Students Speak Out on Mountaintop Removal

Blankenship verses Kennedy

Last Thursday, the CEO of Massey Coal, Don Blankenship, and activist/lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. debated mountaintop removal on the campus of the University of Charleston. It was a requirement in my classes for students to watch the debate as well as a humorous segment from the Colbert Report on mountaintop removal. You can watch Colbert’s six minute segment by clicking on the link below:



http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/261997/january-18-2010/coal-comfort---margaret-palmer



Each week, my students are required to write a small essay on current issues. Because I teach at a small college in southern West Virginia, I thought it would be perfect to have them write up a response essay to the Blankenship-Kennedy Debate. Let me be very clear – these students live in the heart of coal country. No one is more affected by mountaintop removal than the people who live in these coal communities. My students are sons and daughters of coal miners. Some of them have even worked in the mines. Suffice it to say, the essays I read were filled with many strong and sincere opinions. I have selected a number of direct quotes from the student essays for this blog. Journalists, scholars, politicians, activists, and capitalists have all spouted their opinions on this controversial topic. Unfortunately, no one ever bothers to ask the people who spend their whole lives around these mines what they think. What follows are their voices, unfiltered and unedited. I hope someone takes the time to listen.



“Before watching the debate I was all for mountaintop removal because I did not realize the impact it had on the environment. I am still not completely against mountaintop removal, but I think the coal operators should be more careful.”

“I can’t even hunt anymore in all the places around where I grew up because of the devastation of forests in the areas around these mines.”

“Having grown up in Boone County, WV, the more I research mountaintop removal the angrier I become. Our culture, which derives from mining coal, is rapidly slipping away. I strongly believe this type of coal mining needs to stop before it completely destroys southern West Virginia’s culture. My grandfather was among the ten thousand men who marched for union rights at the Battle of Blair Mountain. Our society is founded on the beliefs of such men who fought together for union rights. Since Massey has moved into southern West Virginia, the union has weakened. Men work six days a week and twelve hours a day. They make good money, but their family life ultimately suffers. Many are faced with divorce and the mass majority suffer from major health problems. Prescription drug use is at an all time high. Logan and Boone Counties lead the state and West Virginia ranks first in the country for prescription drug use.”

“Our culture’s environment is also a major cause for concern. The machinery used to mine coal is destroying our habitat. Drag lines and triple seven rock trucks are moving earth at a phenomenal rate. In one scoop, the drag line can pick up a football field. This machine runs twenty four hours a day seven days a week. The devastation done to our country because of mountaintop removal can be seen firsthand at NASA.com.”

“Looking from past to present, I see a community that has been blinded by employment. We have made the number one concern jobs while overlooking our culture and environment.”

“The world views West Virginia as a bunch of hillbillies who are having fun blowing up our mountains. They see us a being very destructive and uncaring towards the environment.”

“My Dad is the youngest of 7 children and began working in the mines at a fairly young age. Though there have been some drawbacks in his career – injuries and layoffs – his job in the mines helped him to financially raise me and my four sisters. With the environmentalists standing in the way of the coal industry, his job becomes more at risk every day. While the Colbert Report pokes fun at the situation, others realize its seriousness. If faced with the closing down of mines, every aspect of my life would change. Being in his 50s and lacking a college degree, my father’s financial input would be lacking . . . my family may have to move, which would change our dialect, our quality of life.”

“These blasting sites can damage the property of homes nearby. In fact, it has killed people before. There have been incidents where the boulders would go through the house, hit someone, and kill them.”

“As a grandson of two coal miners and a father that worked in the mining industry for 10 years, I realize that West Virginia’s livelihood depends on coal. The loss of coal operations in West Virginia would be devastating to our economy. Many of the environmentalists are from other states and they do not understand how the coal companies reclaim the land. If you have ever driven back on one of the worksites that they have reclaimed, you can see plant life growing and flourishing.”

“Coal miners understand the risks that come with their jobs. As long as there are willing workers and the benefits outweigh the consequences, coal mining will continue to be West Virginia’s largest industry.”

“Mountaintop removal is ruining our beautiful state.”

“I think that [mountaintop removal in WV] is as popular as it is because it is safer for the miners themselves and the people of southern WV have seen a lot of death in underground mining.”

“To me both sides use methods to misinform and evade truths. Kennedy quoted a lot of people, used colorful language, and emotionalized his answers whereas Blankenship made references to other countries like India and China to avoid talking about issues of this region.”

“I felt that Robert Kennedy came much more prepared for the debate, with real facts and statistics. It was obvious that he feels passionately about stopping surface mining and Blankenship feels passionately abut preserving it. I also felt that Blankenship was a bit disrespectful during the debate. Instead of using more statistics to prove his points as Kennedy did, he tried to act as if everything Kennedy said was dumb and make the audience laugh”

“Even the most extreme environmentalist would be a coal supporter if they went home to a cold, dark house at night.”

