Action Alert: EPA National Day of Action - October 30, 2009 

EPA to delay 79 coal mining permits in 4 statesAssociated Press

EPA Withholds 79 Mountaintop Mining Permits for Extended Revie
Environmental News Service

United Mountain Defense, Mountain Justice and other environmental and social justice organizations across the country are again calling for rallies in all 11 cities where the EPA has an office. This is our third national action, following up on ones in June and August.

At that time the agency, in response to a letter from WV Congressman Nick Rahall had rubber stamped 42 out of 48 of the permits issued by the Army Corps of Engineers to blow up mountains in Appalachia for thin seams of coal. Since then, the EPA has put a hold on 79 nine more permits, 23 in WV and others in KY, TN and OH.

We're glad the EPA has taken this action and we need for the agency to do more: right now, it is only reviewing those permits, not overruling the Corps. Also, Lisa Jackson, the agency's chief has yet to accept our offer to come to the region and see mountaintop removal for herself and witness exactly what is being destroyed.

United Mountain Defense is organizing a rally at the Atlanta EPA office on October 30, 2009. We need people to help us organize this event. Please contact us if you can help by email us at  www.umdvolunteerhouse@yahoo.com or call at 865 689-2778

There is also a need for people to be involved in organizing and attending rallies in these cities.

Boston                  Atlanta                 Washington DC                 NYC           Philly        Chicago             

Dallas                    Kansas City        San Francesco                 Denver       Seattle

To find your EPA regional officeContactBeth Wellington with Energy Justice Network atbeth@energyjustice.net or visit the facebook page for more information or to get involved.

Facebook Page - EPA National Day of Action

If you can't attend, you can still help

• Spreading the word to your friend and invite them to attend one of the rallies.
• Write your EPA regional office on October 30 and say you support the protesters
  
• Make a donation to United Mountain Defense, Mountain Justice or Energy Justice Network and specify that it is for the EPA National Day of Action

To Donate

United Mountain Defense
Use the paypal in the right hand column or send a check to
PO Box 20363
Knoxville, TN 37920

Mountain Justice:
Use the pay pal button at
http://mountainjusticesummer.org/ or send a check to
Mountain Justice
PO Box 86
Naoma, WV 25140

Energy Justice Network:
Use this linkhttp://tr.im/give_Energy_Justice or send a check
Action Center Inc.
1434 Elbridge St
Philadelphia PA 19149

EPA National Days of Action

August 14 through August 19, concerned citizens nationwide rallied together at regional Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) headquarters for National Days of Action protesting mountaintop-removal coal mining (MTR). Demonstrations took place in Atlanta, New York, Boston, Dallas, Kansas City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, DC. These actions were organized and led by numerous environmental and social justice organizations across the country, including United Mountain Defense, Student Environmental Action Coalition, and Energy Justice Network, all working together for the ongoing Mountain Justice movement against mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia.

Participants rallied to raise awareness of the Obama administration's approval, under EPA chief Lisa Jackson, of MTR permits that violate the Clean Water Act and various other environmental laws. Concerned citizens and coalfield residents cite numerous “appeasements” of the coal industry, in spite of Obama's campaign rhetoric opposing the destructive practice. These include continued permits for dumping hazardous mining waste into streams and valleys, weakening mining regulations intended to protect waterways, and appointing several former coal industry executives to regulatory positions.

EPA’s Region 4 Acting Regional Administrator, Stan Meiburg, joined the activists during his lunch break at the Atlanta office, thanking them for their actions. When asked what individuals could do to help the EPA work on this issue more effectively, Meiburg explained that the EPA really needs additional credible scientific data on the environmental impacts of surface mining, from people on the ground.

VIDEO Anti-MTR rallies at EPA Headquarters, nationwide August, 2009
MEDIA
EPA: Stop the Approval
SEAC blog – August, 2009

EPA National Day of Action include Homeland Security guard dogs  - June 2009

As a result of the Obama administration’s continued appeasement of the coal industry, as well as the efforts of Lisa Jackson and the US EPA to legitimize the practice of mountaintop removal- the most destructive form of strip mining ever devised- concerned citizens from around the country met at regional EPA offices nationwide This National Day of Action included coordinated demonstrations in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Kansas City, Denver, and Washington DC to protest government inaction on the issue of Mountain Top Removal- the Appalachian Apocalypse.

