Give Massey a call and ask them to STOP blasting on Coal River Mountain and to STOP harassing the tree sitters!
Call and ask for Baxter Phillips, Massey President
1-804-788-1807
It’s been five days since authorities escorted Josh Graupera and Isabelle Rozendaal away from the Bee Tree site on Coal River Mountain where the two were supporting the ongoing tree sit against mountaintop removal. Since their arrest and incarceration for trespass and conspiracy, the two have been released from jail at a bail of $1,500 each, and not without special thanks to those who contributed donations at http://www.climategroundzero.org!
Climate Ground Zero activists and others are initiating a call-in to Massey Energy headquarters in Richmond today regarding the safety of the tree sitters and the overall dangers of MTR. More information is available at the end of this post.
Josh Graupera is a 19-year-old resident of Lancaster, PA, and has agreed to share some of his experiences about the action and his arrest. Josh explained the role he and Isabelle shared in the action was to “ensure the safety of the sitters, and communicate with first-responding security and police, making sure confrontations don’t escalate out of hand.”
Josh and Isabelle fulfilled their duties and helped keep the confrontation between the sitters, miners, and police officers safe even when tense moments arose. Josh described the situation of being confronted and told to leave by three miners:
We sat under one of the sitter’s trees and ensured the miners that we would not leave or put our friends in harm. One miner threatened to move us by force, denying the fact that Massey told its workers they were not to touch us. I began to think they were going to follow through and carry us out until David started filming our confrontation, telling the workers that they were on camera. I think if it weren’t for the camera, they would have carried us off the site.
The cameraman was David Aaron Smith, a 23-year-old resident of Louisiana and was able to film the confrontation from 60 feet above in his tree. David, Amber Nitchman, 19, and Eric Blevins, 28, are still perched in their trees. Despite Massey security’s incessant use of air horns and flood lights the three sitters are holding strong.
After Josh’s arrest Thursday afternoon, he and Isabelle were brought to the Magistrate’s Office and later to separate holding cells at the Southern Regional Jail. He found the processing and holding conditions to be unpleasant, but still firmly believed that he “committed a crime in order to prevent a larger one from happening.”
Having a first hand look at the land he helped protect from the blasting, he said, “The site of the tree sit rests on the edge of a high wall, looking down into a mine site and sludge impoundment. The remaining parts of the mountain and forestry looked like they had been cut cleanly with a butter knife. The sludge impoundment glistened silver and black in the sunlight, which amazed and discomforted me.”
The sludge impoundment Josh referred to is the Brushy Fork Impoundment that currently contains about 6 billion gallons of toxic coal slurry and is separated from the communities below by a leaking dam. Massey’s own estimates predict that 998 people would die if the dam were to burst.
“I knew that until I took an active role in the struggle to end MTR, I was passively condoning the poisoning and displacement of countless communities and in the obliteration of one of the oldest and most diverse ecosystems on this continent.”
Josh felt reassured about his role in the action when he received moral support from some West Virginians, including one of his cellmates: “When I told my cellmate about why I was in there, I didn’t expect him to be so receptive to the story, but he was, and was honored to meet a ‘real tree hugger.’”
Josh wishes the best for his friends still up in the tree and hopes that the security officers will stop harassing them. To help the sitters and miners who are subjected to the incessant noises, call Massey Energy’s headquarters and demand they stop illegally harming the sitters with multiple large air horns blaring just beneath the platforms, and to immediately cease blasting on Coal River Mountain. For more information, including updates and videos on the tree sit, visit www.climategroundzero.org.
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Can you call Massey headquarters in Richmond? 1-804-788-1800
Once you have made the call, please tell us how it went here. [http://climategroundzero.net/2010/01/callmasseyonjan25/]
Thank you for standing up for our tree sitters and for Coal River Mountain! Now help spread the word!
Please help make the tree sit and the campaign a success by:
- Donating to the legal fund
- Forwarding this email to your friends
- Posting this story on Facebook and twitter
Same thing happened to me at the county jail — several fellow inmates read about the Picket at Pettus and expressed their admiration for our act of defiance against Massey. It seems nearly everyone hates Massey, even many of their workers.
I’ll post it again, since it got kicked to the archive. Massey should utilize the RICO law against the tree sitters and their leaders ,Roselle & company for organizing the criminal act. To W V Judy, are you aware calling someone a knuckle dragger is racist?
I’m glad Josh felt reassured about his role in the action. That’s taking it up to a new high standerd, one criminal supporting another.
Watcher, which race is that you are saying are knuckle draggers? It’s not clear how you make that logical leap unless you already hold that view.
If we sit idle and allow these crimes against humanity to continue, then we all are criminals. A state is a representation of its’ citizens just as this country represents We The People, correct??? So if our state commits a crime then we all are criminals! Which is worse countless crimes against humanity & thousands of Clean Water Act violations or a couple trumped up trespassing charges? This is America & we have grown very used to choosing the lesser of two evils, so you decide????????????
Hello Watcher, “Standerd” ….. Spell’em like you say’em.