“Coal has been a large part of my family and many other families in this area for years and years. I can honestly say I am a friend of coal, but to see the mining industry destroy our mountains like they are is unacceptable. Obviously there are other ways to mine coal, so why don’t we just stick to the basics?”

That's all for now. Cheers.

My Favorite Student Excuses

Excuses, Excuses...

It seems like a long year already. I’ve been spending nights at the hospital with my grandmother and one of my sister’s best friends (and someone I’ve known my whole life) is about to succumb to an eight year battle with breast cancer. She was diagnosed the same month my first novel was published. When I learned of her condition, I gave her a signed copy of the very first book the publisher sent me. A couple of weeks later she called me and told me that reading the book was a great encouragement to her. To me, the compliment was better than making the bestseller list. Soon she will be gone. We will all miss her terribly.

Long story short, the year is starting out tough. In order to lighten the mood a little, I’m going to write something funny rather than serious this week. Thus, I have decided to share some of my favorite excuses students have given me over the years. These are just a few examples, but everything of what you are about to read is true. Conversations are recited to the best of my memory. Enjoy.

Part I – Dude, Where’s My Paper?

Yes, it is true. I’ve heard the “dog ate my homework” excuse. It happened in the Spring of 2006.

A student came in the office to tell me why his paper was late. He was a white guy with dreadlocks who consistently referred to me as “dude.” He wore a Marley T-shirt, shorts, and sandals. After telling me how he thought my class was “right on,” he announced:

“I know this sounds crazy, dude, but it’s true. Are you ready for this? My dog ate my homework. Now, I know what you’re gonna say. You’re gonna say that this dude is full of it but, dude, I’m not. It’s all true. I have this dog that eats everything, dude EVERYTHING.”

The student then provided me with several stories surrounding the viciousness of his Boston Terrier and all of the items its jaws had so mercilessly destroyed. Finally, I hear the tale of how the dog ripped apart his paper about John and Abigail Adams in gory detail. The student was very animated while telling the stories and nearly breathless by the time he finished. I waited until the end and said:

“You’re telling me that you could not possibly turn in the paper on time because your dog ate it.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, dude. Couldn’t believe it myself. He ate it and I was like…. Dude, WTF?”

“So, why didn’t you just print another copy?”

This question was followed by an awkward silence.

After several seconds of intense contemplation he said. “Um, I was out of paper, maybe.”

Of course he was.





Another student came into my office with crutches and a cast on his right leg. I asked him what happened and he told me that a car wreck had severely injured him and prevented him from getting his paper to me. Naturally, I told him not to worry about it. Get it to me when you can, I said. Later that same evening he walked passed me at the mall. No cast. No crutches.



One kid burst through the office door and announced, “Last night lightning struck a tree in my driveway and a limb fell on top of the car. So I couldn’t turn in my paper this morning.” There had been no storm the night before. Apparently, the Almighty didn’t want him to turn in his paper.

Part II – Don’t Fear the Weeper

Professors hear nearly every type of excuse imaginable. One of my pet peeves is when a student begins by saying, “I know this isn’t an excuse, but….” Some students don’t even bother to come into the office, opting to email me an excuse instead. My first year teaching at WVU, seventeen (yes, I counted) students sent me an email on exam days telling me that a grandparent had died. Seventeen! Evidently my exams are detrimental to the health of grandparents everywhere.



But the worst is when students cry. I recall a time when my niece, Shellie, was only an infant. She was on the couch crying and wailing for something. My father instantly ran to her, picked her up, held her tight, and consoled her with tons of sweet, baby talk. Shellie stopped crying immediately and smiled. It dawned on me then that one of the first things a female learns in this world is how she can manipulate a man with tears. It is no surprise then that every semester ladies come into my office and start crying away. Nowadays I even keep a box of tissues in my desk. When I first began teaching, however, I was completely unprepared.

The first time it happened was at the end of my first semester as a teacher. Girl comes into the office at around ten in the morning. She was attractive and completely dolled up. I looked at her grades and told her she needed to make an 80 on the final in order to pass the class. She could not get any higher than a “D.”

Then the tears began to flow. Not a couple of tears, mind you. I’m talking about Niagara Falls. The girl sobbed like her parents had just been murdered. Certainly, this was not the first time I had made a woman cry, but never before in a professional setting. I had no idea what to do. She told me that she was a straight A student and had never made a B before this semester. She then told me how her mother had been in the hospital and her boyfriend had cheated on her. After several unsuccessful attempts to consol her, I excused myself, walked into the hallway, and called my sister.

I am lucky enough to have a close relationship with my two older sisters. Whenever a woman says or does something that I do not understand, I call one, or both of my sisters, and they interpret the meaning for me (this has happened more times in my past than I care to admit). About 95% of the time, they are accurate.

I related the story over the phone and my sis became very adamant. “Don’t you dare listen to that girl!” She screamed, “She’s just trying to take advantage of you! Don’t you dare let her get away with it!”

“Are you sure? She seemed pretty broken up.”

“Don’t be stupid!”

