Only a few boos mar debut of powerful documentary on Appalachia coal
The email came late Wednesday afternoon, just three days before the July 11 premiere that's been planned for months. The South Charleston Museum in West Virginia, which had agreed to show the documentary, "Coal Country," was backing out because of "concerns" about security at the event. Threats of protests meant the museum didn't want to take part in showing a film that offers an unbiased and frank portrait of coal and its impact and history in Appalachia.
When executive producer Mari-Lynn Evans (who produced the powerful documentary "The Appalachians" for PBS in 2005) got the bad news about the South Charleston Museum, she immediately sent an email to the local activists helping plan the premiere. By Thursday morning, a flurry of phone calls, emails, conference calls and meetings were taking place in a mad rush to find an alternate location to show the film.
"Coal Country" looks at the impacts and influence that coal mining has had in Appalachia. Interviews with activists, lawyers, coal company executives, miners, politicians and regulators weave a compelling tale about both sides of coal: from those who make a living mining it to those whose lives slowly are being destroyed by it. (Full disclosure: Earthjustice is a supporter of "Coal Country" and is helping underwrite the film.)
By Thursday afternoon, a cadre of activists vowed that the show must go on. Within a day, the venue was changed and scheduling recommenced. The film would still premiere July 11, now at the West Virginia Cultural Center in downtown Charleston. By show time on Saturday night, the theater at the Cultural Center was packed, about 100 people listened in from the lobby and about 200 more were turned away because the crowd was simply too big. As many coal miners attended as activists, and despite some vocal boos from the audience, no protests and no violence materialized.
What did happen is West Virginians were treated to a film that goes beyond one-sided arguments about coal mining in Appalachia. And throughout this summer and into the fall, more viewings will happen in Kentucky, California, Ohio, New York, Washington, D.C. The film may have its PBS premier as early as November, so stay tuned to this blog and Earthjustice alerts for more info about a showing near you.
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I'm from Illinois and we have a good amount of coal mining in this state.
I notice that there are no showings scheduled for Illinois.
Just a thought, but maybe it'd be a good thing to get one here.
My father grew up in Greenbriar County, WV. I spent my childhood vacations visiting relatives in the area, I love WV and the people there. My heart aches for those remaining because there are so few people standing up for their rights. So many young people have moved away, as my father did to find work. I just hope that the future will be brighter for this state, and that more people will stay and start businesses there, creating jobs and income for the West Virginians.
My father worked in the coal mines as a young man. He later worked in a factory as a welder, inhaling those fumes due to unsafe standards in the factories in those days. He also smoked cigarettes. All three are killers. He died at 67 years of age from lung cancer that was diagnosed when he was 62.
This is reality for the hard working miners, and factory workers who are exploited by the greedy owners who refuse to spend any of their blood money on safety equipment and better work practices.
My dad's generation and my generation are paying the price with early death.
Will we continue to watch as greed and corruption ruin the health and future of another generation?
I have flown over WV a handful of times and when you do you can see the beauty of the state out the window,,,,,,,...you see beautiful mountains carpeted by endless square miles of forest...then all the sudden in view from the distance comes a large ominous looking disturbance with this peaceful setting...as you get closer you can tell this is not natural...but something aweful that is manmade.....it is a strip mine where mountains are levelled for coal. This image is a catastrophe....it is appalling and a menace to the state of WV and the planet. You think it cannot happen in your state...your wrong....once the coal companies obliterate this state and ruin it forever...they will greedily eye your state for more coal...which in fact they are already doing in places such as Tennessee ....and they will shift to Virginia, PA, NC, NY at some point and have already in some small cases....SO if you think you are free of this menace...think again....they want coal, coal and more coal...cuz they are getting filthy rich at the expense of our natural surroundings and our planet....They could care less if we are left with a ruined planet at their causing...cuz when the worst effects kick in...they will likely be dead anyways...but during their life...they will have lined their pockets for short term gain...but ya know what...they are having kids also......and they are ruining our earth not only for our kids but their own as well....but yet they continue. This is how disgusting they are. They are like evil demonic forces operating within the bodies of these greedy coal industry execs and workers because I think they also have the objective of ruining this earth on all of us on PURPOSE. LETS ALL START TO WAKE UP AND DEMAND WE SHIFT AWAY FROM COAL.....and start creating green jobs and tourist industry jobs for the honest hardworking people sucked in by this KING coal menace. OUR EARTH IS DEPENDING US TO STAND UP TO THESE VILE, DESPICTABLE, GREEDY coal companies. Lets all wake up before its too late for all of us.............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amen, brother. Couldn't have said it better - thank you!
