Will Feds Issue Protective Respirators to Kids, Families Near Mountaintop Removal Sites?

[theHandpuppet]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-biggers/appalachia-health-quarant_b_6066886.html
Appalachia Health Quarantine: Will Feds Issue Protective Respirators to Kids, Families Near Mountaintop Removal Sites?
Jeff Biggers
10/29/2014

On the heels of a breakthrough study that demonstrates the indisputable link between lung cancer and mountaintop removal mining in central Appalachia, besieged residents are wondering if the federal government will issue protective respirators to "every man, woman, and child living near mountaintop removal mining."

In lieu of emergency federal action--or even a single historic visit by an Obama official to this health disaster zone--such desperate calls for immediate health protection for the thousands of exposed Appalachians are the latest actions by residents who have endured an unmitigated health disaster and mounting death toll from reckless strip mining over the past half century.

"This study shows that dust collected from MTR [mountaintop removal] communities promotes lung cancer," according to Dr. Michael Hendryx, now at Indiana University's School of Public Health and one of the study's authors. "Previous studies have shown that people who live in these communities have higher lung cancer rates not due just to smoking, but with this study we now have solid evidence that dust collected from residential areas near MTR sites causes cancerous changes to human lung cells."

Over the years, it has been sickening to watch politicians, coal company hacks and sycophantic journalists defer judgment and split hairs over the connections between massive mountaintop removal operations and public health hazards in the same way black lung disease for coal miners had been denied for decades.... MORE at link provided above.

[A Little Weird]

1. Our whole society seems to suffer from a lack of empathy

I think the only way we will see change (on this issue as well as many others) is if there is massive demand from the populace. But it seems to take a lot to get us riled up about anything. Partially I think that's because of the constant misinformation and distraction from the media but I don't think that can be the only problem.

[theHandpuppet]

2. I think we're all just overwhelmed

A hundred years ago folks' major concerns were with events happening with just a few miles of their home. In this day and age we're being swallowed up by a daily tsunami of news. Hell, look at how much we process right here on DU! Just how much can people focus on before they become numb? Some might claim it's apathy but I don't think so -- as I said, it's more like they're numb. Overwhelmed.