The free event, which will feature guests including conservative TV and radio host Sean Hannity, rocker, author and gun rights advocate Ted Nugent and country music legend Hank Williams Jr., will be held on a reclamed mine site on 22 Mine Road near the Logan/Mingo county line.
The Friends of America rally is being described as a "Free Labor Day Festival to support American jobs."
It's being billed as a festival, concert and fair-like atmosphere with live music, food vendors and speeches.
In the wake of the recent Town Hall protesters across the country and the health care debate, the Tea Parties, the government bailouts, the stand against cap-and-trade, higher taxes and socialism, and President Barack Obama's job approval numbers falling below 50 percent, event organizers see an opportunity.
They also see a huge crowd coming.
How huge?
The official website, friendsofamericarally.com, says "join tens of thousands" at the event.
Tens of thousands?
That would be huge.
A coalition of local employers, coal companies and the Logan and Mingo County commissions, are sponsoring the event.
“Now more than ever, it is the time for working people and businesses to join together and speak up about the economic damage caused by an overreaching government," said Art Kirkendoll, president of the Logan County Commission, in a prepared statement. “The Friends of America rally is about standing up for our freedoms, our families and the American way of life.”
Nugent, an outspoken conservative activist, hunter and radio show host, will emcee the event.
He's not expected to sing any of his hit songs such as "Catscratch Fevor," but he might pick up his guitar and bang out a few runs.
Nugent co-hosted a similar Tea Party event on April 15 in San Antonio with Fox News TV commentator Glenn Beck.
Country music acts Halfway to Hazard, Taylor Made and Blackwater Outlaws are also scheduled to perform.
Lord Christopher Monckton, a former science adviser to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and critic of global warming, is also slated to speak.
The main sponsor of the event is Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship. He's reportedly footing the bill for the musical guests.
“America’s working families are under attack from several fronts," said Blankenship in a written statement. "America’s job providers and American workers must rally together and let our voices be heard. We are proud to provide Central Appalachia with good-paying jobs that cannot be outsourced, and we will continue to fight to make sure they aren’t taxed or regulated out of existence.”
The West Virginia Automobile and Truck Dealers Association are another event sponsor.
"Keeping jobs in America has to be the top priority for our leaders in Washington," said Ruth Lemmon, the president of the association. "American job providers and workers need to join together to ensure we can continue to provide for our families. This rally is being held to let Washington know that we support policies that support American jobs."
International Coal Group is also sponsoring the rally.
“We are glad to support the Friends of America rally. It’s a perfect opportunity to honor the contribution hard working Americans make to our economy, our communities and our country and to let those people have a voice in the public debate that affects them so deeply,” said Ben Hatfield, the CEO of International Coal Group, in a statement. “We are proud to stand with the men and women that fuel American industry, create American jobs and grow the American economy.”
The cap-and-trade bill, supported by President Obama, passed 219-212 in June by the U.S. House.
All three West Virginia representatives – Shelly Moore Capito-R, Nick Rahall-D, and Alan Mollohan-D, voted against the bill, dubbed as "cap-and-tax" by critics.
The House version of the bill is to reduce carbon emissions by 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050.
Most Republicans, conservatives, coal company operators and politicians in coal producing states, are against cap-and-trade and say that it will be devastating if passed into law. Jobs could be lost, energy costs could be dramatically higher for the average American citizen and the coal industry could be crippled.
"Our responsibility to the people of southern West Virginia is to protect jobs not only here in West Virginia but America as well, being the son and grandson of West Virginia coal miners, we must keep these jobs from being regulated out of existence by policies that would harm working families,” added John Hubbard, president of the Mingo County Commission.
The Friends of America rally will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 7 and is free and open to the public.
You must register online for your free guest pass.
To register for your guest pass and for more information visit the Friends of America Rally online at: www.friendsofamericarally.com.
With such a big crowd expected and with limited seating, guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. Shuttle buses will also be provided.
There will be limited parking at the event as well and each parked car is required to have a minimum of four passengers.
Blankenship is also scheduled to speak.
Event organizers are hoping to attract more nationally known speakers to the rally.
Hannity, a Fox News TV commentator, is no stranger to holding these kinds of rallies.
Hannity, the host of two of the highest rated cable TV shows – "Hannity" and "Hannity's America" – has hosted many country music-themed Freedom Concerts since 2003, billed to help benefit the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund, a charity created by Oliver North to provide college scholarships to children with a parent severely disabled or killed in military action.
Appearing artists have included Sara Evans, Martina McBride, Lee Greenwood, LeAnn Rimes, Montgomery Gentry, Darryl Worley, Charlie Daniels, Larry the Cable Guy, and Michael W. Smith.
Logan and Mingo have historically voted Democratic but Obama lost both counties during the 2008 Election. Only Boone County and six other West Virginia counties did not go to the John McCain/Sarah Palin ticket.
Both Logan and Mingo county went by wide margins to Hillary Clinton during the Democratic Primary.
The pro-union Labor Day rally in Racine has been held for decades. John Kerry (D-Massachusetts), spoke at the 2004 rally just before the presidential election.
What a joke.
You people are a joke.