|
|
 |
 |
| |
Razing Appalachia
Shiban Khan
Razing Appalachia
Produced by Sasha Waters, 2002
For years, coal has simultaneously brought fortune and disaster to
the state of West Virginia. While the industry is the most prominent
employer in the region playing a large role in the region's economic
development, coal mining has also stripped pristine mountains down
of their forests and has contributed to massive air pollution. Residents
in small mining towns have been active in protesting the infiltration
by coal giants in their community in a quest for better environmental
quality. Razing Appalachia is their story.
The documentary focuses on the residents of Blair, a traditional mining
town in West Virginia. The narrative begins in May 1998 when Arch
Coal Co, the second largest coal company in the US, requests a permit
to expand their strip mining in Blair. Razing Appalachia
documents how community members relentlessly went against the wind
for their environmental rights. 
Fighting the authorities for their rights is not a novelty in Blair.
The film gives a brief description of the Battle of Blair Mountain,
when 6,000 coal miners took up weapons and joined force for their
rights to unionize in 1921. Their descendants are similarly standing
up for their right to a better environment — not only against
the mighty corporate world, but extending the battle against the administrative
officials and political leaders. Razing Appalachia captures
this fight in film and takes us through their struggle.
Unfortunately, the coal company and the political leaders are not
the only opponents in this struggle. The 400 union miners, whose jobs
were at stake should mining stop, went against the environmentalists
and the film captures their protests beautifully. This documentary
essentially depicts the perpetual battle between protecting the environment
and sustaining a livelihood through a vocation that is inherently
environmentally harmful. It is not an easy task to find the right
balance. Therefore, we have community groups, who have much more to
lose regardless of which way the official decision swings, ending
up fighting against each other, while the politicians and coal companies
gain the windfall either way.
The film does a good job in portraying this conflict. Although it
is a multifaceted story and some background information is necessary
to understand the full context of events, some parts of the film digressed
from the point in hand and a shorter version (it is 72 minutes long)
would have been just as effective. Nonetheless, it is a film worth
seeing for grasping the consequences of coal mining.
Visit Razing
Appalichia for more info.
|
|
|
|
