I think what some people have as an image of a coal miner is a little outdated. It is a very dangerous job. I don't know if it should be labeled as "the most dangerous job". It's not like it was 50 or 60 years ago when coal miners and their families all live couped up in small coal camp houses and buy their food from the company store and their kids are all nasty, bare footed, and out in the yards playing with the chickens. Due to the hard work and sacrifice of many coal miners before them, today's coal miner is far from being impoverished. Coal miners make a good wage, have good benefits, and are hard workers. The coal miners in my community are upper middle class. They have multiple cars, live in nice homes, have house boats, Bass boats, etc. and are able to provide a good living for their families. It's not the worst thing in the world to be a coal miner. It's an honest job for a hard working individual. They mine the coal that keeps the lights on for the rest of the state. Furthermore, the coal severance tax that is sent to Frankfort from these coal mining communites helps pays for the nice roads and infrastructure that the rest of the state gets to enjoy. It would be nice if we could keep all of it to take care of our own problems.

 

I realize conditions have changed in the industry a lot for the better. But it's still a job that gets paid at a premium because it is more dangerous than the majority of all manufactuing/industrial jobs. I bet most coal miners, if given the opportunity, would much rather work somewhere else.

I realize conditions have changed in the industry a lot for the better. But it's still a job that gets paid at a premium because it is more dangerous than the majority of all manufactuing/industrial jobs. I bet most coal miners, if given the opportunity, would much rather work somewhere else.

 

I would bet that most coal miners want their children to go to college and not have to work as physically hard as they do. I think it would be fair to say though that not every child is "college material". This doesn't just apply to Eastern Kentucky either. I would think that if a young man was wanting to join the work force after he gets out of high school, a mining job will provide a much better wage than working for minimum wage at a fast food restaurant or a warehouse somewhere. I think that most parents want their children to have more than themsleves, not just coal miners. Not everybody can be a doctor or a lawyer and not everybody is cut out to do hard work like coal mining. Somebody has to do it.

 

My point is that coal mining does not = poverty. This 20/20 special has perpetuated many of the typical sterotypes that people think of Eastern Kentucky. These poor kids and their situations are NOT the norm. They do however exist and it is a problem. My question to Diane Sawyer would be, what solution did she offer for these people and their situations? Did she just swing in here to exploit these kids and the mountain area for ratings? What good can come of this? I'm embarrassed about it. I figure that the rest of the state and the rest of the nation thinks we are some toothless, ignorant, white trash, trailor living, pill popping hillbilly's. I'm depressed about it. I think I'll go drink me a good cold Mountain Dew. :ohbrother:

I would bet that most coal miners want their children to go to college and not have to work as physically hard as they do. I think it would be fair to say though that not every child is "college material". This doesn't just apply to Eastern Kentucky either. I would think that if a young man was wanting to join the work force after he gets out of high school, a mining job will provide a much better wage than working for minimum wage at a fast food restaurant or a warehouse somewhere. I think that most parents want their children to have more than themsleves, not just coal miners. Not everybody can be a doctor or a lawyer and not everybody is cut out to do hard work like coal mining. Somebody has to do it.

 

My point is that coal mining does not = poverty. This 20/20 special has perpetuated many of the typical sterotypes that people think of Eastern Kentucky. These poor kids and their situations are NOT the norm. They do however exist and it is a problem. My question to Diane Sawyer would be, what solution did she offer for these people and their situations? Did she just swing in here to exploit these kids and the mountain area for ratings? What good can come of this? I'm embarrassed about it. I figure that the rest of the state and the rest of the nation thinks we are some toothless, ignorant, white trash, trailor living, pill popping hillbilly's. I'm depressed about it. I think I'll go drink me a good cold Mountain Dew. :ohbrother:

 

In fairness to Ms. Sawyer, at the beginning of the segment, she stated that 2.2 million people live in the area. She also pointed out half a million live as those she's about to profile. She also pointed out that Paintsville is thriving in the part about Shawn Grimm. I don't think she was trying to exploit anyone, and I don't think she was trying to paint all Eastern Kentuckians as you describe.

I would bet that most coal miners want their children to go to college and not have to work as physically hard as they do. I think it would be fair to say though that not every child is "college material". This doesn't just apply to Eastern Kentucky either. I would think that if a young man was wanting to join the work force after he gets out of high school, a mining job will provide a much better wage than working for minimum wage at a fast food restaurant or a warehouse somewhere. I think that most parents want their children to have more than themsleves, not just coal miners. Not everybody can be a doctor or a lawyer and not everybody is cut out to do hard work like coal mining. Somebody has to do it.