As my sister continued to rant I peeked into my office. The girl was no longer crying. Instead she was gazing at herself with a handheld mirror and fluffing her hair. I decided to heed my sis’s advice.

I went in and checked her transcripts online. Sure enough, she was not exactly a straight A student. More like a 1.8 GPA. After I pointed this out to her, this sweet, attractive, innocent girl turned into a demon from hell. She cussed me out and stormed off. I sat silent in my chair with my mouth hanging open. My buddy and colleague Eugene Vansickle stuck his head around the corner and smiled (at the time I shared an office with several other Grad Instructors). “Don’t sweat it, Charles,” He laughed, “you’ll get used to it.”



Indeed I have. One girl came in crying over her grade and wanted some sympathy points. Once again, the girl was very attractive and almost unbearably self-absorbed. She struck me as the kind of girl who, when dancing with a guy at a club, spends the whole time watching herself in the mirror on the dance room wall while the guy is grinding on her and staring at her chest. I also imagine that her Facebook profile was filled with dozens of pics of her trying to pose like a fashion model (you know, with the serious look and the sideways peace sign). Sorry, sweetheart. Heidi Klum you are not. When I asked her why she had failed to come to class for the last month, she looked me dead in the eyes and said, “Drama.”

“Really? Drama?”

“Yes, Drama.” She wiped a tear from her cheek and rolled her eyes. “You don’t EVEN know.”

At this point I could no longer contain the sarcasm within me.

“Too bad you missed my lecture last Wednesday,” I said, “I talked about how Woodrow Wilson was incapacitated his entire final year as president after being diagnosed with a severe case of clinical drama.”

The girl didn’t even flinch.

“That sounds just like the last month of my life.” She said with a quivering voice and watery eyes.

I could only smile and shake my head.

“Yes, I’m sure your problems were every bit as complicated as the First World War.”





I have many more examples I can give; and I probably will at a later date. But right now, I’m pretty tired. I know that isn’t an excuse, but….

My Top Films of the Decade: Part II

And here we go with Part II....

2004 – Sideways

This is a great “buddy” movie set in California’s gorgeous Napa Valley. I saw the film with one of my oldest friends and it hit home for both of us because there were so many incidents in the film which resembled our experiences over the years. My friend felt that he was Miles and I was Jack. Although, other friends of mine tell me that I have a little in common with both the main characters (Miles is also a writer). There is a serious thematic underdone to this story combined with a lot of great humor. The wine flows and the jazz soundtrack really compliments the characters and the story (not everyone liked the musical score, my friend DePalma sneeringly refers to the jazz soundtrack as “that f&%#ing Pink Panther music”). One of the stronger messages in the film deals with how our lives turn out differently than we expect. Nothing in life ever goes according to plan and we can never accurately predict how our plans will develop. In the case of this story, Miles had been saving a special wine for his tenth wedding anniversary. Instead of sharing the wine with his wife, he is divorced, and drinks the wine alone out of a Styrofoam cup at a burger joint. Anyone who has had their expectations in life dashed can relate.

If you are under the age of twenty-five you probably will not “get it” when you watch Sideways. When I was eighteen I read Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea and I thought, “This is it? Really?” You see, I didn’t “get it.” I understood the story on an intellectual level, but not an emotional one because I simply did not have enough life experience. I returned to The Old Man and the Sea ten years later and now I think it is absolute brilliance. The story had not changed ... I had. I’m glad I was old enough to appreciate Sideways when it was released.

2003 – Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

This is an extremely underappreciated film. I went to see it in the theatre thinking I was about to watch an action flick. I was dead wrong. It is so much more. First, the story is a vivid portrait of what life on a naval vessel in the early 1800s would have been like – the griminess, the close quarters, the class divisions, the call of duty, the superstitions, and the subculture of a ship at sea. Second, it demonstrates how advances in sea navigation made exploration and discovery possible in the early modern era. I really enjoyed how a portion the tale mimicked Darwin’s first trip to the Galapagos.

But the heart of Master and Commander is built around a lasting friendship and a passion for music. Even though Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin have decidedly different ideals and their personalities clash, it is their mutual love of music that truly binds them together. While watching the scenes when Jack and Stephen play songs together I couldn’t help but think of all the jam sessions I’ve had with good friends in the past. There is a special bond that musicians share with one another. An unspoken conversation takes place. If you do not play, then you cannot possibly comprehend. Music represents a spark of Divinity in all of us. If you are lucky enough to have the gift of music within you, don’t ever let it go.

The use of Vivaldi and Bach in the film is really wonderful as well. I’ve attached a link to one of my favorite songs used in the film, Corelli’s, “Adagio from Concerto Grosso.” Check it out. If you don’t find it moving, then you must not have a pulse.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEXZKy5XRRI

2002 – Road to Perdition

“Natural Law: Sons are put on this earth to trouble their fathers.”

