Speech by US President Barack Obama to mourn the death of miners
Http://anforen.5d6d.com/We're here to memorialize 29 Americans: Carl Acord. jason Atkins. christopher Bell. gregory Steven Brock. kenth Allan Chapman. robert Clark. charles Timothy Davis. cory Davis. michael Lee Elswick. william I. griffin. steven Harrah. edward Dean Jones. richard K. lane. william Roosevelt Lynch. nicholas Darrell McCroskey. joe Marcum. ronald Lee Maynor. james E. mooney. adam Keith Morgan. rex L. mullins. joshua S. napper. howard D. payne. dillard Earl Persinger. joel R. price. deward Scott. gary Quarles. grover Dale Skeens. benny willinheim. and Ricky Workman.
"We miss 29 Americans here: karl ackd, Jason Arkins, Christopher Bell, glico Steve Brooke, kennis Allen Chapman, Robert Clark, Charles tymosi Davis, Kerry Davis michael Lee elesvik, William I. griphes, Stephen Harara, Edward Dean Jones, Richard K. rennes, William roswilt Lynch, Nicolas daril macucski, Joe markm, Ronald Lee Mel, James E. mny, Adam Kisch Morgan, Rex L. mlins, Josh S. napier, Howard D. payne, didard El borsingh, and Jol R. pules, D. Scott, Gary koars, grofo Dell skins, Benny weilingham, and rich woman."
Nothing I, or the Vice President, or the Governor, none of the speakers here today, nothing we say can fill the hole they leave in your hearts, or the absence that they leave in your lives. if any comfort can be found, it can, perhaps, be found by seeking the face of God -- (applause) -- who quiets our troubled minds, a God who mends our broken hearts, a God who eases our mourning souls.
No one can say anything, whether I am the Vice President, the Governor, or the one who delivers the comments today, to fill your wounds in the hearts of your lost loved ones. If there is any comfort you can find, you may only find it from God. God comforts our painful minds, repairs our broken hearts, and relieves our grief.
Even as we mourn 29 lives lost, we also remember 29 lives lived. up at 4: 30 a.m ., 5: 00 in the morning at the latest, they began their day, as they worked, in darkness. in coveralland hard-toe boots, a hardhat over their heads, they wocould sit quietly for their hour-long journey, five miles into a mountain, the only light the lamp on their caps, or the glow from the mantrip they rode in.
Day after day, they wowould burrow into the coal, the fruits of their labor, what so often we take for granted: the atomicity that lights up a convention center; that lights up our church or our home, our school, our office; the energy that powers our country; the energy that powers the world. (Applause .)
Even though we are mourning these 29 dead lives, we will also remember these 29 lives that have lived in the world. Get up at half past four in the morning and start a day at. They work in the dark. Wearing overalls, hard boots, helmets, and sit down for an hour and go to a mine five miles away. The only light is from the helmet they wear, or the light along the mine when it enters.
Day after day, they dig for coal, which is also the fruit of their work, but we do not agree: This lights up the power of a conference center; lights up the lights of our churches, homes, schools, and offices; the energy that makes our country run; the energy that the world maintains.
And most days they 'd emerge from the dark mine, squinting at the light. most days, they 'd emerge, sweaty and dirty and dusted from coal. most days, they 'd come home. but not that day.
These men -- these husbands, fathers, grandfathers, brothers sons, uncles, nephews -- they did not take on their job unaware of the perils. some of them had already been injured; some of them had seen a friend get hurt. so they understood there were risks. and their families did, too. they knew their kids wocould say a prayer at night before they left. they knew their wives wowould wait for a call when their shift ended saying everything was okay. they knew their parents felt a pang of fear every time a breaking news alert came on, or the radio cut in.
But they left for the mines anyway -- some, having waited all their lives to be miners; having longed to follow in the footsteps of their fathers and their grandfathers. and yet, none of them did it for themselves alone.
Most of the time, they looked out of the dark mine and stared at the light. Most of the time, they probe from the mine, full of sweat and dirt. Most of the time, they can go home. But not that day.
Those husbands, fathers, grandfathers, brothers, sons, uncles, and nephews did not ignore the risks when they were engaged in the job. Some of them have been injured, and some of them have been injured when seeing friends. So they know there is a risk. Their families also know. They know that children pray at night before they go to the mine. They knew that their wife was anxiously waiting for their phone number to inform them that the task was completed and everything was fine. They know that every time there is an emergency news broadcast, or the broadcast is suddenly cut off, their parents will feel great fear.
But they left their homes and came to the mine. Some people have all their life to become miners, and they are looking forward to entering the path that their fathers have taken. However, they are not making a choice for themselves.
