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By Judy Bonds
Coal River Mountain Watch
As a child growing up in the coal fields of Southern West Virginia,
I felt nurtured and protected by my family and these ancient mountains.
Protected from the outside world that I would later find---considered
me an ignorant hillbilly.
It has taken a lifetime to fit together the pieces of the puzzle--
the people that exploited Appalachia--the coal and land barons--stereotyped
us in order to justify the treatment of my people--to make us the
"national sacrifice zone" for America's cheap energy. I
have denied it many times but, my people are the unwanted bastard
children of America! It took the sturdiest, hardiest people to settle
the steep, mountainous region that I call home. A testament to the
men and women of central Appalachia.
Then came the great "land grab"-- coal and land barons came
to steal. cheat, and murder -- to take our land -- take our coal,
timber and the money out of state to their homes --for their well
dressed children and their well kept mansions. Appalachian women stood
strong -- we watched our mates and our young male children, some age
10 -- slave in the masters' mines.. beside their fathers -- they died
like flies in inhuman and unsafe working conditions.
The land grab and the unsafe working conditions left many women widows
-- to raise their families as single mothers-- as best they could.
We endured! These masters put us in shanties to live and when my people
cried out for justice --the coal barons evicted our families. We set
up tents and we endured the agony of our children freezing to death...many
many of our children died in the mine wars.
We survived "Bull Moose Specials"-- When coal companies
used hired "guards" and security agents to shoot into our
tents and murder our men, women and children. Appalachian women stood
strong and faced the "beast" that invaded our land. We stood
and fought beside our men for basic human rights. We finally won a
Union -- better wages -- safer working conditions -- but coal mining
still a dangerous job -- maimed our men, shortened their lives, broke
their bodies and spirits and blackened their lungs.
Born in 1952, I barely remember the twice weekly foraging at night,
my mother, older sisters would sometimes take me to forage for coal
that had fallen off the train -- along the tracks -- in our hollow,
we did this so our family would not freeze. Work stoppage was frequent
still in the coal fields --the union helped, but the inhuman treatment
from the coal companies still happenened. The women walked picket
lines and went to jail with the men. Through my mothers and community
elders storytelling I came to realize that all this coal was OURS--
these companies had stolen our coal, our land, our heritage, our humanity!!!!
Stories of hardship, strife and of Mother Jones and strong women that
fought back by merely living and staying put in our homeland---we
stood strong, we endured.
Now we have come almost full circle with those that would erase the
last of my people--my history, my heritage and my children's future.
Today we fight the final battle--Appalachia's last stand!!!!
Four men and a dragline is taking ALL that we have left. Mountaintop
removal is Mountaineer Removal. Removing all -- Our culture, heritage,
home, communities, streams, forests, our children's future and our
beloved mountains. These mountains sustain us -- hunting, fishing,
medicinal herbs, berries, food and abundant water..we didn't and wouldn't
need anything -- if only these mountains and hollows stayed intact.
These mountains give us FREEDOM!!!! We are part of these mountains
and they are part of us--We are one!!! We are connected to this ancient
reverent land and the women of Appalachia, again, stands strong and
like the "ironweeds", our roots run deep -- TRY AND MOVE
US !!!!
I have been asked many times -- "Why the women in Appalachia
are leading this battle"? I can only suggest the answer is our
STRENGTH -- from our ancestral mothers and grandmothers - -the nurturing
instincts to protect our children -- their future -- our homes--our
culture. WE WILL FIGHT WITH OUR LAST BREATH TO PROTECT!!!! This is
GOD's land and HE leads us.
Judy Bonds
Coal River Mountain Watch
(304) 854-2182
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