Scandal of the Week: NIKE Runs Mountaintop Removal Football Ad, Disrespects Coal Miners

[ashling]

Scandal of the Week: NIKE Runs Mountaintop Removal Football Ad, Disrespects Coal Miners
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Still embroiled in infamous sweatshop practices, NIKE is now running an ad with a background of a massive strip-mine or mountaintop removal operation in one of the most bizarre panders to Big Coal--and one of the most disrespectful slights of coal miners.

As part of their Pro Combat football uniforms, Nike's campaign is being run under the guise as a "tribute to the hardworking people of the Mountain State, as well as the fallen miners in the Upper Big Branch disaster in April."

Instead of featuring underground miners, such as those who died at the Upper Big Branch disaster, Nike features an open strip mine with a dramatic voice over: "It's just the way things are done in West Virginia."


It gets even worse.

In an act of total disrespect, Nike claims the West Virginia University football players put their lives on the line every day, just like coal miners.
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My daughter live in Eastern Tennessee and is a mountain top removal activist. She put this on fb.

[joeybee12]

1. Nike is fucking evil...

...souless, brainless corporation.

[Dawson Leery]

2. Nike is a global corporation. They have

no idea as to how "the way things are done in West Virginia".

[stuntcat]

3. I'm a mountaintop removal activist too.

I mean I assume you meant your daughter is an activist against it rather than for it :)

Nike's just a uber-huge corporation, made who they were through the general Earth-raping. Wonder why they'd run this kinda ad? I've observed that everyone in charge of our media and consumption wants to keep everyone in the dark about what's happening to stuff like mountains and oceans, it really is in their best interests to. The less people see of what goes on in the mountains, the better, etc etc..

I feel for coal miners and their families but I wish they'd be given new ways to make a living.

[Erose999]

4. WVU isn't even in coal country. Its Southern and Western W. VA where coal is produced.

That, and mountaintop removal is just abohrrent. I don't know any West Virginian who would take pride in that ad, I'm sure most of the players aren't even from W.VA and just do what they are told by the money men.

Morgan County - where WVU is located - is in the white region on the upper right of the map. Close to Pittsburgh PA



My thoughts on mountaintop removal can be further summed up by Kentucky scholar and author Wendell Berry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgfMu2NxtZI

Powerful stuff, Berry's words.

[jdlh8894]

8. Asshole!

WVU is in Morgantown(Monongalia County)Which is the county in orange on your map (closest to pittsburgh) which produces 10 to 20 mil tons. At least get your facts straight!

[davidinalameda]

10. thank you

Morgan County?

dumbasses

[jdlh8894]

11. Probably got his 411 from wiki!

Where you located @ up there? I was raised just south of "Morganhole".

[davidinalameda]

16. Tyler County

halfway between Wheeling and Parkersburg

I did my time at WVU Class of 93

[tkmorris]

12. The poster got the county wrong

Other than that I'd have said we were all on the same side of this issue, at least up until you called them an asshole. Are you this quick in real life to make enemies of people?

[jdlh8894]

13. Yeah. My wife tells me my biggest pleasure in life is

PISSING people OFF. Happy,now?

[Erose999]

14. My apologies, you are right. You failed to piss me off though

sorry to disappoint you ;)

[jdlh8894]

15. Darn! At least I tried!LOL Have a GREAT one!

[ashling]

17. Yeah, obviously

This baffled me because it is not only tone deaf, it is just plain stupid

[Brickbat]

5. Nike has no clue about workers?

Get OUT!

[bobbolink]

6. Appalachia Rising --Conference on Mountaintop Removal

http://restoringeden.org/newsandevents/app-rising/



Appalachia Rising is a national response to the poisoning of America's water supply and the destruction of Appalachia's mountains and communities through mountaintop removal coal mining. The event consists of three parts:


The Voices From the Mountains conference kicks off September 25th and 26th, with a weekend full of workshops, panels, and cultural events celebrating the history and future of Appalachia. This is a great opportunity to meet others who care deeply about this issue and strategize on how together we can enact a new vision for Appalachia. Restoring Eden will be hosting a workshop on Sunday and tabling throughout the weekend. Join us! Click here to register.

On September 27th, there will be a National Day of Action in which thousands will march and rally to call for an end to mountaintop removal. Click here to learn more.

On Tuesday, September 28th, our partner organization, Appalachian Voices, is sponsoring a National Lobby Day to bring folks out to advocate for the end of mountaintop removal. Would you be willing to meet with your representatives and speak out on behalf of the people, mountains, and streams of Appalachia? The Lobby Day is open to people of all experience levels, and there will be lobby training throughout the weekend. Click here to apply.

We hope you'll consider joining people of faith, coalfield residents, grassroots groups, national organizations, and individuals like yourselves to help strengthen this movement and bring Christ's grace, love and light to this critical issue.

For questions or additional information, please contact Anna Jane Joyner at [e-mail]

PO Box 877, La Center, WA 98629
ph 360.574.8230 [e-mail]

[8 track mind]

7. Doonesbury nailed nike's ass

Years ago about their child labor practices. Pretty sad state of affairs when a comic strip is the only one to expose a corparation for human rights abuses.

[femrap]

9. Plus Nike buys off the

athletes....pays them enormous amounts of money to advertise the brand. I think of Michael Jordan, specifically. Think if he had stood up and spoke out about what Nike was doing to children overseas. He could have had that company shut down....or least made them move their manufacturing to the US. And he could have educated an entire generation of American youth....hell and adults who so admired him.

But he didn't. I have no respect for him and many other athletes who care nothing about oppression once they've 'made it.'

And while I'm at....may Wood's woody never work again.

[HopeHoops]

18. Nike doesn't make steel-toed boots. I wouldn't buy a key fob if I knew it was made by Nike.

They don't give a shit about their slave laborers or their customers.