All They Want for Christmas is Coal

On October 13th, the American Products. American Power. bus tour joined forces with United for Coal, a grassroots organization that sprung up in response to the Obama administration’s war on coal.  Allen Gibson, the founder of United for Coal, is a retired coal miner fighting for the very survival of small towns throughout Appalachia.

The war on coal is destroying small communities that are dependent on the coal industry, particularly in Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky.  The trucking, railroad, and restaurant industries all rely on coal.  Coal is a way of life for these small town, and locals take great pride in the fact that their fathers and grandfathers before them worked in the mines to put food on the table and to fuel economic growth throughout the nation with affordable energy.

Sadly, coal counties in Appalachia and across the country are reeling in pain as a result of the current administration’s war on affordable energy.  Families are anxious about not being able to afford Christmas presents this year, not to mention being able to put food on the table.  Nonetheless, the bonds that run through coal communities are strong, and United for Coal is providing hope and a rallying cry to fight back against the war on coal.

On October 13^th, thousands of pro-coal supporters stood hand in hand along a sixty-mile stretch of Route 23 between Virginia and Kentucky to show support for coal mining.  Founder Allan Gibson said their message for Washington is simply: “Let us work. Let us do our jobs – what we enjoy doing. We’re not made to work in the mines, these aren’t labor camps – it’s what we want to do. Either get behind us, or get out of the way.”

The Miller family was joined by thousands of supports on October 13th to stand United for Coal

The support for coal and coal mining on display Saturday was overwhelming, emotional, and full of hope.  Tracy Miller, the wife of a coal miner and an organizer for the Virginian chapter for United for Coal, is currently trying to raise money for families who will have unemployed mothers and fathers this Christmas.  So far, they have raised $1,500 for the cause, but with so many families struggling in the wake of recent and future layoffs, the outlook for the winter is bleak.  “Four years ago we had savings – we were saving for our children’s futures; today our family is doing everything it can to keep the lights on in our home and I know that many more families are having the same difficulties,” Tracy said. “Without coal in Southwest Virginia we will lose everything my husband has worked so hard for.”

The communities that stood United for Coal on Saturday are not asking for government handouts or special privileges. They’re not even asking to roll back the existing regulations on coal.  Their wish for Christmas this year is simple: stop the war on coal and stop burdening the industry with standards that are impossible to meet.  This abundant, affordable resource has powered America and built communities for generations; now more than ever, America needs to return to the fundamental building blocks that drive true economic growth.

Click here to sign the petition for more domestic energy production and to fight back against unnecessary government regulations. 

To keep up with the bus tour, visit engage.productsandpower.org.