I agree 100% with Josh….sorta. Apply everything josh said, only apply it to the enviros. Yes by god, we the people need to run our state and send these folks home. Are all the problems of Louisana solved? All of New Orleans is in great shape? Oh I see you can’t get your face on TV at home. What a man. What type of man would leave his own? See it for what it is WV. Let his Louisana friends bail him out.
I was arrested with KY Mudd in Pettus. It cost me a small fortune, but was worth every penny. I am very proud to have been associated with those brave young people. The United States won independence through the direct actions of those who were considered to be criminals. If you don’t stand up to Massey, then you are as guilty as he is. God bless the “tree sitters”.
I just wish the motherfuckers would hurry the hell up and fall out! The suspense is killing, and the winds are picking up!!! I
t is…
take a deep breath…
Getting cold again!!! I hope the windchill dips down to -15 tonight!!! Where’s your damn global warming when ya need it????
PS – FUCK YOU JUDY BONDS!
Oh yeah, tell Mr. Josh Graupera to
1) Bathe, this is the biggie!
2) Wash your god damn hair, that shit is nasty looking. Just out of curiousity, how many rats do you have living in your hair?? 3) File them damn teeth down son, ya look like a beaver!
Here we go with the threats again- “never leave brushy alive” – this is the definition of a knuckle dragger- race has nothing to do with it. Actually true knuckle draggers are usually racist as well. WOW- keep it up – you are really showing America what you are- and they certainly are not sympathizing with you at all.
We really appreciate it.
While the tree huggers have a “legal” right to a peaceful protest trespassing is not protesting. I am a WV resident and have lived here my entire life, and while I don’t support everything that Massey does, you need to be realistic. WV is and has always been coal. Rather than expending your funds and efforts in ridiculous tree sitting episodes help this state find a way to employ this coal miners in another field. That is a cause that I will get behind! When you have a coal miner who has worked 5, 10, 20 years in the coal mines and has limited skills what would you suggest that he do? He has a home, family, and kids to feed…you tell his kids that they have to live on $300 a month welfare because it isn’t right to extract coal. Because every time that you take these actions that is exactly what you are doing. Those areas like Brushy Fork etc that are now having such a problem with Massey mining weren’t having a problem with it when their community was building built by coal. They weren’t defending other areas against the Big bad coal companies. No..they were just thankful to feed their families. Here is my suggestion…rather than bogging down our government with petty court cases against Massey..who owns most of the politicians anyway… spend your time and effort coming up with a way for WV miners to become reeducated and get jobs that pay well. As for environmentalists that aren’t from WV…we have always taken care of ourselves that is how we do it…so you can go find a tree in Pennsylvaniaor wherever else you are from to climb up and make a stand. We don’t need or want your help.
Why does it matter where a person is from. This is an issue that is affecting the health of the planet that I live on, therefore it is MY BUSINESS! What will you tell your grandchild when they look up at you innocently and tell you that they are thirsty and you have no clean water to give them or will you just let them drink the toxic water??
As far as standing up and caring for yourself, are you aware that there is direct correlation between coal producing areas and poverty.
These activists and residents are trying to make it better for everyone and you don’t have the sense God gave you to see that. The construction and maintenance (employed with re-trained miners) of the proposed wind farm will do a hell of a lot more for your local economy than Massey Energy has or will ever do. How much money does Don Blankenship make…I bet your salary isn’t even a drop in the bucket. Wake Up!
I am 65 years old, I have lived in WV nearly all my life now. I have always worked and provided for myself and my family. I sent myself through college and graduated at age 60. I still work, and enjoy the fact that I have never poisioned anyone’s water, nor polluted the air, nor have I driven anyone from their home. I have never rolled a boulder down the hill and killed anyone. I have never worked for anyone who did these things, for I knew that I would have been as guilty as they were. I have never asked my friends and neighbors, nor my gorvernment to provide me with a job. My suggestion is; “get off your duff and do for yourself, and stop thinking that the world owes you a living”. Remember, if things get too ruff, you can always sell your 4-wheeler.
Nothing is PEACEFUL about tresspassing. Would you expect to enter someones home and the owner just roll over and say or do nothing? How about you Mr or Mrs. enviro, perhaps it would be ok if a bunch of surface miners came to your house, walked in, and pulled up a seat and stayed four or five days. Of course not. That would be wrong for some one to do that. Its called tresspassing. Hang what ever name you wish on it, but, it would not be a peaceful act. I would not support such an act. Nor is it peaceful to tresspass on other peoples property. Wrong is wrong no matter what name it is done under. I do not consider this to be a peaceful protest.
Don’t try to hide behind mine law when you are not miners. State and Federal mine offices enforce law as it applies to miners. You have no certification to be on any mine property in the the state of WV. Miners, MINERS, MINERS can be on mine property.
Hey SID, I am glad you went back to college and got your education and did something for yourself, that is wonderful. I am glad, tickled pink for you.
I do have a four-wheeler in my back yard, don’t get to ride it much but when I do I usually do it’s on a reclaimed mine site so thank you Heartland Coal Company for that.