This is an extraordinary movie. I think I’ve watched it about a dozen times and if I were to make a list of my top twenty-five films of all time, Road to Perdition would be on it. This is a father/son story combined with a revenge tale. One thing holds true with nearly all revenge tales: if you seek vengeance, it may be granted, but the price you pay is your own life. This tale is no different. I’m not certain, but I believe the revenge motif began with Shakespeare’s Hamlet. To be or not to be. If you seek revenge, apparently that is the question. The combination of acting, visuals, and music when Mike Sullivan (Tom Hanks) takes out John Rooney (Paul Newman) is perfection. This is also a film with strong moral message and the ending is stunningly powerful.

2001 – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

I admit it. I am a Lord of the Rings geek. It was very tempting to put each of these three films in my list, but I decided to go with only one. I own the extended version of this film. A friend wanted to borrow it but I would not let him because it is mine. My own. My precious. When I first read the books over ten years ago, I thought that it would be impossible for anyone to ever make a film that would do the story justice. Peter Jackson proved me wrong. Although the film trilogy still does not compare to Tolkien’s masterpiece, they accomplished much more than I ever thought possible. This is partly due to the fact that they use most of Tolkien’s own dialogue in the script, the cinematography of New Zealand is stunning, and the musical score is absolutely fantastic. Perhaps I’ll write a more detailed blog on Tolkien’s work some other time. This tiny commentary will have to do for now. Even though the high fantasy aspect of the film is not for everyone, The Lord of the Rings is indisputably one of the best trilogies in motion picture history.

2000 – O Brother, Where Art Thou?

What can be more wonderful than watching a Homeric Epic set in the American South during the Great Depression? Whatever it is, it must have R-U-N-N- O-F-T. I love the idea of taking classical myth and putting it in a modern setting so much that I did the same with my first novel, To Live Again. Aside from the mythological references, there are so many great quotes from this film. I’m a Dapper Dan man… This place is a geographical oddity, two weeks from everywhere… I’m the paterfamilias… So long boys, see you in the funny papers… You made a deal with the devil and these boys just got saved, I’m the only one at present unaffiliated… We thought you was a toad.

Once again, the music helps move the story. One also has to love the scene with the sirens and John Goodman as the Bible-selling Cyclops. But despite the music and the clever, quirky humor, my favorite part is after the TVA flood. Clooney’s character, Everitt, states that they are entering an age of reason right before seeing the blind man’s prophecy (a cow on the roof of a shack) come true.

This is one of my two favorite Coen Brothers’ films. This other, of course, is The Big Lebowski. The Dude abides. The Dude abides.

Honorable Mention

The Two Towers/Return of the King – See the above explanation for details.

Gladiator – Russell Crowe, Ridley Scott, and Rome. You can’t go wrong with this one. Gladiator is another story that follows the revenge motif mentioned above.

Black Hawk Down – Another Ridley Scott film. I remember the anger and frustration I felt when this actually happened in 1993. This is the best combat film of the decade.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy – “I’m kind of a big deal. People know me. I have many leather bound books. My apartment smells of rich mahogany.” This movie is made with bits of real panther, so you know it’s good.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – A complex tale about the purpose of memory in our lives. This is Jim Carrey’s finest work.

The Dark Knight – The confrontation between the Joker and Batman in the prison is one of the most iconic film scenes of the decade.

Iron Man/The Incredible Hulk – When I was a little kid I read comic books all the time. I love the fact that Marvel is trying to recreate the Marvel Universe with these new films and I can’t wait to see how they take Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America, and the Avengers, and tie them all together. If they can pull it off, it will be fantastic.

Open Range - I am a sucker for good westerns and I think this is the best one of the decade. This is Kevin Costner's most solid work in a long time. Of course, it doesn't hurt when you have Robert Duvall as your costar.

Team America: World Police - From the twisted, clever minds of the creators of South Park. You just have to see this movie to believe it.

Until next time. Cheers and Happy New Year.

My Top Films of the Decade: Part I

Right now the internet is riddled with everyone’s top ten films of the decade. So, being bored while sitting around between semesters, I decided to throw my own hat in the ring. Instead of giving a one through ten list, I’ve decided to pick a favorite film from each of the last ten years. I’ll start with this year and go back to 2000. Here it goes….

2009 – Inglourious Basterds

This movie is, without a doubt, Tarantino’s best work since Pulp Fiction. Even though it is an “alternative history” it maintains a feel of historical authenticity. Tarantino did his homework with this one. The references to Karl May (a turn of the century German novelist who became famous for writing stories about the American frontier – Hitler was a huge fan and even recommended that his soldiers read the books) and to Weimar film culture in the 1920s demonstrate that Tarantino knows his subject well. Even though the average film buff will not catch all of the references, for someone like me, it makes the story all the more enjoyable. There is also a really interesting interpretation on the symbollic meaning of King Kong to be found in the drinking game scene.

