Screw you Don Blankenship

I read at the Wonk Room that Massey Energy CEO Don Blakenship thinks his efforts to destroy America's natural heritage are part of the good old cold war fight against domestic terrorists, communists and atheists. And by the way, everyone else is too stupid to get it. The Williamson Daily News reports his comments.

“It is as great a pleasure for me to be criticized by the communists and the atheists of the Charleston Gazette as to be applauded by my best friends,” he said. “Because I know they are wrong. People are cowering away from being criticized by people that are our enemies. Would we be upset if Osama Bin Laden was critical of us?” he asked.

“Totally wrong. Nonsense. Absolutely crazy.”

Those are the words Blankenship used to describe Al Gore, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid as well as environmental groups. He said he felt simple terms were the only ones the country could understand, that more sophisticated language was over the head of the general public.

“When we talk about it in more articulate ways, the American public doesn’t get it,” he said.

He goes on to give a frightening justification of the coal industry's pollution and a bizarre conspiracy theory about how turning down your thermostat will lead to rule by the commie Red menace. It's amazing how some people will rationalize their destructive behaviors. It's even more amazing that these same conspiracy theories are repeated on the once-credible CNN by Glenn Beck.

You know what Don, you don't have to be a communist, or even be all that smart, to see what's wrong with the mountain top removal mining methods that your company is so fond of using.





You can see more pictures at the site I stole this one from. Massey has discussed expanding its operations into Illinois.

It so happens that the Sierra Club has an online petition to Massey Energy about their mountain top removal mining methods and violations of the law.

Blakenship represents his reactionary cold war mindset on the board of the national Chamber of Commerce. I appreciate all the good that local Chambers do in the community but their national political agenda is vile.