Appalachia is worth fighting for

Home of the class war and heart of the labor revolution that has fallen from grace

Appalachia has changed over the years.

What was once a place filled with union loyalists ready to go toe-to-toe with corporate elites and shed blood for their brethren has unfortunately been overtaken by boot-licking bought-and-paid-fors from industries hell-bent on profiting off our resources while leaving our people poor and destitute.

While I’m under no delusion that I have the ability to change this alone, my hope is to show a perspective that has been missing from a lot of the national discourse about this region. My life was made better by unions, and I don’t take that for granted.

I hope readers will be reminded that there are people in and from Appalachia who still believe in its roots, and aren’t willing to cede all of its wealth to corporate interests.

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Weekly Music Rec

I try to highlight Appalachian (and more broadly, Southern) musicians and bands each week that I hope you’ll check out and support. We are truly in a renaissance period for great Appalachian musicians and the well will never run dry, so I want to highlight ones that I love, deserve recognition, and that are up-and-coming or lesser-known names.

Dog pics

I also like to send out pics of Big Dog, my grumpy curmudgeon Treeing Walker Coonhound (whose Christian name is Heidi). So there’s that.

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Loudmouth opinions on labor, unions, corporate greed, stereotypes, and the like about the 13-state region that people like to throw stones at. Don't think Appalachia is relevant to you? You're wrong.

People

Appalachian politics, energy, and labor. Pro-Union / Anti-corporate greed. Which side are you on?