OK a ??? Why was the SWAT team on standby???

[greenbriar]

reading about the miners and what the family went through last night and it struck me

they didn't have clergy or grief counselors there but they had the friggin SWAT team there???

[htuttle]

1. The SWAT team was there in case they had to shoot all the families

...though I imagine that would have caused a short-term PR problem.

[elehhhhna]

6. "12 dead. Ooops, make that 22."

[TheDebbieDee]

30. LOL !

[arcane1]

2. to protect the mining-company honchos, of course

is it 2006, or 1906? Hard to tell anymore

[0rganism]

8. Welcome to Gilded Age Redux

(and don't let me catch you wearing that IWW shirt around the plant!)

[Junkdrawer]

20. Ain't that the truth...n/t

[eleny]

3. I hope that someday, down the road, they ask themselves that question

[dutchdemocrat]

49. You live in a police state

At least that's how most of the rest of the world looks at it. Most of the US's popular cultural exports emphasize guns, blood, revenge, at its most raw and uncomplicated.

Imagine how they do it Jolly Old England with bats and funny hats? Or the copper in Amsterdam who will roll a spliff for you?

No, it's bad boys, bad boys... whatcha' gonna do... whatcha gonna do when I come for you...

...followed by scenes of good white men tackling bad black ones. I can't even begin to explain how odd it all looks when you peer from the outside in.

A fucking SWAT team?

[elehhhhna]

4. they were there to protect the miscommunicating Co. people, of course.

That's why it took hours to tell the TRUTH -- waiting for big guns to show up.

[hootinholler]

41. My thoughts exactly!

When I heard about SWAT being there. But then again, it is rural W.Va. not much for a SWAT team to do there regularly.

Anyone know if the team was local or did they import them?

-Hoot

[Warpy]

5. The miners had long complained about safety violations

in that mine, and most were looking for a way out. The families knew the mine owners didn't give a shit about the safety of the people who worked for them.

The SWAT team was there in case the families rioted and destroyed precious mine owner PROPERTY.

That's why they're always there.

[leftstreet]

7. They fear Labor

And they should.

[Bluerthanblue]

9. wow, even more evidence of how low we have gotten- how

the police state is indeed here-

that is so blaitently WRONG.

and depressing.

Fear your government- even in your grief.

[greenbriar]

10. as with the armed forces in LA during the hurricane

respond to crisis with violence???



what a time to be living in the USA :(

[Bluerthanblue]

13. that infuriates me

still- and even more when you don't see armed forces responding to fires and flooding in less 'impoverished' places in the country- but the VW Mining communties are by and large, not prosperous folks, doomed to a life of black lung, cave ins, and explosions- while they work the mines, for the corporations-

It is only at times like this i wish i never had children, and, beyond that, that everyone left living today wasn't old, infirm, and ready to die anyway. It is a dark, and ominous future- even with the talent, energy, passion and soul of those who see a 'better way'.

We DO need a miracle- and it won't be one miner making it out alive- it will be taking back our country- from the forces of greed, excess, and soul-less corporations.

bleak mid-winter indeed.

[greenbriar]

15. from my mind to your fingers

I feel the same way

[Freedom_from_Chains]

11. Bumper sticker on car that sums it up.

I am usually not real big on bumper stickers but I did see one a couple of months ago that for me pretty much sums it up. Short, and to the point. It read:

"I LOVE MY COUNTRY, BUT FEAR MY GOVERNMENT"

[greenbriar]

12. so true

sad but true

[Bluerthanblue]

18. so true, sadly-

but it is important to distinguish between the government, and the PEOPLE- at least i hope that is still true-
My 22yr old peace-minded son has said in exasperation so many times: "I HATE America!!!"- in response many of the atrocious actions committed in 'our' name over the last many years- I keep saying, "you hate what is being done 'in our name', america is not this administration, it's Joe, and Andy, and Cara, and Mr.Moore, and Kevin, and Brian and .......on and on...." but it's hard to keep that in focus.

What IS america anymore??? where did we go? Can we save ourselves from our government???
Does 'joe and jane average' have the energy, desire, passion to really take action? Face the ugly truth???

I sure hope for the future of all life they do- that we all do.

I saw a sticker yesterday that said, Democracy is a VERB.
made me think.

[Freedom_from_Chains]

40. We need to start thinking like Patrick Henry again.

"Give me liberty or give me death." It just may be getting that serious.

[greenbriar]

42. I just think you may be right!

and I am sad

[democracyindanger]

14. It could be that some of the SWAT team's skills

might come in handy--rappelling, for instance. And there was at least the local clergy and a psychologist on hand, that's for sure.

