I’m currently reading “The Battle of Blair Mountain”  and it is turning out to be quite the history lesson of West Virginia, the labor movement and the corruption of  government at all levels- most of which probably isn’t in any history books that our students read at school.  I’m only half way through it, but already it has been quite the eye opener to the atrocities committed by our government in years past.

From the local sheriffs offices, to the state government right up to the federal level, the amount of horrendous absurdities of justice really amazes me.  I haven’t even gotten to the major battle between the citizens of Mingo County and the federal government yet and already I’m shocked at the loss of liberties these people had to endure.  The pig headed Governor Morgan finally got his way and had a martial law declared and federal troops brought in for about the fourth time is when the rights of citizens really vanished- of course only the citizens sympathetic to the union- that is.  You weren’t allowed to have a union meeting- 3 union members, not even discussing union business, were arrested for having a meeting.   Numerous people were arrested for reading union publications.  The troops went in and destroyed the presses and other printing equipment of one such publication.  Everyone “caught” doing something “illegal” was arrested and held without due process, sometimes for as long as weeks or months and those not guilty of anything were just let go-after being caged up for nothing!  I could go on and on here, but I’ll save it for my full review on the book in the coming weeks.

How does this relate to mountaintop removal you might ask?

The reason for all of the things I stated above is the same today as it was then.  Big Coal- Massey Energy- buying up any politicians that were then, and still are, for sale.  Back then it was the Governor’s of West Virginia.  Now it is the State Supreme Court Justices.  Really, this goes on in all parts of government here in the U.S. , but it sure seems to have a very long and dated history in West Virginia.  Back then, the union screwed it self politically and it still feels the effects today.  Now, they are screwing themselves again- all because of politics.  What really has changed?  The playing field is still West Virginia.  Sure, the faces have changed, but it is still the coal barons buying the government.