Editor,

On December 3, 2009 Senator Robert Byrd published an opinion piece entitled, “Coal Must Embrace The Future”.

In it he attempts to convince West Virginian coal miners that we should stop fighting for our industry and our jobs. In this spineless declaration of surrender, Byrd makes some of the most absurd and uninformed statements imaginable by someone who is supposed to be a representative of a coal producing state. He writes, “Let’s speak the truth.

The most important factor in maintaining coal-related jobs is demand for coal”, (implying that there is little or no demand for coal). Then two paragraphs later he writes, “Let’s speak a little more truth here. No deliberate effort to do away with the coal industry could ever succeed in Washington because there is no available alternative energy supply that could immediately supplant the use of coal for base load power generation in America.“ What? Which is it Blubbering Bob? Is there no demand for coal … or is there no available alternative? It can’t be both!

Again, I prefer facts. As of today, coal still supplies 50 percennt of the energy resource for the entire nation. How can any sane person imply there is no “demand” for coal? Then he writes, “To deny the mounting science of climate change is to stick our heads in the sand and say “deal me out”. What evidence are you referring to ole wise one? Which of the “experts” are you using as your basis for this “mounting science”? Is it Obama’s Environmental Advisor Van Jones (you remember, the guy who recently resigned for being caught on tape touting the virtues of Communism and claiming the USA actually flew the planes into the Twin Towers). Say, Bob … is that your expert? Or maybe it is one of the half dozen scientists who were caught forging documents to support the man made global warming hoax? Or maybe it’s the smartest man in the world, Al Gore! Who is it that has so enlightened you Bob?

By the way, did you know Senator Byrd that Mars is warming at almost the exact same rate as the earth? Is burning coal causing that too? Which evil Coal Company built a coal fired power plant on Mars Bob? Hmm? Next, Bob writes, “The truth is that some form of climate legislation will likely become public policy because most American voters want a healthier environment”. Clearly the implication here is that we stupid West Virginia coal miners are not part of the "most American voters" because we don’t care about our environment.

Thanks Bob for believing in us. We really are so stupid that we would gladly destroy our own communities and our children’s inheritance just so we could have a job today. Seriously Bob, it is only washed up politicians like you, who still want to be a part of the power in Washington that act this way. You willingly forget your inheritance, turn your back on your constituents and become a mouthpiece for evil.

You mention the “truth” several times in your editorial Bob. You want the truth? Here it is … You are the problem Bob, not we coal miners who once supported you. You are a disgrace to our State and you need to resign now.

Gary Lee Corns

Logan