January 6, 2006
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The West Virginia Coal Miners
I heard a story about those 12 miners who died in the Sago mind blast in West Virginia this morning that has had me thinking non-stop all day long.
I heard that the 26 year old long surviver had been given some oxygen tanks by the rest of them, which is probobly why he was the sole survivor. I cannot tell you how much that impressed me not just about those who sacrificed themselves to save that father of two, but also about the state of the human race as a whole.
If you’ve seen War of the Worlds, you can recall the scene where the family is being attacked by the mob as they try to drive through to safety. You can understand why they all want the car because their lives are pretty much forfeit unless they can get away and get away fast from the tripods. Anyways, they get held up by a man with a gun and he, as he drives away through the rest of the mob, gets shot and killed. This scene basically depicted humanity, when faced with death, reacting with violence and insanity.
Contrast that to what you hear from those miners faced with their impending deaths and you can’t help but be overwhelmed. If Steven Spielberg had his way it would be survival of the fittest and ‘Let’s kill the little guy so we can surivive longest!’. Instead they sized up their situation and chances for survival and at least a few of them decided that the 26 year old father of two little kids had the most to live for. The rest of them wrote notes to their family(very tackily posted on the front page of my columbus dispatch) and met death with dignity.
The only thing left to say is that were I given a choice between voting for George Bush, John Kerry, John McCain, and Hilary Clinton into positions of supreme authority or for those handful of coal miners, I would choose those coal miners in a heartbeat. What I want in a leader is what those men showed in the face of the worst form of adversity. Compassion, Understanding to the point of being called empathy, and the ability to choose sacrifice for the sake of two little kids.
Rest In Peace
Comments (4)
wow. great story.
agreed. with you and camille. (ps: sorry, just now catching up on most of what i missed when i was gone for so long.. humblest apologies.)
you see narnia yet? loved it! go see it, now, even though you are probably sleeping, wake up, rampage the theater and string the movie yourself and sit back with your stolen popcorn and watch it from the box seats, oh yea… i can see you doing that… (if i was with you, hahaha)
It is a great story. The latest I’ve heard is that the guy who survived probobly has a lot of brain damage, but I think they’ll take it over what could have been otherwise…
Alright you go see King Kong and I’ll go see Narnia. Stolen popcorn!! How did you kn….oh wait you were kidding. Yeah like I’d ever steal popcorn. Pfft. Now snowcaps….I would steal snowcaps in a heartbeat.
ooo, then grab some reese’s pieces or some junior mints while you are back there and i’ll go get the drinks…