By: Erin Gingerich, ENGL 336-001
Wafting smells of kettle corn, fresh apple cider, and white chili weren’t the only reason the Frostburg community flocked to the Appalachian Festival on September 17th. Tables were set out with hand-crafted wooden figurines, paintings, and jewelry. Looking around at the crowd, one might spot the woman walking around with a cat on a leash or the tall man wearing a kilt, two very unique sights for the FSU campus. Sounds of fiddles, banjos, and guitars echoed through the upper quad along with the shrieks of children delighted at the puppet show. Paula Swearengin and Marilyn Mullens came for a more serious reason: to educate others about the destruction and danger of mountaintop removal.
Both Swearengin and Mullens spoke on behalf of the “Keeper of the Mountains Foundation,” of which they are both passionate members. Mullens grew up in West Virginia, where she experienced the effects of coal mining first-hand. She explains, “When you live in this all your life… it’s all you know.” Mullens described to the audience how mountaintop removal buries freshwater streams and destroys forests. She explained that coal miners use dynamite to blast a path to the coal, and many of these coal mines are within close proximities to homes, including her own. Because of the dynamite explosives, Mullens’ house was pushed off its foundation, costing her family nine thousand dollars. Mullens discussed the toxins that the coal mines release into the air and how people that live in the area have no safety equipment to protect themselves. Mullens said, “The coal companies don’t care who we are.”
Swearengin grew up with both a father and a grandfather employed in the coal mines. She told the audience that she was often asked, “How can you bite the hand that feeds you?” Her response was, “I don’t feel it’s fed me.” Swearengin has watched her grandfather die of black lung and her stepfather fight every day with heart disease. Swearengin is a single mother and has watched her children develop asthma from the bad air quality. She says, “They can poison my children without my will,” referring to the coal mining industry. She explained that trying to get the attention of government officials has been a hardship because many officials desire the support of these wealthy coal companies. In poorer areas of West Virginia, Swearengin explained that people had no other choice but risking their lives in the coal mines to feed their families. Many home owners that live around mining cites are often bought out and forced to leave, even though many of them have lived there their whole lives. Swearengin said, “If you don’t leave, you have to put up with it.” This could mean putting up with dangerous toxins in the air, unclean water, and house damage.
According to the “Keeper of the Mountains Foundation” website, www.mountainkeeper.org, their mission statement says that they want “to educate and inspire people to work for healthier, more sustainable mountain communities and an end to mountaintop removal.” Swearengin and Mullens encouraged the audience to take a stand against this devastating situation that these Appalachian people and their environment are plagued with; both women spoke about how writing letters to political officials or educating others about this situation can bring much-needed change. Swearengin and Mullens are two advocates not only of stopping the destruction of the mountainous ranges of West Virginia but of stopping the destruction of human life.
Wafting smells of kettle corn, fresh apple cider, and white chili weren’t the only reason the Frostburg community flocked to the Appalachian Festival on September 17th. Tables were set out with hand-crafted wooden figurines, paintings, and jewelry. Looking around at the crowd, one might spot the woman walking around with a cat on a leash or the tall man wearing a kilt, two very unique sights for the FSU campus. Sounds of fiddles, banjos, and guitars echoed through the upper quad along with the shrieks of children delighted at the puppet show. Paula Swearengin and Marilyn Mullens came for a more serious reason: to educate others about the destruction and danger of mountaintop removal.
Both Swearengin and Mullens spoke on behalf of the “Keeper of the Mountains Foundation,” of which they are both passionate members. Mullens grew up in West Virginia, where she experienced the effects of coal mining first-hand. She explains, “When you live in this all your life… it’s all you know.” Mullens described to the audience how mountaintop removal buries freshwater streams and destroys forests. She explained that coal miners use dynamite to blast a path to the coal, and many of these coal mines are within close proximities to homes, including her own. Because of the dynamite explosives, Mullens’ house was pushed off its foundation, costing her family nine thousand dollars. Mullens discussed the toxins that the coal mines release into the air and how people that live in the area have no safety equipment to protect themselves. Mullens said, “The coal companies don’t care who we are.”
Swearengin grew up with both a father and a grandfather employed in the coal mines. She told the audience that she was often asked, “How can you bite the hand that feeds you?” Her response was, “I don’t feel it’s fed me.” Swearengin has watched her grandfather die of black lung and her stepfather fight every day with heart disease. Swearengin is a single mother and has watched her children develop asthma from the bad air quality. She says, “They can poison my children without my will,” referring to the coal mining industry. She explained that trying to get the attention of government officials has been a hardship because many officials desire the support of these wealthy coal companies. In poorer areas of West Virginia, Swearengin explained that people had no other choice but risking their lives in the coal mines to feed their families. Many home owners that live around mining cites are often bought out and forced to leave, even though many of them have lived there their whole lives. Swearengin said, “If you don’t leave, you have to put up with it.” This could mean putting up with dangerous toxins in the air, unclean water, and house damage.
According to the “Keeper of the Mountains Foundation” website, www.mountainkeeper.org, their mission statement says that they want “to educate and inspire people to work for healthier, more sustainable mountain communities and an end to mountaintop removal.” Swearengin and Mullens encouraged the audience to take a stand against this devastating situation that these Appalachian people and their environment are plagued with; both women spoke about how writing letters to political officials or educating others about this situation can bring much-needed change. Swearengin and Mullens are two advocates not only of stopping the destruction of the mountainous ranges of West Virginia but of stopping the destruction of human life.
Citation for www.mountainkeeper.org:
Gibson, Larry, and Danny Chiotos. "Keeper of the Mountain Foundation." Web log post. Http://mountainkeeper.blogspot.com/. Keeper of the Mountains Foundation, 2010. Web.
Gibson, Larry, and Danny Chiotos. "Keeper of the Mountain Foundation." Web log post. Http://mountainkeeper.blogspot.com/. Keeper of the Mountains Foundation, 2010. Web.
2 comments:
hey - great blog post and I'm glad that you got a lot out of Marilyn & Paula's time in Frostburg! I'm with the Keeper of the Mountains Foundation and I'm wondering whether it would be ok to cross post this blog on our website at www.mountainkeeper.org?
Please do, Mr. Chiotos. You'll find as you look around the blog that other students also wrote about your foundation and mountaintop removal in their festival coverage. You're welcome to cross-post those, too. Please credit the authors and The Frostburg New Day, and send us links when you get a chance.
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