As with nearly all fiction, characters make the story. The “Jew Hunter” is one of the most manipulative and creepy villains I’ve seen on the screen in years. You have the young theatre owner (Shosanna) on a quest for revenge. Ironically, she gets her chance for vengeance because the “German Sergeant York” (Fredrick Zoller) falls in love with her. The undercover British lieutenant who is an expert on the German film industry is wonderful, but all too brief in the story. Brad Pitt’s character (Lt. Aldo Raine) is great. The fact that he’s a gun toting redneck from Appalachia makes it even better. One of the funniest scenes in the movie is when Brad and two of the other Basterds try to sneak into the premier for Nation’s Pride posing as Italians (being typical Americans they are the only characters in the movie who can only speak one language). Listening to Pitt trying to speak Italian with a hillbilly accent is hilarious.

In some ways, the film feels like World War II meets the western genre. The opening sequence looks and feels like it happens on the American frontier, even though it takes place in Nazi occupied France. The music adds to the “western” flavor. The Basterds are, of course, portrayed as American, gun-slinging cowboys. You even have the saloon gunfight (in this case in a basement, much to the chagrin of Lt. Aldo Raine). In the end, however, this movie is Tarantino’s revisionist Nuremburg Trial. Tarantino shows the Nazis no mercy. In fact, one of the main characters dies as a result of showing sympathy for a German soldier. But Tarantino never gets in a hurry in this tale, allowing the rich dialogue to move the action and fully develop every character. Even though the film is two and a half hours long, I wanted to see more of each character. Personally, I think everyone could use a little more Hugo Stiglitz.

2008 – Gran Torino

No one has been more influential in shaping the perception of masculinity in American pop culture in the second half of the twentieth century than John Wayne and Clint Eastwood (the first half of the century belonged to Hemingway). Even though it is a new century, Eastwood still has what it takes. In many ways Gran Torino is to Eastwood what The Shootist was to Wayne. In both films, the main characters are dying of cancer, both of them befriend and become a mentor to a younger man, both of them stick with old fashioned values in a society that views them as relics, and both Eastwood and Wayne refuse to go quietly, going out in a blaze of glory. Eastwood’s commentary on race, ethnicity, and the changing face of America is both funny and enlightening. One of my favorite scenes is when Eastwood takes Thao to the barber shop to teach him how “men talk” to one another. It really reminds me of the way some of my friends and I spoke to one another in the office at WVU. The film is touching without being overly sentimental and smart without being preachy.

2007 – There Will Be Blood

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better fable on film about the self-consuming power of ambitious greed. This is how the industrialists made their cash. Daniel Day Lewis gives a performance that is every bit as iconic as George C. Scott’s Patton. The score is really good as well, provided by Jonny Greenwood, the guitarist from Radiohead. This is not a film for those of you who like sentimental, happy fluff. It is not even a piece of entertainment. It is a deep resonating, artistic piece. Even though the story strays far from Upton Sinclair’s novel, I think he would be pleased with the result. The final showdown between the Capitalist Baron and the False Prophet is chilling.

2006 – The Departed

The more I see this film, the more I like it. This story is a tragedy, pure and simple. Usually, I can tell you nearly everything that will happen in a film within the first five minutes, but The Departed contained twists that even I did not see coming. The cast is superb. DiCaprio, as Billy Costigan, gives his finest performance. Costigan is one of my favourite film characters in a long time. You can't help but feel sympathy for him and I absolutely hated to see him get killed. On the other hand, I loved watching the slimy, rat Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon's character) getting axed. That is what a great story does. You want certain characters to be happy and you want others to get what they deserve. A perfect example is Madolyn. I wanted her to be with Costigan (even though it could have never worked in the long term) and get as far away from Sullivan as possible. I really loved the scene where Costigan hooks up with Madolyn while Van Morrison is singing his cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” in the background. Great scene. Baldwin, Sheen, and Walberg round out a very solid cast and Jack is, of course, still money. It ranks in my top five mafia/crime films of all time.

2005 –Kingdom of Heaven (Director’s Cut)

Talk of religion often makes people squirm, but this film does so in a very smart way. If you watch this film, get the Director’s Cut and only the Director’s Cut. Some people may complain about the running time of the extended version, but to those folks I say, “It’s called an attention span. Get one.” A number of academics have gotten their panties in a bunch over the numerous historical inaccuracies in the film, but as it so often happens with overly anal scholars, they get bogged down on details and miss the overall point. Ridley Scott was trying to give us a discussion of contemporary religious issues and conflicts in a medieval setting. In that, he succeeds while simultaneously telling a really gritty and engaging story. While the message of religious and multicultural toleration juxtaposed with the true meaning of spirituality pervades the film there is also an element of Divine Providence found in the tale of Godfrey’s son, Balian. He is a man who believes that God has abandoned him, only to be guided to greatness. There are also poignant moments that reflect on the advantages of class mobility over a stagnant caste society. Interestingly, Godfrey refers to the Holy Land as the "New World" where a man can become whatever it is within himself to be as opposed to Europe where a person's station in life is based entirely on birthright. I liked all of the characters, both Muslim and Christian, both heroes and villains. And one can’t help but love Edward Norton’s portrayal of the leper King. The audience never sees his face, but the performance is wonderful. There is also some very powerful symbolic imagery when Muslim and Christian armies face one another outside the stronghold of Reynald de Chatillon. The story also does a good job in demonstrating the importance of leadership in making peace and starting war. Kingdom of Heaven is a good example of how fiction can entertain and still tackle important social issues. This how I believe stories should be told.


