W.V. coal miners stay home to protest anti-Obama NRA coercion

Jan I hope you know me better than that. I came here like many because I am passionate there have been AMAZING discussions on many issues and often people principly affected have joined in on the discussion. On issues that are not often discussed. Issues of Science and green technology have been at the fore of the discussions here where they may not have been otherwise.

The debates I've witnessed and taken part on in regards to healthcare reform, genetics, global warming, and foreign policy have been amazing and stimulating. Current has become a conduit of information for me and many of my oppinions on issues have been changed or at least become more nuanced in the face of all of the new information I've gleaned from my time here at Current. Especialy on environmental issues cheifly on learning about the different types of biomass fuels and how cellulosic ethanol and ethanol derived from sugar cane benefit the environment. Also realizing that food based biomass (with the exception of milk in areas like Bengladesh and Germany and soy Bio Deisel production) ie Corn bases ethanol is not the solution. Being from corn centric Indiana that was nooooooot easy.

I want to thank you personaly Jan for bringing alot of new technological developments in the environmental field my way. It's given me hope for not just the future but the present.

The whole fucking question for me, Jan, is about these guys who waged a protest yesterday. You gave them shit for going back to work when their protest was over. THEY DID A GOOD THING! They walked out, they protested against the NRA's and Console's tactics. And you can do nothing but talk down on them. Great, there are new developing technologies, I'm all for that. But I asked you once before, what the fuck do you want a person to do? THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE ENERGY JOB FOR THESE PEOPLE TO WALK RIGHT INTO. You claim that you would quit anyway for the sake of your son, that's bullshit. If you had no other source of income, assuming that you are a good parent, you would keep bringing in the money however you had to to feed your children. Apparently you've never had hard times. Or are you so twisted up with your political rage that you WOULD let your son go hungry just for the sake of protest?

Jan, do you have kids?

Yes and I don't want him to live in a world where DIRTY COAL is the energy source. But what does your question have to do with my response? Are you now going to attack me for daring to have an honest opinion? Do you have kids? If you do you should care about what is being spewed into the atmosphere every day that you and your kids breathe in and is contributing to the decline in our planet's climate balance. These candidates should be in places like Appalachia telling people how viable wind and solar energy is there and getting those miners out of those mines to live a cleaner healthier life in the sun with BETTER JOBS!... but since they are both in the pockets of the coal industry they both play the game. So sorry, I happen to think working to solve the climate crisis is a bit more important now than the damn NRA.

I was simply going to ask you, if you indeed have kids, if you would find it easy to walk away from a job, knowing full well you may not find another, when you have children to feed?

It sounded to me like your first post was faulting the actual workers who walked out for then going back to work. It was a protest, a voice. What the fuck do you want, parents to quit their jobs in a state where there are no jobs and have their families go hungry just to prove a point?

I would do it to save my child's life! And many people in Appalachia are now standing up to it and holding coal companies accountable for their CRIMES. You might know that if you were following what is going on there. People in Appalachia have actually become poorer from mountain top removal over the last decade, and it is time for a CHANGE. They can have better jobs with solar and wind and better and healthier lives for their chidlren. So what I would expect is for people to see that there is a better way and demand better from their so called political leaders who only wish to keep them trapped because it fills their campaign coffers.

You obviously have a good job and are comfortable to have such a cavalier attitude toward quitting a job and living with no income.

This is my home state, onechance. There are alot of people here with little education and there are no jobs for them except the few undesirable jobs like coal mining. If you look at national figures you will see that WV annual incomes rank near the bottom of the list every year. The job pays well enough for people to raise a family and live a moderately comfortable life. I'm sure if there were more opportunities within the state, people would find better employment. Coal mining is hard, dirty work. I'm sure many wish they didn't have to go in those damn mines everyday. You were correct a in your first statement when you said it's more complicated than just quitting.

How do you know what I buy/dont buy?

If I had the choice between making bombs for a billion dollars or selling bread for $1, Id sell bread. Thats why Im a teacher, not a lawyer.

sounds like you're avoiding the issue to me, onechance

Sheep says Bbaaaaaa

The NRA lies.

It falsely claims in mailers and TV ads that Obama plans to ban handguns, hunting ammo and use of a gun for home defense.

This election doesn't need more lies. Each party is lying enough themselves.

So, when did you quit using electricity or anything made using electricity, or anything made that is made for making electricity?

Yes.

Well, they wouldn't be raping the earth, if someone wasn't buying. I'm not casting stones at you, but people in coal houses...

So, child prostitution should be legal and is OK with you just because Republican men like little boys?

I'M KIDDING.

Funny, It's just a cheap shot to fire at hard working people who do a LEGAL job, because YOU think they're "raping the earth". Like blaming a grain farmer for a drunk driving death because the booze was made from grain. Way over simplified, and under though through. That's all.