Randy Wilson

    If only our local politicians would listen to us like these people here from all over the world at the UN.  Our presence as ordinary citizens—teachers, waitresses, factory workers--in our jeans and t-shirts telling the story of 100 years of coal dominance and corruption... I just feel we turned heads wherever we went.  I have never met so many people sympathetic to our witness for mountain life.  And everywhere were ideas for change.  The youth caucus here was inspirational.  They not only just gushed emotion about the environment, they had ideas already at work for the future without coal, oil, or nuclear energy.  There were young people who already engineered ideas for solar wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and wood chip biolers and tidal hydroelectric.  These are people who are thinking outside the box.  Will people in power listen?  Or are they already bought out so thick they can't see the light of day? 

    Whether they can see or not the day is coming when we will no longer have to bow down to the corruption of coal.  The day is coming when good hard working people no longer are economically bound to the destruction of their own land.

Randy Wilson
Clay County, Kentucky
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
May 5, 2006
Appalachian State University Loft, New York City

Pam Maggard

Reflections :

The Appalachian Coalfield Delegation to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) generated unlimited energy May 3-5 at the United Nations in New York City.  The delegates informed the Non Governmental Organizations' caucuses about the horrors of Mountaintop Removal and lack of clean water for many coalfield residents.  The delegation was enthusiastically received by all the caucuses.



High Points:

• Fast friendships and networks made between KY, WV, and TN delegates.
• The global spread of the message, "Coal is not cheap energy" - it is paid for by coalfield residents with their health, water, roads, property, and heritage.
• Exchange of ideas between delegates and international participants of the CSD.
• The Youth Caucus - constant flow of ideas, volunteers, research, interviews, facts, strategies (I personally have such hope for the future after meeting these bright, caring, young people - we just need to hang on to what we've got and they will take over and make it better!!!)

Low Points:

• The meeting with Mr. Jonathan Margolis, the State Department's Special Representative for Sustainable Development - who stated, "We sometimes have to sacrifice the long term for the immediate need"  Mountains for electricity?  He also stated that we were there to be internationally focused and needed to stay away from domestic issues (mountain top removal), the U.S. was "setting examples for quality of life for developing countries." Check out the quality of life for someone who has no access to clean water!
• Talking with the Department of Energy representative from Mr. Margolis' meeting who stated the U.S. long term plans were for using fossil fuels. How much longer can our mountains last?

I am honored to have attended the CSD and perhaps made a small contribution to such a worthy cause.  I will treasure the experience and encourage any of the groups participating to try and go again.  I believe everyone at the UN appreciated the grassroots input.

Pam Maggard
Knott County, Kentucky
May 8, 2006