The summer before I was married in 1957 I worked simultaneously two industrial jobs to earn enough money to support us in Oxford for a year.
I particularly remember one at an aircraft plant as a major parts packer.
The first week the guys hazed me a bit and then we became closest friends as a group working together. They nicknamed me “preacher” as I was studying theology then. They knew I was working two full time jobs 6 days a week, so they would do whatever they could to let me rest — piling stuff around me when I would nap during a break to let me sleep longer.
Most of the guys had come from working in the oil wells in Texas, so shared much already. One day this huge guy came at me and claimed I was trying to make it with his wife. Suddenly he stopped and left. I looked around and my buddies were putting their switch blades back in their pockets.
Working together in such jobs really draws guys together in special ways — we had some women in the factory, but working in separate areas.
What a loss to have so many guys blown to hell at once by a boss CEO who obviously gave not a damn about them or their safety.
All this is small instance of an America that is being divided by a global economy which puts profits above the value of people. Pretty obviously our industrial jobs have migrated to China, etc. where workers are treated like dirt compared with most of our workers. They can make it cheaper and Walmart is there to get us to buy Chinese rather than American. It is a new world — financial — not military — and even Obama does not seem to have caught on yet.
—
“A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope.” (Livy cited by Machiavelli)
—
Ed Kent [blind copies]
2 users commented in " My Heart Goes Out to the Guys Killed in the Mine (and, of course their loved ones) "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackThis is such a very sad situation.Now we have had this happen to many times for comfort.There has to be away to help avoid this.An any forman,superntendent,or higher up.That pushes a man,or group of people into a mine area,that maybe unstable.Should be held accountable in some way.
I cant imagine being under a control to make money because i need it,an my life be at stake,in an unstable area.With jobs the way they have been dropping people from the payroll,an people haveing to work.I think sometime they are pushed into dangerious situations.Mining is dangerious already,an when they the company knows it a unstable area.I just breaks my heart for the worker trapped untill death,watching co worker die before them,an struggling for their breath.
IM WEEPING AS I WRITE THIS. FOR THE WORKERS TRAPPED,THE CHILDREN WHOS DADS ARE TRAPPED,THE FAMILIES WATCHING HOPING AN PRAYING.An even for those coworkers who are watching feeling bad for their fellow man,an thankful it wasnt them sent down in that mine.So very sad.They need to find a solution!!!!
Im bad about writting before i read all the artical.I see these workers all are deceaced.
OBAMA DOESNT HAVE A CLUE,NEITHER DID MANY BEFORE HIM,OR THEY TURNED A BLIND EYE.WHEN YOU HAVE A BIG FAMILY TO BUY FOR,OR ARE ELDERLY AN CANT AFFORD TO BUY MUCH.tHEY ARE GOING TO BUY WHATS CHEAPER.CHINA PRODUCTS ARE CHEAPER,FOR THE CONSUMER.tHAN aMERICAN PRODUCTS.i BELIEVE THATS WHY WE KEEP BUYING PRODUCTS FROM CHINA.
Sorry my cap locks sticks sometimes.Labor in China,is why they sell cheap ,an they can.America has whored with these countries ,for products,an many financhal situations.Its a shame.When the world trade center was hit,that really started our down fall,an those who hit it knew it would.Of course bad,buisness did it also.buy congress,an the big buisness man.
Leave A Reply