However, concerned citizens were not alone in their acts of patriotism at many of these locations  Heavy police presence, including local, state, and federal agents swarmed these peaceful events In at least one location, the intimidation of these guard dogs deterred the individuals from exiting their vehicles, preventing the action completely.

At the Atlanta, GA location, the Department of Homeland Security generously supplied at least twenty officers with around eight SUVs to swarm the small area which they had allotted for “free speech”. The patriots involved with this action were continuously under surveillance and even videotaped throughout the day. With the Bush administration’s Patriot Act still cursing our nation, peaceful protesting is deemed low-level domestic terrorism This means tax dollars are being exhausted in such useless efforts in the midst of an economic crisis

Millions of Americans who voted for the ‘Hope’ and ‘Change’ of Obama’s campaign promises have been sadly disappointed. Over the course of this year, coalfield residents and concerned citizens alike have watched time and time again as the EPA and Obama administration ignored their pleas for justice.

VIDEO
Homeland Security harassing peaceful citizens protesting mountaintop removal coal mining at Atlanta EPA.June, 2009

PHOTOS
National Day of Protest Washington D.C.June 26, 2009

MEDIA
Activists Drape 25-Foot Banner On EPA Building, Call on EPA to Stop Mountaintop Removal Mining Rising Tide North America, June 29, 2009

Love and Hug National Coal Month - August, 2009

NCC is based in Knoxville, TN and has been actively strip mining Tennessee since 2004 NCC owns and operates the Zeb Mountain coal mine in Campbell County, TN, a 2222 acre mountain top removal mine NCC also owns the mineral rights to 65,000 acres of land in the New River watershed north of Oak Ridge, TN which they are currently mining for coal These mineral rights lie directly under the Sundquist Wildlife Management Area where the surface rights are owned by the State of Tennessee

National Coal Corporation in Danger of Bankruptcy?

National Coal subsidiary defaults on $60M loan » Knoxville News Sentinel www.knoxnews.com

NATIONAL COAL CORP Files SEC form 8-K, Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets, Change in Directors or Pri EDGAR

During the month of August, 2009 UMD and friends visited the National Coal (NCC) Headquarters on Thursdays of each week. The first week protesters held a “Going Away Party” for NCC after the coal company defaulted on $60 million dollars of loans in Alabama in July 2009 To mark this event the protestors brought balloons and danced to festive music. The second week a peaceful protester was man handled and forcefully removed by a National Coal employee while attempting to deliver cupcakes reading “Bye National Coal’ and “Take a Hike”. No one at National Coal was interested in talking to the concerned citizens so we decided to get the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on our side by becoming stock holders. Stockholders are entitled to rights under SEC law including access to company information. During week three UMD stockholders delivered their request for information and the following week returned to gain access to the books. When ask for access to the books, a National Coal Employee nervously informed us that they had no books and would have their lawyers contact us. We asked if we could use their fax machine to send a complaint to the SEC and then invited them to the join the circus as a new career direction after their mountain destroying corporation falls apart. The stockholders then demonstrated how easy a career change could be buy holding an impromptu circus in front  of the office.

VIDEOS
National Coal Going Away Party8-3-09
Peaceful protester forcefully removed by National Coal employee 8-10-09  
Stockholders try to view National Coal Book 8-17-09 
National Coal Circus 8-24-09

Pedestrians walking around downtown on Sunday July 26, 2009 were met with the songs and rhythms of an activist parade targeted at the coal industry and Tennessee Valley Authority Organizers with environmental groups Mountain Justice, United Mountain Defense, and Three Rivers Earth First! paraded through the streets of downtown Knoxville, with a headcount of nearly 100 participants The musical parade marched around the TVA headquarters and the John J. Duncan Federal Building, which houses the Office of Surface Mining environmental regulator

Organizers held the march to communicate TVA’s role in the extraction and combustion of coal for electric power generation TVA is the largest purchaser of mountain top removal mined coal in the nation and they operate 18 coal burning power plants in the southeast. In December 2008, a coal-fired power plant maintained by TVA in Kingston, Tennessee, released a billion gallons of coal waste into surrounding streams and homes when the fly-ash retention pond burst in the night
“We’re here today because Central Appalachia deserves better than mountaintop-removal, Roane County deserves better than coal fly-ash, and East Tennessee deserves better than the worst air quality in the country,” Tanya Turner, Mountain Justice organizer, said.

