Reply #25: Mr. Blankenship [View All]

should be held accountable for the mine explosion. I get really agitated when I see rich people who take advantage of their workers and use their monetary power to belittle the human spirit. I look at the conditions that were before the west virginians.The town that most of these miners live in have only the mine.They have their homes,the church,and the coal mine. The town is centered around the coal mine. There are no frivolities in them hills. The mine determines what gets put around them. They have limited communication and access to knowledge. Mr. Bankenship (no mistake) even controls the information they receive. Its not like he is letting other business and industries in the areas where his mines are.Thats right no fast food joints,cell phone stores,no geek squad. Just the mine. Donate to the churches in the area and the patrons of the church tithe and all the money the church receives is from the mine.Donate to local politicians and now you have bought the integrity of the inspectors,local agencies for workers rights,and area courts. So what do West Virginians have except each other,a hard work ethic,and the coal mine. Mr. Bankenshit (no mistake) has made himself almost like the answer to it all supreme one. He controls all the entities to their very paycheck. If they don't go into the mines they don't eat.Mean while he enjoys the privilege of eating and living high on the hogs at the expense of the lives of loyal hard working individuals who only require a safe working environment. Time for America to green up more to cut the need for production of coal or make all coal mines union mines and levy stiff penalties for non compliance with no appeal process for violations on dangerous gases and ventilation.Immediate closure of any mine that violates air quality levels.And manslaughter charges for owners who operate under these conditions and death occurs.