertainment, Don Blankenship-style.

Comments

[esgabel]

My family mined coal and lived across from a breaker in Carbondale, PA. I had one uncle who died in a mine blast and 3 relatives who died of documented cases of Black Lung, my mother who never smoked a day in her life died of emphysema.
I'd like to see clean coal--it would be amazing for the economies of so many carbon rich states and would be cheap fuel for the rest of us, but how do we stop the deaths that occur from the mining safety issues that are often ignored by companies because we allowed them to hire non union workers who had no strong voice to speak up for their safety, and the environmental issues -- not just wrecking the view of a mountain top but the release of coal dust and other gases into the air.
Mr Nugent, if it were your family, maybe your outlook might be a bit different... but after seeing the cover of your new album probably not.

[Brad Wood]

So now to be a friend of America you have to support mountaintop removal?

I guess with enough money you can change the meaning of anything.

Disgusting people.

[kramey]

That Nugent would be part of this isn't surprising. This is a man that appears at his own concerts carrying an automatic rifle, praises the "glories" of "harvesting" animals for food, and supports the most radical ideas of gun ownership that he can find.

[alvdh1]

I hope his royalties nose dive to near zero.

[LMPE]

Taking pictures will get you shot? That's the sort of thing that I'd expect to hear in North Korea.

No matter. Ted Nugent is basically the anti-celebrity. Most famous people are supposed to engage in progressive causes (environmentalism, disabled people's rights, peace), but Nugent is a true Devil's Advocate. There's going to be a special place in Hell for him.

[JohnFromCensornati]

I really hate that I contributed to Ted's income 30 years ago.

[StrayTalk]

Dont feel bad. Music doesn't really have a litmus test. Never a fan of Nugent, but some of Hank Jr's early bluegrass was quite good before he became a drunken, drugged out Republican. And contrast Ted Nugent with Bruce Springsteen. Bruce is about life, honoring working folks and making our country a better place to live in. Bruce is incredibly popular and successful. Ted Nugent? Any one you know even listening to him anymore? Nugent is about spreading bigotry, shooting animals just for the fun of it.(trophy hunting) and now a fan of destroying mountains. He probably blew up cats with firecrackers as a kid. Cat Scratch Fever indeed!