In addition to the coal ash and air pollution from the plants, organizers also pointed out the environmental hazards of mountaintop-removal (MTR)  surface-mining in coal extraction MTR hazards include floods in deforested communities; dust and debris pollution from trucks leaving the mines, and slurry impoundments of byproduct left over once the coal has been washed and shipped off to the power plants

“TVA should be serving Tennessee with clean, renewable energy instead of poisoning us with coal and pollution,” said Turner The march featured larger-than-life street puppets of Martin Luther King and Gandhi, Cakalak Thunder drum corps, banjo and fiddle players, and a vegetarian lunch provided by Knoxville Food Not Bombs Dr. John Nolt, environmental ethics professor at the University of Tennessee, spoke at the event, as well as Carol Judy, an ancestral native of the Appalachian Mountains

Background for the Moblizations for Clean Air rally:
TVA is deeply involved in all stages of the death cycle of coal
TVA is both a public and private corporation. As a federal organization they were created to serve the public (with a board of directors appointed by the US president), but have morphed into a private, profit-seeking corporation For decades, TVA has perpetuated environmental degradation with coal burning power plants, displaced communities for its hydroelectric dams, and created numerous health risks from nuclear power plants. TVA is the #1 purchaser of mountain top removal coal in North America and their service areas in TN, KY, VA, GA, MS, NC, and AL have some of the worst air quality in the country!  East Tennessee, specifically, has one of the highest rates of asthma in the country. TVA is also responsible for the largest coal waste disaster in our nation’s history. Following continual neglect to one of TVA’s oldest coal burning power plants, a dike broke and released over 1 billion gallons of coal ash onto the adjacent watershed and community. This disaster has displaced many families, created a public health crisis, and has left a beautiful environment and community in ruins.

PHOTOS
Moblizationf for Clean Air rally Pictures by Eric Loftis and Ali Kenner

VIDOES
Street Theater Video – TVA Coal Stacks terrorize downtown Knoxville
Paradise Rewrite “Thank TVA”Joe T shares song and original poem “I Will Use My Voice” at Mobilization for Clean Air 2009, Knoxville, TN.
 

March in March - March 14, 2008

Local residents joined dozens of activists from across the country on March 14, 2009  in a demonstration at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s headquarters, which resulted in the arrest of 14 individuals, after participating in a “die in” in front of the building This event was held to in solidarity with communities affected by the destructive impacts of Mountaintop Removal coal mining and the survivors of the recent coal ash disaster in Roane County

“It is time for TVA to take full responsibility for its destructive behavior,” Eric Blevins said, an organizer with Mountain Justice He continued, “They need to support the recovery of the community that is still being hurt by the ash disaster, and take an active role in the transition away from dirty and dangerous practices towards renewable energy and healthier jobs.”  

Saturday’s demonstration began with a rally in Market Square, where organizers from United Mountain Defense, and Mountain Justice spoke about coal’s impact from cradle to grave on communities in Appalachia and the surrounding area   The crowd then marched through downtown Knoxville and ended at TVA’s headquarters. At the end of the march people interested in participating in Civil Disobedience gave a statement as to why they wanted to take this action With the support of a singing crowd each participant fell to the ground representing the deaths caused by the coal industry After a few minutes Knoxville law enforcement informed the participants that they were blocking the sidewalk, and that they needed to remove themselves from the area. All 14 people were arrested, and cited for loitering

TVA owns and operates the Kingston coal plant, where last December an impoundment failed, spilling 1.6 billion gallons of heavy metal-laden coal ash waste over an area of 400 acres The spill has been called the worst environmental disaster in US history, which disproves the energy industry’s recent “clean coal” smokescreen

“The massive toxic fly ash disaster is just one more reason that coal is filthy Coal fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion, is an end result of the dirty life-cycle of coal,” explains Bonnie Swinford, full time volunteer for United Mountain Defense, “which often begins with surface mining and mountaintop removal, followed by a washing process that produces coal toxin concentrate known as slurry. Mountaintop removal coal extraction has destroyed almost 500 mountains, and, in addition to coal slurry, continues to destroy water sources across Appalachia.”