 

My point is that coal mining does not = poverty. This 20/20 special has perpetuated many of the typical sterotypes that people think of Eastern Kentucky. These poor kids and their situations are NOT the norm. They do however exist and it is a problem. My question to Diane Sawyer would be, what solution did she offer for these people and their situations? Did she just swing in here to exploit these kids and the mountain area for ratings? What good can come of this? I'm embarrassed about it. I figure that the rest of the state and the rest of the nation thinks we are some toothless, ignorant, white trash, trailor living, pill popping hillbilly's. I'm depressed about it. I think I'll go drink me a good cold Mountain Dew. :ohbrother:

 

If it makes you feel any better, I did not take it that way. I saw it as a "here are some issues some people in this area face." I would think that when they started filming Shawn Grimm back in high school, they were hoping for an example of how someone broke the chain of poverty that they grew up in.

Maybe if the government required drug testing to receive one of them there welfare checks...people might clean up and be eligible for one of those jobs. I have never had to live in such poverty but was/am not rich by any stretch. Drugs is an expensive habit so we need to find ways to clean it up and stop enabling people to continue the drug cycle. How can these kids ever know anything different. Many kids think there are two kinds of people--the ones who work (many feel as though this is not an option for them as they have never had a role model) and those who don't (find a way to draw a check). If I am going to help support someone with my tax money....it would be nice to know they weren't high on drugs when they cashed the check.

 

B-I-N-G-O!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't tell you how ticked off I get as I get ready to drive four hours one way some days for work and pass tons of people that I know good and well sit on their rear living off my paycheck! The problem is that if you take the top 25 kids out of each class over the years in Eastern KY you might get 6 or so of them moving back home. If you take the bottom 25 you probably get 23 of them back. While the good one's are out working the bad one's stay home + make more babies to make the cycle even worse. Take away places like Ashland Oil and you have a mess adding up over the years. Kids grow up in a household that bucks the system so they see it is easier than going out and working hard.

Drugs are a major problem everywhere but you have to put yourself in the shoes of some of these people. They grow up without a bed walking miles to try and get a GED so they can get a low paying job. Their neighbor is enjoying life selling pills (she said oxycontin was $128 a pill). It breaks a lot of peoples spirit. It is wrong but I can see the temptation for people that haven't had parents to raise them the right way. Both of my parents were really involved in my life so it would be easy to just blow these people off but when you think about having zero guidance growing up it is easy to see how they fall in the trap. The pain pills have ruined so many lives around here. I have had friends from school that were good people that are totally lost in life now because they can't get off them. Some have been to jail, some lost their kids and some that can't funciton. I also work in a lot of Dr's offices and I can't tell you how crazy some of the people that come in there are trying to get drugs. The government needs to really step in and put a major league task force in place to clean it up. There isn't much difference in it and South Central L.A. other than the gang violence!

I wish they would do a show once showing the great stories but I thought they did a good job addressing the problems here.

B-I-N-G-O!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't tell you how ticked off I get as I get ready to drive four hours one way some days for work and pass tons of people that I know good and well sit on their rear living off my paycheck! The problem is that if you take the top 25 kids out of each class over the years in Eastern KY you might get 6 or so of them moving back home. If you take the bottom 25 you probably get 23 of them back. While the good one's are out working the bad one's stay home + make more babies to make the cycle even worse. Take away places like Ashland Oil and you have a mess adding up over the years. Kids grow up in a household that bucks the system so they see it is easier than going out and working hard.

Drugs are a major problem everywhere but you have to put yourself in the shoes of some of these people. They grow up without a bed walking miles to try and get a GED so they can get a low paying job. Their neighbor is enjoying life selling pills (she said oxycontin was $128 a pill). It breaks a lot of peoples spirit. It is wrong but I can see the temptation for people that haven't had parents to raise them the right way. Both of my parents were really involved in my life so it would be easy to just blow these people off but when you think about having zero guidance growing up it is easy to see how they fall in the trap. The pain pills have ruined so many lives around here. I have had friends from school that were good people that are totally lost in life now because they can't get off them. Some have been to jail, some lost their kids and some that can't funciton. I also work in a lot of Dr's offices and I can't tell you how crazy some of the people that come in there are trying to get drugs. The government needs to really step in and put a major league task force in place to clean it up. There isn't much difference in it and South Central L.A. other than the gang violence!

I wish they would do a show once showing the great stories but I thought they did a good job addressing the problems here.

