Diane Sawyer report on Appalachian Poverty (Bardstown, Union: find a job, buying, tax)

[Miss Blue]

Originally Posted by nawog

Thanks for the info!

I was wondering about the health of the mine workers when Sawyer brought it up. Nobody seemed to answer. The young miner who ate junk food, drank soda and and smoked while suffering from GERD wasn't exactly a good representative of suffering problems due to working in the mine.

..

I gotta agree with that about the junk food and smoking..Just as with the person who put soda in a toddlers sippy cup

My grandson has severe asthma..I was so concerned about his poor lungs..The temp in the mines is quite cool and masks are provided (by law) for use..He says the cool air and constant flow of fresh air actually makes breathing much easier than some of the conditions with the pollen , humidity, perfumes etc. he encounters outside...Bad backs and knees sometimes are more problematic now days for the miners who may have worked years in low coal even using all the proper bending and lifting training...

[rbryant]

Originally Posted by kyborn1

Shame Shame on you Diane Sawyer, you being from Kentucky and that was the best you can do. What about all the successful people that came from eastern Kentucky. I was born and raised in Eastern Kentucky and did not live like that and most people I know that grew up there were determined to have a better life and they did. I think the people of Ky. will think less of you now than they did before. This documentary was right up there with the "Rory Kennedy's American Hollow" story and we all hated that............

I have to disagree. I felt like Diane Sawyer did a commendable job with the documentary, there was no sign of arrogance or smugness from her. If anything I picked up compassion and empathy. We should blame ABC and the producers for throwing in the shock and awe factor that was the incestous relationship.
We can get offended and accuse the media of perpetuating stereotypes. However, these are issues that do exist in the Appalachian counties. I work in health care, I see the ravages of drug addiction quite often. I see pill shoppers come in to the ER on a regular basis. Children inadequately clothed and eating junk food diets. I see young women with multiple children from different fathers.
Although we've made improvements over the past forty years, the fight to modernize Appalachia and improve the standard of living still continues.

[vec101]

Living in West Virginia, I was ready for all the negative things one always hears about Appalachia. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the show.

Bottom line of what I got out of the show - it just broke my heart.
Just want to grab those kids and help them out. Also want to throttle the parents.

Sure hope those babies can break the cycle. But, it is hard to break it if you don't have anyone to show you how.

[vec101]

Originally Posted by marmac

Wow !
I wish I had a dollar for everytime our local ABC affiliate has mentioned it.
?

I was stunned to see it promoted over and over on the "non" major networks - TV stations like CMT and others. Stations I would NOT have expected a 20/20 show to be promoted on.

[vec101]

Originally Posted by marmac

I am from the United States (the same country Kennedy was from when he singled out the Appalachians some 40 + years ago)

He believed it would take--FEDERAL------money to help those areas
Any help in the future will also take---FEDERAL--money.

Yes, I do pay ---FEDERAL--income taxes and have been paying ---FEDERAL--income taxes longer than the majority of posters here.

I'd rather see my Federal tax money building roads so people have better access to jobs and programs to help people help themselves -- than to see my Federal tax money go to druggies, lazy people who won't work, or women popping out one baby after another.

We really need to do better with programs showing kids a path out-of-poverty.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by vec101

I'd rather see my Federal tax money building roads so people have better access to jobs and programs to help people help themselves -- than to see my Federal tax money go to druggies, lazy people who won't work, or women popping out one baby after another.

We really need to do better with programs showing kids a path out-of-poverty.

Well said. I agree. It is the same old song and dance everywhere whether it be Chicago or Harlan.

[kentuckydad95]

I said I wasn't going to watch the episode, but I did anyway.

First off, NO ONE likes when the state that they love has their "dirty laundry" aired on national television. Secondly, I have never visited the Appa-region of KY and probably never will. Was everything Diane Sawyer reported false?

What was with the Mountain Dew? Is that the ONLY drink to be had in that area?

The people say they want a better life, but when one of them (the football player) gets a full-ride to Pikeville College, he quits after 8 weeks. And this will surely rub some the wrong way and like I said, I have never been there, but do some of them enjoy living like that? And was it the football player who they gave an update on and said he went to Nashville to try and get a job, but couldn't find one? I can find 50 jobs tomorrow in Nashville. All of which are probably hard work jobs, but they are there. I'm afraid the cycle may never be broken.

PS: COMMON SENSE tells you that you don't give a baby Mountain Dew...WTF!!!

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by rbryant

\ I work in health care, I see the ravages of drug addiction quite often. I see pill shoppers come in to the ER on a regular basis. Children inadequately clothed and eating junk food diets. I see young women with multiple children from different fathers.

That kind of stuff happens in Louisville. It's not exclusive to the mountains.

[timelesschild]

I guess the impoverished lower-class residents of the other 49 states have fabulous parenting skills, riiiight?

[timelesschild]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

That kind of stuff happens in Louisville. It's not exclusive to the mountains.

See, that's what I'm saying too. It's in LA, it's in Florida, Ohio, Missouri, NYC, and ... aha! ... It's in Appalachia as well. What a surprise. OK, fair enough, the whole world has seen enough of the urban poor, as well.