Don Blankenship Responds to Vanity Fair Article

In May, Vanity Fair ran "The Rape of Appalachia," an article by Michael Shnayerson that beams in on Massey Energys assault on our homeland. In July, the magazine published Massey CEOs Don Blankenships response:

"Michael Shnayerson should consider the damage his untruths can cause. People can only be helped by truth. AIDS, starvation, war, and lack of clean water are just some of the real issues facing the world today. Wasting billions of dollars on a climate-change theory wont help people in their lifetime (even if it were true). It only serves to deprive them of resources that could make their lives better.

"Shnayersons emotional attachment to the climate issue prevents him from seeing the truth. The current world suffering demands realism. Inexpensive energy and electrification of homes around the world will help far more people than scaring them with non-scientific theories.

"Massey Energy has endured decades of criticism and untruths in order to provide jobs for those who want to work in Appalachia. The coal industry provides low-cost electricity to 150 million Americans. The mining and burning of coal are done continually with less pollution and even fewer accidents. Additionally, coal does not lead to war. The same cannot be said for oil. Today, war over oil - along with the issues of poverty, cholera, and malaria - among others - outranks global climate change. Worry about global climate change theory after people have the necessities of life, including peace."

"First of all, thank you Michael Shnayerson and Vanity Fair for bringing attention to the environmental damage being done in my home state of West Virginia.

"Don Blankenships response to the article is typical big coal propaganda. He says the mining and production of coal doesnt lead to war but there is an endless war being waged in these hills between the coal companies (and the politicians who enable them) and the fine people of West Virginia who have found themselves in close proximity to the coal seams of Appalachia.

"... Imagine how you might feel if while living on land that had been in your family for hundreds of years a giant coal company decides to blow away a mountaintop and fill a valley nearby. Blasts, flooding, poisoned water, air and damage are unchecked. Then, when/if you decide you have to leave, your land has been rendered worthless."