Reading statements by the families of the trapped Huntington miners should be enough to convince anybody that, if there is even a slight chance that any of the trapped miners are still alive, it is Bob Murray's responsibility to do everything in his power to get them out.These men risked every day (and eventually probably gave) their lives to turn a profit for Murray. Now it's his turn to pay back a bit. He doesn't even need to risk his own life (what exactly is that helmet is supposed to be protecting him from? Falling stacks of earnings reports?) just some of the money those men made for him.
If it's too dangerous to send rescuers in horizontally, send them in vertically. Even in the worst case, the families deserve the comfort of decent burials for their loved ones. (Brandon Burt)
I just wanted to say that I could not agree more. Murray is more concerned with the money he could be losing from this tragedy than the loss for the families.
ReplyDeleteMurray doesn't need either of your prods to do what is humanly possible. He has not acted temporately. He has given everything reasonably possible to rescue those men. He doesn't need harpies like you two exhorting more effort than is humanly available. Give the man a break; he's getting your kind of crap from all sides, including to media who are squeezing this for every dime it's worth.
ReplyDeleteI am a "historical photographer" for lack of a better term and have been professionally photographing abandoned Colorado silver and gold mining camps for many years. So this story is close to my heart. I cannot tell you how terrible conditions in the mines were 100-plus years ago. And it is true that the vast majority of owners were (and still are) far more concerned about their profits than they were/are about their people. This led--literally--to labor wars between the miners and the owners (who were typically backed by state Militias) in years past. But I will say that from everything I have seen, Bob Murray does not seem to fall into this camp. He truly does seem to care about these people. I do not believe that his potential plan to close the mine has anything to do with profit. How could it? The mine would be closed to future mining. That means NO profit whatsoever. The initial talk of continuning to work in a different section of the mine was, quite honestly, insane, and does seem to indicate a higher concern for money than men. But my guess is that this was just a really dumb idea and it seems as though that thought has been put away. I see the point of the families desire to send in a rescue capsule, but at what cost? If they detect signs of life, then by all means, send in a capsule and get those men out of there. But if they find the men dead, then why risk sending in another team and run the risk of losing them as well? To retrieve bodies for the family to bury? I can understand that desire, but the families need to consider the incredible risk it would pose to the men going in to do nothing more than retrieve bodies. The risk is too great. If they are alive, that's a different story, but it seems inconceviable that they are alive at this point. However: They absolutely DO need to continue to drill bore holes without stopping until they find evidence one way or the other. Just my 10-1/2 cents worth.
ReplyDelete1,000 Youth are converging in response to the mine collapse.
ReplyDeleteThe small congregation of Celebration Tabernacle has been diligently watching the tragedy at the coal mines unfold, and now as outsiders attention is waning they have rallied a team of musicians and parishioners to join the families of the miners in a show of faith.
On Tuesday, August 28th at 8:00pm E. D. Mondainé and Belief, a national gospel recording artist, will be traveling to Utah and performing alongside local talent including Pastor Lary Sweeten of Liberty Faith Fellowship church, and a choir of 1,000 students from all over Carbon and Emery county. The event will be held at the Peace Gardens in front of the CEU Prehistoric Museum located at: 155 E Main St in Price. All proceeds of the event will go to the Coal Miner's Children Fund at the Eastern Utah Community Credit Union.
For more information go to: www.angels.edmondaine.com
That's ridiculous. People knew it was a dangerous job when they signed on. You don't think their contract said there might be cave-ins and what not? It's just like health insurance, your health insurance company doesn't have to pay for more than what you're covered for. Neither does your employer. Perhaps from now on contracts should include a monetary figure of how much the company is required to spend per person trying to save them, so noone will present such stupid arguments again. If the men come out with $2 million dollars in medical bills, that won't be Murray's responsibility -- only whatever worker's comp covers. Same principle applies to rescuing -- that the amount to be spent isn't limitless.
ReplyDeleteIt is absolutely riciculous to offer up more lives. In what sense of reality does one need to live in to realize that enough is enough.
ReplyDeleteShow me the functionality in sending an individual 2k feet beneath the surface of the earth?
You want another death to complain and whine about?
I have never been much of a fan of pragmatic thought...but at this point in the game, let life count for what it is worth...do not lose another one.