 

Drugs are addictive and the Pharmecuetical companies and Doctors that prescribe the drugs should be under close scrutiny as well.

If it makes you feel any better, I did not take it that way. I saw it as a "here are some issues some people in this area face." I would think that when they started filming Shawn Grimm back in high school, they were hoping for an example of how someone broke the chain of poverty that they grew up in.

 

 

I hope that most people see it the way you did. Unfoutunately I know of some "Shawn Grimm's" in our area. The good news is that there are some loving people in our community that have taken these kids into their homes and are trying to make a difference. Poverty is a state of mind and for the boys I am talking about, football drives these kids to stay in school and may be a stepping stone to a better life. Hopefully they have enough time with these boys to break the vicious cycle that happens all too often with poverty stricken families. It just seems like the same families keep on producing the same thing over and over. There are some good people in Eastern Kentucky who really try to make a difference in kids lives. At some point, these kids have to take advantage of the opportunities laid before them.

Drugs are addictive and the Pharmecuetical companies and Doctors that prescribe the drugs should be under close scrutiny as well.

 

 

:thumb: Amen! The drug problems are mostly prescription drugs that a doctor had to prescribe to begin with.

How much do you think that most coal miners make a year?

 

It said on 20/20 that the 18 year old they profiled was STARTING out at $60,000 a year, so I would assume the ones that have mined for 10-20 years are very well paid. Two questions, where do all of the people in Eastern Kentucky work that live in the nice neighborhoods,etc.(of which there are many) and how do those poor people afford $120 oxycontin?

It said on 20/20 that the 18 year old they profiled was STARTING out at $60,000 a year, so I would assume the ones that have mined for 10-20 years are very well paid. Two questions, where do all of the people in Eastern Kentucky work that live in the nice neighborhoods,etc.(of which there are many) and how do those poor people afford $120 oxycontin?

 

They work for hospitals, schools , coal mines, law firms, state and federal jobs, etc. These poor people use your tax money to buy those pills. They are on welfare or disability. They will even sell their food stamps that would otherwise feed their kids to get high. It's a bad situation. I don't understand how social services would allow kids to be in homes in some of the conditions that were aired on the program.

I hope that most people see it the way you did. Unfoutunately I know of some "Shawn Grimm's" in our area. The good news is that there are some loving people in our community that have taken these kids into their homes and are trying to make a difference. Poverty is a state of mind and for the boys I am talking about, football drives these kids to stay in school and may be a stepping stone to a better life. Hopefully they have enough time with these boys to break the vicious cycle that happens all too often with poverty stricken families. It just seems like the same families keep on producing the same thing over and over. There are some good people in Eastern Kentucky who really try to make a difference in kids lives. At some point, these kids have to take advantage of the opportunities laid before them.

 

:thumb: Every single word you are saying rings home true to me...and I have seen very similar examples in not so eastern parts of Kentucky.

They work for hospitals, schools , coal mines, law firms, state and federal jobs, etc. These poor people use your tax money to buy those pills. They are on welfare or disability. They will even sell their food stamps that would otherwise feed their kids to get high. It's a bad situation. I don't understand how social services would allow kids to be in homes in some of the conditions that were aired on the program.

 

Exactly how well is welfare,disability and food stamps paying that you could pay $120 for one pill, am sure an addict would have to have more than one pill a month?

I realize conditions have changed in the industry a lot for the better. But it's still a job that gets paid at a premium because it is more dangerous than the majority of all manufactuing/industrial jobs. I bet most coal miners, if given the opportunity, would much rather work somewhere else.

 

You're not getting it. They are choosing to not work at all.

In one segment, about the little girls who run out of food each month, it was said that the mother received over $500 a month in food stamps. I don't want to be judgemental here, but shouldn't this last a family of three a month? Perhaps I have no perception of what it is like to feed children (as I don't have any) so please fill me in.

In one segment, about the little girls who run out of food each month, it was said that the mother received over $500 a month in food stamps. I don't want to be judgemental here, but shouldn't this last a family of three a month? Perhaps I have no perception of what it is like to feed children (as I don't have any) so please fill me in.

 

 

I wondered the same myself. I know that when I was raising my kids, I wish I'd have had $500+ to spend on groceries. I would suspect a lot could be resolved with education. For instance, teaching the value of buying things like meat that needs to be prepared vs. higer priced but more convenient things like chicken nuggets, etc. I was lucky. My parents never had much. But my mom could make a roast on one day, and then a stew the next that would last a couple of more days. some people don't have the example to use food left over to make different meals another day.