Mountaintop removal is the most destructive method of coal extraction, in which mountains are blown up to expose coal seams This process destroys fragile mountain ecosystems, fills valleys and streams with waste, and leaves behind billions of gallons of toxic coal sludge that contaminates essential drinking water supplies for many cities surrounding Appalachia

Today’s demonstration was part of an escalating series of protests across the country calling for immediate action on the coal industry’s destructive practices, including recent arrests in the Coal River Valley, WV on March 5^th and the Capital Climate Action, where on March 2, nearly three thousand protesters closed all entrances to the Capitol Coal Plant in Washington, D.C. We need your help and support to continue this call out for immediate action to end the unjust practice of Mountaintop Removal, and push for a just transition to renewable energy.

PHOTOS
March in March - TVA Coal Demonstration Pictures by Robert Vanwaarden

MEDIA

14 Protestors Arrested At TVA Headquarters In "Die In" Chatanooga.com - March 14, 2009
14 Arrested in Anti-Coal Action at TVA Headquarters Understory RAN – March, 2008

Dirty Coal TVA Protest - January 19, 2009

On Jan 19th the birthday of Martin Luther King and one day before the inauguration of Barack Obama there was a coordinated day of protest in Tennessee against TVA—its recent disasters and the whole concept of “clean coal” in Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville.

Event Photos

Protester marches outside TVA’s Chattanooga headquarters Chattanooga Times Free Press December 30, 2008

Santa Protests TVA - December 2008

Santa Delivers Coal to TVA - December 5, 2008

On December 5th an bunch of angry elves along with Santa and helpers hauled years of backlog coal into the headquarters of the Tennessee Valley Authorities headquarters. TVA is the largest purchaser of coal in North America—if not the planet and Santa apparently got allot of letters from children asking for his help in Knoxville. The letters to Santa read were from sad children who could not go outside and play sometimes because of days were it is literally unhealthy to breathe in Knoxville. Santa read letters from children sad that to many of their grandparents die slow deaths of extended aphixation while lugging around bottled oxygen. Santa read childrens letters complaining that mountains are being blown up to get at that coal. The children said they felt that the drinking water was important and that they liked playing in the forest. Santa looked up the executives of TVA and dropped off a few pounds of coal and switches to put TVA on notice that Santa was pissed.

Event Photos - Coal CarolsEvent Video - Santa Delivers Coal to TVA

Santa is Detained by TVA - December 11, 2008

New from the North Pole!!  Santa has been released from the clutches of TVA in Chattanooga TN after being detained with out milk and cookies. Santa was issued a warning citation for delivering switches and coal to the board of TVA at their quarterly meeting. The bad children did not like their stocking and ordered a trespass notice against Santa stating that he will be arrested if he enters any TVA property again this Christmas

Santa says “I am depending on all the little activist elves to deliver more coal to federal agencies in hopes to influence the first 100 days of president elect Obama administration through the newly appointed agency heads. This new administration must make stopping strip mining and addressing the destructive impact of coal on Santa’s children its first priority.”

“New people are preparing to take over these federal agencies and it is through actions like this we can create a wave that influences how they act in those first critical days of a new administration. Ho Ho Ho.”

Event Photos - Santa at Chattanooga TVAEvent Video - TVA Arrests Santa Claus

Santa Gives Coal to TVA Executive Gill Francis - December 12, 2008
On December 12 2008 at 4pm while Santa and his elves were dancing and singing TVA sent out one of their head PR people Gill Francis. Mr. Francis wanted to meet and negotiate with Santa but he was too busy and took a number. After finishing the dance Santa had his head elf called Mr. Francis to come back out and negotiate. When Mr. Francis appeared slightly out of breath Santa said he was sorry and put coal and switches in Mr. Francis hands saying “This is the least favorite part of my job Mr. Francis—but TVA has been veerrrrry naughty.” As Mr. Francis stormed off Santa and his elves resumed dancing. This brings the count up to

1. The entire full board of TVA
2. TVAs head receptionist
3. Gill—one of TVAs head PR people
4. The 50 or so TVA employees that have walked by Santa and heard the message

Santa thinks TVA may be finally getting it. Ho ho ho

Event Video
 

March on Zeb Mountain - July 20, 2008
Over seventy residents of Appalachia took a stand for the mountains this Sunday with an historic March on Zeb Mountain, a strip-mining site owned by National Coal Corporation in East Tennessee The march included acts of civil disobedience that resulted in four arrests Participants and organizers came from a spectrum of groups, such as United Mountain Defense, a Tennessee-based nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the state’s land, air, and water, Christians for the Mountains, a religious organization promoting environmental conservation, and the pan-Appalachian environmental coalition known as Mountain Justice In the tradition of American civil disobedience, the march featured a diversity of lifelong activists and ordinary citizens The march of over seventy people began with a prayer led by Christians for the Mountains and included political theater, rousing speeches, and proud renditions of the Tennessee state anthem, “Rocky Top.”

