Appalachian Blues

Dear Citizens of the World,                                                                                  April 2, 2010


Today my blog is going to be an appeal... "...during my 50 years on this planet, I have seen jungles, forests, centuries old stands of trees disappear."


While creating a presentation for my Speech class in University, it occurred to me that I have been here while entire Peoples have been wiped out.


I had only thought of habitat and species in terms of; them! Those Ivory Billed Woodpeckers, that African Jungle system, that beautiful stand of trees that may not exist in many places.That Ocean, that Coral Reef... It is serious folks. If other People cease to matter, cease to exist, consider it will not be long before most of us follow.


The rich, lush, gorgeous biodiversity of the Appalachians enriched the whole earth at one time. Mountain people are rare, because Mountains are viewed by very few with Dollar signs in their eyes and that is all that matters.


Mountaintop Removal is like 10 million amputations on one body. This announcement by the EPA today* has moved me to beg, on my knees for people to care that another civilization is about to be wiped out.


Natural resources that will be taken for the Coal-fire energy industry to make a godawful profit. The make a little electricity for the amount of material harvested. Jobs are not lasting or many. At the end there is the giant mess for all citizens to live with, or clean up. Energy production does not have to be this costly.


The lightening fast removal of formations (mountains are created by movements of the earth's plates) that took at least 2500 Million years to form is like poking a mountain size giant in the eye with a stick. 


The Appalachians and the Ouachita Mountain Range are close in Age. Peoples settled in these mountainous areas hundreds of years ago. The Appalachian People are of this mountain range. They are of an ancient society that took and gave, but loved their mountains.


 Modern society would disregard the gifts and mystical tones we have gotten from this melding of Geology, Geography and tradition in the Appalachians, but it is invaluable. 


Mountaintop removal is a raping of a land, and the destruction of a society. It is a filthy way to provide power. The by-products of the Coal powered energy, that is ripped from these majestic formations are toxic, plentiful and using more good land for stockpiling. This is not wise. It must stop.


Have the Appalachian Peoples gained more in financial incentives to their ultimate destruction? We had a lot of Ozark Peoples displaced by the encroachment of 'civilization' to the mountains. Hillbillies are fun to poke fun at, but they are more than the public gives them credit for. Them mostly live green (except for the washing machines piled up in the yard- lol). Those people; "those hillbillies" weren't exterminated, but their way of life was. They knew how to take from the Earth to live, but they also knew they must give back.


Every culture that is destroyed when their habitat is destroyed should raise alarms aplenty, but there is little notice. The other example that will never leave my heart is what happened to the American Natives and all of their habitats during the last 200+ years. The Native Peoples respected the Earth and all of Earth's resources. They took, but respectfully gave back.


What destroyed the Native People was, what some will call "progress". And of course, greed. We have warned time and again, we are harming the Earth to our own destruction. It is true. No one wants to believe that or really consider it, but we must stop unwise landuse practices from today on.


*Please have your voice heard. Today's Announcement by the EPA: "News Releases By Date: EPA Issues Comprehensive Guidance to Protect Appalachian Communities From Harmful Environmental Impacts of Mountaintop Mining". Contact EPA Press Office, press@epa.gov


Usually, there is a contact given...


Instead here is a link to young activists who are making a difference...
http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2010/03/18/lisa-jackson%E2%80%99s-reaction-to-mountaintop-removal-activist-lock-down-at-epa/


Here is the link to EPA's recent information on steps to regulate Mountaintop Removal http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/guidance/mining.html#memo20100401


Thank You for everything you do! Thank you for random kindness. Thank you for healing the people and land.