Biggers spoke about his family, including his coal miner grandfather who he remembers having coal permanently in his face from an explosion. He said his grandfather died from black lung disease. He said it is the coal miners who have paid with their health, land and lives for the coal industry to prosper.
"It's coal miners in Southern Illinois who have paid the price for the rest of Americans," Biggers said.
And I'm impressed that they printed this line that contradicts so much industry propaganda normally found in downstate newspapers.
He said the job issue is a myth because coal mining is a "boom and bust" industry and that it reached its peak in 1918. Biggers said instead of more coal mines, there could be jobs in other forms of energy such as wind. He said even if the wind turbines do not go up in Southern Illinois, they can be made here.
I know I've written about Biggers several times around his stop in Springfield, but I think it's important to highlight him since there are so few informed, articulate voices who publicly counter the constant coal industry drumbeat. I'm glad he's around Illinois.