Four activists were arrested at the march, including three Tennesseeans “I’m doing this for my future,” Chris Martin, student of journalism at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, said “We were very impressed with how professional the cops were,” Nick Mann, Knoxville resident, said, referring to the respectful demeanor of the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office The sponsors of the event are currently accepting donations for the arrestee’s legal defense fund.

The march comes as state legislators continue to debate the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act, a bill that would effectively ban mountaintop removal in the state of Tennessee, and as National Coal threatens to expand into the Sundquist Wildlife Management Area, a public access game preserve with rivers flowing directly into the water supply of state capitol Nashville, Tennessee Organizers argue that with coal prices becoming less competitive than renewable energy and in-state tourism growing in popularity due to the rising cost of travel, the mountains of Tennessee are far more valuable to the state and its citizens if they are defended as they are, with clean air and clean streams.

PHOTOS
Event Photos
Event Photos
Event Photos

VIDEOS
Event Video - Zeb Mountain Arrests
Event Video - Zeb Mountain Testimonies
Event Video - Overview

MEDIA
APPALACHIAN RESIDENTS GATHER TO MARCH ON ZEB MOUNTAIN It's Geeting Hot In Here - July 2008
A First Person Account of the March on Zeb Mountain
Expanding Allies- The March on Zeb Mountain By Saro The EarthFirst! Journal - 2008
Crossing the Line for Zeb MountainFacing South – July 28, 2008
Four Activists Arrested at Zeb MountainTennessee Indymedia – July 20, 2008

 

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Coup Clutz Clowns - May 26, 2007

Environmental issues do not happen in isolation and the systems of oppression and greed that cause mountain top removal also cause social problems. This is why UMD and Mountain Justice (MJ) took the opportunity to stage a counter protest to the VNN Vanguard Nazi/KKK group that attempted to host a hate rally during the 2007 MJS training camp in Tennessee It was evident that most people at camp wanted to confront the images of Appalachians as racist and the camp site became deserted as campers headed off to confront the Nazis

The tactic for the counter rally was to fight hate with humor Participants performed street theater as they dressed as clowns to deliver the message that racism is ridicules. They wore clown noses and clown makeup and dressed in white as they had heard the formal dress was white gowns. The clowns came ready to get in on the KKK's street party as they danced, sang, played instruments, and whirled hula hoops

The clowns continued their antics and tried their best to understand the message the KKK was trying to share. What is the message? 

“White Power!” the Nazi's shouted, “White Flour?” the clowns yelled back running in circles throwing flour in the air and raising separate letters which spelt “White Flour”Are they trying to say “white flowers”, “tight shower”, or are the advocating “wife power”. The clowns never got the KKK's message, but they did continue to laugh and party long after the KKK got into their SUV's and took off. The clowns continued the party as local officers proceeded to form a motorcade and shut down the streets so the clowns could parade against racism and hate right down the middle of downtown Knoxville.

The counter rally was an excellent field lesson in talking with the police, media, theatre, nonviolence, de-escalation and demonstrations in general. The counter rally provided excellent training, combated the mass media image of Appalachians as racist, and generated a lot of media for MJ and its cause

PHOTOS
Event Photos
Event Slideshow by Conrad Honiker

VIDEOS
Event Video - Knoxville Rally
Event Video - Racism is Ridiculous

MEDIA
News Story - "Police Arrest Organizer at Rally" Knoxnews.com May 27, 2007
News Story - "Protest and Rally in Downtown Knoxville" VolunteerTV.com May 27, 2007

Song by an Anonymous Clownwe rode on down to knoxville as many times we'd done
in fact for nearly half of us it's where we come from
the other half had come from many homes do dear
and i'll tell for you all of them if you care to hear
florida, georgie, both carolines, kentucky, ohio
both virginias, pennsylvania and some who's home's the road
we rode on down to knoxville to confront the hoods and robes

we painted up our faces and donned our funny clothes
played kazoos and banjos, trumpets and trombones
we told jokes and laughed and played and danced around
identified by a colorful sign that said the 'coup clutz clowns'
well them nazis and them KKK, they shout and prance around
in their funny pointy dunce hats and their pretty long white gowns
but we run 'em out of town, no they can't stand up to clowns

we entertained the cops though they dare not crack a smile
as they stood there in riot gear alert in single file
and all the other town folks who had come out as well
they laughed at our antics and wondered 'what in the hell?'
well them nazis and them KKK, they shout and prance around
in their funny pointy dunce hats and their pretty long white gowns
but we run 'em out of town. no they can't stand up to clowns