That is all for Part I. The next part will cover 2004 back to 2000. Cheers.

It's Not Where You Are, It's Who You Are With

Reflections on Charlotte

The last month of the decade began with a road trip to Charlotte, North Carolina. An old college roommate, Swami (all my friends refer to him as Swami for reasons that will not be explained in this blog) moved to Charlotte a little over a decade ago and he has been harassing me to come and visit him ever since. Last September he married his second wife, whom I had not yet met. Since I missed the wedding (his fault, not mine – he changed the date at the last minute) and since I had defended my doctoral dissertation the week before, it seemed appropriate to head south, do a bit of celebrating, and reconnect with an old friend.



Although I drive by the city twice a year, I have not actually spent any time exploring Charlotte in over a decade. Serving as home base for a number of large American corporations such as Lowe’s, Goodrich, Bank of America, and Time Warner Cable, it comes as no surprise that the city has grown immensely over the previous ten years. The traffic is evil. I was delayed getting into the city because of a wreck on I-77 South and had the great misfortune of slamming into town right at rush hour on a Friday evening. I’ve driven through several major cities during rush hour and Charlotte is definitely a frantic hodgepodge of jumbled cars and trucks rivaling any place I have ever been. As I made my way to the southern end of town towards Swami’s home, I was amazed at how everything from the city to the South Carolina border has become a major suburban sprawl. The entire area is a confusing maze of housing developments and shopping centers. If you do not know your way around (and I didn’t) it is easy to get lost.



Over the next two days, Swami and I spent a lot of time reminiscing about our undergrad days while making a few new memories. I love to explore and so, we went exploring all around the city. Downtown is filled with good restaurants and tons of nightclubs and pubs. The streets are pretty clean and the architecture is modern. Unlike other southern cities such as Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, where the rich history pervades everything from the sweet tea you sip to the stones on the sidewalks to the lazy drawl on a southern belle’s voice, Charlotte flows with youthful energy and everything feels new – even if it isn’t. Nothing exemplifies the feeling of modernism and energy more than the Calvary Church. This massive, gleaming, imposing structure, while not exactly extolling a message of Christian humility, certainly stands as powerful symbol of Protestant Christianity’s strong influence on the culture of the American South. It looks like a castle of mirrors. Swami pointed out that Dale Earnhardt’s funeral was held at the church. Fitting, I thought. I have always maintained that the Holy Trinity of the South is Jesus, Robert E. Lee, and Dale Earnhardt … and not necessarily in that order.

But the real texture of a place is found in its culture, which has a distinctive richness from the rest of the south; at least from the places I have been. People greeted me with typical southern friendliness wherever I went and it is impossible not to notice that the cultural differences between southern and northern women in the east is profound. While much of the south spends a lot of time looking at the past (being a historian, I fully understand), Charlotte appears to be looking to the future. For Charlotte, the future looks more metropolitan and multicultural than ever before. The Latino presence has arrived in full force. Nowhere is this more evident than in Swami’s own home where his new wife hails from the South American country of Columbia. Her name is Monica and she is one of the most adorable and instantly likeable ladies I have met in a long time. Swami is crazy for her and he should be. The man has taken his lumps over the years with some bad luck in love and it does me immeasurable good to see an old friend finally end up as happy as he deserves to be. It even gives a cranky and cynical academic like myself a tiny glimmer of hope.



Both Swami and Monica are migrants. Swami is among the many people who have reluctantly left the mountains of Appalachia looking for a better job and a better life elsewhere while Monica left the mountains of Columbia for many of the same reasons. Happiness is not determined by where you are but rather, who you are with. Sometimes people move away from the homes of their youth because they can’t wait to escape a small town, or run from a poor family life, or whatever. Others move because they simply do not have enough opportunity in the place of their youth. Whatever the reason, the culture that we come from is carried within us and is transplanted wherever we go. Monica could not stay in Columbia and have the same economic opportunities as in Charlotte, but she brings a little bit of home with her. It is found in her accent, her cooking, her clothes, and her worldview (as an aside, I teased her all weekend because I came to her home with great expectations over the exotic Columbian coffee I was certain she would serve only to find that all she had was Maxwell House).



One of the ways Monica shared her culture with me was to take Swami and I to her favorite Columbian restaurant, Los Paisas (visit their website at http://www.lospaisasrestaurant.com/). When we arrived in the parking lot and exited the car, I could immediately hear the lively Columbian music bursting from speakers by the front of the restaurant. Two lovely Latinas were outside dancing to the music and holding fruity drinks in their hands. Even though the sky was grey, they were determined to make their own sunshine. Inside, I experienced one of the most pleasurable meals I’ve enjoyed in a while. Their empanadas, fried plantains, and pork crackling were wonderful. The green sauces had me sweating with joy. But the real treasure of the meal (and the weekend as a whole) was the company. An old friend, a new friend, and transplanted regional and international culture all wrapped up in the modern metropolitan south. The Charlotte of the early 21st Century feels like one of the more interesting cities in the south and it is so because of the people, not necessarily the place. Thanks for a great weekend guys. I look forward to many more. Adios y Feliz Navidad!