[greenbriar]

17. no, the way the article read, the swat team was there just in case

not to help rescue

but to protect


WHO???

[txindy]

19. They were called in case they were needed to control the reaction.

Not to help in the rescue.

About a dozen state troopers and a SWAT team were positioned along the road near the church because police were concerned about violence.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10682163/

[babylonsister]

21. Bingo! Someone thought the families would be outraged when

finally told the truth of the deaths. Gee, ya think?:cry:

[greenbriar]

22. a more sensible approach would have been

grief counselors and clergy and family and


COMPASSION AND LOVE


not arrests

[txindy]

26. That's exactly right.

These people are unbelievable. I can't imagine how the families must have felt. First, to find out they were lied to for three hours (a lie of omission, at best) and their loved ones were dead, and then to have to face a phalanx of state troopers and SWAT team members. Unreal.

[babylonsister]

27. We're on the same page, greenbriar. It's disgusting that

our government isn't.

[greenbriar]

29. yup

seems bush wants america back in the 1950's before all them there civil rights and stuff

[Hotler]

38. A little further back I think, around 1880-90's to the labor

movement. Pbs did a show I think called "The history of chicago" Told about the labor movement and the robber barons. Good show.

[democracyindanger]

24. Ah. Thanks for the link. But the clergy/counselor thing

I watched an interview with one of the miners' friends who was in the church for the entire sad episode, and in the course of his story he mentioned a psychologist "at the front door" and the reverend inside.

[txindy]

28. And if that didn't work well enough, they'd be 'subdued' physically

Very thoughtful. It pays to plan ahead.

:eyes:

(Please note, I'm disgusted with the mine company, not with what you've said. Your suggestion about the SWAT team's skills was very good. I hadn't considered that. Now I'm especially angry that they hadn't come for the rescue. Perhaps they might have been of use when it mattered.)

:hi:

[greenbriar]

31. yea, that might have been a wise move

but the more time the repukes are in power, the more blatient every corrupt person in the US is becoming

[txindy]

16. Amazing, isn't it? That struck me, too.

It took them three hours to tell the families. Just enough time to call in state troopers and a SWAT team. :wtf:

[benburch]

23. Bob Kincaid is talking about this now on his radio show.

http://www.WhiteRoseSociety.org/Kincaid.html

[greenbriar]

25. I hope Malloy talks about it tonight

those sorry sons a bitches

[greenbriar]

32. cool a nomination

don't believe I have ever had a post on greatest before!

[Junkdrawer]

33. K&R - and I'll tell you this is even more significant than it seems...

The upper classes of this country fear what's coming when the economic house of cards collapses. THAT'S why the domestic spying and the Patriot Act.

Hmmm. I hear tale that injustice lead to paranoia.... :think:

[greenbriar]

34. wow, that makes sense and I never put it in that perspective

before!

[Junkdrawer]

35. During the last Great Depression....

we came closer to Communism and Fascism than most folks know. Roosevelt steered a course to the New Deal and was condemned as a "traitor to his class".

Now "they" have that pesky Democracy thing under control and the New Deal is being dismantled piece by piece. I think they're getting ready. :scared:

[greenbriar]

36. I see that

I have always contended that bush co wants to move back the clock I usually say to the 1950's but I can see it to the 1920's

[Junkdrawer]

39. Needs one more nomination...

Best explanation of the delay yet...

[Junkdrawer]

37. .

[Junkdrawer]

46. .

[two gun sid]

43. Make no mistake. We have returned to the days of Gun Thugs...

working for employers to keep the workers in line.

My UMWA grandfather, killed by Black Lung, is turning over in his grave.

[greenbriar]

44. my father died 8 years ago would be going apeshit

over many of the things since bush

[applegrove]

45. When you get to the whole heart of the matter, these times, are all

about the fear rich & powerfull people have of being small (or not rich & powerfull). In order to convince corporations to not pay taxes, and the support tribal hate and rich people not paying taxes, you have to teach them to fear the "little people".

Projection.

All the mining companies have to fear is their own unethical stance on following safety reguations by bottom lining it.. was it cheaper to pay the fines than implement safety standards every day? If that is why they did it - then they should learn from this and invite the unions back. To keep them in check.

So they will not be afraid of people who have no power. And do have feelings.

[greiner3]

47. Maybe to keep the survivors from demanding rights;

Such as the ability to form unions and safe working conditions.

[eppur_se_muova]

48. Got to stand up to them Wobblies doncha know. nt

[La Coliniere]

50. To protect property, not people, why else?

Welcome to the New Gilded Age, Amurka.