I was just looking at photos of folk in Japan in the aftermath of their series of disasters. It is hard to imagine going through a huge earthquake, a giant tsunami, nuclear reactor leaks, and even volcanic activity all in one short time period.
Some of the folk were crying while looking at the changes that had happened to their homeland. I know others were crying about loved ones lost as well; but one photo was captioned in that way.
I was surprised to find that as soon as I saw the photos and the reactions to the destruction of homeland, I immediately thought of Mountain Top Removal. The destruction is usually slower. The immediate damage is less obvious. It is generally not dangerous in the immediate sense, though sometimes a flying boulder may crush a house or kill someone.
Yet my homeland in eastern Kentucky is being gradually destroyed. Some of its most beautiful spots have already been degraded. Some of its living rivers have been filled with sludge. Many people have been sickened by what these mines have done in just their routine work.
It may sound callous to some of you; but I found myself grieving in union with the people of Japan for a homeland that has been and is being destroyed from its most vibrant state. My thoughts and prayers are with them and with those in Appalachia.
Medical Technologist, retired United Methodist pastor, and progressive Mike Mansfield is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and United Theological Seminary of Dayton, Ohio. He is currently the co-council organizer for the Kentucky Capitol Area MoveOn Council in Frankfort, Kentucky. He is married with one wife, Gay, a son, Jim, and one granddaughter, Lyndsey Paige.
