While I have had concerns about
actions I have seen taken that affect the mining industry, I have had greater
concern about the blatant racism that is so overwhelming in today's coal
industry in West Virginia (not that it has ever really left, but it was more
bearable for about 30 years).
I have watched how educated,
experienced mine applicants like myself are openly discriminated against while
jokes are made about the reasoning for the discrimination. Ain't nothing worse
than ignorance, and maybe nothing worse than an ignorant bigot.
In addition to the open racism, many
of these companies hiring officers would rather hire functional drug addicts
that take shortcuts when it comes to safety than hire personnel with excellent
safety records who have actual training at what they do in the mining industry
(or any other field for that matter).
Since returning to West Virginia in
2008 after 20+ years of working worldwide, I AM often disgusted at what I see
around me. And this disgust permeates every aspect of life in this state; from
church to work to even the school system that our children are exposed to.
My family has been in West Virginia
since the 1850's and many men in my family have worked in the mining industry
in the state starting with my 2nd great grandfather Nicholas Walters from Moundsville,
West Virginia. I have found myself wondering what adversity did he and other
men of color deal with in mining then when there were NO laws against
discrimination at all? Though there were no laws against discrimination,
certain positions were relegated to men of color, while other positions were
often off-limits to those same men.
There is still an element today in
mining (and other industries) that strongly feels that a person of color is NOT
qualified to manage or supervise, even when that person has been in supervisory
positions and has the credentials to boot.
So, while I dislike the often
oppressive measures that government has been using towards the mining industry,
I AM more concerned with the oppression often heaped at myself and other qualified
men of color by those same managers, supervisors and employees that feel that I
and my family are not worthy to earn a living from the mining industry because
they don't like my eye color, the way I talk, or the vehicle I drive. As if any
of those things should matter when it comes to good hiring & business
practices???
And for the record, many of these
people in the mining industry did NOT vote for President Obama or his
environmental policies, they voted for Republicans overwhelmingly. Republicans
and wealthy people always work against the interests of the working class
person, but these folks in West Virginia would rather vote for someone that
will take advantage of them, step on their neck or sit on their chest as
opposed to seeing some basic fairness across the board so that everyone can do
well.
It is really no wonder why stuff in
West Virginia (and America) is so jacked up!!!
Here is a link to the article that
caused me to comment this morning:
Raymond Sean Walters
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