West Virginia - Jezebel

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The Coal Miner's Daughter
Your Almost-Last-Minute Guide To Your State's Voter Supression Efforts
Sarah Palin, Pals Wave Goodbye To That Last Shred Of Respectability
Obama Is Winning Because Hipsters Stopped Hating Gwyneth Paltrow

A Little Gamemanship In Appalachia

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southernbelle
04/22/09

In reply to The Coal Miner's Daughter
Wonderful for posting this. I recently moved back to Appalachia after some time in CA, and it is amazing (and saddening) how much the landscape has changed since my youth. It's also sad just how tied people are to the companies and the mindset that this is the "only way."

I say all this being the daughter of my father, a proud "company man" who in fact runs a mine on the VA/WVA border. We have agreed to disagree on the issue.

But, I must say, I am both a latte drinker and a hillbilly, so I would remind Ms. Bonds that you can be both.
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ellaesther
04/22/09

In reply to The Coal Miner's Daughter
Thank you Megan for posting this. This is precisely the sort of thing that I would miss were if not for this blog, and it's a really important story.

I was particularly interested in the shout-out that she gave to minority communities outside of Chicago, who are suffering from the same mindset. Reading this on the same day that I'm reading about issues of environmental justice on The Root [www.theroot.com] is really, really interesting.

Man, I wish her and her compatriots only the best. Here's more information about Julia Bonds, for those who are interested: [www.goldmanprize.org] and here's a link to the organization of which she is co-director: [www.crmw.net]
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La Chica Lucy
04/22/09

In reply to The Coal Miner's Daughter
I stood for the union, walked in the line, fought against the company,

I stood for the UMW of A, now who's gonna stand for me?

Well I got no job, and I got no pay, just got a weary soul,

And this blue tattoo on the side of my head, left by the Number 9 coal.

Anyone? No? Okay.
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Newsgirl
04/22/09

In reply to The Coal Miner's Daughter
Yes! Stop strip mining, and save Appalachia. I'm a WVa coal miner's daughter. The companies are terrible.
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Newsgirl
04/22/09

@Leslie: And Ms. Julia looks like my Aunt, which makes me want to give her a hug even more.
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Flackette Goes Retro
04/23/09

@Leslie: I'm a Kentuckian, and I support her goals.
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VPea
04/22/09

In reply to The Coal Miner's Daughter
ugh and my stock in International Coal Company would sink even further. This bitch cares naught for my IRA!!!
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VPea
04/22/09

@VPea: or farther? whatever she is trying to make me po!
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greengrey
04/22/09

In reply to The Coal Miner's Daughter
What jobs would they have if they can't be coalminers anymore?
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cwisto moweina has got yer goat
04/22/09

@greengrey: *sighs*

just in case you're not being sarcastic:

modern coal mining does not employ many people. it's most mechanized and by the largest machine ever, which you can see here:

[www.swapmeetdave.com]
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Newsgirl
04/22/09

@greengrey: Coal companies and legislation giving them an OK to do whatever they want are strangling business development in West Virginia. If the legislation is fixed, taxes are spread evenly, then I really think new businesses will come in fast. There are tons of very hard working people in W Va who just need opportunities.
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Flackette Goes Retro
04/23/09

@greengrey: The automated mining doesn't provide many jobs, and the ones it does provide are dangerous, backbreaking, disability-inducing work.
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Ms. Crankypants
04/22/09

In reply to The Coal Miner's Daughter
"The phenomenon is a lot like battered-wife syndrome or Stockholm syndrome. The state has allowed the coal industry to create a mono-economy in West Virginia, which takes away a person's choices. They feel that the only thing they can do is mine coal."

