Among the many memes circulating on the internet is one consisting of a photograph of two hands bound by rope, accompanied by the caption: “If you’re afraid to speak out against tyranny, you’re already a slave."
It’s a sad commentary on some of our fellow citizens. As the home of the brave becomes more and more a home of the craven, the land of the free becomes less and less so.
What need does a tyrant have of violence when the people voluntarily submit to him – when their fear of being out of step or out of fashion is enough to keep them subservient?
Though their numbers may be dwindling, there still are brave souls in our midst with the guts to speak out against tyranny. They will not hold their tongues or be intimidated. They will not go along to get along.
One such individual is former Massey Energy Chairman Don Blankenship.
Four years into his retirement, Blankenship continues to speak out – in defense of the coal industry and in defense of our state and citizens.
In a recent post on his website, Blankenship wrote that “the science is not settled as to climate change, despite Obama’s declaration to the contrary. In fact, the world continues to learn that global warming is a big business and not a big cause. It is a business scam of massive proportions, and to call it anything else is to be a denier of the truth.”
Blankenship chastises his peers in the coal industry for following a “politically correct strategy” that is not working.
“They are literally watching their companies go bankrupt,” he declares, “as they practice political correctness and access politics and watch their market share deteriorate year after year. Their shareholders should be irate, but so too should all Americans.”
If we were all a little more like Don Blankenship, no tyrant would dare try to enslave us.