Silly Coal Commercials, Talking Bugs, Not Fooling Anyone

Jan. 2, 2008, letter to the editor in the Huntington Herald-Dispatch

I recently saw a commercial paid for by Friends of Coal and Walker Machinery. A news anchor asks a computer-generated insect about water conditions in a "reclaimed" strip of mine. The bug replies that the water is fine and there is no danger. He hints that the area is beautiful and viewers should agree due to the use of coal in electricity generation.

The whole scene was so absurd I though it was a sort of spoof, but to my utter disgust, it was a real advertisement supported by Friends of Coal. There is no limit to the lengths coal companies and their affiliates will go to attempt to convince Appalachians the havoc they are wreaking is beneficial. Piped water that requires constant chemical treatment is not safe. Poor soil that will only support invasive non-native grasses is not OK. Just ask any botanist or ecologist. Fatcat coal execs are exploiting us and destroying our most valuable asset, and they think we are too stupid to notice.

We as Appalachians need to tell these coal company execs to get the heck out of our state and make it very clear we are not their friends.

Crystal Kendrick
Huntington, WV

Jan. 22, 2008, letter to the editor in the Huntington Herald-Dispatch

Do the Friends of Coal really think the court cases on valley fills and mountaintop removal are all about bugs? If so, they weren’t paying attention. If not, they’re trying to mislead the people of West Virginia.

Do they really think we’re foolish enough to fall for their silly commercials? Do they really expect us to believe that bugs, and presumably any other living creature, are temporarily relocated while the streams and valleys are buried, and then that they’re moved back to the "wonderful reclamation?"

What Walker Machinery and Friends of Coal neglect to mention is that these court cases are about protecting human communities and the natural resources needed to support them. Through the commercials, Friends of Coal is trying to influence the courts and the Legislature to ignore or weaken the laws that preserve future generations’ chances for a decent quality of life.

These commercials are an insult to the people, the Legislature and the courts. The Friends of Coal, including Gov. Joe Manchin, obviously think that we mountain residents are nothing more than bugs. Let’s all pray that justice prevails.

Vernon Haltom
Naoma, WV

Jan. 29, 2008, letter to the editor in the Beckley Register-Herald

I can’t watch another one of these stupid Walker Machinery bug commercials without "going Elvis" and shooting my TV. Do they really think they can convince the audience that we’re fighting to end mountaintop removal mining just for the sake of Mr. Bug’s habitat?What am I saying? Of course they do. That’s why they’re running the ads. They do think we’re that stupid.

I want to let everyone know that the other habitat that we’re fighting for is our habitat. You know, those of us who live with a valley fill in our backyard, or a slurry impoundment hovering above our communities, homes and schools, or have lost our well water because of blasting. That’s whose habitat we’re trying to save! Their attempt to trivialize our fight to save our homes is pathetic. So go ahead and spend that money on these stupid commercials. We know you’ve got it to spend. But most West Virginians are not that stupid. By the way, Beth Walker, the wife of Walker Machinery's executive vice president, is running for Supreme Court. Gee, I bet she would be as impartial to the coal industry as Spike Maynard and Brent Benjamin. Yeah, right.

James Tawney
Summersville, WV