West Virginia Coal Thugs Disrupt July 4th Picnic (Video)

Two weeks after actress Daryl Hannah and NASA climatologist James Hansen were arrested at a peaceful protest against mountaintop removal coal mining in West Virginia, irate coal miners disrupted the annual 4th of July community picnic atop Larry Gibson's Kayford Mountain (video below).

Kayford Mountain, just east of the state capitol Charleston, is the only mountain left in the area that has not been decapitated for coal, which is burned to generate nearly 50 percent of America's electricity. Coal companies, such as Richmond, Virginia-based Massey Energy, clearcut trees and then use explosives and heavy equipment to blast 600 to 800 feet from the tops of densely-forested mountains, dumping the excess rock and dirt into the Appalachian mountain streams that provide millions of people downstream with their drinking water. Cincinnati, Louisville and other major cities still use the Ohio River as a drinking water source, despite the contamination from coal mining.

For over 20 years, Gibson has refused to sell his 50 acres to the coal companies. He has been subjected to countless acts of violence in this economically depressed region. He was recently named one of CNN's "Heroes" for his courage in protecting his mountain from mining.

The July 4th picnic, to celebrate the beauty and culture of West Virginia's mountains, is an annual family event and features local musicians playing traditional Appalachian songs.

In a shocking video posted on YouTube, a large shirtless coal miner curses and threatens the July 4 picnickers, at one point making a slashing motion across his throat, saying "F--- you and your kid."

According to picnic attendees, West Virginia State Police took two hours to arrive at the remote site, and no arrests were made.

Environmentalists attending the picnic expressed fear that the violence could worsen as the last few seams of coal are mined out in the region, and as the nation shifts from burning dirty fossil fuels -- such as coal -- to renewables like wind and solar.

At the June 23 protest at Marsh Fork Elementary School where Hannah and Hansen were arrested, a coal miners wife allegedly assaulted Judy Bonds, an opponent of mountaintop removal and the 2003 Goldman Prize winner for environmental activism. Following the protest, coal miners trashed an environmentalist group's campground and drove past their houses, revving their engines and screaming all night long.

Environmentalists called on West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin to help quell the violence, but noted that in the past Manchin has appeared at rallies for the industry group "Friends of Coal." Manchin has remained silent about the Kayford Mountain violence.

"This violent, unprovoked attack demonstrates the tactics Massey will use to silence and intimidate local residents," Bonds said. "This reminds me of the 1999 reenactment of the Blair Mountain march, in which coal industry supporters kicked, pushed, and spat on [Former West Virginia Congressman] Ken Hechler and other marchers, including female senior citizens and me."

"Pro-mountain community activists adhere to principles of nonviolence, but the coal industry has no such principles," Coal River resident Vernon Haltom said. "Pro-coal rally speakers have consistently used hostile, aggressive and inflammatory language. Last year we asked Gov. Manchin and others to tone it down. Instead we are subjected to violent attacks with the tacit approval of Manchin, Massey CEO Don Blankenship, West Virginia Coal Association president Bill Raney and United Mineworkers president Cecil Roberts. Not one of them has publicly denounced the violence or called for industry supporters to behave nonviolently."

Comments

[KeyWestDan]

There were disturbingly few comments on this page. There's some crude debate back & forth on YouTube, I was hoping to read some informative, intelligent discourse here, (as I usually expect from HuffPo). There was, but not enough. This is a very crucial issue. A fate of the environment v. fate of mining employees debacle. Aside from that... great article, Dave!