All that hard work, all that hardship, all the time spent underground, it was all for the families. it was all for you. for a car in the driveway, a roof overhead. for a chance to give their kids opportunities that they wowould never know, and enjoy retirement with their spouses. it was all in the hopes of something better. and so these miners lived -- as they died -- in pursuit of the American Dream.
This difficult and dangerous work, the great hardships, the time spent underground, all for the family. It is for you, for cars traveling on the road, for the lights on the ceiling above your head, and for a chance for your children to live in retirement with their partners in the future. This is expected to have a better life. Therefore, the life of these miners is the pursuit of the American dream, and they are also killed.
There, in the mines, for their families, they became a family themselves -- sharing birthdays, using together, watching Mountaineers football or basketball together, spending days off together, hunting or fishing. they may not have always loved what they did, said a sister, but they loved doing it together. they loved doing it as a family. they loved doing it as a community.
That's a spirit that's reflected in a song that almost every American knows. but it's a song most people, I think, wocould be surprised was actually written by a coal miner's son about this town, Beckley, about the people of West Virginia. it's the song, Lean on Me -- an anthem of friendship, but also an anthem of community, of coming together.
In the mine, for their families, they made up their own families: celebrate their birthdays, rest together, watch football or basketball together, spend time together, hunt or fish. They may not always like these things, but they like to finish them together. They like to do these things like a family. They like to do these things like a community.
This is also the spirit of a song that Americans are familiar. I think most people are surprised that this song was actually written by the son of a miner about the town of Berkley and the people of West Virginia. This song "Lean on Me" is a tribute to friendship, but it is also a tribute to the community for gathering together.
That community was revealed for all to see in the minutes, and hours, and days after the tragedy. rescuers, risking their own safety, scouring narrow tunnels saturated with methane and carbon monoxide, hoping against hope they might find a login vor. friends keeping porch lights on in a nightly vigil; hanging up homemade signs that read, "Pray for our miners, and their families. "Neighbors consoling each other, and supporting each other and leaning on one another.
I 've seen it, the strength of that community. in the days that followed the disaster, emails and letters poured into the White House. postmarked from different places into ss the country, they often began the same way: "I am proud to be from a family of miners. "I am the son of a coal miner. "I am proud to be a coal miner's daughter. "(Applause .) they were always proud, and they asked me to keep our miners in my thoughts, in my prayers. never forget, they say, miners keep America's lights on. (Applause .) and then in these letters, they make a simple plea: Don't let this happen again. (Applause .) don't let this happen again.
How can we fail them? How can a nation that relies on its miners not do everything in its power to protect them? How can we let anyone in this country put their lives at risk by simply showing up to work; by simply pursuing the American Dream?
We cannot bring back the 29 men we lost. they are with the Lord now. our task, here on Earth, is to save lives from being lost in another such tragedy; to do what must do, individually and collevelvely, to assure safe conditions underground -- (applause) -- to treat our miners like they treat each other -- like a family. (Applause .) because we are all family and we are all Americans. (Applause .) and we have to lean on one another, and look out for one another, and love one another, and pray for one another.
There's a psalm that comes to mind today -- a psalm that comes to mind, a psalm we often turn to in times of heartache.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no edevil, for You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me ."
God bless our miners. (Applause.) God bless their families. God bless West Virginia. (Applause.) And God bless the United States of America. (Applause .)
A few minutes after a disaster, several hours later, the Community was eventually noticed by the outside world. The saveder is at risk searching through narrow tunnels full of biogas and carbon monoxide, hoping to discover a survivor. Friends turned on the porch lights to watch the night, and hung self-made slogans that said, "Pray for our miners and their families ." Neighbors comfort each other and help each other.
As I can see, this is the power of the community. In the days that followed the disaster, emails and emails flood into the White House. The postmark is from all over the country. People usually start with the same name: "I'm proud to be from a miner's family ." "I am the son of a miner ." "I'm proud to be a miner ."...... They are all proud. They asked me to shut down our miners and pray for them. They said, don't forget that miners keep America bright. In these letters, they make a small request: do not let such a thing happen again. Don't let this happen again.
How can we disappoint them? How can a country dependent on miners not fully fulfill their responsibilities to protect them? How can our country tolerate the lives of people only because of work? Is it because they pursue the American dream?
We cannot let 29 dead lives back. They are now with the Lord. Our task here is to prevent the loss of life in such a tragedy. What we have to do, whether individual or collective, is to ensure the security of the mines and treat each other like a family of miners. Because we are a family, we are all Americans. We must rely on each other, watch each other, love each other, and pray for each other.
Today, I think of a holy song. "Although I have gone through the valley of death, I have no fear, because you are with me. Your rod, your rod, is comforting me ." Http://anforen.5d6d.com/god bless us miner! God bless their family! God bless West Virginia! God bless America!