As far as driving someone from their home, well no they didn’t the land owner had to sell his land otherwise they wouldn’t have touched it, I seen that first hand. I know Mrs. Delsie Vance sold her property to Argus Energy and they helped her in more ways than one.
And for polluting the water and air, well the mine’s in not the only guilty party in this. People are on this bottled water bandwagon due to all these little “mix ups” you can put in them now and drink them. I still drink my tap water and have had no problems being sick, oh I will say this I did have problems out of my gallbladder and had to have it removed but as so the one lady in the “Coal Country” video suggested her gallbladder problems were due to the water, well mine wasn’t mine was due to giving birth to my son, I think if she would tell the truth hers was caused from something else.
These men are not asked to be owed anything, they are just wanting to work for their way of living and provide for their family not once have I seen or heard a miner ask somoene for a handout but I guarteen if you envior’s don’t stop, they will be standing in a wellfare line asking for somoene to help them feed their family something they were doing before this stupid stuff started. Some times men and women are not as lucky as you to go back to college sometimes they can’t do it do to other circumstances so next time watch your remarks.
WHY IS IT THAT YOU CAN SAY ANYTHING YOU WANT BUT WHEN SOMEONE THAT DOESN’T AGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VEIW YOU GET DEFENSIVE AND SAY THAT “YOU’LL NEVER LEAVE BRUSHY ALIVE” IS THREATENING YOU OR WHOMEVER. HE OR SHE CAN HAVE THEIR OWN OPINION.. OH AND MAYBE WE ARE RACIST AGAINST STUPID PEOPLE WHO DON’T REALIZE WHAT COAL DOES FOR THIS STATE… IF YOU DON’T LIKE THEY WAY WE LIVE AND THEY WAY WE MAKE A LIVING THEN LEAVE!!!!!!
Dear Mr. Bonds:
A “knuckle dragger” is a racist remark used to describe an ape, chimp, etc. Commomly used by racists’ who are describing a certain race.
As far as the TRUE story about your bitching and complaining Mr. Bonds is that you are pissed that the union sold out to Massey. If Massey was an UMWA represented company there wouldn’t be any problems. YOU sold out to Massey in Marfork Hollow for a hefty sum, forget to mention that to people when you tell them your sob story don’t ya? Your home WAS NOT taken from you forcefully, you sold out.
It’s a damn shame you have to have these college students do your dirty work. Why don’t you climb these trees to show your true opposition to mining? You, Bo Webb, Mike Roselle, Larry “Stubs” Gibson, and Mr. Scarbro need to make you some platforms and do a little protesting. Don’t just walk around harassing Massey workers and their families, like you normally do! Get out and get a lil tree sap on that ‘ol fat saggy ass!
Leah while you sound like you know what you are talking about you ABSOLUTELY DO NOT! I support putting wind farms on these mountain tops but who doyou think will do it? Huh? It isn’t going to be WV residents getting those jobs of that you can be sure. Those workers will be brought from other states, and if we are lucky a few local residents might get hired to maintain them for about $10 per hour. If they are lucky. So you tell me how that is going to provide the same financial infrastructure for the citizens of WV. Not to mention the amount of money and time it will take to get that farm up and running. It all sounds really nice but what are the miners supposed to do in the 3 years it takes to build this farm? I suppose you and Sid and all of the other “climategroundzero” followers are going to operate a homeless shelter and food pantry to take care of all of them right. Didn’t think so! While there is a correlation between poverty and mining think of what this state would look like without those coal jobs. These activists aren’t thinking of everyone, they have a specific and personal stake in this argument and I guarantee it has nothing to do with your well being so why don’t you wake up! As for you Sid glad that you got your degree at 60 which was my whole point from the beginning. If you can do it then you should be encouraging government and individuals to provide and take advantage of such training. I also don’t “Roll over boulders” or work for people that do. I have also never been on assistance nor has anyone in my family. We work for what we have thank you. You are right this world doesn’t owe me a thing, nor does it owe you anything sir. I also got my Master’s degree the old fashioned way by the way…ya know just incase you want to further imply that I am ignorant. As for my 4-wheeler I don’t have any, by choice. Way to feed into a stereotype. Comments like that are the reason that the world looks at WV like we are a bunch of ingrates.
Can you please refer me to where you are getting your $10 an hour statistic from. It was my understanding that a wind turbine technician could earn between $18.00 and $20.00 per hour in addition to benefits.
Thought they had the facts….
I have many years of experience working with employers in this state as well as developing policy governing the wages and benefits that employers are required to pay. Things like cost of living and level of skill and difficulty play into each demand occupations wage. Research is already being done to formulate a wage for that occupation and I can tell you that it isn’t anywhere close to $20 per hour in WV. So you were misinformed.
Nice story about the enviros and peta types about wind farms and a significantly large scale back in Greenbrier County. Explain that. You can find it in the Charleston paper or local news station websites.
A comment was made by WV Realist that if wind farms are put up that it won’t be WV workers with the jobs. Funny, when I drive by the boarding houses and motel in Whitesville a lot of the miners that stay there are from out of state. ?????????
I got my info from the American Wind Energy Association, so apparently they are misinformed…right?