[Bo Webb]

To answer martinfrosa: At least two Massey workers have been positively identified in the video including the big shirtless guy that threatened to slit the throats of a man and his infant child. Positively identified by people that know him and are shocked by his actions. Nuff said.
Cecil Roberts should be condemning this type of thuggery. There is no excuse for it. WV is in great need of leadership. Our governor is nothing more than a lobbyist and cheerleader for the coal industry. A leader must be willing to accept the inevitable and move forward. It is inevitable that coal mining jobs are going to continue to disappear as more and more states are investing in truly clean renewable energy projects. WV is not investing in these types of projects and will suffer greatly because of it if we don't find some leadership and soon. The declining demand for coal will continue to lessen the coal extraction work force. This is not complicated as someone here posted. Mtr is not a complicated issue. It is absolutely unnecessary, supplying only 7% of the declining coal market. If we are to address climate change and global warming a logical first step is to ban mtr as it has already destroyed more than one million acres of carbon capturing forest.
Cecil Roberts may be the leader that WV so desperately needs, but he hasn't stepped forward. We need to look beyond coal if WV is to ever prosper.

[sassafrassmolly]

We need to keep our eye on the prize here. This is about blowing up mountains, and jobs. We need to stop destroying our mountains to power our refrigerators, but we also need to find new jobs for the mountaintop removal coal miners. We all need to work on a positive and equitable solution. No one said this was going to be easy. But if the miners will take a lesson from the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain (when the coal companies attacked the miners who were demanding workers' rights), the industrial companies are only on your side as long as you provide a service to them and do EXACTLY what they want you to. Once the coal is mined out, you will be left to determine your own future. Why not start now? Both sides can work towards the future together. Set up positive goals for new industry (eco-tourism?), new jobs in the region. You don't need flat ground, you need a visionary plan. Massey miners are people, UMWA miners are people, local residents against mountaintop removal mining are people, "environmentalists" are people (people of all flavors, actually - Christians, Jews, hippies, college students, moms, UPS drivers, secretaries, hunters, anyone with a bent to save the natural world). We all cry, and laugh, and suffer, and thrive, the same as everyone else.

Let's not lose sight of that.

[BobKincaid]

The UMWA needs to figure out what its priorities are. Does it want to be part of extracting coal as responsibly as possible (i.e. underground mining) or does it want to try to swell its ranks unnaturally with Mountain Removers. The UMWA already has several hundred Mountain Removers as members. That fact is a slap in the face at every man who ever fought and bled, as my forebears did, to create the UMWA. Mountain Removers are NOT miners.

Will the UMWA stand for jobs in underground mining, which would increase if Mountain Removal was ended, or will it cynically go-along-t­o-get-alon­g and watch while its jobs are drained away by the heavy equipment operators of the Mountain Removal companies?

The choice is clear. Which side are you on, boys? Which side are you on?

[2cool2beforgotten]

Anyone who thinks these are union miners should check the facts about Massey and learn a little bit about their history. If these miners were UMWA, I can guarantee this act of violent stupidity would have never happened.

[CherokeeGirl]

Mr. President! Greenpeace is hanging on the side of Mt. Rushmore with a message for you! :)

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/america-honors-leaders-07-08-09

Wow, it's really cool, the length these guys will go to for a cause.

[martinfrosa]

How does anyone know that the coal miner in question is from Massey? Was he wearing a big sign? While liberal elites decry mountaintop removal, many West Virginians prefer it to crushing unemployment, otherwise, they would have stopped it long ago. Where are West Virginia's two Democratic Senators at a time like this? Hmnn.

[Minester]

Mountaintop removal is a complicated issue, one which unfortunately can pit such natural allies as workers and environmentalists against each other when they fall for the “jobs-vs-green” line that big corporations use to divide us. Nonetheless, Dave Cooper creates a classic WTF moment by letting his broadbrush swipe smear Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts. Let’s forget for the moment that putting Roberts and Massey CEO Don Blankenship in the same sentence, let alone sharing the same views, is the sickest of jokes (http://www.umwa.org/files/u1/UMW_Jrl_MayJun09.pdf). Let’s focus instead on the outrageous, unsubstantiated allegation that Roberts would give “tacit approval” to those Cooper calls thugs. I would suggest that Cooper do 30 seconds of research (It shouldn’t be hard, Dave. Just try Googling “Massey Energy” and “UMWA.”). That way, he’ll discover that Massey miners are not union members. And he might think twice before throwing out whatever thought crosses his mind to see what will stick.