Soldiers and Stereotypes

For those of you who might be interested, my doctoral dissertation is now available to download for free online. You can find it at:



http://wvuscholar.wvu.edu:8881/R/SGHL24MEEPA91DS8TJBX5PH1HYICRVSH2VLBTTG2V1J3SRC96U-00548


Once you follow the link, just click the pdf file on the left of the screen.

Below is a short summary of the study. I plan to transform the dissertation into a book that will expand my themes. Until then... enjoy this version. Cheers. 


Soldiers and Stereotypes: Mountaineers, Cultural Identity, and World War II


To what extent are Appalachian stereotypes true and how much is pure fabrication? This study seeks to answer this question by examining the experiences of West Virginia soldiers during World War II. Appalachian hillbillies, believed to be culturally backward, uncivilized, isolated, and prone to violence, were often sent straight to the infantry because it was believed that their wild mountain heritage made them inherently better fighters. Using interviews, letters, and a collection of over 1,200 firsthand written accounts of Appalachian veterans collected by West Virginia University in 1946, this study traces the evolution of the cultural and individual identities of mountaineers throughout their time in the United States military. These West Virginia narratives are also compared and contrasted with those of other soldiers in the United States and around the world. Because every single ethnicity and race in the world fought and was exposed to many similar circumstances, the war itself is the ultimate litmus test for the validity of cultural stereotypes. If stereotypes associated with Appalachians are true, then their wartime narratives will reflect different reactions to soldiering and war based on their own inherent cultural traits. If not, then their reactions to war will be similar to those of other soldiers from different regions and nations. This study endeavors to demonstrate what the Second World War reveals about the changing identity of West Virginia soldiers, and more specifically, the culture and stereotypes associated with them.

Is Twilight just Dracula meets Pretty in Pink?

“So what’s your take on Twilight?”


I’ve been asked the question about a dozen times over the last couple of weeks. Everywhere I look I see film posters, television spots, and weary-eyed men who are being mercilessly dragged into cinemas either because they really love their girl or they are irrevocably whipped. My oldest friend whom I’ve known all my life (I’ll refer to him as Dr. Tack) was lucky. His wife opted to go with her sister and have a “girls night out.” This allowed Dr. Tack to focus on sophisticated, important, manly issues…. namely, playing Halo 3 with me until two in the morning. The good doctor was spared but fortune did not smile upon everyone. Last Friday I ran into my cousin and we talked for a short spell. He asked me what I was getting into over the weekend and I told him. When I asked what he would be up to I noticed a glazed, undead look in his eyes. “Gotta go see that New Moon. I thought I was going to get out of it, but my wife found a babysitter. She told me she wouldn’t give me any grief for hunting all next week if I take her. So I gotta go.” He then shook his head and solemnly walked away beneath a grey, overcast sky. Or as Professor Van Helsing said, “It is a strange world, a sad world, a world full of miseries and woes and troubles.”

So what’s the deal with the Twilight series? I see all these girls in my classes pouring through these books like they hold the key to life. I can’t help but think: of all the books in the world to choose from, why these? When I was an undergrad I read Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Gordimer – many of the classic authors if, for no other reason than to find out why they were called classics in the first place. So, why skip a wealth of literary greatness to read a series that a friend of mine referred to as Dracula meets Pretty in Pink?

I have to admit; I have neither read the books nor seen the films. Usually when a student of mine tells me that I “just HAVE TO read these books” I give a smirk and roll my eyes. Teen vampire love story just doesn’t seem to float my boat. Of course, I've heard a lot about the story and I’ve seen the trailers for the films. A number of reviewers have also made the 80s teen flick/ Twilight connection. But an important point is that almost all romantic stories are formulaic and this series is no different. There are several formulas. For instance, you have the “Love Triangle Formula.” Titanic is the most obvious example. In this formula, a young girl (Kate Winslet) must choose between two men. One man (the guy she is in a relationship with at the beginning of the story aka Billy Zane) is usually rich, upper class, and everyone thinks they are the perfect couple – but he really isn’t right for her. Then there is the lower class guy. This guy is usually an artist (like Leo) or musician or some kind of rough backwoods character. The lower class guy (Leo) opens up new worlds to the girl (Kate) and she eventually leaves upper class guy for the lower class guy because that’s exactly how it works in the real world. The “Love Triangle Formula” gives a lesson that material things don’t matter and true love can break through all boundaries (class, cultural, racial, etc…).

