Who opposes coal miners?

No one except the crazy, misguided people at Westboro Baptist Church – who are currently bringing their hate parade to your corner of West Virginia.

Appalachian Voices condemns these lunatics and anyone else who would use this tragedy as some sort of opportunity to denigrate the incredible sacrifice and service that coal miners have given to their communities, their states, and their country.

We said it yesterday, but it bears repeating:

There ought be a monument to America’s coal miners in every town and city in the United States. As Jeff Goodell says, coal helped the US win two world wars and build the strongest national economy the world has ever seen. But, Appalachia can no longer be a national sacrifice zone. Our miners, our mountains, and our communities are non-negotiable.