[Dave Cooper - Huffpost Blogger]

Im well aware of the UMWA's campaign against Massey, as well as the union's attempts to organize Massey workers.

The section of the blog that you refer to (the last paragraph) referencing Cecil Roberts is a quote from Vernon Haltom of Coal River - Im not going to edit anything that someone who lives directly underneath a mountaintop removal mine - like Vernon - said.

In my opinion, Mr. Roberts use of the word "extremist" to describe opponents of mountaintop removal has fanned the flames.

Heres some history: After the Judge Haden decision on MTR in 1998

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/200804050411

....Roberts went on the offensive, blasting "environmental extremists" during a
U.S. Senate hearing and leading a boisterous rally in front of the state
Capitol.

"You can't say don't burn it in Washington and don't mine it in West
Virginia and say you're not trying to take the jobs of every coal miner in
the United States," Roberts shouted at the rally. "And I'm here to say no,
no and hell no."

And Roberts has misrepresented the position of opponents to mountaintop removal:

“The environmental extremists do not want to listen to our ideas for compromises,” union President Cecil Roberts has remarked, “because their goal is simply to shut down the nation’s coal industry.” (Charleston Gazette June 6 1999)

[minervoice]

Let's be clear -- those who showed up to disrupt this peaceful event were not, repeat not, members of the United Mine Workers of America. If they are indeed coal miners, they are nonunion miners employed by Massey Energy, which is the most anti-union coal operator in Appalachia and the nation. To blame these despicable actions on the UMWA, union members or Cecil Roberts is wrong without any foundation.

[WorkingClass]

If the people of West (By God) Virginia want to blow the top off their last mountain I say let them do it.

[DesertDogAlpha]

Union democracy in action. Wait until they have card check!

Earlier comments talk about how these people are poor and desperate. They can leave West Virginia if this is all they have there. Our ancestors made it all the way across the Atlantic - I'd bet you can get a bus to Iowa a lot easier than that. With the INS chasing Mexicans out of meat packing plants there we know there are jobs available.

[aleakbar]

It's not the "Coal Thugs" who are the problem. The so-called environmentalists are the ones that are stopping progress on clean energy.

Wyoming officials say they have no plans to allow wind farms or even pilot studies for wind turbines in areas designated as key to the sage grouse.

Ryan Lance, an aide to Gov. Dave Freudenthal, says initial discussions with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service indicated that a wind farm wouldn't be compatible with core habitat areas for the sage grouse.

The state-designated core areas for the bird were established as part of a plan to avoid listing it under the Endangered Species Act.

[noneIn2008]

I like the suggestion that we start by example, beginning with the use of private jets and yachts. One proposal is a 500% per year carbon tax on all private jets and yachts. Very few will be hurt. Set the example.

[RightWingMarine]

set the example that prosperity will be punished?

[ChangeNow]

Those people are poor and desperate. Without mining they have nothing, and with it they have little more than nothing. West Virginia is the third world, with poor education, no opportunity, and no hope given the choke hold the mining industry has on the area. Sprinke a little Rush Limbaugh, fear, and class hatred on the mix and this is what you get.

[Themosdenes]

While the tactics are disgusting, there's a good explanation for why these people are protesting mountaintop preservation: they need jobs and they see an opportunity squandered. Ridiculing them is not going to get rid of them, and trying to explain how preventing more coal mining is good for all of us in the long run probably won't work either, so the best plan would be to accelerate renewable sources development in the region, which could provide the jobs these folks so desperately need. Environmentalists are doing all they can to put the brakes on coal mining, but it's going to be up to the government to jump-start jobs in the region, whether they be constructing wind farms, solar panels, or other renewables systems.

[DesertDogAlpha]

Yes, they can all make photovoltaic panels I'm sure. Or pick the lilies in the field.