White Flourby David LaMotte
(a true story about events that occurred on May 26, 2007. © 2007 Lower Dryad Music)
The day was bright and sunny as most May days tend to be
In the hills of Appalachia down in Knoxville, Tennessee
The men put on their uniforms and quickly took their places
In white robes and those tall and pointed hoods that hid their faces

Their feet all fell in rhythm as they started their parade
They raised their fists into the air, they bellowed and they brayed
They loved to stir the people up, they loved when they were taunted
They didn't mind the anger, that's precisely what they wanted

As they came around the corner, sure enough, the people roared
They couldn't quite believe their ears, it seemed to be - support?
Had Knoxville finally seen the light, were people coming 'round?
The men thought for a moment that they'd found their kind of town

But then they turned their eyes to where the cheering had its source
As one their faces soured as they saw the mighty force
The crowd had painted faces, and some had tacky clothes
Their hair and hats outrageous, each had a red foam nose

The clowns had come in numbers to enjoy the grand parade
They danced and laughed that other clowns had come to town that day
And then the marchers shouted, and the clowns all strained to hear
Each one tuned in intently with a gloved hand to an ear

“White power!” screamed the marchers, and they raised their fisted hands
The clowns leaned in and listened like they couldn't understand
Then one held up his finger and helped all the others see
The point of all this yelling, and they joined right in with glee

“White flour!” they all shouted and they felt inside their clothes
They pulled out bags and tore them and huge clouds of powder rose
They poured it on each other and they threw it in the air
It got all over baggy clothes and multi-colored hair

All but just a few of them were joining in the jokes
You could almost see the marchers turning red beneath white cloaks
They wanted to look scary, they wanted to look tough
One rushed right at the clowns in rage, and was hauled away in cuffs

But the others chanted louder marching on around the bend
The clowns all marched along with them supporting their new friends
“White power!” came the marchers' cry -- they were not amused
The clowns grew still and thoughtful; perhaps they'd been confused?

They huddled and consulted, this bright and silly crowd
They listened quite intently, then one said “I've got it now!”
“White flowers!” screamed the happy clown and all the rest joined in
The air was filled with flowers, and they laughed and danced again

“Everyone loves flowers! And white's a pretty sort!
I can't think of a better cause for marchers to support!”
Green flower stems went flying like small arrows from bad archers
White petals covered everything, including the mad marchers

And then a very tall clown called the others to attention
He choked down all his chuckles, and said “Friends I have to mention
That what with all the mirth and fun it's sort of hard to hear
But now I know the cause that these strange marchers hold so dear

“Tight showers!” the clown blurted out, and hit his head in wonder
He held up a camp shower and the others all got under
Or at least they tried to get beneath, they strained but couldn't quite
There wasn't room for all of them, they pushed, but it was tight

“White Power!” came their marchers' cry, quite carefully pronounced
The clowns consulted once again, then a woman clown announced
“I've got it! I'm embarrassed that it took so long to see
But what these marchers march for is a cause quite dear to me!”

“Wife power!” she exclaimed and all the other clowns joined in
They shook their heads and laughed at how mistaken they had been
The women clowns were hoisted up on shoulders of the others
Some pulled on wedding dresses, “Here's to wives and mothers!”

The men in robes were angry and they knew they'd been defeated
They yelled a few more times and then they finally retreated
And when they'd gone a black policeman turned to all the clowns
And offered them an escort to the center of the town

The day was bright and sunny as most May days tend to be
In the hills of Appalachia down in Knoxville, Tennessee
People joined the new parade, the crowd stretched out for miles
The clowns passed out more flowers and made everybody smile

And what would be the lesson of that shiny southern day?
Can we understand the message that the clowns sought to convey?
Seems that when you're fighting hatred, hatred's not the thing to use
So here's to those who march on in their massive, silly shoes

 

East TN mountaintop removal coal mines in the Eagan quadrant (right below Kentucky). Photo by Paloma Galindo, flight provided by southwings.org

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