West Virginia should boast its eco-tourism and coal miners should be first in line for green jobs.
I also strongly believe that auto workers should be first in line for building lite-rail future transportation. I also strongly agree that mountian-top removal is not coal mining. I wish this story went national. My heart goes out to all the people in W.V.+ TN. Last Dec. Tennessee had the worst Toxic spill (100x worst than the Exxon Valdeez) . Is anyone aware that Exxon never paid the town or its residents a penny??!! I did'nt know that until a year ago.
P.S Care2 web-site has some positive actions re: mountain-top removal .
I live in Southern West Virginia and am surprised that I did not hear anything on our news about this and just now am learning about it. I live in a county that has a mix of home grown people and many people that have moved here to get away from big cities. There are people who care about the future of our state but the tough ecocnomic times have hit us hard. I would much rather see tourism become our main industry, but in some of our counties, the coal industry is the only way some people survive. It is a hard line for our politicians to walk.
Why can't we protect natural beauty??? How can we destroy 300 million year old mountains???
I agree that tourism is the way. And if there must be coal mining, dig deep within the earth even if it takes longer. Don't blow up the mountain tops!!!!
Don't destroy natural beauty that heals our hearts and minds.
Surprised Sandra?
How could you be surprised when all of your news chanels and newspaper agencies accept coal money? Investigate this. Write letters to the editor. See if any get published in their entirety.
The ONLY person I have heard to really garner a voice within your Charelston Gazette is Ken Ward the writer. I am certain the gazette even tempers & edits what he is able to say. WV, including your governor, Byrd, Rockefeller and Rahall all want this hushed up. It is so obvious to us on the outside. (I live in Md.) Sometimes when you are so close to the inside of the mess it is hard to see....you have been entrenched with the adversary.
Your politicians should honor the idea of retraining true coal miners for green jobs as was suggested by our Pres quite some time ago. Your Gov has chosen the lazy way out and done nothing in anticipation for this new day.
Your Mountain State is soon to be the Mountainless State and the only thing left to show for it will be a bunch of paid Massey Coal Thugs running around with tire irons in their hands.
Don't get sucked in by Friends of Coal! FOC's are not friends of the environment!
Ask the Gazette and your local tv stations (Beckley, Charleston etc.) to get on board with reporting ALL of the news, not just happy "Keep the Lights On News"!
Were has free speech gone in this country? And when will those in Government listen?
It is a crying shame how money scews the truth at everyone's expence.
I baffles me how some people seem to have a death wish for our planet.
I hope PBS is able to aire this documentory, and soon.
Unfortunately those who view these telling truths are alreadypart of the "chior".
Nameste America,
Odin
I am from Fairmont, WV. I understand being torn on this issue. As an activist for the beauty and health of my state, I don't want anymore mountain tops being blown up and leveled for mining and the by-products put into a stream it then ruins. My state is one of the most natural and beautiful states, IMHO, in the US.
But when I was growing up, my best friend's Dad worked in the mines. So did so many of my friend's families. I am sure if I go back to Fairmont today I will find few decent jobs that can support a family. The state has lost population every year, because the youth leave, due to so few options in the state. I have hoped for years for tourism to become an income producer for the state. But it is not enough right now.
West Virginians are proud, hard-working, independent folks. Stubborn runs in our genes. So many of our forebearers fought, and some died, to get unions into the mines. To make the conditions better for mine workers. I think we know the mines are bad in many ways for the state. Black Lung used to be common. But they are our mines and our business, and outsiders have always been looked on with suspicion in the past. So I understand both sides.
In the end this leaves me sad. For those who have to make the only living wage job they can find, and that is in the mines. But it leaves me sadder for my state, that is being devastated by the harmful impact of the mining. Save the state and hurt the people, or keep the mines and ruin the state. What a choice. In the end, for future generations, I say save the state. But I feel for the miner's and what it will mean for them.
Becky,
Be certain that you understand the difference between an honest working coal miner who works deep in the mines and a mountaintop removal dozer operator or explosives expert. There is a difference. I don't feel sorry one iota for those that have chose to rape the land vs those that chose to mine the old way. Investigate the difference. we need to shut down MTR operations. MTR is NOT COAL MINING!
Awful what's happening to the beautiful state of W. Va.! As a sportsman, gun-owner, fisherman, hiker and lover of nature, I can't believe some people of W.Va. are swallowing the spin mentality of "It's them liberals taking our jobs away from us!" Visit my WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY YARDS site and let me know if I can post this article on it. Robert http://wildlifefriendlylawn.blogspot.com/
Brave patriots! Stand up when you're shoved down. Strength to your sword arm!
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