Then there is the classic “Cinderella Formula.” The film Pretty Woman is nothing more than Cinderella as a hooker. She’s lower class, gets a makeover by a prince (Richard Gere in this case), they fall for each other but she runs away because they come from two different worlds and it could never logically work, and he chases after her and tells her that her station in life doesn’t matter to him and he loves her for who she is as a person…. and she’s Julia Roberts. This formula has all the romantic elements women love. The formula fulfills the fantasy of dressing up in elegant gowns and being the prom queen. To some characters in the story, the guy is a cold hearted businessman but she sees his tender side and gets him to open up. Finally, the formula wraps up by fulfilling the fantasy of a man chasing after his woman and publicly confessing his love for her. By the way, I believe you can tell a lot about a woman by which formula story she likes the best, but that’s another blog for another time.

The Twilight series, on the other hand, appears to fall into the “Girl Must Choose between the Bad Boy and the Nice Guy Formula” category. Not to be confused with the "Love Triangle Formula," the "Bad Boy and Nice Guy Formula" has a different twist. By just viewing the film trailers, the basic story reveals itself pretty easily. The girl has an unstable family life, she’s probably a misfit or at least not very popular at school. The vampire is the bad boy and, in New Moon, a werewolf comes along and listens to all of her problems. He’s a nice guy, this werewolf. But her true passion is for the vampire bad boy. A key element of this formula is that the woman tames (or tries to tame) the bad boy (Grease/Beauty and the Beast). In this particular case, the bad boy wants to suck the girl’s blood. They probably don’t have sex because he might “lose control” and be overcome by his savage nature and kill her. He won’t hurt her though, because he loves her too much. He probably even runs away and tells her that it’s for the best. Of course, the fact that they can’t have sex makes it even more romantic for a lot of women. Ladies see this plot device as romantic drama, men see it as a tragedy (quick question: can vampires get blue balls? If anyone knows, email me). I’ve not figured out exactly what the werewolf wants, other than to walk around without his shirt on and show his tender side. As I watched the trailers on YouTube, I found myself wondering if the author is metaphorically stating that all men are either vampires or werewolves. And, if so, which one am I? I guess it doesn’t really matter much. As long as ladies aren’t comparing me to Frankenstein’s Monster or Igor I’ll be fine. This formula (or series) can end in two different ways. In the case of Grease the girl ends up with the bad boy. In Casablanca, (and I am in no way saying that Twilight is on the same level as Casablanca, just a similar formula) Ingrid Bergman makes the responsible choice and sticks with nice guy over Bogey (but they’ll always have Paris).

The critics have been pretty harsh on the Twilight films and a lot of academics cringe at the thought of Twilight’s popularity. As an academic myself, I can see their point. Earlier today I stopped in at a local bookstore and read the first few chapters of New Moon. The writing quality isn’t exactly on par with Marquez, the dialogue seems to be taken from direct quotes of top forty pop songs, and the prose is filled with cliché after cliché. Reading along, I was about to pull my hair out in frustration over the fact that such a poorly written story could be so popular when suddenly I thought of something that made me see Twilight in a different light. The other night, while flipping through the channels (I watch much more television now that I’ve moved away from Morgantown) I ran across an old classic, The Goonies. Great! I thought, I hadn’t seen Goonies in over a decade! This was one of my favorite films as a kid. By the time I found the movie on TV, the kids were already underground and had made it farther than Chester Copperpot… and he was a pro! Chunk was in the hands of the Fratellis and the race for One Eyed Willy’s gold was on. What I’m going to do now is paraphrase the scene that was playing when I turned the station.

The kids run into the bottom of a wishing well. At first they think they’ve found the gold, but quickly realize they’re grabbing handfuls of pennies and nickels. Andy (the Token Hot Popular Girl) holds up a penny and wistfully says, “You know, I’ve always believed that when you threw your penny into the well and made a wish, that wish came true.” The kids continue to rake up the coins as Stephanie (The Token Hot Popular Girl’s Cynical and Less Popular Friend) tells everyone to put the coins back where they found them. “You can’t take these coins” She yells. “These are somebody else’s wishes. Someone else’s dreams!” The kids feel guilty and drop the coins, except for Mouth, who sticks a penny in Stephanie’s face and says, “I’m keeping this one. This one right here. Because it was my wish, my dream, and it didn’t come true!” Then he swims away in the well water.

The dialogue couldn’t be cheesier, the acting is horrific, the plot is filled with clichés, everything about the story is ridiculous ….. and I loved every minute of it. Goonies isn't high art or literary drama, but I remember watching the above cheezy scene when I was twelve and, at that time, I was hanging on every word. I was desparate for the kids to find the pirate treasure so that they wouldn't get kicked out of the Goon Docks. I’m sure a lot of people feel the same way about Twilight. In that sense, I get it. Twilight is formulaic romantic fiction with vampires and werewolves thrown in. Maybe it is nothing more than Pretty in Pink meets Dracula, but it fulfills a romance fantasy for a lot of women and it’s a lot of fun. Nothing wrong with that. And since filmmakers are going with eighties films and horror themes, they might as well make a horror version of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Now that I would go see. Wait a minute, they kind of already did that, it’s called Teen Wolf.