On July 8th as the rulers of the eight most powerful nations meet in Scotland to decide our fates, communities around the world will take to the streets to fight back against the fossil fuels industry’s devastation of our Earth and its people.

No longer can we stand by as our air is polluted, our water poisoned, our mountains destroyed, and our communities terrorized by these careless corporate thugs.

On this day, in conjunction with Venezuelan communities fighting coal mines in their country, the people of Appalachia and folks from all across the east coast will descend on Richmond, VA to confront one of the most ruthless coal companies in the US, Massey Energy Co, which has been systematically destroying the mountains and people of Southern Appalachia through a form of mining called mountaintop removal (MTR).

With this form of mining Massey literally blows the tops off mountains to get to the thin seams of coal that lie beneath. The leftover rock is then pushed into valleys, burying the life-giving streams many Appalachian communities depend on for food and water.

In West Virginia alone, MTR mining has leveled over 500 square miles of mountains and buried over 1,200 miles of streams. More pounds of explosives are used to destroy the mountains of West Virginia each day than were used during the entire US invasion of Afghanistan!

To add insult to injury, many coalfield residents have been poisoned.

by the coal dust in the air and heavy metals released into the water. Those who have chosen to resist these atrocities have had their children intimidated, their lives threatened, and their houses shot at. On the other end of the productions line, the burning of coal has led to skyrocketing asthma rates, rampant mercury poisoning, and contributes significantly to global warming.

But all is not lost; there is growing resistance to the coal barons who have turned Appalachia into a national sacrifice zone. And we want you to be a part of it.

Join Mountain Justice to take direct action* against Massey Energy Co. Help the residents of Appalachia defend their communities from coal company thugs and toxic waste. Put an end to Global Warming. Demand the absolute abolition of Mountaintop Removal mining and help bring about a sustainable and just future for the people of Appalachia and the World. MASSEY, YOUR TIME HAS COME!

The rally will begin at noon. There will also be an event the night before featuring a speaker from the coalfields and a benefit concert the night of the event.

For more information about the Richmond convergence, contact: communitiesagainstcoal@yahoo.com

SCHEDULE:

JULY 4th –6th
Puppet Making at Little Flower July 4th-6th, they have space for 15-20 people, we need more puppetistas
please contact Naomi, Nable, or Jen or call Sue at Little Flower (540)967-5574 littleflower@wildmail.com
they need at least 10 more people so please join
MJ will also be in Richmond working on logistics from July 4th on, come join us.
To get filled in or join in call Abigail: (865)385-1204
Listen to Richmond Indie Radio on Tuesday July 5th from 12-2, it's 97.3 on your dial

JULY 7th
5:00pm Punk Show at the PACE Center (Appalachian Terror Unit, AREUFuckin' Serious, and Soapbox Amplifier)
8:00pm Open Meeting, for logistics and information, Affinity Groups are welcome. -Food Not Bombs will provide snacks
Everyone get a good night’s sleep, there’s room at the PACE Center for about 60 people
For housing: richmondhousing@riseup.net or call Doug (910) 297-1506 for the housing hook-up.
There will be water provided to some extent by our friendly neighborhood medics, and there is a small water fountain in Monroe Park; however, it is HOT in Richmond in July, please bring a water bottle, dress accordingly, and wear sunscreen if you need it!

JULY 8th
10:00am Breakfast and Nonviolence training in Monroe Park
12:00noon Rally
12:00 brief intro to MJ / Christians for the mountains
12:02 Christians for the Mountains
12:05 Judy Bonds
12:10 1 Song by Chris and Benji (2 pickin' fools)
12:20 speaker from the Defenders (Richmond organization working against lead in a public school)
12:25 Jeff 2 minutes about The People United and MJ 3 min song
12:30 Solidarity with Venezuela (ABIGAIL) and gold mines in Guatemala
12:35 speaker from PACE (People's Alliance for Clean Energy, group working to stop construction of 2 nuclear reactors outside of Richmond)
12:40 Song by Amanda or Bobby St. Ours
12:45 MJ Declaration
12:50 Parent or Coalfields resident (hopefully Ed Wiley)

- MARCH-
-Food Not Bombs will provide dinner in Monroe park
-Concert with Virginia Jihad, Two Pickin' Fools and Mad Squirrel at the Info Shop time TBA
-Housing available at the PACE center

- CONCERT - (at the PACE center)
6pm MC Mad Squirrel (transplanted appalachian hip-hop)
7pm P.Turner and G. Donovan (hillbilly and Al.t country)
8pm Virginia Jihad (bluegrass)

Getting there and sleeping there:
If you're looking for housing: richmondhousing@riseup.net
Ride and Housing Board
Google maps * Yahoo! maps