‘True patriot’ believes in people’s rights



I write this letter in disgust after reading Mannix Porterfield’s recent interview with Gov. Manchin. I do not write in disgust with Mr. Porterfield, because he continues to be a credible writer in my book. My disgust lies with this governor who continues in a most despicable way to ignore those of us who are subjected daily to the dangers of mountaintop removal. Some of us West Virginia, United States citizens live directly below this carnage.

We are being blasted. We live in fear of being crushed by an avalanche of mountain waste or a runaway boulder. Daily, we breathe blasting dust laden with diesel fuel and silicon. We brace ourselves in fear of this coming spring when the rains may flood the rock and mud rubble from mountaintop removal down upon us.

This governor has the audacity to trivialize the intentions of those of us trying to save our lives. To say only true environmentalists will work with government is ridiculous. Everyone is an environmentalist and I consider myself one.

But beyond that, I consider myself a true patriot. More than anything else I believe in the people’s rights. Our forefathers, when writing our glorious Constitution, never intended for the people to be subservient to corporate interest; and they placed safeguards within the Constitution to prevent that. But, over time and with help from corrupt courts and corrupt politicians, our rights have been stripped aside as our mountains have been stripped away.

We have allowed this to happen because of our lack of will to stand with our fellow Americans when their rights have been abused and denied. If Gov. Joe Manchin were willing to do his job and protect the people, we would not be seeking help from outside this state. I will continue to call on all good people to come to our aid until mountaintop removal is banned.

I call on Joe Manchin to start acting like a leader and quit sounding like a corporate lobbyist.

Massey Energy is destroying the Coal River Valley. They are blowing our mountains up, scooping out the coal and selling it across this country and to foreign lands, some to countries that are not exactly our best friends. Our lives are placed in danger for the primacy of profit and Joe Manchin is being complacent in his duties to protect us, our resources, and our land.

This governor now has confirmed his view of us as sub status to his social group. We in the Coal River Valley have been deemed expendable by our own government and I challenge the first politician that says that ain’t so to stand up and prove it not true.

“If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains set lightly upon you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” — Samuel Adams



Bo Webb

Naoma