This is the best explanation I've heard/read about the negativity that anti-coal activists face. Thanks for the link to the article Megan!
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Flackette Goes Retro
04/23/09

@Ms. Crankypants ... is in exam brain drain: She nailed it. That's why this Kentuckian wants some new alternative energy jobs in her state, to simultaneously provide employment and wean us from coal.
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Khrushchev
04/22/09

In reply to The Coal Miner's Daughter
Um, I find this really offensive towards people who sip lattes. Is she saying that we are elitist for not gulping down our lattes outright? Lattes are hot, Ms. Bonds. I don't want to burn my tongue. Get real.
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IceCreamIsAwesome
04/22/09

@Khrushchev: Seriously, what is all this trash talk lately about people sipping on their lattes?? I buy my latte at Sonic every morning, can I still be an elitist?
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snarkhunting is becoming a sarcastic bitch
11/01/08

In reply to Your Almost-Last-Minute Guide To Your State's Voter Supression Efforts
I have to admit to being sickly fascinated by the coming clusterfuck. On the other hand, I vote in PA, and all week I've been obsessing about what I'll have to move around in my schedule to get to my polling place in the afternoon, when I *think* the lines might be shorter. And hopefully the machines (the paper-trail-less machines) will be working.

Also, I apparently need to call the Ohio Board of Elections and tell them to DROP MY NAME FROM THEIR GODDAMN VOTER ROLLS, b/c they keep calling me (in Pennsylvania) about my vote. Ohio, yr doin' it wrong. (Then again, I was a white person registered in a wealthy Republican town...their favorite flavor of voter.)
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CherriSpryte
11/01/08

In reply to Your Almost-Last-Minute Guide To Your State's Voter Supression Efforts
For what its worth, IFES, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, which is one of the biggest/most awesome election monitoring organization in the world, IS active in the US - [www.ifes.org] - they're clearly saying that they want to do more, but its kind of encouraging that they're active at all?

Also, our election problems, while ridiculous, are nothing compared to some parts of the world ...

I know the diebold machines are outdated and horrible and inefficient, but this is the first time i'm not voting by absentee and i'm really really looking forward to using an actual voting machine :)
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Jack_Burton
11/01/08

In reply to Your Almost-Last-Minute Guide To Your State's Voter Supression Efforts
Back in 2004, my Grandma called me up on Election Day and told me there was a bomb threat in downtown PHX that evacuated a K-8 school and closed a polling place. I Googled it a bunch of times that day and watched the news @ 6 and 10 - no mention.

The next day, I found a website of a TUC (90 miles away form PHX) TV station that mentioned it. So I called the Sheriff's PR Sergeant and she confirmed it... Started to make me wonder what would happen if such a tactic might have been employed nationally, or even just statewide, targeting very specific polling places, but never got any coverage. Scary.
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Trixie from Toronto
10/31/08

In reply to Your Almost-Last-Minute Guide To Your State's Voter Supression Efforts
What fucking kills me is this: This is how the Republicans want to win? By stopping people from voting? So that even if they're in power, the majority of the population doesn't want them there? The mind boggles.

Also: Democracy, it ain't that difficult and the U.S. is not a banana republic. Other countries manage to hold elections without all this shit. The Republicans should be ashamed of themselves. Amoral soulless dickwads.
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CherriSpryte
11/01/08

@Trixie from Toronto: Its worked for the Republicans before!
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Beat Girl
11/03/08

@Trixie from Toronto: While I'm sure there are Republicans out there who are completely pissed that their party won't stay the course of fairness, let's be honest... it worked for Bush last time.

Political memories are horribly short, thankfully Dems tend to be better at the 'Lest we forget' rule and actually LEARN LESSONS.

Sorry for getting all Caps-y. I'm so stressed by needing Obama to landslide this, and I'm from the friggin UK!
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Scout
10/31/08

In reply to Your Almost-Last-Minute Guide To Your State's Voter Supression Efforts
Voting needs to be put in the hands of Google.

Anyhow, if these states succeed ... there IS always Canada, eh?
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J.D.Regent
10/31/08

In reply to Your Almost-Last-Minute Guide To Your State's Voter Supression Efforts
Damn Megan earns her salary. This is awesome and obvs took a ton of research and is better than anything in the MSM. Good job!!
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Cesybabe or Nirvanah Crane
10/31/08

In reply to Your Almost-Last-Minute Guide To Your State's Voter Supression Efforts
I wont be sending my friend this. She's already spitting tacks about the fact her absentee vote for Ohio was not accepted for some unknown reason. She may hit the roof if she realises that Ohio is the biggest swingiest state.
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