<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Daring protesters target mountaintop-removal sites]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by randino http://www.grist.org/article/breaking-daring-mountaintop-removal-dragline-action/ Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:01:08 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/breaking-daring-mountaintop-removal-dragline-action/1 We see in Washington and Bonn the lackluster results of an activism that is dependant on the Internet and e-mail.  These are tools that are important, but they can also be alienating and isolating and worst of all of questionable efficacy.  We have to get people out from behind their laptops and computer terminals, and rebuild the face to face activism of old.  Now some people would say the people in Iran are showing the power of twitter.  But what got people out in the street were the dumb ass mullahs shutting down the Internet.  A move I hope they come to regret.  People facing people, talking to them in person, building relationships, wearing out shoe leather, taking to the streets and taking the streets from the powers that be, taking risks - that is what democracy and change looks like. 

The people in West Virginia know that the internet is not going to save their mountains and communities.  They are doing it the old fashioned way.  The only way that has ever worked. 

Randy Cunningham  Cleveland, OH.

 

]]> We see in Washington and Bonn the lackluster results of an activism that is dependant on the Internet and e-mail.  These are tools that are important, but they can also be alienating and isolating and worst of all of questionable efficacy.  We have to get people out from behind their laptops and computer terminals, and rebuild the face to face activism of old.  Now some people would say the people in Iran are showing the power of twitter.  But what got people out in the street were the dumb ass mullahs shutting down the Internet.  A move I hope they come to regret.  People facing people, talking to them in person, building relationships, wearing out shoe leather, taking to the streets and taking the streets from the powers that be, taking risks - that is what democracy and change looks like. 

The people in West Virginia know that the internet is not going to save their mountains and communities.  They are doing it the old fashioned way.  The only way that has ever worked. 

Randy Cunningham  Cleveland, OH.

 

]]> Comment #2 by Tyler Durden http://www.grist.org/article/breaking-daring-mountaintop-removal-dragline-action/ Sat, 20 Jun 2009 01:28:10 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/breaking-daring-mountaintop-removal-dragline-action/2 Blowing up mountains in order remove a substance that will be burned and create massive pollution, which among other things is a major cause of global climate change, is a perfect analogy of the lack of respect that modern humans have for the Earth.  You can't just blame the coal companies; everyone who uses electricity and does not supply their own with solar cells and/or wind generators is at least somewhat responsible.

Mountain top removal mining is a totally evil, disgusting practice.  But it's not the only one, and is a logical result of a species that has almost totally disconnected itself from the natural world.  Randy is right that people need to get into the streets in massive numbers and stay there until we get major changes, but very few people are willing to do that.  What's really needed is a major change of humans' attitudes toward the natural world.  Without that, it will just be more of the same until the natural world is so destroyed that it will no longer support human life.

]]> Blowing up mountains in order remove a substance that will be burned and create massive pollution, which among other things is a major cause of global climate change, is a perfect analogy of the lack of respect that modern humans have for the Earth.  You can't just blame the coal companies; everyone who uses electricity and does not supply their own with solar cells and/or wind generators is at least somewhat responsible.

Mountain top removal mining is a totally evil, disgusting practice.  But it's not the only one, and is a logical result of a species that has almost totally disconnected itself from the natural world.  Randy is right that people need to get into the streets in massive numbers and stay there until we get major changes, but very few people are willing to do that.  What's really needed is a major change of humans' attitudes toward the natural world.  Without that, it will just be more of the same until the natural world is so destroyed that it will no longer support human life.

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