Editor,

This newspaper’s recent editorial calling for a boycott of a concert featuring Kathy Mattea, Emmylou Harris, Patti Griffin, Dave Matthews, Buddy Miller and others is yet another example of disrespect and contempt toward those that are trying to put an end to the insanity of mountaintop removal.

Mountaintop removal is destroying Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky. Thank God these legendary artists have taken notice and are standing up for the people that are forced to live beneath this toxic nightmare and under the thumb of greedy out of state coal barons. The Logan Banner’s reaction to this concert is typical of the plantation mentality the coal industry has had toward Appalachian People since they began plundering our resources more than a hundred and twenty five years ago.

For most of the past it has been the coal miner that was sacrificed, used as nothing more than a tool to be thrown away and replaced after it was worn out or forced to move because the mine where the miner worked was mined out. Today, entire mountain communities are being sacrificed because of the greed of a few. And these few have taken a dark turn toward hatred of those that are taking a stand for America’s Appalachian Mountains.

Boycott Emmylou Harris because she is standing up for her heritage and culture? That’s nonsense and no one is buying it. Resorting to insults and calling Kathy Mattea names has proven to be a total back-fire as the Banner’s own poll numbers confirm in calling for a boycott. An overwhelming majority of readers have said they would not boycott this concert.

America is a big country and American’s everywhere are quickly learning about mountaintop removal; and they are shocked. There is no excuse for mountaintop removal, and it will soon be over.

Someday, not that long from now, children will read about this time in American history and thank Kathy Mattea, Emmylou Harris, and all the other artists and local mountain community people that came together to protect the rights of a free people to live and breathe clean air and drink clean clear water from these beautiful Appalachian Mountains.

Bo Webb

Naoma

www.loganbanner.com

Poll Results

Question: Would you support a boycott of singers like Kathy Mattea, Patti Loveless, and Dave Matthews who are against mountaintop removal coal mining?

Votes: 1159

Results: 60 percent “No”; 40 percent “Yes”