|
It is said that coal is the backbone of this nation. If this is true, then why must these miners work in unsafe conditions? Why is safety not a major concern? Why does it take an explosion like Sago for those in charge to begin to look at safety issues. The Sago Mine explosion brought out facts such as mines in the Appalachian coalfields are 20 years behind in communications. It was said that we can communicate with someone on the moon but we cannot talk to a trapped miner a mile away.
During the Sago Mine Disaster the entire nation became obsessed with West Virginia coal miners and their families. It appeared miners in the West Virginia coalfields were discovered for the first time. News media came forth with questions such as why would anyone go in a coal mine to work?
For those of us living in the coalfields, the answers are pretty simple. For one thing, it is a job. Sometimes the pay is more than what can be expected from other industries in West Virginia. People here have deep roots. This as close as you can get to many of the old countries. The remote area has kept the traditions and mountain heritage alive.
Workers do not want to leave the West Virginia coalfields, uprooting families to live in unfamiliar surroundings. Miners say they will crawl in two-foot coal so that they can raise their families here, hunt, fish, raise gardens and stay close to relatives. The traditions of the mountain people are special and different. When people do leave they are often dissatisfied and long for the simple mountain life. Appalachia is a subculture.
The narrow hollows where the people live are surrounded by beautiful tall green mountains which act as a shelter for the people – emotionally as well as physically. The remoteness of the area brings the people together as a family. Strong religious convictions give these people the strength to survive tragedies such as the Sago mine disaster.
Mining is often a family tradition, grandfather, father and son. It is the only life they know. They love the coolness of Mother Earth. The humming machines are music to their ears. The physical demands are considered manly traits of which they are proud.
The Appalachian coalfields are filled with black gold and a mysterious group of people called miners. The Sago Mine Disaster gave the world a view of this special group of mountain people who are strong, resilient, and depend on each other and their strong religious convictions to get through the struggles and tragedies they face.
